This document summarizes a presentation about creating content pillars for SEO. It discusses how search engines and user behavior have changed, requiring a new approach to content strategy focused on building comprehensive content pillars around core topics. It then outlines the 7 steps to reverse engineer a content pillar: 1) choose a core topic, 2) identify subtopics, 3) create blog posts, 4) assemble content into a downloadable offer, 5) build a resource page, 6) link relevant content, and 7) create access to the page. An example of creating a text analysis content pillar for a company called Etuma is provided.

1. Pillar Content Creation:
The Future of SEO
@KnoxvilleHUG
#KnoxHUG

2. Principal Channel Consultant
at HubSpot
edean@HubSpot.com
Meet Our Guest Speaker:
Evan Dean

3. Meet the Knoxville HUG Leader and Co-Leader
Holly Yalove
@HollyYalove
Torrie Boggs
@shesgotknoxy
www.vieodesign.com
• Agency Partner Certification
• Inbound Marketing Certification
• HubSpot Marketing Software Certification
• HubSpot Design Certification
• Contextual Marketing Certification
• Inbound Sales Certification
• Growth Driven Design Agency Certification
• Email Marketing Certification
• Content Marketing Certification
• HubSpot Beta Tester
• Certified Google Partner
Agency Certifications:

4. HUG NEWS
Future Meetups
October 26, 2017 with Sarah Posnak from HubSpot
INBOUND 2017: September 26-28, 2017 Boston, MA

5. HubSpot Product Updates
–More New Reports for your HubSpot Dashboards: Dozens of new out-of-the-box reports
that can be added to any of your HubSpot dashboards with one click. No extra fees.

6. HubSpot Product Updates
• Companies Database: Now in Marketing navigation under “Contacts”
• Lead Flows: Now located under the Content menu in your account
• Settings, Permissions, & Teams Changes: New design, more granular
permissions, Teams option to create groups of users inside HubSpot.

7. HubSpot Product Updates
• Social Media Tool Upgrades: New social tools are
now the default and emoji’s now available for social
publishing
• New Unbounce Button: An easier way to unbounce
contacts without having to contact HS Support

8. HubSpot Product Updates
• Timeline API Extensions: Allows
integrators to extend their software into
HubSpot via a modal window.
• Facebook Video Support for Social Tool
• Sort Deals Option Added (HubSpot CRM)

9. HubSpot Product Updates
• New: Set Properties for Moving Between Deal
Stages (HubSpot CRM)
• New HubSpot Sales Pro Feature: “Messages” - a
live chat feature built for sales teams.

10. HubSpot Product Updates
• Now Sunseted: LinkedIn Ads removed from Ads Add-On (HS will revisit at a later
date) and LinkedIn groups publishing (no longer supported).
• New HubSpot Connect Integrations: Wistia (integration update), LinkedIn Sales
Navigator, Databox, Klipfolio, Quuu, LiveChat, Promo (by Slidely), Azuqua, Shakr,
Stitch, GetAccept, GoDaddy Connect, AskNicely

11. Pillar Content Creation: The Future of SEO
Evan Dean

12. TODAY’S GOAL
Learn how to craft a content marketing strategy that
both humans and search engines will love

13. HAVE A QUESTION?
Please don’t hesitate to raise your hand!

14. BY THE END OF TODAY’S SESSION,
YOU’LL HAVE:
• An understanding of the changes occurring in the SEO landscape
• Learned about content pillars, a new approach to content strategy
• An understanding of how to build a content resource page

15. The world is
changing
But the desire to grow isn’t

16. How have you
approached SEO up
to this point?

17. The Changing Landscape
Why a new approach to SEO?

18. Where things were:
● Manipulation by Google
● Keyword ranking
● Keyword stuffing
SEARCH ENGINES HAVE CHANGED
Where things are:
● Query driven
● Rank Brain
● More factors affecting “rank”

19. ● The rise of mobile search
● Voice search
● Importance of long tail keywords
THE SEARCHER HAS CHANGED

20. 44% of B2B and B2C marketers have a
documented content strategy
47% of B2B and B2C marketers have
a challenge producing engaging
content
Statistics from the Content Marketing Institute

21. A New Framework

22. Think of your content
like a series of pillars, a
stabilizing foundation for
your content plan.
SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA

23. CONTENT PILLAR
A broad piece of website content that’s comprised of,
and connected to, a series of owned media topic
clusters that cover a specific core topic in-depth.

24. CONTENT PILLAR OVERVIEW
SALES
QUALIFICATION

25. What is a qualified
prospect?
What is BANT?
Qualifying
leads
When to
disqualify?
Qualification
frameworks?
Why disqualifying
isn’t a bad thing
SALES
QUALIFICATION
CONTENT PILLAR OVERVIEW

26. What is a qualified
prospect?
What is BANT?
Qualifying
leads
When to
disqualify?
Qualification
frameworks?
Why disqualifying
isn’t a bad thing
SALES
QUALIFICATION
CONTENT PILLAR OVERVIEW

28. Featured
snippet
#1 Google
ranking

29. Visitors can easily navigate
the page’s content

30. 1,500+organic, non-paid website visits per month
from search engines.
SOURCE: HUBSPOT

31. Hold up!
Did you really write “ungated content”?

32. Pillar content resource page Downloadable content offer
Let’s review how HubSpot helped this marketer create their
business’ first ungated, conversion-focused content pillar.

