How to create cornerstone content for your website

Published on: 17 January 2019 Last Updated on: 08 August 2019
cornerstone content

If you’ve been running your website for some time, accumulating lots of different pages, tackling different angles and creating a rich variety of resources, you probably have a good idea of what your most popular pages are. The problem is, someone else landing on your site for the first time doesn’t. Could they get from the homepage to your top-performing pages in just one or two clicks? Or are they only going to find them through luck, clicking around randomly through your menus (which is unlikely with today’s fondness for instant results) or a Google search that directs them straight to that page?

Letting your readers and Google know what the most important and valuable pages on your website are is what creating cornerstone content is all about. Here we take a look at what it is, why it’s so important for SEO, and how to implement a strategy to make the best possible use of it.

Putting your best foot forward

An excellent example of a high-value post that could get overlooked by a new visitor is a particularly informative blog post you wrote several years ago. If a new visitor lands on your homepage and clicks on your blog, they’d likely have to scroll down and click through to ‘older posts’ multiple times before they get anywhere near this page – and as the saying goes, ain’t nobody got time for that!

These top performers are your cornerstone or ‘evergreen’ content. Like the architectural term, the cornerstone is the foundation that all other parts are positioned against and aligned with.

The idea is to get all those top performers in one place where they can dazzle your readers and have them coming back again and again. By fleshing out your cornerstone content page into an unusually lengthy post, you’re creating a veritable treasure trove of useful information for your readers which they can use to easily access all the other content on your site that may interest them. In just one page, it gives them an overview of everything your site has to offer, with enough information to brief them on what each section is about while leaving them hungry for more – which you will supply with just one easy click.

A rose by any other name

Cornerstone content goes by quite a few monikers. Evergreen content, long-form content, massive value posts, pillar articles… whatever you call them, they’re the content that keeps on giving. It’s the kind of content that remains relevant (either because it covers unchanging facts, goes into exceptional detail, or because you regularly update it) no matter when the reader discovers it. And, of course, it’s the kind of content that gets you noticed and rewarded by Google because so many visitors find it useful and spend time reading it. Speaking of which…

Why Google loves cornerstone content

Google uses many metrics to measure the value of a particular page and decide where it deserves to rank in their search results. Which keywords are used, how often and where is just one of the factors their algorithms take into consideration. How much time a user spends on a page before clicking away is a good indication of whether that page answers their query or not. A page which consistently gets clicked away from in just seconds is clearly not answering the user’s question and will quickly see its ranking for that search term drop. Whether the page loads quickly and how it’s linked internally to the rest of your website are also considerations.

Great cornerstone content can also help you take on keywords that have a lot of competition and would normally be pretty hard to rank for.

Cornerstone content strategy

When you’re building a new website, structuring your site around a few major keywords (generally two to five, depending on the nature of your niche) is a good place to start. For each of those keywords, you want one fat, juicy cornerstone article that links out to smaller posts which discuss a certain aspect in more detail. If you’re relatively new to SEO and aren’t yet sure what keywords you should be aiming for, get a good SEO company on board at this point to help you identify them.

Whenever you write a new article, it should tie back to its corresponding cornerstone piece. Aside from making it easy for your readers to navigate to the topics they’re most interested in, it also lets Google know this page is important and will increase its chances of ranking in searches.

If you have an existing website, you can take the same approach and work backward. Pick the top three to five pages you’re the proudest of and want your visitors to see the most – those will become your cornerstone pieces. Going forward, make sure new posts tie back to their cornerstone piece and start updating older pages systematically to do the same.

One of the awesome things about cornerstone content is that although it’s one of the best ways to improve your site’s SEO, it’s not very technical – so anyone who can build their own website can take advantage and get the rankings they deserve.

Read Also:

