Content marketing is a complex undertaking, and with so many factors and variables involved, it is not surprising that brands and bloggers struggle to get the conversions they need. However, with millions of blogs and articles published each day, it has never been more important to cut through the noise and get noticed.
The cluster model has become a popular method for marketers aiming to streamline their content campaigns and strategies and improve SEO and increase the chance of appearing at the top of Google SERPs. It was first outlined by HubSpot Research last year and is basically anchored by a focus on a single topic rather than a range of keywords. This topic is known as the “pillar” and acts as the base for supporting content or clusters that touch on sub-topics.
How does this boost SEO? Well, the pillar and cluster model aims to build a semantic relationship with Google. The close links between each page work well with Google’s indexing algorithm and encourage each topic within a cluster to be boosted in search engine rankings.
Select a pillar topic
To start your own cluster model, first select an overarching topic. This will be your central pillar, and from here you will be able to build topic clusters around it. To decide on the most relevant topic, create a list and consider the types of content that audiences are looking for and how you can solve certain problems and add value.
Create clusters with keywords
From here, move on to researching keywords to better define your topic clusters. Each of these keywords can act as a single cluster page if it can support a blog post or article on its own. You can even use Google search to recommend topics by typing a quick prefix and then noting down the auto-populated suggestions.
Write engaging content
You can now finally start the creative process, and this is where your general content know-how will come in. You should use long-form writing, add engaging infographics or images, and employ any other tactics that will make your blogs a pleasure to read for end users. Finally, also remember to write a pillar page and to add internal links where necessary.