33. How do you create a
content pillar?

34. REVERSE
ENGINEERING CONTENT
The process of working backwards to create long-term
content from a series of existing media content

35. Swag Time

36. • Create a sustainable content creation process
• Connect weekly content tasks to long-term content goals
• Create a pre-promotion plan for your content
• Unify messaging of content across multiple channels
REASONS TO REVERSE
ENGINEER CONTENT

37. 1. Choose a core topic
2. Identify sub topic cluster
3. Create blog posts for needed sub topic cluster content
4. Repurpose sub topic cluster content into a downloadable offer
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into a content pillar resource page
6. Link relevant content to content pillar resource page
7. Create a conversion path for people to access your content pillar resource
page on your website
7 STEPS TO REVERSE
ENGINEERING A CONTENT PILLAR

38. 1. Choose a core topic
2. Identify sub topic cluster
3. Create blog posts for needed sub topic cluster content
4. Repurpose sub topic cluster content into a downloadable offer
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into a content pillar resource page
6. Link relevant content to content pillar resource page
7. Create a conversion path for people to access your content pillar resource
page on your website
7 STEPS TO REVERSE
ENGINEERING A CONTENT PILLAR

39. Etuma helps
businesses transform
unstructured text
data into business
decision-making
information.

40. Core topic should
be a broad term.
The term:
• Is between 2-4 words in length
• Is industry specific, educational
• Supports product or service
Core topic = text analysis

41. TEXT
ANALYSIS

42. 1. Choose a core topic
2. Identify sub topic cluster
3. Create blog posts for needed sub topic cluster content
4. Repurpose sub topic cluster content into a downloadable offer
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into a content pillar resource page
6. Link relevant content to content pillar resource page
7. Create a conversion path for people to access your content pillar resource
page on your website
7 STEPS TO REVERSE
ENGINEERING A CONTENT PILLAR

43. Four pages of blog content Video content on YouTube
Identify current owned media
that’s relevant to your core topic.

44. Make a list of as
many subtopics as
possible that bring
value to your
core topic.

45. Text analysis
solution requirement
Text
analysis tool
Text analysis
reporting requirements
Categorization
system
Categorizing
customer comments
Correct
analysis method
TEXT
ANALYSIS

46. 1. Choose a core topic
2. Identify sub topic cluster
3. Create blog posts for needed sub topic cluster content
4. Repurpose sub topic cluster content into a downloadable offer
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into a content pillar resource page
6. Link relevant content to content pillar resource page
7. Create a conversion path for people to access your content pillar resource
page on your website
7 STEPS TO REVERSE
ENGINEERING A CONTENT PILLAR

47. Etuma needs content for their sub topic,
categorization systems, so they created a blog post.

48. 1. Choose a core topic
2. Identify sub topic cluster
3. Create blog posts for needed sub topic cluster content
4. Repurpose sub topic cluster content into a downloadable offer
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into a content pillar resource page
6. Link relevant content to content pillar resource page
7. Create a conversion path for people to access your content pillar resource
page on your website
7 STEPS TO REVERSE
ENGINEERING A CONTENT PILLAR

49. Assemble your downloadable content
offer by repurposing your sub topic content.
SOURCE: PIXABAY

50. Take the
time to create
a custom cover.
79% of people said a cover
mattered in the decision-
making process.
SOURCE: THE BOOK SMUGGLERS

51. 1. Choose a core topic
2. Identify sub topic cluster
3. Create blog posts for needed sub topic cluster content
4. Repurpose sub topic cluster content into a downloadable offer
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into a content pillar resource page
6. Link relevant content to content pillar resource page
7. Create a conversion path for people to access your content pillar resource
page on your website
7 STEPS TO REVERSE
ENGINEERING A CONTENT PILLAR

52. Etuma already
created and formatted
their text analysis
content.
Now it’s time to reformat it on a webpage.

53. CONTENT PILLAR LAYOUT TIPS
• Core topic referenced in page title
• Core topic referenced in URL
• Top navigation
• Core topic referenced in H1 tag
• Definition of core topic (if applicable)
• Conversion-focused landing page
elements
• Anchor-linked table of contents
• Images with core topic referenced in alt
text
• H2 tags for section headers
• Related core topic terms throughout the
page’s content
• Links to relevant internal resources
• Links to relevant external resources
• Back to top button

54. CONTENT PILLAR LAYOUT TIPS
Conversion-focused
landing page
elements
Anchor-linked
table of
contents
Core topic
referenced in H1
tag
Core topic
referenced in
URL
Top
navigation
Core topic
referenced in page
title
Definition
of
core topic

