How pillar and cluster pages should be structured for SaaS
Written by Olayinka Olayokun·Published ·Updated ·Verified
Pillar and cluster structure is the page-level execution of a topical map — each sub-topic becomes a pillar page that links down to every cluster inside it, and each cluster links back up to its pillar and across to at least two sibling clusters.
Summary and key takeaways
A SaaS sub-topic ships as one pillar page plus 3–6 cluster pages, every cluster linking up to the pillar with a head-term anchor and across to at least two siblings. That two-hop reachability — every node connected to every other inside the sub-topic — is what HubSpot's original 2017 pillar-cluster research codified and what Google still reads as topical-source signal in 2026.
- •Each sub-topic ships as one pillar plus 3–6 cluster articles — the unit of release is the sub-topic, not the post.
- •Every cluster links up to its pillar using a descriptive anchor containing the pillar's head term.
- •Every cluster links across to at least two sibling clusters inside the same sub-topic.
- •A sub-topic is 'done' when every node is reachable from every other node in two hops or fewer.
- •Pillar pages without clusters are orphans and rank like orphans — never ship a pillar standalone.
In plain English ·Pillar and cluster structure is the page-level execution of a topical map: one pillar page per sub-topic that defines the entity and links down to every cluster, and clusters that link back up with descriptive anchors and across to two siblings. The link pattern is the structural signal, not the page templates themselves.
How this compares
| Structure | Up-link to pillar | Lateral links to siblings | Two-hop reachability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone blog posts | None | None or random | No — most pairs unreachable |
| Hub page + spokes (one-way) | Yes | None | Partial — siblings only via the hub |
| Pillar + clusters (this playbook) | Yes, head-term anchor | Two or more per cluster | Yes — every node reachable in ≤2 hops |
Part of the Topical Authority for SaaS (Without 100 Articles) guide
Pillar and cluster structure is the page-level execution of a topical map — each sub-topic becomes a pillar page that links down to every cluster inside it, and each cluster links back up to its pillar and across to at least two sibling clusters.
A drawn topical map without the right page structure produces 30 disconnected articles. The pillar/cluster pattern is what turns the map into a connected sub-graph Google can read as authority. The pattern itself is unglamorous — there is no trick to it — but the discipline of routing every cluster up to its pillar and across to siblings is what makes the difference between ranking and not.
What this chapter covers: pillar page, cluster article, upward link, lateral links, connected sub-graph.
What a pillar page contains
A pillar page is the canonical entry point for a sub-topic. It opens with a one-sentence definition of the sub-topic (Koray's macro context rule). It lists the attributes that make up the sub-topic. It explains how the sub-topic relates to adjacent sub-topics. It contains the question-coverage block (what/why/how/when/who/which/how much/how long).
A pillar page is the canonical entry point for a sub-topic. It opens with a one-sentence definition of the sub-topic (Koray's macro context rule). It lists the attributes that make up the sub-topic. It explains how the sub-topic relates to adjacent sub-topics. It contains the question-coverage block (what/why/how/when/who/which/how much/how long). And it links down to every cluster inside it.
A pillar page is long. Typically 2,500–5,000 words. That length is a consequence of covering the sub-topic completely, not a target in itself.
The pillar's title and H1 use the sub-topic's head term verbatim. The page is the answer Google should return when a user searches the head term.
What a cluster contains
A cluster covers one narrow node of the sub-topic. The structure mirrors the pillar at smaller scale: definition, attributes, predicates, why, sections, checklist, question coverage, FAQ, closing macro. The page you're reading is a cluster.
A cluster covers one narrow node of the sub-topic. The structure mirrors the pillar at smaller scale: definition, attributes, predicates, why, sections, checklist, question coverage, FAQ, closing macro. The page you're reading is a cluster.
A cluster's title and H1 use the node's long-tail query. The page is the answer Google should return for that specific question.
Length is whatever the node requires — typically 1,200–2,500 words. Padding a cluster to look more authoritative is the opposite of what topical authority requires.
The link pattern that makes it work
Every cluster links up to its pillar in the closing section, using an anchor that contains the pillar's head term. Not 'read more', not 'click here' — 'topical authority for B2B SaaS' or whatever the pillar is named.
Every cluster links up to its pillar in the closing section, using an anchor that contains the pillar's head term. Not 'read more', not 'click here' — 'topical authority for B2B SaaS' or whatever the pillar is named.
