Atlantic Online Digital Marketing Blog

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." 

Shelley Bellefontaine • Feb 02, 2020

What is Cornerstone Content, and Why Do You Need It?

This post explains everything you need to know about cornerstone content – or evergreen content, as it’s also known. You’ll learn what it is, why it’s important for SEO, how to write this kind of content and how you should link from your posts to your cornerstone articles.

What is cornerstone content?
Cornerstone content is the core of your website. It consists of the best, most important articles on your site; the pages or posts you want to rank highest in the search engines. Cornerstone articles are usually relatively long, informative articles, combining insights from different blog posts and covering everything that’s important about a certain topic.

Their focus is to provide the best and most complete information on a particular topic, rather than to sell products. Still, they should reflect your business or communicate your mission perfectly.

Cornerstone content can be either a blog post or a page. But whichever they are, you should make sure they’re very well written, update them often, and aim to get them to rank for your most competitive keywords.

Why are cornerstone articles so important for SEO?
Cornerstone content plays a significant role in any SEO strategy. It can be hard to rank for search terms that are very popular, but a cornerstone approach can help you tackle those competitive search terms. If you write a lot of articles on similar subjects, you need to tell Google which of them is the most important. If you don’t, you’ll be eating away your own chances to rank well in the search results. Providing the correct internal link structure between your posts tells Google which article is the most important.

Link structure for cornerstones
Cornerstone articles should have a prominent place on your website. Ideally, someone should be able to click straight from your homepage to your cornerstone articles. Also, all your other posts about similar topics should link back to their corresponding cornerstone article, so its importance is clear from your site structure. As your site develops, you will write tons of new blog posts approaching that topic from other angles, each one linking back to your cornerstone article. This internal linking structure will increase the chance of your cornerstone content articles ranking in Google searches.

The following metaphor might help you understand this principle: imagine you’re looking at a map of a state or country. Small towns and big cities will all be interconnected somehow. But the big cities will have many more roads leading towards them than the small towns. Those cities are your cornerstones, receiving the most links. The small towns are your posts on more specific topics. There are some roads (links) leading to them, but not as many as to the big cities.

A more concrete example: I write a lot of different posts about SEO copywriting, each looking at a different aspect of SEO copywriting. The cornerstone article for this topic is the Ultimate Guide to SEO Copywriting, and whenever I write a new post on SEO copywriting, I add a link to that cornerstone article. In doing so, I’ll make clear to Google that the Ultimate Guide is the most important article about SEO Copywriting on our site, thereby increasing its chances to rank.

Which articles are my cornerstones?
Choose your cornerstones carefully. Think of the four or five pages you would like someone to read when they first visit your website. These articles should be the cornerstones of your site. Which articles are most important to you? Which are the most complete and authoritative? Do these target the keywords you most want to rank for?

The concept of cornerstone content is so important, that our Yoast SEO plugin includes an option to indicate whether or not an article is cornerstone content. If you mark articles as cornerstone, Yoast SEO helps you write a kick-ass article and build a solid internal linking structure.

Marking your cornerstone articles means you can create a list of them in your post overview, so you can easily work on improving them. And, most importantly, the link suggestion tool in Yoast SEO Premium will give priority to the articles that you mark as cornerstone content, so you’ll never forget to link to your best article on a certain topic if you write about something related.

If your website is enormous, you’ll have more cornerstones than if your website is small. You’ll probably write about more than one topic, so be sure to choose a cornerstone article from each category.

Optimizing your cornerstones with Yoast SEO
Yoast SEO offers some great tools that help you optimize your cornerstone content, including a text link counter, specific cornerstone content analysis and – in Premium – even internal linking suggestions, in which cornerstone articles get priority over other posts.

With Yoast SEO you can filter your cornerstone articles in the post overview to see how many internal links a post has pointing to it and how many posts it links to. This text link counter is extremely useful because you can see at a glance if your cornerstone content has enough links from other, related posts:

Cornerstone analysis
If you really want to make your cornerstone articles great, you need specific content analysis for cornerstones. Content marked as cornerstone will be judged more strictly than usual on SEO and readability in the content analysis, as you want this article to be longer, have excellent content, keep the reader’s attention and rank high. Read how this analysis helps you optimize your cornerstones.

Internal linking suggestions
Yoast SEO Premium has an internal linking feature. We analyze what you write and use the most prominent words in your text to determine which articles are related – and therefore which you should link to. Cornerstone articles are treated differently in our calculation of internal linking suggestions because they are more important and have a higher value. To give these articles more prominence, we place the cornerstone articles at the top of the list of the internal linking suggestions. That makes it much easier for you to link to your critical articles.