55. CONTENT PILLAR LAYOUT TIPS
Links to relevant
external
resources
Links to relevant
internal
resources
Images with
core topic
referenced in alt
text
H2 tags for
section
headers
Back to top
button
Core topic
referenced
throughout page

56. 1. Choose a core topic
2. Identify sub topic cluster
3. Create blog posts for needed sub topic cluster content
4. Repurpose sub topic cluster content into a downloadable offer
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into a content pillar resource page
6. Link relevant content to content pillar resource page
7. Create a conversion path for people to access your content pillar resource
page on your website
7 STEPS TO REVERSE
ENGINEERING A CONTENT PILLAR

57. Text analysis
solution requirement
Text
analysis tool
Text analysis
reporting requirements
Categorization
system
Categorizing
customer comments
Correct
analysis method
TEXT
ANALYSIS

58. Etuma inserted a link in content that was
relevant to their content pillar.

59. 1. Choose a core topic
2. Identify sub topic cluster
3. Create blog posts for needed sub topic cluster content
4. Repurpose sub topic cluster content into a downloadable offer
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into a content pillar resource page
6. Link relevant content to content pillar resource page
7. Create a conversion path for people to access your content pillar
resource page on your website
7 STEPS TO REVERSE
ENGINEERING A CONTENT PILLAR

60. Make sure people can
easily find your
content pillar resource
page on your website.

61. Make sure people
can easily find your
content pillar
resource page
on your website.
Consider places, like:
• Top navigation

62. Make sure people
can easily find your
content pillar
resource page
on your website.
Consider places, like:
• Top navigation
• Dedicated section with CTA
near the top of homepage

63. 1. Choose a core topic
2. Identify sub topic cluster
3. Create blog posts for needed sub topic cluster content
4. Repurpose sub topic cluster content into a downloadable offer
5. Deconstruct downloadable offer into a content pillar resource page
6. Link relevant content to content pillar resource page
7. Create a conversion path for people to access your content pillar resource
page on your website
7 STEPS TO REVERSE
ENGINEERING A CONTENT PILLAR

64. What did Etuma have to
say about this process?

65. “You've really made me
understand the whole inbound
marketing process way better!”
- Matti, Etuma

66. “We are receiving about 4x
leads (if you measure by
quality) compared to before
the text analysis content pillar.”
- Matti, Etuma

67. “I've created content pillar
pages for the three buyer’s
journey stages.”
- Matti, Etuma

68. GROWING YOUR
CONTENT PILLAR

69. Your content pillar is always under construction.
Maintenance, updates, and additions are needed to keep it performing at a high level.
SOURCE: FLICKR

70. Townsend Security is a full-service
software security provider.

72. Townsend Security decided to fight back by creating an ungated,
comprehensive content pillar resource page around a broad topic.
Goal: become thought leader on encryption key management.

73. How did this content
pillar perform?

74. Unpaid, organic traffic coming from search engines
increased 40% in less than 3 months.
March 2017 was a record-breaking month.

75. 63%of people who visited the encryption key management
content pillar downloaded the guide.
SOURCE: TOWNSEND SECURITY

76. Townsend also claims the #2 listing on Google
for ‘Encryption Key Management’.

77. Townsend’s CEO stepped up to
create their next content pillar.
Content is becoming a business-wide initiative, not just a marketing initiative.

78. CONTENT PILLARS
PROVIDE VALUE FOR
ANYONE CREATING EDUCATIONAL,
ENGAGING CONTENT

79. QUESTIONS?
SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA

80. APPENDIX:
● Topic Clusters: The Next Evolution of SEO
● Topics Over Keywords: A Simple Framework for More Effective Content Creation
● Examples:
○ The Ultimate Guide to Sales Qualification
○ THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO ENCRYPTION KEY MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS
○ Customer Acquisition Strategies for Entrepreneurs

81. FIND A PARTNER
Total time: 2 minutes
If you haven’t already, introduce yourself to a neighbor. Tell them
about:
• What business you’re representing
• Something that’s interesting about you

82. ACTIVITY: PILLAR CONTENT
PART 1: Choose a core topic for the content pillar you want to create (3 Min)
1. Identify a topic that you want to become a subject matter expert on and
rank for on Google; it must be educational (awareness-stage focused)
but directly supports one of your products or services.
1. Perform a series of searches on Google and see what content already
exists around this topic.
1. Define final core topic based on research.

83. ACTIVITY 2: PILLAR CONTENT
PART 2: Determine sub topic cluster content that supports core topic (3
Min)
1. Search owned media channels for content you already have (i.e. website pages, blog
posts, videos, etc.).
1. Brainstorm content topic ideas that you don’t currently have content for that are strong
enough to live on their own page but are relevant to and support your core topic.
1. Select six of the strongest sub topics with which to create your initial content pillar.