3. Search engines like Google are being forced to
better organize and showcase content they think
would be helpful to the searcher.
4. The first notable update, which really shook things up,
was Google’s “Hummingbird” algorithm update in 2013.
This update focused on parsing out phrases rather than focusing on specific search queries.
SOURCE: PIXABAY
5. RankBrain is Google’s
machine-learning artificial
intelligence system.
The next major update
happened in 2015 with
Google’s RankBrain
algorithm update.
SOURCE: PIXABAY
6. All this change brings opportunity
for content marketers to be found.
SOURCE: WIKIMEDIA
11. What is a qualified
prospect
What is BANT
Qualifying
leads
When to
disqualify
Qualification
frameworks
Why disqualifying
isn’t a bad thing
SALES
QUALIFICATION
Topic Cluster and
Pillar Page Overview
12. What is a qualified
prospect
What is BANT
Qualifying
leads
When to
disqualify
Qualification
frameworks
Why disqualifying
isn’t a bad thing
SALES
QUALIFICATION
Topic Cluster and
Pillar Page Overview
19. There are two types
of pillar pages.
• Resource pillar page
ü Focuses on internal
and external links.
ü Helpful resource in
connecting the reader
with the most relevant
sources on a
specific topic.
20. • 10x content pillar page
ü Mostly made up of your
owned media.
ü Format of this page is
similar to that of an
ungated ebook or guide.
There are two types
of pillar pages.
21. 90% OF WEBSITE VISITORS
PREFER TO READ OUR
LENGTHY CONTENT IN A
PDF AS OPPOSED TO A
WEBSITE PAGE.
SOURCE: HUBSPOT
22. It’s human nature to want to take
something with you if you find value in it.
SOURCE: PEXELS
23. This 10x content
pillar page covers a
comprehensive
approach to email
outreach with
sectioned content.
24. Mailshake offers the content as a packaged
downloadable resource at the bottom of the page.
25. 10x content pillar page Downloadable content offer
let’s review how a company called Etuma created their
business’ first ungated 10x content pillar page.
26. 1. Choose a core topic.
2. Identify a topic cluster.
3. Create blog posts for needed
subtopic content.
4. Repurpose subtopic content
into a downloadable offer.
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into
a 10x content pillar page.
6. Link relevant owned media to 10x
content pillar page.
7. Create a conversion path for people
to access your 10x content pillar
page on your website.
Seven Steps to Creating a
10x Content Pillar Page
28. 1. Choose a core topic.
2. Identify a topic cluster.
3. Create blog posts for needed
subtopic content.
4. Repurpose subtopic content
into a downloadable offer.
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into
a 10x content pillar page.
6. Link relevant owned media to 10x
content pillar page.
7. Create a conversion path for people
to access your 10x content pillar
page on your website.
Seven Steps to Creating a
10x Content Pillar Page
30. Brainstorm a list of
as many subtopics
as possible that
bring value to your
core topic.
SOURCE: PIXABAY
31. 1. Choose a core topic.
2. Identify a topic cluster.
3. Create blog posts for needed
subtopic content.
4. Repurpose subtopic content
into a downloadable offer.
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into
a 10x content pillar page.
6. Link relevant owned media to 10x
content pillar page.
7. Create a conversion path for people
to access your 10x content pillar
page on your website.
Seven Steps to Creating a
10x Content Pillar Page
32. Etuma needed content for their subtopic
categorization systems, so they created a blog post.
33. 1. Choose a core topic.
2. Identify a topic cluster.
3. Create blog posts for needed
subtopic content.
4. Repurpose subtopic content
into a downloadable offer.
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into
a 10x content pillar page.
6. Link relevant owned media to 10x
content pillar page.
7. Create a conversion path for people
to access your 10x content pillar
page on your website.
Seven Steps to Creating a
10x Content Pillar Page
34. Once you have all the content you need to create your pillar
page, repurpose the subtopic content into a downloadable offer.
35. 1. Choose a core topic.
2. Identify a topic cluster.
3. Create blog posts for needed
subtopic content.
4. Repurpose subtopic content
into a downloadable offer.
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into
a 10x content pillar page.
6. Link relevant owned media to 10x
content pillar page.
7. Create a conversion path for people
to access your 10x content pillar
page on your website.
Seven Steps to Creating a
10x Content Pillar Page
39. 3. Core topic
referenced in H1 tag
2. Core topic
referenced in URL
1. Core topic
referenced in page title
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
40. 4. Conversion-focused
landing page elements
3. Core topic
referenced in H1 tag
2. Core topic
referenced in URL
1. Core topic
referenced in page title
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
41. 4. Conversion-focused
landing page elements
5. Anchor-linked
table of contents
3. Core topic
referenced in H1 tag
2. Core topic
referenced in URL
1. Core topic
referenced in page title
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
42. 4. Conversion-focused
landing page elements
5. Anchor-linked
table of contents
3. Core topic
referenced in H1 tag
2. Core topic
referenced in URL
6. Website
navigation
1. Core topic
referenced in page title
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
43. 4. Conversion-focused
landing page elements
5. Anchor-linked
table of contents
3. Core topic
referenced in H1 tag
2. Core topic
referenced in URL
6. Website
navigation
1. Core topic
referenced in page title
7. Definition of
core topic
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
44. 8. Images with
core topic
referenced in
alt text
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
45. 8. Images with
core topic
referenced in
alt text
9. H2 tags for
section headers
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
46. 10. Links to relevant
internal resources
8. Images with
core topic
referenced in
alt text
9. H2 tags for
section headers
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
47. 11. Links to relevant
external resources
10. Links to relevant
internal resources
8. Images with
core topic
referenced in
alt text
9. H2 tags for
section headers
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
48. 11. Links to relevant
external resources
10. Links to relevant
internal resources
8. Images with
core topic
referenced in
alt text
9. H2 tags for
section headers
12. Reference your
core topic throughout
the page
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
49. 11. Links to relevant
external resources
10. Links to relevant
internal resources
8. Images with
core topic
referenced in
alt text
9. H2 tags for
section headers
13. Back-to-top button
12. Reference your
core topic throughout
the page
10x Content Pillar Page Layout Tips
50. 1. Choose a core topic.