5 steps to a killer cornerstone approach
Ideally, you should do extensive keyword research, which will help you to produce really awesome, long, informative and beautifully written cornerstone articles. But what if you don’t have that much time? And what if you’ve already written tons of articles? Follow these five steps to make killer cornerstone content.

Step 1: Think about your keywords
You have to decide on the essential keywords you want to rank for. Your cornerstone articles should be optimized for the ‘head’ or most competitive keywords, so be sure to carry out some keyword research.

Step 2: Choose the best post
Go through the posts that are optimized for keywords surrounding the most important keywords. Which post do you think is the best? That’ll be your cornerstone from now on!

Step 3: Rewrite it
Rewrite your cornerstone article. Make it awesome and SEO-friendly. As cornerstone articles are usually lengthy, pay extra attention to readability. Make sure you use plenty of headings. An index at the beginning of a long cornerstone article is also a great idea. Expand your article and make sure it’s totally up to date. And don’t forget to rewrite and update that article regularly.

Step 4: Optimize your other posts on long tail variants
The other blog posts about similar topics as your cornerstone article should be optimized for long tail variants of the ‘head’ keyword you’re attacking in your cornerstone article.

Step 5: Linking from tail to head
You have to tell Google that your new cornerstone article is the most important article on that topic on your site. Don’t forget to link from all the long tail articles to your cornerstone article!

Quick wins!
In real life, perhaps you do not have the time to develop such an elaborate structure. Still, writing an article about a specific topic often leads to inspiration to write an article about a similar topic. You should then try to optimize this second post for a slightly different focus keyword and link these posts internally.

Every time you write a post, you should think about similar posts you have written and link to these. Do you already have an important article about this, even though it is not entirely awesome yet? If you use Yoast SEO Premium, keep an eye on the internal linking tool to see what comes up.

Also, make sure you set up the right linking structure. This does not take a lot of your time and could really help to rank your most important article. Take a look at all the posts on the topic you have already written about and add links to your most important article from all of your (less awesome) posts about that specific topic. You can use the Yoast text link counter to regularly check if there are enough internal links to your important articles.

Yoast’s plans for cornerstone content
Site structure is important for SEO. Having a solid site structure means both search engines and visitors can easily navigate your site to find what they want. To help you achieve this, we are continually working on many more features in Yoast SEO that’ll improve the structure of your website.
By Shelley Bellefontaine 25 Feb, 2023
2023: The Year To Market Your Business Like Never Before
By Shelley Bellefontaine 24 Oct, 2022
How to Choose a Web Design Agency?
By Shelley Bellefontaine 15 Apr, 2021
Converting website visitors into paying and repeat customers is the goal of e-commerce, but getting there isn’t always easy. In fact, studies estimate the average e-commerce conversion rate is just 2-3%. Sounds gloomy, I know, given all the effort that we go through to build e-commerce websites, and the promotions to get it seen! But, there are things we can do. Follow this simple checklist to optimize your e-commerce website experience, and turn more of your existing website traffic into sales. 1. Attention-grabbing photos (and video, too) Photography needs to do the job of making the shopper feel like they can (almost) touch your product. And the more photos, the better. Include multiple angles of the product standing alone, with people using it, and a shot of the packaging. A short video is great for showing how a product moves, works or how it should be installed. 2. Powerful product descriptions Your product copy should be short and hard-working. Use a mix of action words and sensory words to paint a clear picture of specific product features and benefits. This is also the place to have a little fun if that fits with your brand voice. And don’t forget to spellcheck your text. 3. A clear call to action (CTA) If you don’t ask a customer to buy from you, chances are they won’t. An effective CTA is short and clear, such as Add to Cart or Checkout, and they work best on coloured buttons. Your Checkout button is like a cash register, so don’t make shoppers look for how to give you their money. 4. Reviews and testimonials Product reviews are powerful persuasion tools. A good review can answer a nagging question in the consumer’s mind and give them the confidence to buy from your business. Testimonials, although more effort to obtain because they require outreach, are worthwhile, detailed accounts of the customer experience with your product or service. If you’re able to get media or industry experts to review your products, these are worth featuring prominently. 5. Free shipping With free shipping the norm these days, it’s easy to assume that it’s the only way to go. And while free shipping can increase conversion rates on e-commerce websites, it can seriously eat into your profit margin. Shipping carriers can increase their prices, too, further cutting your profits. Many merchants choose to increase product prices to maintain the same margin, but there is another approach. Free shipping minimums are a great compromise that incentivizes customers to increase their order value while offsetting your shipping costs. 6. Sales, deals, promo codes, and coupons Satisfy the deal hunter in everyone by offering special promotions and discounts. A designated Sale section on your website navigation clearly tells shoppers where to go for the best savings. Ramp up the sense of urgency by using time-limited coupon codes or bundling high-demand products with sellout potential. 7. A straightforward return policy Offering a reasonable return policy is an important part of your e-commerce business strategy. If your policy is too generous, it may be abused. If it’s not flexible enough, customers may choose to buy elsewhere. Post your policy and clearly outline terms for returns, refunds, and exchanges to give shoppers the confidence to place their trust in your business. Ensure returns are handled professionally, and you’ll continue to build customer loyalty for future purchases. Ready to take your e-commerce business to the next level? AtlanticOnline.ca can help promote your business online. Find out more by calling 1-902-717-8496 for a free consultation with one of our eCommerce Account Consultants .
Show More

