Someone please explain Pillar Pages like I'm 5

[alwaysfabian]

I for the life of me cannot comprehend pillar pages. Many resources like Hubspot have used examples like content marketing to demonstrate a pillar page, but that's too ambiguous of a topic to understand. I need a simpler example, like a pillar page for a blog about cats or pets.

I also don't understand the difference between a pillar page and a category page that holds a bunch of blogs categorized around the same topic? Where would pillar pages even live? In the navigation? Inside a category page?

Generally, I've been thinking about pillar pages like this:

• Pillar page: Skin care for dry skin
• Content clusters/sections inside the pillar page:
  • Skin care for dry skin in the summer
  • Skin care for dry skin in the winter
  • Best exfoliators for dry skin
  • Best moisturizers for dry skin

Is this the right way to think about it?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

[karstenkoehler]

Hi @alwaysfabian,

Absolutely, let's break down the concept of pillar pages using a simple example related to a blog about cats or pets. The content piece ideas below were generated with the help of ChatGPT.

Imagine you have a blog about cats:

1. Pillar page: "Ultimate Guide to Cat Care"

This is your main, comprehensive guide covering everything about taking care of a cat.

2. Content clusters/sections inside the pillar page:

• Feeding Your Cat:

  • Types of cat food
  • Feeding schedules
  • Treats and snacks

• Grooming Your Cat:

  • Brushing techniques
  • Bathing tips
  • Dealing with shedding

• Healthcare for Your Cat:

  • Regular vet check-ups
  • Common health issues
  • Medications and vaccinations

• Playtime and Exercise:

  • Best toys for cats
  • DIY play ideas
  • Importance of exercise

• Understanding Cat Behavior:

  • Communication signals
  • Behavioral issues and solutions
  • Bonding with your cat

You had a few additional questions, let's look at the difference between pillar page and category page:

• Pillar page: A comprehensive guide that acts as the main hub for a broad topic, like "Ultimate Guide to Cat Care." It provides an overview and links to more specific subtopics or content clusters.

• Category page: A page that groups together related blogs or articles. In this example, you might have a category page titled "Cat Health," which includes blogs about feeding, grooming, healthcare, etc.

You also wanted to better understand where pillar pages live.

• Navigation: Yes, pillar pages are often placed in the navigation menu as a key resource. Visitors can easily find and access the main pillar content.

• Inside a category page: No, pillar pages typically aren't inside category pages. Instead, category pages might link to your pillar page and related blogs, creating a hierarchical structure.

•  

This approach helps organize your content in a way that provides a comprehensive guide (pillar page) while allowing visitors to delve into specific subtopics (content clusters) as needed. Remember, the key is to provide a user-friendly structure that helps your audience navigate and find relevant information easily.

Best regards!

[alwaysfabian]

Hi Karsten, thank you for this thoughtful reply!

Pillar pages seem more clear now. What I'm still a bit unclear about is where they could potentially live. Pillar pages somewhat seem like "super-sized" blog posts that link out to smaller, more niched blog posts (at least in my mind.)

When I think of a conventional blog navigation, I think of divisions like "Home", "About", "Blog", "Contact", etc. Is this the level where pillar pages could be linked? Would a pillar page live on the same level for a niched cat blog with a navigation like "Cat Health", "Cat Toys", "Cat Costumes", etc.?

Thank you!

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

@alwaysfabian You're on the right track! Pillar pages can indeed be thought of as "super-sized" guides that serve as comprehensive resources on a particular topic. Now, let's consider where they could live within your blog structure.

In a conventional blog navigation like "Home," "About," "Blog," and "Contact," you can absolutely have a category or section specifically for your pillar pages. Here's how it might look for your niched cat blog:

1. Home: Introduction to your blog.
2. About: Information about you and your blog.
3. Blog:
   • Cat Health: This is where your pillar page "Ultimate Guide to Cat Care" could live.
     • Feeding Your Cat
     • Grooming Your Cat
     • Healthcare for Your Cat
     • Playtime and Exercise
     • Understanding Cat Behavior
   • Cat Toys: Another potential pillar page like "Complete Guide to Cat Toys."
     • Interactive Toys
     • DIY Toys
     • Best Toys for Different Breeds
   • Cat Costumes: Similarly, a pillar page like "Dressing Up Your Cat."
     • Safety Tips
     • DIY Costume Ideas
     • Popular Cat Costumes

By placing pillar pages at this level, you're making them easily accessible from the main navigation. Visitors can then navigate to the pillar page for a comprehensive overview and explore specific topics within that category.

So, in your case, you could have a "Cat Health" section in your blog navigation, and under that, you'd find the "Ultimate Guide to Cat Care" as your pillar page.

This helps create a hierarchical structure that guides your readers from broader topics to more specific and detailed information. It also helps in organizing your content for both SEO purposes and a better user experience.

[alwaysfabian]

Thank you, Karsten! Greatly appreciate your guidance. You've been super helpful!