Pillar pages in SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is essential for all companies and businesses to succeed online, and ensure that their products or services are seen on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). Pillar pages are often used effectively as a web design element to boost SEO. But what are these and what is the role of pillar pages in SEO?

What is a pillar page?

A pillar page is a specific website page that is designed to provide a cornerstone for a range of content pieces and types around the same topic. This could be a product or service that is offered by the company, or it could be used for more general blogs. The idea of a pillar page is to act as a hub for the relevant pages to be linked to. This allows topics to be covered in depth and detail, across multiple pages, without being too complex for website users and potential customers or clients to follow. It also prevents one single page from becoming an overwhelming information dump, that may not get across the key points clearly or effectively.

What is the role of pillar pages in SEO?

Centring several content pages around a central hub is clearly a great option for content marketing and for improving the structure of a website in general, but how does this impact SEO, and what type of role do pillar pages play? Well, SEO is all about trying to increase the amount of traffic to a website from search engines, which involves raising the rank and visibility of the company on the SERP, and ensuring that the index link is likely to be clicked. There are several off page and on page factors involved in this, but the keywords that you choose to rank for will be significant. These are the search terms or phrases that people will use when searching online, and what you want your website to rank for. A pillar page can be a great way to rank for a wider range of relevant search terms, and this can help drive more traffic to the website. This is because people searching for information about the topic are more likely to find the pillar page and click through to the website.

How can pillar pages be designed to maximise results?

To make sure that your pillar pages will get the results you are looking for, there are a number of design and practical decisions to take into account. These include:

• Using links and buttons- the purpose of the pillar page is to act as a hub page, directing website users and interested people to specific pages for more detailed information. This allows one topic to be covered from multiple angles for maximum effect. However, to do this, buttons and links will need to be used. These will need to be structured in a logical way that complements that style and design of the page itself.
• Responsive design- With an increasing number of people accessing the internet on their smartphones and tablets, it is important that websites are optimized for mobile devices. This means ensuring that the text and images on the pillar page are easy to read and navigate on a small screen, and that the page loads quickly. Responsive design is often the best way to achieve this as it ensures that your pillar pages will maintain the same quality and standard, and content, no matter what type of device is used to access the website.

Here at Pumpkin Web Design we are Preston’s leading web design and web marketing professionals. We provide a wide range of high quality, effective website solutions and content marketing services across Preston and the North West, from Southport to Wigan, as well as Manchester. For more information or advice about pillar pages and professional SEO, why not get in touch today?