When it comes to digital marketing, staying ahead means not just producing more content, but producing smarter content. Enter: the pillar page.
If you’ve ever felt like your blog strategy is a little disjointed, your SEO isn’t driving the right traffic, or your visitors are bouncing before converting, then you might be missing a key player in your content strategy: a well-structured pillar page. And guess what? This is exactly where platforms like HubSpot shine.
Let’s break down what pillar pages are, why they’re essential, and how you can start building them today.
A pillar page is a comprehensive, long-form piece of content that covers a broad topic in depth and links out to smaller, more specific pieces of related content (aka cluster content). Think of it like the main table of contents in a book, with each linked section going into a particular chapter.
HubSpot explains it perfectly in this guide: pillar pages serve as the hub for a specific topic, with all related content (blogs, landing pages, case studies, etc.) each having their moment on the page. This structure is great for humans (it makes everything easier to find) and for search engines (it makes your site look super organized and authoritative).
Let’s be honest: traditional blogging is kind of chaotic. You write about a topic one week, a different one the next, and hope Google figures out what your site is about. With a pillar page strategy, you're telling Google loud and clear, “We are THE experts on this subject.”
HubSpot breaks down the importance of this topic cluster model, and it’s backed by results. You can drive more qualified traffic, improve keyword rankings, and boost time-on-page just by organizing your content more intentionally.
Let’s say someone is trying to understand content marketing. Would they rather:
That’s the magic of a pillar page, it offers a better, more binge-worthy experience. And when people stick around longer, your SEO (and conversion rate) gets a glow-up.
Looking for other ways to have a high converting website? Don’t worry we got you covered with this blog.
Pillar pages are the perfect place to drop in a CTA (Call To Action) or gated content offer. By the time someone scrolls through a meaty resource, they’re warmed up and way more likely to click that download button, fill out a form, or book a demo.
Want a great example? Check out HubSpot’s Social Media Marketing Strategy guide. It's technically a blog, but functions as a full-blown pillar page, complete with subtopic links, visuals, and embedded resources that make it easy to keep clicking.
Tips on how to make an irresistible CTA
Say you’re a web design agency (👋 hi, ThrivePOP) and you want to own the topic of “Website Strategy.” Your pillar page might be called:
“The Ultimate Guide to Website Strategy”
On that page, you could include sections like:
And then, link out to cluster content like:
Everything lives under one roof. Everything connects. Chef’s kiss.
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just follow a few smart steps (and maybe lean on HubSpot a little).
Make sure it’s broad enough to support at least 5–10 subtopics but specific enough to attract the right audience. For example: “Digital Marketing” = too broad. “Email Marketing for Small Business” = just right.
Use HubSpot’s SEO tools to help with keyword research.
You probably already have a lot of blog posts floating around that can become cluster of website content. Find them, update them, and make sure they’re internally linked to the pillar page.
Think visually! Create a simple map showing the pillar in the center and your clusters around it. This helps guide your layout and link structure.
Start with an intro that clearly defines the topic and who it’s for. Then break it into easy-to-digest sections. Use HubSpot’s pillar page template if you want a head start.
Include a table of contents, plenty of internal links, images or diagrams if possible, and at least one juicy CTA. We like to end with a downloadable freebie… speaking of which…
Yes, the content matters. But so does how it looks. Use headlines, pull quotes, icons, and visuals to make the page feel more like a destination than just another blog.
Tools like HubSpot CMS make it super easy to design high converting website pages without coding skills. Bonus: it’s already integrated with your marketing, sales, and CRM tools, so it’s all in one tidy spot.
If you’re tired of throwing spaghetti at the SEO wall, it’s time to bring structure to your strategy. Pillar pages are the content upgrade your website deserves. They build authority, keep your audience engaged, and help you convert browsers into buyers.
At ThrivePOP, we’re all about making content that connects, ranks, and (most importantly) gets results. Whether you're in cannabis, retail, B2B, or tech, pillar pages work across industries, and they’re way easier to build than you think.
We made a Pillar Page Template just for you. Whether you're a marketing manager, content creator, or small business owner trying to up your strategy game, this will help you plan your first (or next) pillar page step by step.