If you’ve been in content marketing for a bit, you’ve probably heard the term ‘cluster blogging’ before. But if it’s new to you, don’t worry. It’s not fancy or complicated. What it IS is highly effective in a lot of ways. You should learn about it so you can put it to work for you!

What is cluster blogging?

Put simply, cluster blogging is an approach to building a blog around specific ‘pillar’ topics. By creating a linking system that supports each cluster, you end up with a stable, interwoven set of blogs. These ‘clusters’ can become an all-inclusive educational stop on your prospect’s client journey.

For example, you’re a brand producing ultralight tents made from recycled materials. You’ve created your personas and have a target audience in mind. Now, you want to use a blog to get their attention.

Since you know your prospective clients are interested in backpacking, you want to blog about it. Hopefully, you’ll be able to build an online presence that a backpacker would find through Google! But that’s a really tall order with a keyword as broad as “Backpacking.” There are a lot of industry giants and media outlets that have cornered the internet market there. So, how can you get found via organic search?

Enter cluster blogging.

Your pillar post can be a kind of “Backpacking 101,”... pretty much like this post you’re reading right now! It’ll contain all the basics a beginner would need and extra details a master would find helpful.

But that post isn’t going to rank all by itself. It needs support. So you keep writing. You write a post about “How To Set Up Your Ultralight Backpacking Tent” and another called “10 Gadgets You Need On Your Next Backpacking Trip”. You keep building and building and building your network of blogs. You link back and forth between them and reference information found in your pillar post. You target long-tail keywords with high clickthrough rates and low competition.

And slowly, your cluster grows into something worth noticing. At some point, it’ll probably explode.

Cluster blogging is like having a GPS reminding you to stay on course.

Why should you cluster your blogs?

There are a couple of reasons why cluster blogging is an excellent way to structure your blog. Here are the first ones that come to mind.

It makes it simple to come up with ideas.

One main complaint about blogging is, “I don’t know what to write!” That’s why I offer an Ideation Session where I sit down with marketers or small business owners looking to grow their online presence. Figuring out where to start is sometimes the biggest challenge! A structure like clustering helps me focus on the main goal… reaching that target audience.

It helps boost your SEO game.

SEO isn’t the only reason to blog, but it’s a big one. Web copy must be quick and easy to ingest since visitors usually look for something pretty specific. But people come to blogs to learn. That means you have a lot more room to use keywords while offering value and nurturing your connection.

It makes your page organized.

A blog that’s all over the place is like dropping lines in the water blindly and hoping for a bite. You might get lucky and catch something. But it’s nothing compared to what’ll happen when you pull up over a school of fish and drop their favorite bait right on top of them. Being organized means you know where your target is, and you go after THEM… not just randomly casting all over the place.

Cluster blogging is like having a GPS reminding you to stay on course. And it’d better be important when you veer off, like for a latte or something.

How does cluster blogging work?

A one-off article about thru-hiking isn’t going to gain much traction in search engines. But if a single domain has dozens of posts about it, it’s more likely to appear in search results. Creating a cluster of content on your blog communicates to your readers and Google crawlers that you’re a reliable source of information on your topic.

As time goes by, it compounds the effect. How? Your readers also let the crawlers know you’re reliable by clicking your hyperlink text to learn more from OTHER blog posts.

You’re playing the long game when you strategize for cluster blogging. It’s not a war you’ll win in a single month. But with consistent effort, your topical authority will grow, and so will your ranking.

Your marketing manager should be in charge of strategizing for your blog clusters. But if you don’t have one of those, you can book a session with me.

Schedule a FREE CALL to explore how I can help you!

Who can help you with cluster blogging?

If you have one, your marketing manager should plan your cluster content. They’ll create a content calendar, find writers to fill publication slots, hire someone to optimize each post, and publish them on time. A robust content marketing system takes a whole team!

But what if you’re a small business? Or even a one-human outfit?

Clustering your content can still be done. In fact, it can be a valuable tool in freeing up headspace so you can handle all the other aspects of running your company. Each blog can fuel your content strategy, keeping you present on vital social channels. If you set up a good workflow, a small team can pitch in to make your content marketing a robust, profitable operation.

But if you need help, you know who to message, right?

When should you post your blogs?

When you’ve created a cluster of blogs, it may seem like posting them all at once is best. After all, the point of the whole project is to have a cluster of systematically linked articles, right?

Yes, BUT… let’s think about the bigger picture.

Every blog you post online can and should be repurposed into other forms of content and used to encourage website visits. From one blog, you can generate…

Educational graphics
Short form video
Long-form video
Illustrations
More!

You may have multiple posts sitting in the queue, but you want to use them to their fullest! That’ll involve a lot of work. And, if you post a TON of content all at once, you’ll overwhelm your audience.

In content marketing, we say that “consistency is key.” Find a rhythm you can keep up with and commit to sticking with it for a set amount of time. I’d suggest working hard at it for three months before expecting to see solid returns.

Your blog can and should drive a lot of your content marketing efforts. Don’t just post it and forget about it.

Where should you post your blogs?

Your website should have a page dedicated to this project. You may have it titled simply ‘Blog’ or get creative with something punchier like ‘News.’ ;) This would be a good move if you covered and mixed various topics with business news releases and company announcements.

But if you’re hyper-focused, feel free to be hyper-specific with your page name.

Say you’re a boutique that re-sells used outdoor gear. A blog could add a layer of storytelling to your overall brand vibe by sharing customer experiences. Naming the page ‘Stories’ would accurately describe what you’re going for AND incite curious clicks.

Another outlet is to publish your blogs on sites like LinkedIn or Medium. These can be great ways to add to your online presence and give the added benefit of enhancing SEO performance. In fact, some say that articles on LinkedIn land higher in search results than identical content posted on your website simply from having ‘LinkedIn’ in the URL!

Of course, you’ll also promote each post on your social channels by re-purposing the information in graphic and video form and linking to it.

Don’t leave discovery to chance. You’ll get the most bang for your buck by using your content in every relevant avenue. Wherever you have an audience, show them your new post!

Cluster blogging can save your sanity.

So there you have it! Cluster blogging can…

grow your online presence
bolster your content marketing strategy
draw your audience in and keep them coming back for more.

And speaking of coming back for more, be sure to check in later or follow my socials to stay in the know on all things cluster blogging! We’ll dive deeper in upcoming blogs, and, of course, you’ll see me repurpose them as I go.

Use Cluster Blogging to Save Your Sanity