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Web Host

Top 9 Factors To keep in mind before Choosing A Web Host

Making decisions while choosing your web host can be a tricky one. You may have multiple options with you and most of them claiming to have 99% uptime, knowledgeable support, and unlimited resources. This can cause confusion and there is no way to make an informed decision. After creating a professional website it is equally important to choose the right web hosting company. There may be positive as well as negative feedback about the service provider. To make yourself at ease, you should know that there are few factors by which you can decide on the web host. Even if you are using a VPS service, check if the Windows VPS has the features you need. Let us look at some of these factors. 1. Area of focus and specialties : This is an important aspect while choosing the web host. You need to make sure that the web host caters to your requirements. Some of the web host companies offer good shared plans but these plans do not suit the growing business needs. For some businesses with a small exposure, you may not need the solutions provided. This is where the company`s specialty comes in to play. Before you buy to make sure that you understand your needs and how it will be fulfilled. The reviews and recommendations can also help to understand the strength and weakness of the service provider. 2. Price : This is something that everyone looks at while choosing the web host. This should not be the deciding factor. Going for the cheapest option is not necessarily the best thing always. If you want to make money from your site, make sure that you pay for the right services. Make sure that you think about the factors which can play a role and then take a closer look at the features that each service provider has to offer. Once you have all the features in place then compare the prices of different web host companies. 3. Tech Limitations : Your website can be used for many things. You can use it for a blog, rich content, as an e-commerce site, or host videos. The cheapest hosting package will not cut the deal. The cheap hosting plan will not have the necessary RAM, disk space, and processing power. Some companies may have Technical limitations or limited after-sale support, hence it is important to understand these factors, before buying the plan. 4. Tech Support : This is an important feature which needs to be there when you buy web hosting services. Some people may also consider it as an important point. If your website is affected and goes down, it is important that you should be able to reach out to the company for support. Also, the team should be able to help resolve the issue and get the site back online quickly. You should also be aware of the reputation of the support and how you can contact them when needed. The companies which are not good with Tech support, you should stay away from them. 5. Hardware : You should be aware of the hardware the company has and the kind of machine they use. It is important because it will be the deciding factor when it comes to uptime and the performance of your site and server. 6. Add-Ons : You should be aware of the add-ons a company has to offer. These add-ons will make them more attractive while buying the services. Some of the add-ons can be energy-saving practice, data centers, data back up, and free domain privacy. If these add-ons are something that you may need or have been looking for then it will help you make the decision. 7. Reputation and Customer review : You will have to do some background checks and look into the details of the reviews posted by the earlier customers. Also, you can read the reviews on Twitter or Google.  You can see what the current and earlier customers have to say about the service provider. This is the best add-on of social media and you can even know about the company by asking more questions. You can get responses from the people and the company employees as well. 8. Scalability : This is something that you will have to keep in mind. It is important because if in future your business grows, does the hosting provider have adequate plans to support the growth. If the hosting company is good for now, it is not necessary that it will work in the future. You should look at the options if the company has VPS or Dedicated Server solutions to support the growth. Get some opinions about the scalability of the company, before you move ahead with the purchase. 9. User Interface : Having a User interface is a bonus. Even if you do not understand technology much, a user interface will help you with a lot of things. It gives you the option to install WordPress, set up emails, and accounts. These things can be done without reaching out to the service provider. Conclusion : The importance of hosting your website with the correct company is critical. Take your time and review different companies. Use all the resources and understand all the aspects, before you purchase the plan. Read Also : Things You Should Know About Web Host Providers What Makes A Web Hosting Good? Cloud Hosting: Top Five Reasons To Take Your Business To The Cloud

