Uploaded byDuncan Connor
Pillar Content
This document discusses the concept of "pillar content" and how to develop it. Pillar content is a large, comprehensive piece of content that can be broken down into many smaller, standalone content assets. It recommends developing pillar content around a specific theme or process to solve a problem for your audience. The document provides examples of how to develop a pillar content piece around the topic of job interviews, then break it apart into various blog posts, lists, infographics and an ebook. It emphasizes that pillar content and the strategy of breaking it into multiple pieces allows you to generate a large amount of ongoing content and social updates over time.
Pillar Content
- 1.
- 2. 2 PILLAR CONTENT THE GOALOF ALL CONTENT IS TO PROMPT AN ACTION
- 3. 3 A SINGLE LARGEPIECE OF QUALITY CONTENT WHAT IS PILLAR CONTENT? WHICH CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO MANY SMALLER PIECES WHICH EACH WORK AS STAND-ALONE CONTENT ASSETS
- 4. 4 PILLAR CONTENT WHAT TYPESOF CONTENT ASSETS CAN THE PILLAR PIECE BE BROKEN INTO?
- 5. 5 CONTENT ASSETS CONTENT ASSETTYPES AS A CONTENT CREATOR, YOU’VE PROBABLY BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OR ALL OF THESE. BLOG POSTS INFOGRAPHICS EBOOKS WHITE PAPERS USER GUIDES REVIEWS SLIDESHARES PRESS RELEASES LISTS HOW TO INTERVIEWS Q&A (AND THIS ISN’T EVEN ALL OF THEM)
- 6. 6 HOW LONG SHOULDPILLAR CONTENT BE? CONTENT ASSETS LONGER CAMPAIGNS = MORE CONTENT MORE CONTENT = LARGER PILLAR PIECE AN AVERAGE PILLAR PIECE WILL BE 2,000-10,000 WORDS LENGTH OF CAMPAIGN CLIENT EXPECTATIONS DETERMINING FACTORS WHAT COMMITMENTS HAVE WE MADE TO THE CLIENT? WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE ADDRESSING? WHO ARE WE HELPING? WHAT ARE THE CONVERSION GOALS?
- 7. 7 PILLAR CONTENT WHEN THEYCREATE A NEW PLAYSET, DO YOU THINK LEGO START BY GATHERING ALL THEIR BRICKS AND HOPING THE MODELS LOOK LIKE A FIREHOUSE OR THE MILLENNIUM FALCON? OR DO YOU THINK THEY DECIDE WHAT TO CREATE AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHICH BRICKS THEY ARE GOING TO NEED?
- 8. 8 PILLAR CONTENT THEN WHYDO YOU CREATE LARGE CONTENT PIECES BY ?
- 9. 9 CONTENT APPROACHES TRADITIONAL EACH MONTHYOU GET CLIENT APPROVAL FOR: FOUR BLOG POSTS ONE INFOGRAPHIC EACH QUARTER YOU COMBINE THESE ASSETS TO CREATE AN EBOOK.
- 10. 1 0 CONTENT APPROACHES PILLAR EACH QUARTERYOU OFFER: A SINGLE THEMATIC CAMPAIGN EACH MONTH YOU: SPIN OFF PIECES OF THE PILLAR AS STAND-ALONE PIECES TO PUBLISH AND PROMOTE
- 11. COMPLEX SUBJECTSPARTS OFA PROCESS 11 THEMATIC CONTENT PILLAR CONTENT SEASONS LIFE EVENTS
- 12. 1 2 PILLAR CONTENT WHAT DOESALL THAT MEAN IN PRACTICAL TERMS?
- 13. 1 3 PILLAR CONTENT I SHOULDPAY ATTENTION TO THIS COMPANY. THE RIGHT CONTENT WILL MOVE YOUR READER THROUGH A THOUGHT PROCESS WHICH BEGINS WITH:
- 14. 1 4 PILLAR CONTENT I SHOULDPAY ATTENTION TO THIS COMPANY. THIS COMPANY SAYS AWSOMELY USEFUL THINGS. THE READER RETURNS TO THE CONTENT BECAUSE IT HELPS THEM SOLVE PROBLEMS WHICH, IN TURN, MAKES THEM LOOK LIKE A ROCK STAR TO THEIR PEERS.
- 15. 1 5 PILLAR CONTENT I SHOULDPAY ATTENTION TO THIS COMPANY. THIS COMPANY SAYS AWSOMELY USEFUL THINGS. I SHOULD DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY. FINALLY, CONSISTENTLY GREAT CONTENT BUILDS ENOUGH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE THAT THE READER TURNS INTO A BUYER.
