Marketers get way too hung up on terminology. SEO vs. SEM. Social engagement vs. social selling. Inbound vs. outbound vs. nearbound. And here’s another one: pillar page vs landing page.
But here’s a dirty little secret: not a single customer cares what you call your marketing assets. No one visits your website and says, Well, this page only has 2,800 words, so technically it’s not a pillar page. Those have 3,000+ words.
So stop sweating the semantics. Instead, define your marketing assets by what matters: what value does it bring to prospects, customers, & your business?
When you break down the pillar page vs landing page along these lines, the difference is clear:
- Pillar pages increase your topical authority to increase search engine rankings
- Landing pages drive immediate conversions and generate leads
Every other difference—including the ones I’ll walk through in this article—are secondary. Let’s talk about how a pillar page vs landing page works, and how each uniquely contributes to your marketing goals.
Why pillar pages have become a content marketing must-have
Landing pages have been staples of internet marketing since Web 2.0. Pillar pages, on the other hand, are a relatively recent development.
Starting in 2017, Google began ranking pages not for specific keywords, but the content’s relevance to user intent. Keywords remain important, but domain authority, content quality, and user experience (UX) got a vote as well.
In other words: keyword stuffing became a dead tactic overnight. In response, marketers adopted a new strategy to signal their organizations’ authority on particular topics.
The result: the pillar page—a 3,000-5,000+ word piece of content jam-packed with information and value. It signals topical authority, while also competing for high-traffic search terms.
Although pillar pages have evolved over the last seven years, their core function is the same. What’s more, pillar pages and landing pages are often used in tandem, each driving different its own strategic outcomes.
Here are some high-level tips for building a pillar page:
- Conduct thorough research (competitor and keyword) to understand how others have covered a topic
- Create a topic cluster covering all the subtopics of the core topic
- Include a table of contents on your pillar page for easy navigation, a better user experience, and enhanced search engine indexing
- Use a healthy keyword mix—both short and long-tail
- Answer all questions related to a search engine query in your content
- Make it shareable by giving direct share links to popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
Pillar page vs. landing page: comparing the two content formats
At a high-level, a pillar page looks different from a landing page. Consider the following:
- SEO vs. CRO
- Long-form vs. short-form
- Informational vs. transactional
- Content-rich vs. image- & video-rich
- Evergreen vs. time-sensitive value
But more importantly, pillar page vs. landing pages offer different value to prospects, customers, and your business. Let’s take a closer look at their key differences.
Strategic objectives & business value
Pillar pages support your long-term organic SEO strategy. Landing pages have short-term value, as the goal is converting leads in real time.
Both are important. Both contribute to marketing success. But when deciding which to build, you need clarity on the marketing outcomes you want to drive.
Let’s say you’re launching a paid LinkedIn ad campaign to promote a piece of content. If you want to drive long-term brand awareness and build audience loyalty, you’ll throw your dollars behind a pillar page. If you want immediate conversions around a specific product or conversion offer, you’ll promote a landing page.
Content length
The average length of a pillar page is around 3,000-5,000 words. That may seem like a lot, but that’s what it takes to be competitive on Google. Plus, the topics pillar pages target require those word counts to adequately address it. (This blog post, for example, is just over 1,500 words—and our focus is relatively narrow.)
By providing detailed answers to the questions your customers are asking, you can demonstrate your experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (EEAT) more comprehensively.
WARNING: If you think you can use Generative AI to speed up the content development process, think again. Google is penalizing AI-based content, which means hiring a content writer is the way to go.
Landing pages, on the other hand, vary in length. Some effectively convert leads with 300 words, while others will be much longer. It depends on your audience, their expectations, and what information they need before they’re ready to convert.
Content structure & design
Pillar page vs landing page: each is structured very differently. Navigation, external and internal links, readability, on-page CTAs, and SEO will vary based on content type.
Pillar pages sit at the center of a content cluster, a kind of informational hub around which your other content revolves. Landing pages, typically, are situated toward the end of a user’s journey, after which they enter the sales process (although that linear approach is becoming less relevant over time).
Structural components of a pillar page include:
- Comprehensive information on the topic at hand
- Clear subheaders to guide the reader
- Combination of stats, visuals, video, and engaging copy
- Internal and external links to connect readers with additional resources
- Crafting cluster posts around pillar topics to dive deeper into specific areas
- Search engine optimization around a number of keywords related to the central topic
- Varied calls to action to capture leads at various buying stages
Structural components of a landing page include:
- A specific goal or action for users to take
- A clear, compelling headline that centers the value prop
- Clear, concise copy that reinforces the value prop
- Engaging call-to-action guiding visitors to take an immediate desired action
User intent
Pillar pages typically target informational user intent; the user wants to answer a question and educate themselves. Landing pages target transactional or commercial intent; the user is in an active buying process and is ready to take action.
Long-term vs. short-term value
Every business needs to invest in both long- and short-term marketing initiatives. Long-term investments lead to higher ROI, but short-term investments get you the cash flow to keep the lights on. By combining pillar and landing pages, you can achieve both outcomes.
Pillar pages are designed to build your brand authority over time. Landing pages, however, are built to drive immediate, short-term value through time sensitive campaigns.
How pillar pages & landing pages complement one another
Although pillar pages and landing pages serve different functions and add value in different ways, together they can be a powerful combination. Here’s how they complement each other.
Attract → convert
As pillar pages compete for high-traffic, high-value search terms on Google, they attract leads at various stages of the customer journey. Readers can then click on CTAs embedded within that pillar page, and be directed to a landing page where they’ll be more likely to convert.
Brand → leads
Pillar pages are designed to demonstrate your in-depth authority on a given topic. While they do serve a lead generation function, the primary goal is to build your brand authority so that the leads visiting the page want to learn more about your product or service. As your pillar pages elevate your brand, landing pages will convert them into leads.
Broad → specific
Pillar pages are meant to be comprehensive. They speak to a range of issues that could attract or interest your audience. Landing pages, on the other hand, are meant to address specific needs or pain points. Leads funnel through the pillar page to landing pages that speak to more specific concerns.
High volume keywords → low volume keywords
Pillar pages target high-volume keywords by addressing topics that are more competitive and, thus, require more value to effectively rank on Google. Landing pages can target low-volume keywords, where the resources required to build a pillar page wouldn’t be worth the investment.
Educate → transact
Pillar pages vs. landing pages can target keywords based on different levels of intent. Informational intent often signals interest in comprehensive information, so a pillar page would be the best approach in that case. Transactional intent, on the other hand, suggests an urgency and desire to take action which would be better suited to a landing page.
Final thoughts on pillar page vs landing page
Choosing between a pillar page vs landing page isn’t a false dichotomy. Ideally, you should use both in your marketing strategy. But to do so effectively, you need to understand the unique value of each and how they fit into your overall marketing strategy.
If you’re looking for someone to help craft a high-converting landing page or in-depth, substantive pillar content, we’re here to help. Fearless Content Group not only can help you generate that content, but figure out the best place for it in your marketing strategy.
