Mastering Cornerstone Content: A Comprehensive Guide to Boost Your Content Marketing Strategy

So, you are a content marketer recently hired by a B2B or B2C brand that wants to aggressively expand and establish their expertise in their respective niche or genre. 

The catch is that they want to grow organically and spend a minimum amount on paid search efforts. That leaves you with the only option of creating long-form content (2000 words or more) on relevant topics that can establish your expertise in the domain the brand seeks to conquer. 

Perhaps you’ve heard of cornerstone and pillar content, but what do these terms really mean? In simple terms, they’re the foundation of your content marketing strategy. Incorporating them wisely can be the key to achieving your desired ROIs and not leaving any potential gains on the table!

In today’s blog, we will be addressing the following, 

• What is cornerstone content
• Understanding the importance of a cornerstone content strategy
• WordPress cornerstone content: Leveraging the platform
• How to create It
• How does It works
• How to improve It

As you read the blog, you will understand the importance of creating and publishing this and how to update and improve it consistently.

Let the magic of the written word unfold, people!

Source

What is cornerstone content?

It refers to your website’s most important, comprehensive, and high-quality content. These are the pieces of content you want to rank highest in search engines because they reflect the core of your business and provide valuable information to your audience. Consider it as the foundation for your content marketing strategy.

Typically, It covers broad topics central to your business and can be broken down into more detailed subtopics. For example, if you run a health and fitness blog, your cornerstone content might be an ultimate guide to weight loss, which includes sections on diet, exercise, and mental health.

Understanding the importance of a cornerstone content strategy

Now, why should you invest valuable time and effort in creating a solid content strategy? Here are some solid reasons why you should not miss out on creating one!

1. SEO benefits: Search engines favor comprehensive, well-structured content that answers users’ queries. It is designed to be thorough and informative, making it more likely to rank highly. According to HubSpot, websites with strong, informative content are 13 times more likely to see a positive return on investment.
2. User engagement: High-quality cornerstone content keeps users on your site longer, reducing bounce rates and increasing engagement. Moz reports that content that provides detailed and valuable insights can significantly reduce bounce rates as users find what they are looking for and stay to read more.
3. Authority building: By consistently publishing valuable cornerstone content, you establish your website as an authority in your niche. When your content answers readers’ questions comprehensively, they are more likely to see your site as a reliable source of information.

WordPress cornerstone content: Leveraging the platform

If you’re using WordPress, creating and managing this content is straightforward. WordPress offers various tools and plugins to help you optimize your content. One of the most popular tools is the Yoast SEO plugin, which includes specific features for managing this content.

What is cornerstone content in WordPress?

In WordPress, It is typically created as a page or a blog post that is optimized for SEO and linked frequently to other content on your site. The Yoast SEO plugin helps identify and manage these crucial pieces of content by allowing you to mark them as cornerstone content within your dashboard.

Yoast cornerstone content features

Yoast SEO allows you to mark certain posts as cornerstone content. This helps you:

1. Focus on quality: Yoast encourages you to ensure these posts are well-written and comprehensive.
2. Internal linking: Yoast assists in building internal links to your cornerstone content, improving its SEO value. Internal linking is crucial as it helps search engines understand your website’s structure and hierarchy.
3. Content analysis: Yoast provides detailed analysis and suggestions to enhance your cornerstone content’s readability and SEO performance. For instance, it evaluates aspects like keyword density, readability, and the presence of outbound links.

Let’s now get to the step-by-step process of creating cornerstone content. 

How do you create cornerstone content?

The process of creating cornerstone content should not have you banging your head against the wall! Here is a step-by-step guide to building pillar content that will get your brand and blog the visibility they deserve! 

1. Identify key topics: Choose topics central to your business and valuable to your audience. These should be broad enough to cover various subtopics in detail. For example, a financial blog might choose “Personal Finance Management” as a cornerstone topic, covering areas like budgeting, investing, and saving.
2. Conduct thorough research: Gather information from reputable sources to ensure your content is accurate and comprehensive. According to a study by Demand Gen Report, 96% of B2B buyers want content with more input from industry thought leaders.
3. Structure your content: Use clear headings, subheadings, bullet points, and other formatting techniques to make your content easy to read and navigate. 
4. Optimize for SEO: Incorporate relevant keywords naturally throughout your content. Use meta descriptions, alt tags for images, and ensure your content is mobile-friendly. According to Google, mobile-friendly websites are more likely to rank higher in search results.
5. Add visuals: Include images, infographics, videos, and other multimedia elements to enhance the user experience. Research by Brain Rules shows that people are 65% more likely to remember information paired with an image.
6. Internal and external linking: Link to other relevant content on your site and reputable external sources. This helps search engines understand the context and improves your content’s authority.
7. Update regularly: Keep your cornerstone content up-to-date with your industry’s latest information and trends.

Now that we are familiar with the process of creating cornerstone content, let’s try to understand how it works. 

How does cornerstone content work?

It works by serving as a central hub for related content on your website. For example, if you run a digital marketing blog, your cornerstone content might be an in-depth guide to SEO. This guide would link to more specific articles on keyword research, on-page SEO, link building, etc. These related articles, in turn, link back to your main guide, creating a network of interconnected content.

This interlinking structure helps search engines understand the hierarchy and importance of your content, improving your site’s overall SEO performance. According to Backlinko, websites with a solid internal linking structure can significantly boost search engine rankings.

Now, you can’t just put up cornerstone content and forget about it. You need to improve and update your content regularly. The next section addresses just that. 

How to improve cornerstone content?

Improving this is an ongoing process. Here are some tips to keep your cornerstone content in top shape:

1. Regular audits: Review your cornerstone content periodically to ensure it remains accurate and comprehensive. Update statistics, add new information, and refine your writing to keep it relevant. Search Engine Land recommends conducting a content audit every 6-12 months.
2. User feedback: Pay attention to user comments and feedback. If users have questions or suggestions, incorporate those into your content. Engaging with your audience can also improve your content’s relevance and authority.
3. Monitor performance: Use analytics tools to track the performance of your cornerstone content. Look at metrics such as page views, bounce rates, and average time on page to identify areas for improvement. Google Analytics and other similar tools can provide valuable insights into user behavior.
4. Enhance visuals: Regularly update images, infographics, and videos to keep your content visually appealing and engaging. High-quality visuals can increase user engagement and time spent on your page.
5. Strengthen internal links: As you publish new content, link back to your cornerstone pieces to reinforce their importance and improve their SEO value. 
6. Keyword optimization: Revisit your keyword strategy to ensure your content aligns with current search trends. Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs can help you identify new keyword opportunities and optimize your content.

The road ahead

You might have been trying to improve your SERP rankings through a whole host of organic efforts. If you have been wondering, “How Long Does SEO Take To Work?” You might want to read our blog, which addresses this question.