- 16. 16 TURNING THEMES INTOCONTENT PARTS OF A PROCESS JOB INTERVIEW WHAT PROBLEM WILL YOU SOLVE? WHO ARE YOU HELPING? WHAT COUNTS AS A CONVERSION? HOW SHOULD I DRESS FOR AN INTERVIEW? WHAT TYPES OF INTERVIEWS ARE THERE? WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT I BE ASKED? WHAT ARE THE BEST INTERVIEW ANSWERS? WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK? WHAT IS GOOD INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE? HOW DO I ANSWER THE SALARY QUESTION? WHAT HAPPENS AT SECOND INTERVIEWS? WHAT ARE PANEL INTERVIEWS? WHAT ARE BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS? MY INTERVIEWER ASKED ME TO DO A SWOT ANALYSIS – WHY?
- 17. 1 7 PILLAR CONTENT THE CONTENTPRODUCED BY YOUR WRITER-FOR-HIRE WILL NEED TO BE EDITED
- 18. 1 8 EDIT AND ADDAUTHORITY ADDING STATISTICS ADDING QUOTES CAN ADD AUTHORITY (IF THEY’RE ACCURATE) CAN ADD CREDIBILITY (IF THEY’RE REAL) EXERCISE CAUTION, BUT…
- 19. 1 9 CONTENT ASSETS WHY TITLESAND HEADLINES MATTER ON AVERAGE, FIVE TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE READ THE HEADLINES AS READ THE BODY COPY. DAVID OGILVY ADVERTISING GENIUS WE’VE FOUND EFFECTIVELY NO CORRELATION BETWEEN SOCIAL SHARES AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY READING. JOSH SCHWARTZ DATA SCIENTIST TRANSLATION: SPEND MORE TIME ON YOUR HEADLINE. TRANSLATION: JUST BECAUSE IT GOT SHARED DOESN’T MEAN IT GOT READ.
- 20. 2 0 CONTENT ASSETS CHAPTER TITLESvs HEADLINES HOW SHOULD I DRESS FOR AN INTERVIEW? WHAT TYPES OF INTERVIEWS ARE THERE? WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT I BE ASKED? WHAT ARE THE BEST INTERVIEW ANSWERS? WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK? WHAT IS GOOD INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE? HOW DO I ANSWER THE SALARY QUESTION? THESE ARE FINE FOR CHAPTER TITLES BUT UNCLICKABLE AS BLOG HEADLINES ON SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS. (“FINE” NEVER MEANS GOOD, OR EVEN ACCEPTABLE, EVER. )
- 21. 2 1 CONTENT ASSETS MAKE YOURHEADLINES RELEVANT, URGENT AND ENTICING WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT I BE ASKED? KILLER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THE BEST HR MANAGERS ASK ANSWERS TO INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THAT WILL GET YOU HIRED 7 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS EVERY EMPLOYER ASKS WHAT THE TOUGHEST INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ARE REALLY ASKING BETTER BORING
- 22. 2 2 PILLAR CONTENT AND NOWIT’S TIME TO BUILD IT, THEN BREAK IT APART
- 23. BUILDING YOUR PILLAR WHATARE THE BEST INTERVIEW ANSWERS? WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK? WHAT IS GOOD INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE? JOB INTERVIEW ANSWERS THAT WILL GET YOU HIRED # INTERVIEW QUESTIONS EMPLOYERS DON’T WANT YOU TO ASK # WAYS TO RUIN YOUR JOB INTERVIEW BEFORE IT BEGINS CREATE YOUR PILLAR CONTENT ASSETS WHAT PROBLEM ARE YOU SOLVING? HOW DO YOU MAKE IT ENTICING?? WHAT TYPE OF ASSET SHOULD EACH PIECE BE?
- 24. 2 4 BREAKING IT APART UNPACKINGCONTENT ASSETS THE SHOES THAT CAN GET YOU A JOB OFFER 23 WAYS TO RUIN YOUR JOB INTERVIEW BEFORE IT BEGINS HOW TO ANSWER THE SALARY QUESTION AND GET PAID HOW TO HANDLE JOB OFFERS AND REJECTIONS LIKE A PRO 7 STEPS TO IMPRESS IN A BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW 9 SIMPLE TRICKS TO AMAZE IN PANEL INTERVIEWS WHY YOU’RE GOING TO SCREW UP A SECOND INTERVIEW 11 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS EMPLOYERS DON’T WANT YOU TO ASK KILLER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THE BEST HR MANAGERS ASK JOB INTERVIEW ANSWERS THAT WILL GET YOU HIRED INTERVIEW FOLLOW-UP THAT EMPLOYERS LOVE 5 TYPES OF JOB INTERVIEW AND HOW TO ACE THEM 4 BLOG POSTS 5 LIST POSTS 1 SLIDESHARE / SLIDESHOW POST 2 INFOGRAPHICS 1 EBOOK YOUR PILLAR HAS GENERATED 39 SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES = 53 TOTAL PIECES OF CONTENT 1 EBOOK LANDING PAGE
- 25. 2 5 PILLAR CONTENT GREAT CONTENTTAKES TIME TO CREATE. AND IT DRAWS VISITORS FOR MUCH, MUCH LONGER.