Every cluster links across to at least two sibling clusters inside the same sub-topic, in a 'related articles' block at the bottom and in-prose where natural.
Every pillar links down to every cluster inside it, in a section explicitly labelled with the sub-topic. Not buried in a footer; a real on-page section.
When this pattern is applied across the map, every node is reachable from every other in two hops or fewer. That two-hop reachability is the structural signal Google reads.
What to avoid
Do not link every cluster to every other cluster across sub-topics. That dilutes the structural signal — the value is the local density inside each sub-topic, not global density across the map.
Do not link every cluster to every other cluster across sub-topics. That dilutes the structural signal — the value is the local density inside each sub-topic, not global density across the map.
Do not write a cluster that doesn't fit a node on the map. If a topic feels worth writing about but doesn't correspond to a node, either expand the map to include it (after re-drawing) or defer the post.
Do not put the pillar in the main nav alongside marketing pages. Pillars are content hubs; mixing them with conversion pages dilutes both.
The checklist for this chapter
- ✓Pillar opens with a one-sentence definition of the sub-topic
- ✓Pillar lists every cluster inside its sub-topic in an explicit on-page section
- ✓Pillar title and H1 use the sub-topic's head term verbatim
- ✓Every cluster links up to its pillar with a descriptive head-term anchor
- ✓Every cluster links across to at least two sibling clusters
- ✓No cross-sub-topic flooding — local density inside each sub-topic only
- ✓No cluster published that doesn't correspond to a node on the drawn map
Where this chapter sits in the guide
the topical map — without the map, pillar/cluster structure is just a content template. Read the topical map seo: a one-page blueprint for saas chapter →
internal linking — the structural signal is the link graph between pillar and clusters, not the page templates. Read the related guide →
schema markup — Article schema on clusters and CollectionPage schema on pillars make the structure explicit to search engines. Read the related guide →
the 'hub and spoke' content marketing template — that pattern uses pillars for traffic; topical clusters use them to route relevance to a connected sub-graph.
Quick answers about pillar and cluster strategy for saas topical authority
- How long should a pillar page be?
- Long enough to define the entity, name its attributes, and link out to every cluster inside it — usually 1,500–3,000 words. Word count is not the metric; entity coverage and a complete down-link to every cluster are. A 1,200-word pillar that covers the entity fully outranks a 5,000-word pillar padded with adjacent topics.#
- How long should a cluster article be?
- As long as it takes to answer one narrow query completely — typically 800–1,800 words for SaaS B2B. Clusters that pad past 2,500 words usually leak into territory another cluster owns, which dilutes both pages.#
- How many internal links should a cluster article carry?
- One up-link to the pillar with a head-term anchor, two-to-four lateral links to sibling clusters, one BOFU link to the conversion page when contextually relevant. Five-to-seven contextual in-prose links total — not a 30-link 'related posts' module.#
- Is pillar-and-cluster the same as hub-and-spoke?
- Functionally yes. 'Hub and spoke' is the older marketing term; 'pillar and cluster' became the standard after HubSpot's 2017 research. The structure is identical: one canonical hub, many narrow nodes, bidirectional links. Use whichever vocabulary your team already speaks.#
Questions about pillar and cluster strategy for saas topical authority
- As long as covering the sub-topic completely requires — typically 2,500–5,000 words for a SaaS sub-topic. Length is a consequence, not a target.
- Topic clusters and pillar pages as a structural SEO pattern. HubSpot — Topic Clusters and Pillar Pages
- Google's guidance on linking pages so search engines understand topic relationships. Google Search Central — Make links crawlable
This chapter is one node in the founder-led playbook. To see which nodes your specific URLs are bleeding traffic from, get a founder-grade SEO audit of your URLs. Same six disciplines, applied to the pages you actually own.
Olayinka Olayokun
Founder, SERPNAUT and Invoicemonk
Written by Olayinka Olayokun. I run SERPNAUT, a founder-led SEO service for B2B SaaS, and Invoicemonk, the SaaS I grew from zero to 300+ organic visits and a paying customer in 28 days using the same playbook. Everything below is what worked on my own URLs and on the audits I've shipped since.
More chapters in this guide
Pillar and cluster structure is the discipline of turning a drawn map into a connected sub-graph. The map says what should exist; this cluster says how each node should be built and linked. Get the page templates right and the publishing-cadence cluster decides the order they ship in.
See the full guide at topical authority for saas (without 100 articles). The commercial bridge above is the canonical path from this chapter to your URLs.