READ MOREDetails
SEO Campaigns

8 Reasons Your SEO Campaigns Aren’t Showing the Desired Results

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the digital marketing strategies that have been talked about for years. Established businesses on digital media swear by this strategy in boosting their web traffic, increasing visibility, and improving returns on investment. As a result, all businesses are running towards this strategy with the hope to see positive results. SEO campaigns are essential for your business to improve your business to the next level. Unfortunately, to the disappointment of many firms, SEO isn’t showing the results that they expected. This has led to great losses after spending thousands of dollars to develop a strategy that does not bear results. The question is, “Is SEO overhyped?” If not, why is it not working for your business? And what can you do to improve your SEO strategy and begin to experience positive results and increased ROI? SEO is an effective digital marketing campaign, but it only works for firms that have learned how to leverage it. In this light, here are eight reasons why your current SEO campaign isn’t bearing traffic and leads, and what you can do to realize positive results from it. Different Factors Are There Why SEO Campaigns Do Not Show The Desired Results  There are several factors are there why SEO campaigns do not exhibit the desired results all the time. Try to achieve your goals in the best possible ways. Work out the plans that can help you to achieve your goals in the correct order. 1. Your Web Design Sucks How visually appealing is your website? Do you have a professional look that would appeal to a new customer? How are the pages, posts, imagery, calls to action, and other page elements placed on your website? Does the site look busy and stuffed? When an individual visits your site, they will move on quickly if they don’t like the design and layout. This results in increased bounce rates which causes search engines to rank you at the bottom of the search page. What’s more, a poorly organized page makes it hard for search engines to crawl the site, and this results in lower rankings. You can improve your SEO strategy by taking the time to design a user-friendly website. Make sure that page elements such as the content, imagery, and CTAs are correctly placed on your site. 2. You Have Poor Content  Experts say that content is king and this statement has never been more accurate than in matters of SEO. Content is what will draw people to your site and keep them coming back. If you don’t give your readers a reason to return, they will not. What does poor content look like? First, it does not provide any useful information to the target client. Secondly, it is poorly written with an unappealing structure and poor-quality imagery. If readers find your content unattractive, they will pass by your page regardless of its ranking. Take the time to develop quality content for your readers. It should provide meaningful information that's easy to read. Use an appealing tone and organize your work into visually appealing formats. Finally, use high-quality images and video for your content. 3. You’re Targeting the Wrong Audience  SEO only works if you are targeting the correct audience. This may seem obvious, but not all businesses can accurately sift through the millions of online users and identify their target audience. For example, if you are an auto repairs company but your content leans towards the car manufacture industry, you may lose out on your target audience. Before developing an SEO campaign, identify your target audience. Strive to produce content that is directly targeted to them. For example, an auto repairs company should focus on clients who are seeking repair services and not to buy new vehicles. If you are not sure, consider seeking help from a Minneapolis SEO Expert . 4. You’re Using the Wrong Keywords  One of the top techniques in an effective SEO campaign is the use of keyword phrases. These are search terms that prospective clients feed on search engines when looking for a product or service. Note that not all keywords will guarantee success in your SEO strategy. If you use simple keywords, you will face stiff competition from other players in the industry. If you go for very narrow ones, no one will find your site. The best way to use keywords effectively is by using long-tail over short keywords. Long-tail keywords utilize a series of terms, at least two or more, that are commonly typed by readers. So instead of using “dentist” as your keyword, you would have a phrase such as “best dentist in Minneapolis.” The longer phrase has a higher chance of ranking higher and shaking off competition. 5. You Have the Wrong Priorities When employing an SEO campaign, various metrics come into play. You can choose to measure web traffic, conversion rates, bounce rates, ROI, and many others. Failure to focus on the right metrics can cause your SEO strategy to fail. Unfortunately, most businesses pay attention to the wrong metrics. For example, they will strive to increase their following on social media and their site traffic but ignore other metrics like the conversion rates. Having a large following doesn’t guarantee that they will all convert. Therefore, make sure that you are paying attention and directing your resources towards metrics that will generate returns for your business. 6. Your Conversion Rates are Low  One of the ways to know that your SEO strategy is working is when your conversion rate increases. Conversion rates go up when users take your desired call to action (CTA). It could be to sign up to your newsletter, join your email list, or buy your product. Different businesses have varying CTAs based on their needs. If your conversion rates are low, your SEO campaign is not working. To improve your conversion rates, focus on strategies that will draw and keep people on your site. Have an appealing website and ensure that your call to action is visible. The CTA should also have attractive graphics and terms – it should be like the magic button that everyone itches to click. SEO campaigns can work well in your favor as it can help your business to grow in the right direction. 7. You Have no Precise SEO Plan  What do you intend to get out of your SEO campaign? Do you have specific goals? If not, the chances are that your strategy is not targeted at anything in particular either. Lack of an actionable SEO plan will cause you to try out anything, including strategies that are doing nothing for your campaign. Come up with a practical plan of what you wish to achieve with SEO. Do you want traffic? What for? Do you want to write blog posts for your website’s blog section? What will the blogs help you achieve? Outlining your goals enables you to channel your efforts and resources towards a worthy cause. 8. Your Site is Not Mobile Responsive Search engines today are favoring sites that are mobile responsive over those that maintain a desktop view even on mobile devices. Mobile friendly sites load faster and have easy readability on phones and tablets. If your website isn’t mobile responsive, search engines will rank it lower, and this will stall your SEO dreams and goals. Develop a mobile site that will appeal to search engines and visitors. SEO works for businesses that have mastered the strategy. If your campaign isn’t working, look into these eight things and make the necessary tweaks to gain positive results from your SEO campaign. Final Take Away Hence, these are some of the core factors that can work well in your favor while you want to develop your business in the right direction. SEO Campaigns can work well in your favor when you apply the correct techniques in the proper manner. Do not lose out on the chance that can provide you the opportunity. Read Also: How To Integrate Email Marketing With SEO Two SEO Trends To Take Advantage Of In 2018 5 Ways To Improve Mobile SEO