- 26. 2 6 ABOUT ME I’M DUNCANCONNOR. I DO CONTENT, CONTENT MARKETING, CONVERSION COPYWRITING AND DABBLE IN SEO. EMAIL ME IF YOU WANT TO PLAY IN TRAFFIC.
Editor's Notes
- #2 Pillar content presentation by Duncan Connor
- #3 THIS IS TRUE OF ALL CONTENT
- #4 PILLAR CONTENT IS A METHOD BY WHICH A CONTENT PRODUCER CREATES A SINGLE LARGE PIECE OF HIGH QUALITY CONTENT (IN THIS PRESENTATION WE’RE LOOKING AT AN EBOOK) WHICH CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO MANY SMALLER, SHAREABLE PARTS WHICH ARE COMPLETE IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. WHEN THEY CREATE LEGO SETS, THEY DON’T START WITH THE BRICKS AND TRY TO BUILD A CASTLE, AN X-WING FIGHTER OR A BATMOBILE OUT OF THEM. THEY DECIDE THEY WANT TO BUILD A MILLENNIUM FALCON AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT BRICKS THEY’RE GOING TO NEED. THEN THEY BUILD IT. CONTENT IS EXACTLY LIKE THIS.
- #5 YOU’RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH MANY – OR EVEN MOST – OF THE TYPES OF CONTENT WE CAN CREATE.
- #6 CONTENT ASSETS ARE INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF CONTENT. WHAT’S IMPORTANT HERE IS THAT THEY ARE BROKEN OUT FROM THE ORIGINAL LARGE PIECE, AND NOT COMBINED TO MAKE A LARGE PIECE. What are some types of content?
- #7 Class – answer question? THE SIZE OF YOUR PILLAR PIECE WILL BE DETERMINED BY A COUPLE OF THINGS: HOW LONG IS THE CAMPAIGN GOING TO LAST? WHAT ARE THE CLIENT’S EXPECTATIONS AROUND NUMBERS OF PIECES PROMOTION OF PIECES TARGETING (SPEAKS TO TONE OF PIECES) CONVERSION GOALS (SPEAKS TO TYPES OF
- #8 ASK QUESTION CONCEPT FIRST DESIGN NEXT BUILD DOCUMENT HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO CONTENT?
- #9 ASK QUESTION CONCEPT FIRST DESIGN NEXT BUILD DOCUMENT HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO CONTENT?
- #10 DOCUMENT CONCEPT DESIGN BUILD? BY DECIDING WHAT TOOLS WE’LL USE TO ANSWER THE PROBLEM FIRST, WE LIMIT HOW WE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM
- #11 What are the advantages of doing it this way? MORE FLEXIBILITY INTRODUCES EFFICIENCIES ALLOWS MORE EFFORT TO BE SPENT ON PROMOTION
- #12 PILLAR CAMPAIGNS BUILT AROUND THEMATIC CONTENT CAN FOCUS ON SEASONALITY (FALL AND WINTER HOLIDAYS, SUMMER VACATION) LIFE EVENTS (GRADUATION, WEDDINGS) PROCESSES (JOB APPLICATION, WATER CYCLE) COMPLEX SUBJECTS (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION, BUYING A HOUSE)
- #13 HOW DOES ALL THIS TALK FIT INTO MAKING AN ACTUAL CAMPAIGN?
- #14 THE RIGHT CONTENT WILL HELP THE READER MOVE THROUGH THIS THOUGHT PROCESS BRAND AWARENESS ESTABLISHING THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP AND SELLING STUFF.
- #15 THE RIGHT CONTENT WILL HELP THE READER MOVE THROUGH THIS THOUGHT PROCESS BRAND AWARENESS ESTABLISHING THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP AND SELLING STUFF.
- #16 THE RIGHT CONTENT WILL HELP THE READER MOVE THROUGH THIS THOUGHT PROCESS BRAND AWARENESS ESTABLISHING THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP AND SELLING STUFF.
