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Cornerstone Content

FigureCornerstone & Cluster Model

What Makes Content "Cornerstone"?

Cornerstone articles (or "Pillar Pages") are usually:

  1. Long-form: Often 2,000+ words.
  2. Comprehensive: Covering "everything you need to know" about a broad topic.
  3. Evergreen: Relevant for years, updated regularly.
  4. Internal Linking Hubs: They link out to specific sub-topics, and those sub-topics link back to them.

These are the pages you want ranking for your most competitive keywords. They represent your brand's expertise on core topics.

The Hub-and-Spoke Model

The cornerstone content strategy follows a hub-and-spoke structure:

The Hub (Cornerstone)

Your main, comprehensive guide on a broad topic. For example: "The Complete Guide to Email Marketing."

The Spokes (Cluster Content)

Supporting articles that dive deep into specific aspects:

  • "How to Write Email Subject Lines That Convert"
  • "Best Time to Send Marketing Emails"
  • "Email Segmentation Strategies"
  • "A/B Testing for Email Campaigns"

Each spoke links back to the hub, and the hub links out to each spoke. This creates a web of topical relevance.

Why This Strategy Works

1. Establishes Topical Authority

Google understands your site is an expert on the topic when it sees comprehensive coverage through interconnected content.

2. Distributes Link Equity

When your cornerstone earns backlinks, that authority flows through internal links to your cluster content. Similarly, when cluster pages earn links, they boost the hub.

3. Captures Multiple Search Intents

The cornerstone targets broad, high-competition terms. Cluster pages target specific, long-tail queries. Together, you capture searchers at every stage.

4. Improves User Experience

Users can start with the overview (cornerstone) and drill down into specifics (clusters) based on their needs.

How to Create Cornerstone Content

Step 1: Identify Your Core Topics

What are the 3-5 main topics your business should own? These become your cornerstones.

Step 2: Audit Existing Content

You may already have content that can be expanded into cornerstones. Look for your most-linked, most-visited pages.

Step 3: Create the Cornerstone

Write a comprehensive, authoritative guide. Include:

  • Clear structure with jump links
  • Original insights or data
  • Visual elements (diagrams, charts)
  • Regular updates (add a "last updated" date)

Step 4: Build the Cluster

Create supporting content for every sub-topic. Each piece should link to the cornerstone and, where relevant, to other cluster pages.

Step 5: Maintain and Update

Cornerstones require maintenance. Update them quarterly with new information, statistics, and links to new cluster content.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Creating cornerstones for every topic — Focus on your most important 3-5 topics.
  2. Thin cluster content — Each cluster page should be substantial, not just a paragraph.
  3. No internal linking strategy — The power is in the links. Every cluster must link to the cornerstone.
  4. Letting content go stale — Outdated cornerstones lose authority. Update regularly.