Are you looking for ways to improve the pillar pages on your website? Want to learn the metrics you should track and hot to optimise them for growth?

Carver share their optimisation tips in this infographic.

They break things down as follows:

• Sessions
• Bounce rate
• Contacts and customers
• Domain authority
• Search volume
• Inbound links

Check out the infographic for more detail.

 

Pillar pages are an integral part of a successful content marketing strategy. These pages serve as comprehensive resources on a specific topic, covering all related subtopics and providing valuable information to your audience.

However, creating pillar pages is only half the battle; to truly maximize their impact, you need to measure, track, and optimize their performance. In this blog post, we will explore the key metrics and strategies to effectively measure, track, and optimize pillar pages on your website.

 

Sessions

Sessions refer to the number of visits to your pillar page within a specific timeframe. It is a fundamental metric to gauge the overall popularity and engagement of your page. Tracking sessions can help you understand how successful your promotion efforts are and identify areas for improvement.

To measure sessions, you can use website analytics tools like Google Analytics. Pay attention to the number of sessions over time, comparing it with other pages on your website. Identify any spikes or drops in sessions and analyze the corresponding factors, such as promotions, SEO efforts, or changes in the page itself.

Optimization Tip: To boost session numbers, focus on promoting your pillar page through various channels such as social media, email marketing, guest blogging, and paid advertising. Additionally, ensure your page is easily accessible through internal linking from other relevant pages on your website.

 

Bounce Rate

Bounce rate indicates the percentage of visitors who leave your pillar page without interacting further with your website. A high bounce rate can suggest that your page doesn’t meet visitors’ expectations or lacks engagement, leading to missed opportunities.

To measure bounce rate, again, you can utilize website analytics tools. A lower bounce rate indicates higher engagement and a better user experience. Analyze the bounce rate alongside session data to gain insights into how visitors are interacting with your page.

Optimization Tip: Reduce bounce rate by improving the quality and relevance of your content. Make sure your pillar page addresses visitors’ needs, provides a clear value proposition, and is visually appealing. Incorporate interactive elements, such as videos, infographics, or quizzes, to encourage visitors to explore further and engage with your site.

 

Contacts and Customers

Ultimately, the success of your pillar page lies in its ability to generate leads and drive conversions. Tracking the number of contacts and customers acquired through your pillar page is crucial to measure its impact on your business’s bottom line.

To measure contacts and customers, you can set up conversion tracking within your analytics platform. Monitor the number of form submissions, newsletter sign-ups, or any other desired actions taken by visitors on your pillar page. Additionally, use marketing automation tools to track how many of these contacts eventually convert into customers.

Optimization Tip: Optimize your pillar page for lead generation by including strategically placed contact forms, calls-to-action, and enticing offers. Ensure your page aligns with your target audience’s pain points and provides solutions that resonate with them. Continuously refine your conversion funnel based on data and user feedback to maximize lead generation and customer acquisition.

 

Domain Authority

Domain authority is a metric that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). It reflects the overall reputation and credibility of your website, including your pillar pages. Monitoring and improving your domain authority can significantly impact the organic visibility of your pillar pages and boost their effectiveness.

To measure domain authority, you can use tools like Moz’s Domain Authority or Ahrefs’ Domain Rating. These tools assign a score to your website, typically on a scale of 1 to 100, based on various factors like the quality and quantity of inbound links, content relevance, and overall website performance.

Optimization Tip: Enhance your domain authority by focusing on building high-quality inbound links to your pillar pages. Guest posting on authoritative websites, engaging in influencer collaborations, and earning mentions from reputable sources can help establish your website’s credibility. Additionally, consistently producing high-value content and optimizing your on-page SEO signals will contribute to improving your domain authority over time.

 

Search Volume

Search volume represents the average number of times a specific keyword or keyphrase is searched for on search engines. Understanding the search volume related to your pillar page’s target topic is essential to gauge its potential organic reach and the level of interest among your target audience.

To measure search volume, keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs can provide valuable insights. These tools allow you to explore the search volume for relevant keywords and identify the most popular and relevant terms related to your pillar page topic.

Optimization Tip: Optimize your pillar page for keywords with higher search volumes to increase its visibility in search engine results. Incorporate these keywords naturally throughout your content, including in headings, subheadings, and meta tags. Balancing keyword usage with user experience and readability is crucial to ensure your pillar page remains engaging and informative.

 

Inbound Links

Inbound links, also known as backlinks, are hyperlinks from external websites that point to your pillar page. The number and quality of inbound links play a vital role in search engine optimization (SEO) and are indicative of the authority and popularity of your page.

To measure inbound links, you can use tools like Ahrefs, Majestic, or Moz’s Link Explorer. These tools provide insights into the number of backlinks your pillar page has, the referring domains, and the overall quality of these links.

Optimization Tip: Actively build high-quality inbound links to your pillar page by reaching out to relevant websites, industry influencers, and bloggers for collaborations and partnerships. Develop unique and shareable content that naturally attracts backlinks from authoritative sources. Additionally, consider leveraging internal linking from other pages on your website to boost the authority of your pillar page.

 

Conclusion

Measuring, tracking, and optimizing pillar pages are crucial steps in maximizing their impact on your website’s performance. By focusing on metrics such as sessions, bounce rate, contacts and customers, domain authority, search volume, and inbound links, you can gain valuable insights into your pillar pages’ effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.

Continuously refining and optimizing your pillar pages based on these metrics will enhance their visibility, engagement, and conversion potential, ultimately contributing to your overall content marketing success.