- #17 DON’T THINK ABOUT CONTENT TITLES OR EVEN CONTENT TYPES. FIRST, THINK ABOUT THE PROBLEMS A PERSON MIGHT ENCOUNTER, THE QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE, ABOUT A JOB INTERVIEW. BY FOCUSING ON PROBLEMS TO SOLVE YOU’VE CREATED CONTENT IDEAS THAT ARE ALREADY USEFUL. YOU’RE GOING TO SEND THESE QUESTIONS TO YOUR WRITING TEAM.
- #18 YOUR WRITER FOR HIRE IS PROBABLY ONLY WRITING A SMALL PORTION OF YOUR PILLAR PIECE, SO IT’S UP TO YOU TO BRING EACH CHAPTER TOGETHER IN A COHERENT WAY. CHANCES ARE EACH PIECE WILL HAVE AN INTRODUCTION THAT MAKES SENSE BY ITSELF, BUT HAS LITTLE VALUE AS PART OF AN EBOOK. EDIT IT FROM THE EBOOK, INCLUDE IT IN THE BLOG POST. THE GOAL IS TO MAKE EACH PIECE THE MOST USEFUL AND VALUABLE IT CAN BE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THAT SINGLE QUESTION.
- #19 NOW YOU GET TO CREATE THE STORY YOU WANT TO TELL WITH THESE QUESTIONS, AND WITH THE ACTION GOALS IN MIND. QUOTES AND STATISTICS CAN, AND WILL, HELP GET YOUR POINT ACROSS. JUST BE CAREFUL ABOUT SOURCING THEM. IF YOU CAN SOURCE YOUR OWN DATA AND QUOTES, THAT’S A HUGE BONUS.
- #20 DAVID OGILVY IS AN ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE WHO FOUNDED AND RAN OGILVY & MATHER IN NYC FROM 1948 TO 1972. HE’S REGARDED BY MANY AS THE INSPIRATION FOR MAD MEN’S DON DRAPER, AND THE PRINCIPLES HE DISCUSSES IN HIS BOOK, OGILVY ON ADVERTISING, ARE STILL QUOTED – “ADVERTISING PEOPLE WHO IGNORE RESEARCH ARE LIKE GENERALS WHO IGNORE DECODES OF ENEMY SIGNALS.” Can anyone explain what Josh means?
- #21 TITLES THAT GRAB ATTENTION AND CREATE A CURIOSITY GAP ARE IMPORTANT. NOT ONLY ARE THEY THE HOOK TO DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR SITE – AND SO IMPORTANT FOR YOUR STAND-ALONE ASSETS THEY KEEP THE READER INTERESTED AND GIVE A CHANCE TO SHARE THE CLIENT’S PERSONALITY WHEN THEY’RE IN AN EBOOK.
- #22 YOUR HEADLINE NEEDS TO BE AS ENTICING AS YOUR CONTENT IS USEFUL. SO WHILE A DESCRIPTIVE CHAPTER TITLE IS RELEVANT, IT’S NOT PARTICULARLY ENTICING. CHANGE UP YOUR CHAPTER TITLES FOR RELEVANT, URGET, ENTICING HEADLINES WHEN YOU PUBLISH THEM AS STANDALONE CONTENT.
- #23 SO YOU HAVE ALL THE COMPONENT PARTS, IT’S TIME TO BUILD THE PILLAR CONTENT – IN THIS CASE AN EBOOK AND THEN BREAK IT OUT INTO INDIVISUAL CONTENT ASSETS
- #24 YOUR EBOOK WILL NEED A STRONG EDITORIAL HAND. REMEMBER, IT MUST READ AS A BOOK, NOT A SERIES OF BLOGS. THIS MEANS THAT YOU’LL BE REMOVING DUPLICATE OR REDUNDANT CONTENT, AND WRITING COPY THAT CONNECTS EACH SECTION. YOU’RE GOING TO BE USING SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS TO AMPLIFY THIS CONTENT, SO BE SURE TO WRITE A COUPLE OF FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND LINKED IN UPDATES FOR EACH OF THEM, INCLUDING THE EBOOK.
- #25 YOUR SINGLE EBOOK AND THE 12 ASSETS YOU SPIN OFF FROM IT, EVEN WITHOUT THE SOCIAL POSTS, PROVIDES 14 ASSETS WHICH CAN BE SHARED IN DIFFERENT WAYS ACROSS DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. THIS GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE WHERE READERS ARE FINDING THE CONTENT AND OPTIMIZING FOR THAT KIND OF CONSUMPTION.
- #26 PILLAR CONTENT IS THE EQUIVALENT OF BUILDING THE COLISEUM VERSUS BUILDING TURNER FIELD. THE BRAVES STADIUM IS SET TO LAST 20 YEARS. THE COLISEUM HAS LASTED 2000 YEARS.
- #27 END.