READ MOREDetails
Advanced SEO Services for New York City

Advanced SEO Services for New York City Startups

In New York, where everything happens fast and there is much competition, new companies find it difficult to distinguish. SEO could enable your company to stand out and develop a brand. Not only is SEO a marketing tool for startups, but it also is a must for expansion. Innovative SEO New York City Services can help your new firm increase search engine rankings and gain global notice. This post will teach you how New York City enterprises may use sophisticated SEO methods to grow and dominate their markets. Find Out about Advanced SEO Services for New York City. Building a Solid SEO Foundation SEO is the most crucial step when starting a business in New York City. For startups, this entails focusing on technical SEO, an aspect that many people overlook. You always need a solid framework regardless of how hard you attempt to produce material or maximize keywords. Experts in search engine optimization will assess your website for errors like poor load times, broken links, and mobile unfriendliness. Fixing these problems will help your website run as best it could. Technical SEO basically consists of changing faulty website components. Make sure your website is search engine-optimized, user-friendly, and orderly to reach this. It's important to make your material search engine friendly as well as human. Using the right URL structures, making your website mobile-friendly, and improving your metadata can help your company compete in the cutthroat New York City SEO scene. Mastering New York City Local SEO Local search engine optimization may help your firm grow, especially in a major city like New York with diverse residents. Make sure your website is optimized for local search phrases so New Yorkers looking for like-minded services find it. Local SEO consists of claiming and improving your Google My Business presence. This free service provides necessary data such as location, hours, and contact information as well as helping companies keep their online presence. For New York City companies, Google My Business optimization only serves as a component of local seo new york city. The problem is raising the local listings, review websites, and specialty website visibility for your business. Having your company on well-known local websites can enable you to attract more possible clients. It's also important to plan neighborhood interactions. Backlinks from respected New York newspapers and local businesses may boost your community standing. Local SEO helps new businesses stand out in the city. Keyword Research and Content Strategy for NYC Startups Keyword research is crucial to SEO performance. New York City firms must choose the right keywords to attract customers. Advanced ecommerce seo services consider the geography of your target audience in addition to keywords. New Yorkers seek knowledge in many ways, so knowing the local language, vocabulary, and trends is essential. Using tools and statistics, SEO experts locate pertinent keywords for your target market. Choose keywords then organize material depending on user intent and search volume. This means producing material for New York City businesses with an eye towards consumers. To address questions, you need carefully crafted landing pages, blog entries, and product specifications. Your firm might rank for high-value keywords if it provides exceptional, instructive, and fascinating content. Website natural traffic and brand recognition will rise. Optimizing for Mobile SEO in New York City Because so many New Yorkers are always on the go, mobile SEO is crucial to any SEO plan. More customers are utilizing their phones to find local businesses and services. Due to mobile-first search, Google gives your website's mobile version more weight than its PC version. Mobile SEO is crucial for NYC companies for the following reasons: Your website must be mobile-friendly, meaning it works on any screen. Those visiting using desktop or mobile devices should find your website simple to use. This guarantees an excellent experience for mobile users to your website. Customers of mobile devices give speed top importance. Let it loads fast. Particularly on tablets and smartphones, people want websites to load quickly. If your website takes too long to load, your bounce rate may increase, hurting user experience and SEO. Mobile content should be easy to read and understand. Big graphics or complicated designs slow down a mobile website, so optimize them to load faster and be easier to navigate. User Experience and Technical Optimizations for SEO Success The link between SEO and UX is close. Customer satisfaction is as essential for New York City firms as search engine optimization. Google considers the time people spend on your website, the number of pages they view, and the rate at which they leave. Negative website visitor experiences hurt SEO. Advanced SEO services improve website design, style, and content to improve customer experience. Make your website essential, easy to browse, and attractive. If they can get what they need quickly, users will stay on your website longer and interact more. Technical SEO and user experience may help businesses build popular, high-ranking websites. Making your website user-friendly, quick, and full of content will boost your SEO. Staying Ahead with Data-Driven SEO Strategy Data analytics is vital to advanced SEO services. You must make real-time changes to maintain SEO. For new companies specifically, this is quite important as it may highlight the shortcomings of your website. Google Analytics tracks user behavior, return rates, and conversions. This reveals much about the effectiveness of your SEO approach. ecommerce seo services specialists can assist you enhance results and attract relevant visitors by regularly analyzing and modifying this data. Some websites may modify their design or content if any pages fail. Focus on the sentences that grab your attention to improve. In a competitive market like New York City, your firm may benefit from real-time pattern recognition and correction. Finally To succeed in a competitive market, organizations in New York City must master modern SEO tactics. Long-term SEO success requires a solid SEO foundation and local SEO knowledge. Making your website mobile- and user-friendly is sensible. Startup SEO may improve by utilizing data to make decisions. They can adapt to New York City's fast-changing web landscape. New businesses stand out, draw local clients, and thrive in a fast-paced city by means of search engine optimization (SEO). Modern SEO services assist your company boost traffic, exposure, and sustained development even if the digital environment of New York City is challenging to control. Choosing Webomaze's SEO and improving your approach will help your business to thrive in one of the most competitive marketplaces worldwide. Read More: Carbon Steel vs Stainless Steel: The Difference Finding the Perfect Fit: A Landlord’s Guide to Selecting Suitable Tenant Why You Need to Include Voice Search Optimization in Your Marketing Strategy

READ MOREDetails