2. Identify a topic cluster.
3. Create blog posts for needed
subtopic content.
4. Repurpose subtopic content
into a downloadable offer.
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into
a 10x content pillar page.
6. Link relevant owned media to 10x
content pillar page.
7. Create a conversion path for people
to access your 10x content pillar
page on your website.
Seven Steps to Creating a
10x Content Pillar Page
51. Etuma linked over 20 relevant pieces of
content to their 10x content pillar page.
They took the time to create descriptive anchor text to let the
searcher and search engine know where they’re going.
52. 1. Choose a core topic.
2. Identify a topic cluster.
3. Create blog posts for needed
subtopic content.
4. Repurpose subtopic content
into a downloadable offer.
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into
a 10x content pillar page.
6. Link relevant owned media to 10x
content pillar page.
7. Create a conversion path for people
to access your 10x content pillar
page on your website.
Seven Steps to Creating a
10x Content Pillar Page
53. The goal here is to
let people know this
content is available.
Consider places, like:
• Top navigation
54. The goal here is to
let people know this
content is available.
Consider places, like:
• Top navigation
• Dedicated section with CTA
near the top of homepage
55. 1. Choose a core topic.
2. Identify a topic cluster.
3. Create blog posts for needed
subtopic content.
4. Repurpose subtopic content
into a downloadable offer.
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into
a 10x content pillar page.
6. Link relevant owned media to 10x
content pillar page.
7. Create a conversion path for people
to access your 10x content pillar
page on your website.
Seven Steps to Creating a
10x Content Pillar Page
56. “We are receiving about 4x leads (if you measure
by quality) compared to before the text analysis
content pillar.”
Etuma
58. In four months our non-paid, organic traffic
coming from engines increased 329%.
Traditional landing
page for guide.
Converted landing page into an ungated
website page with a relevant conversion point.
65. Townsend Security created a comprehensive
10x content pillar page around a broad topic.
The goal was to become the thought leader on ‘encryption key management.’
66. • Thoughtfully answering questions on Quora.
• Adding insights to other blog posts through blog commenting.
• Contributing through leadership guest posts published
on other websites.
Townsend inserted links to
their pillar page by:
67. 1. Offer various forms of media per section for the reader
to engage with.
2. Sprinkle in relevant content offers that will help buyer personas
continue educating themselves through the buyer’s journey.
3. Insert a heatmap on pillar page to better understand performance
and optimization next steps.
4. Grow a subtopic into its own topic cluster and pillar page.
Four Opportunities to Help
Grow Your Pillar Page
68. Townsend turned the images into
interactive infographics with pop-up text using HTML5.
71. 1. Offer various forms of media per section for the reader
to engage with.
2. Sprinkle in relevant content offers that will help buyer personas
continue educating themselves through the buyer’s journey.
3. Insert a heatmap on pillar page to better understand performance
and optimization next steps.
4. Grow a subtopic into its own topic cluster and pillar page.
Four Opportunities to Help
Grow Your Pillar Page
72. Townsend offered additional content offers throughout the
page based on relevancy, like an ebook and a whitepaper.
73. Show what other content you
have to offer when it makes sense.
SOURCE: PIXABAY
74. Find a way to keep
people coming back
to your content.
Continue to educate or
entertain them (or both). If you
don’t, someone else will.
SOURCE: PIXABAY
75. March 2017 saw a record amount
of total visitors to Townsend’s website.
76. 63%Of people who visited the encryption key management
pillar page decided to download it and take it with them.
SOURCE: TOWNSEND SECURITY
77. Townsend’s 10x content pillar page claimed the number
one position on Google for ‘encryption key management.’
It also shared the featured snippet with Wikipedia.
78. 1. Offer various forms of media per section for the reader
to engage with.
2. Sprinkle in relevant content offers that will help buyer personas
continue educating themselves through the buyer’s journey.
3. Insert a heatmap on pillar page to better understand performance
and optimization next steps.
4. Grow a subtopic into its own topic cluster and pillar page.
Four Opportunities to Help
Grow Your Pillar Page
80. The CTA for the guide ¾ of the way
down the page led to the most conversions.
81. 1. Offer various forms of media per section for the reader
to engage with.
2. Sprinkle in relevant content offers that will help buyer personas
continue educating themselves through the buyer’s journey.
3. Insert a heatmap on pillar page to better understand performance
and optimization next steps.
4. Grow a subtopic into its own topic cluster and pillar page.
Four Opportunities to Help
Grow Your Pillar Page
82. News traveled up to the CEO, who was so delighted by
their results that he decided to create Townsend’s next
pillar page, ‘SQL server encryption.’