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How to Make Blogging Simpler and More Profitable With Content Pillars

What Are Content Pillars?

Content pillars are the 3–5 main topics your blog focuses on. They act as anchors for everything else you publish. Each post connects back to one of those pillars, like spokes on a wheel.

This helps you keep your blog organized, easier to plan, and more useful to readers. It also makes your blog stronger for SEO, since search engines love well-organized content that covers topics in depth.

Instead of writing random posts every week, you build a plan that works like a system. Readers understand what to expect. Google finds your content easier. You get more traffic, better engagement, and stronger trust.

If you’re serious about blogging for your business, this is how you give it structure and purpose.

If you haven’t already, check out Why Is Blogging for Business Worth It? to understand what’s possible.

Why Content Pillars Matter So Much

Here’s what happens when you don’t use content pillars:

  • Your blog feels all over the place.
  • You run out of post ideas.
  • SEO suffers because you don’t go deep enough on any one topic.
  • Visitors bounce because your blog doesn’t seem useful or focused.

And here’s what changes when you start using pillars:

  • You know what to write about every week.
  • Internal links help you improve your SEO automatically.
  • You create a clear, easy-to-follow path for readers.
  • Your blog builds your reputation as someone who “gets it.”

In short: content pillars make your blog easier to manage and more effective.

How Many Pillars Do You Need?

Most businesses do well with 3 to 5 pillars. It depends on how wide your services are.

Here’s how to think about it:

Too few? You’ll run out of ideas and sound repetitive.

Too many? You’ll confuse readers and spread yourself too thin.

So choose a handful of strong themes that:

  • Match your services or offers
  • Help your ideal customer
  • Show your authority in your niche

How to Choose the Right Content Pillars

Start with your audience and goals. What do your future customers need from you before they buy? Think about their problems, questions, and hesitations.

Here’s a simple way to start:

  1. List the top questions people ask you.
  2. Think about the problems your product or service solves.
  3. Do keyword research using a tool like Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner.
  4. Group your answers into 3–5 broad categories.

Real-World Examples (Non-Blogging Industries)

1. Wedding Planner

  • Venue planning
  • Budget tips
  • Dress and style trends
  • Ceremony ideas
  • Guest experience tips

2. Financial Advisor

  • Budgeting and saving
  • Retirement planning
  • Tax efficiency
  • Investment basics
  • Insurance options

3. Home Renovation Company

  • Kitchen design
  • Bathroom upgrades
  • Energy-efficient choices
  • Budgeting for remodels
  • Contractor tips

Each of these examples gives a clear set of themes to guide blog content.

The “Hub and Spoke” Structure: Making Your Blog Easy to Follow

Now that you’ve chosen your pillars, how do you use them?

This is where the hub and spoke model comes in.

  • Your hub is the main article about one of your content pillars.
  • The spokes are smaller blog posts that go deeper into related topics.

For example:

Let’s say your pillar is “Budgeting for Small Businesses.”

Your hub post could be:
"The Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting for Small Business Owners."

Then your spoke posts might be:

  • “Fixed vs. Flexible Budgets: What Works Best?”
  • “How to Handle Irregular Income as a Business Owner”
  • “Budgeting Mistakes to Avoid in Your First Year”

Each spoke supports your hub and links back to it. This helps search engines understand your content structure and improves your chances of ranking.

You can learn more about this internal linking strategy in Internal Linking Made Easy: A Beginner’s Guide to SEO Growth.

What Makes a Good Pillar Post?

A strong pillar post should:

  • Be at least 1,500 words long
  • Cover the topic clearly and fully
  • Include internal links to related posts (your spokes)
  • Target a relevant keyword or phrase
  • Be updated regularly to stay relevant

Think of your pillar content as the “go-to” article for that topic. If someone asked you to explain it from start to finish, this is the post you’d send them.

Need help writing it? Check out Want Better Blog Content? Here’s How to Hire the Right Writer.

How Content Pillars Help with SEO

Search engines reward depth and structure. When you build content pillars, you:

  • Target keywords more effectively
  • Cover topics in full (which search engines love)
  • Create a web of internal links
  • Help crawlers understand your site better

It’s like giving Google a neat filing system instead of a messy drawer.

If SEO matters to you (and it should), don’t miss SEO for Business Blogs: How to Get Found Online.

How Pillars Support Social Media and Email, Too

One great pillar post can feed your entire marketing plan:

  • Turn key points into Instagram carousels
  • Pull stats or quotes for LinkedIn
  • Create a short email series using your subtopics
  • Repurpose parts of it into reels or infographics

Not sure how to do that? Read One Blog, Many Uses: How to Repurpose Your Posts.

How to Track If Your Pillars Are Working

It’s not enough to publish and hope. Use these tools to track results:

If a pillar isn’t getting traction after a few months, it may need a rewrite, a better headline, or more internal links. You can learn how to fix that in How to Measure Your Blog’s ROI and Prove Its Value.

Final Tips Before You Start

  • Be consistent. Don't abandon a pillar halfway through.
  • Don’t chase trends. Pick timeless topics unless they truly matter to your niche.
  • Write for your ideal reader, not for search engines only.
  • Link between posts often.
  • Update old posts to match your pillar structure.

Still confused? Make Your Blog Work Harder with a Simple Content Plan breaks it down step-by-step.

You don’t have to do this alone. If you're a business owner who wants a blog that works with your marketing, not against it, I can help. I write pillar content that attracts real people, builds trust, and helps you get found online.

Send me a message and let’s talk about what content pillars make sense for your business.