In the ever-evolving world of content marketing, finding the right topics can make or break your strategy. Insights from a business owner and a CEO shed light on how to prioritize topics with SEO potential and understand audience pain points. With six expert opinions, the article begins by exploring the importance of SEO and concludes with identifying high-impact topics. Discover the essential tips and best practices that can steer your content strategy towards success.
When building a pillar-and-cluster content strategy, I prioritize topics that align with both user intent and SEO potential. A best practice is to focus on broad topics (pillar pages) that are central to your industry and can be broken into more specific, related subtopics (cluster pages). These topics should be frequently searched, highly relevant to your audience, and capable of supporting multiple pieces of related content.
One effective way to choose topics is by using keyword research tools (like Ahrefs or Google Keyword Planner) to identify high-volume keywords with moderate competition. Additionally, reviewing customer FAQs and feedback helps uncover recurring questions that can become valuable clusters, ensuring the content is not only SEO-friendly but also relevant to your audience’s needs.
For example, if your business specializes in email marketing, a pillar page could cover “The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing,” while clusters might address more focused topics like “How to Improve Email Open Rates” or “Email Segmentation Best Practices.” This structure boosts SEO by linking all related pages, signaling to search engines that your site offers comprehensive content on the subject.
Andrew Lee Jenkins, Owner, Andrew Lee Jenkins
Focus on High Engagement Themes
When determining topics for a pillar-and-cluster content strategy, I focus on areas with high engagement potential and relevance. For Rocket Alumni Solutions, we prioritized content around themes of alumni engagement and digital recognition through interactive displays. This strategy was informed by our successful workshops with school administrators, revealing their challenges in alumni engagement. This ultimately led to a 30% increase in lead conversion rates.
To ensure our topics resonate, I leverage insights from client interactions and user-generated content. A user-generated content campaign featuring customer testimonials increased user trust by 60%, demonstrating the power of authentic voices. For instance, our content highlighted the transformative impact of our digital Hall of Fame, aligning with schools’ desires to foster community pride and recognition.
My best tip is to consistently refine your strategy based on real-time engagement data. By tracking organic search growth and user interactions, we improved our SEO visibility by 20%. This iterative process helps adapt content to evolving audience needs, ensuring sustained relevance and impact.
Chase McKee, Founder & CEO, Rocket Alumni Solutions
Leverage Diverse Experiences
When determining topics for a pillar-and-cluster content strategy, I look to combine my construction management and IT network engineering backgrounds. By merging these fields, I craft content that captures complex processes, like the integration of smart home technologies in construction. This unique angle attracts a dual audience interested in cutting-edge building solutions and technological advancements, improving engagement and authority in a niche market.
For example, a recent series explored the impact of automated roofing systems, enhancing the content’s relevance by addressing both construction professionals and tech enthusiasts. Our cluster content dug into topics such as installation challenges, cost analysis, and future innovations, drawing increased visits and reader interactions.
My tip is to leverage your diverse experiences and insights, turning them into a robust content pillar that appeals to multiple audience segments. This distinct approach not only lifts your industry presence but also fosters a loyal, engaged readership.
Jimmy Hertilien, Senior Project Manager, Herts Roofing & Construction
Use Data-Driven Insights
When selecting topics for a pillar-and-cluster strategy, I prioritize data-driven insights alongside direct customer feedback. At Upfront Operations, I used machine-learning tools to analyze CRM data and identify high-value lead behaviors, which informed our content strategy. This approach enabled us to increase campaign performance by 22%, showcasing the power of aligning content with user-behavior trends.
I find it crucial to integrate predictive analytics in determining which topics resonate most. For example, by analyzing CRM data and real-time feedback, we found a demand for information on optimizing cross-platform marketing efforts, prompting the development of content around omnichannel strategies. This led to smoother integration and improved engagement across client platforms.
For anyone implementing this approach, use data analytics to continuously refine your topic clusters. This ensures that the content remains relevant and impactful, driving measurable business outcomes such as improved sales cycles or improved brand visibility. Analyzing real-time data adjustments from past campaigns, like our tenfold increase in web platform engagement, further validates topic choices and their effectiveness.
Ryan T. Murphy, Sales Operations Manager, Upfront Operations
Understand Audience Pain Points
When building a pillar-and-cluster content strategy, I focus on deeply understanding the audience’s pain points and aspirations—something I consistently practice at Ankord Media. Our approach involves immersing ourselves in the customer journey and using behavioral science to craft content that genuinely resonates. For example, while working with a health tech startup, we focused on creating a content pillar around personalized health journeys, which became a foundational resource for their users and boosted engagement by 35%.
In my experience, leveraging storytelling is crucial—every piece of content must weave a compelling narrative that authentically connects with the audience. At Ankord Media, we create brand stories that stand out by combining strategic branding with digital craftsmanship. During a brand refresh for an eco-friendly fashion label, we developed a cluster strategy around sustainable fashion narratives, which led to a 50% increase in social media engagement and a stronger brand community.
A tip I recommend is to engage with niche communities to test content ideas and gather real-time feedback. This iterative process not only refines content but also fosters a loyal audience base, echoing our strategic focus on building authentic customer relationships.
Milan Kordestani, CEO, Ankord Media
Identify High-Impact Topics
In building a pillar-and-cluster content strategy, I focus on leveraging data analytics to identify high-impact topics. At RankingCo, we boosted a client’s organic search visibility by 40% by analyzing search queries and engagement metrics, revealing consumer interest in sustainable living. This allowed us to create comprehensive content clusters around eco-friendly lifestyle choices.
One tip that has consistently delivered results is using client feedback and industry trends as a basis for topic selection. For instance, when managing a local digital agency, we harnessed client surveys to craft content around digital-change challenges specific to small businesses, leading to a 20% increase in website traffic. By directly addressing your audience’s concerns, you can craft content that not only informs but also engages and retains attention.
Kerry Anderson, Co-Founder, RankingCo
