The Power of Pillar Based Marketing - an organic approach to SEO

We are at an interesting time for digital marketing. As more businesses utilise PPC advertising, search terms are becoming more competitive and costly. At the same time, trust in sponsored search results is at an all-time low. So what's the alternative?

Staying ahead of the curve is crucial for any business seeking to make a significant impact online. One strategy that has gained prominence for its effectiveness is Pillar-Based Marketing (PBM). This approach not only streamlines content creation but also enhances SEO efforts, ultimately leading to a stronger online presence and improved audience engagement.

Understanding Pillar-Based Marketing

Pillar-Based Marketing is a content strategy that revolves around creating a comprehensive, centralised piece of content known as a “pillar page.” This pillar page broadly covers a key topic relevant to your business and target audience.

For example at Brand Experiences we have 4 main pillars: Employee Experience; Culture; Sustainability; and Customer Experience.

These main pillar pages are is then supported by related sub-pillars which address specific aspects of the main topic. Typically each pillar would have around 3 sub-pillars and each sub-pillar would have around 3 articles linked to them. This interconnected structure of articles creates a cluster of content around your key topics. This boosts SEO as search engines see your site as an authority on that topic, driving more traffic to your site - organically. The improved user experience for visitors interest in that topic will naturally boost engagement and conversion metrics - further boosting SEO.

Key Benefits of Pillar-Based Marketing

  1. Enhanced SEO Performance: Pillar pages, with their broad coverage and high-value content, tend to rank well in search engines. Cluster content linked to these pillar pages further strengthens SEO efforts by offering detailed exploration of subtopics. This interconnected network significantly improves your site's authority and visibility on search engines.

  2. Streamlined Content Creation: PBM provides a structured approach to content creation. By focusing on a central topic and its related subtopics, you can efficiently plan and produce content that is both relevant and valuable to your audience.

  3. Improved User Experience: The organized nature of pillar-based content makes it easier for users to navigate and find the information they need. This enhances user engagement and satisfaction, which are crucial factors in online success.

  4. Positioning as an Industry Authority: Pillar content that comprehensively covers a topic positions your brand as an authority in your field. This not only builds trust with your audience but also encourages repeat visits and prolonged engagement with your site.

  5. Increased Opportunities for Link Building: The depth and breadth of content provided through PBM create more opportunities for internal and external link building, a key factor in SEO. Quality internal linking helps in distributing page authority throughout your site, while backlinks from external sources further validate your site's credibility.

  6. Better Alignment with Buyer’s Journey: Pillar-Based Marketing aligns well with the various stages of the buyer's journey. From awareness to consideration and decision, this approach ensures that you have content catering to each phase, guiding potential customers through their purchasing process.

Implementing Pillar-Based Marketing

To effectively implement a Pillar-Based Marketing strategy, start by identifying core topics that are crucial to your business and audience. Develop comprehensive pillar pages for these topics and then create detailed cluster content that delves into specific aspects, linking back to your pillar pages. This requires thorough research, quality content creation, and an understanding of SEO best practices. Brand Experiences can help you with every step of this process - in fact, our own website has been built using a PBM approach, so we practice what we preach.

Conclusion

Pillar-Based Marketing is more than just a content strategy; it's a holistic approach to digital marketing that brings together SEO, content creation, and user experience. By adopting this approach, businesses can create a more organized, authoritative, and engaging online presence, ultimately leading to increased traffic, better engagement, and higher conversion rates. In today’s digital world, where content is king, Pillar-Based Marketing can deliver a real competitive advantage and best of all, it is completely natural and organic.

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Fed up with having to rely on sponsored ads and PPC? Let us show you how to win traffic organically and steal a march on your competitors.

Interested in Pillar Based Marketing?

Fed up with having to rely on sponsored ads and PPC? Let us show you how to win traffic organically and steal a march on your competitors.
Sam Roberts
Sam Roberts
Marketing Director
Ground Control

Ground Control worked with Brand Experiences to design, build and host our new website which is the most prominent iteration of our new brand Human Nature at its Best. Brand Experiences are much more than a ‘web agency’. Their deep understanding of brand delivered a fantastic new site built on Umbraco which continues 18 months later to drive excellent results for the business. Mike and team were great to work with and went the extra mile to deliver against a challenging deadline.

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