Come see what we're all about

Shelley Bellefontaine, Digital Marketing Architect, is CEO/Founder of AtlanticOnline.ca, a full-service marketing firm operating at the intersection of marketing and digital media. We provide a host of digital marketing solutions including website design, eCommerce storefront websites, content marketing, email marketing, SEO/ SEM, social media marketing, lead generation as well as marketing strategy, branding, and a variety of other marketing programs to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits.


To learn how AtlanticOnline.ca can help your business or organziation grow online, contact us for an enlightening discussion.

Connect

+1 (902) 717-8496

PO Box 161, Church Point
Nova Scotia, Canada  B0W1M0

Follow

Blog & News

By Shelley Bellefontaine 25 Feb, 2023
2023: The Year To Market Your Business Like Never Before
By Shelley Bellefontaine 24 Oct, 2022
How to Choose a Web Design Agency?
By Shelley Bellefontaine 15 Apr, 2021
Converting website visitors into paying and repeat customers is the goal of e-commerce, but getting there isn’t always easy. In fact, studies estimate the average e-commerce conversion rate is just 2-3%. Sounds gloomy, I know, given all the effort that we go through to build e-commerce websites, and the promotions to get it seen! But, there are things we can do. Follow this simple checklist to optimize your e-commerce website experience, and turn more of your existing website traffic into sales. 1. Attention-grabbing photos (and video, too) Photography needs to do the job of making the shopper feel like they can (almost) touch your product. And the more photos, the better. Include multiple angles of the product standing alone, with people using it, and a shot of the packaging. A short video is great for showing how a product moves, works or how it should be installed. 2. Powerful product descriptions Your product copy should be short and hard-working. Use a mix of action words and sensory words to paint a clear picture of specific product features and benefits. This is also the place to have a little fun if that fits with your brand voice. And don’t forget to spellcheck your text. 3. A clear call to action (CTA) If you don’t ask a customer to buy from you, chances are they won’t. An effective CTA is short and clear, such as Add to Cart or Checkout, and they work best on coloured buttons. Your Checkout button is like a cash register, so don’t make shoppers look for how to give you their money. 4. Reviews and testimonials Product reviews are powerful persuasion tools. A good review can answer a nagging question in the consumer’s mind and give them the confidence to buy from your business. Testimonials, although more effort to obtain because they require outreach, are worthwhile, detailed accounts of the customer experience with your product or service. If you’re able to get media or industry experts to review your products, these are worth featuring prominently. 5. Free shipping With free shipping the norm these days, it’s easy to assume that it’s the only way to go. And while free shipping can increase conversion rates on e-commerce websites, it can seriously eat into your profit margin. Shipping carriers can increase their prices, too, further cutting your profits. Many merchants choose to increase product prices to maintain the same margin, but there is another approach. Free shipping minimums are a great compromise that incentivizes customers to increase their order value while offsetting your shipping costs. 6. Sales, deals, promo codes, and coupons Satisfy the deal hunter in everyone by offering special promotions and discounts. A designated Sale section on your website navigation clearly tells shoppers where to go for the best savings. Ramp up the sense of urgency by using time-limited coupon codes or bundling high-demand products with sellout potential. 7. A straightforward return policy Offering a reasonable return policy is an important part of your e-commerce business strategy. If your policy is too generous, it may be abused. If it’s not flexible enough, customers may choose to buy elsewhere. Post your policy and clearly outline terms for returns, refunds, and exchanges to give shoppers the confidence to place their trust in your business. Ensure returns are handled professionally, and you’ll continue to build customer loyalty for future purchases. Ready to take your e-commerce business to the next level? AtlanticOnline.ca can help promote your business online. Find out more by calling 1-902-717-8496 for a free consultation with one of our eCommerce Account Consultants .
By Shelley Bellefontaine 07 Jan, 2021
There are plenty of exciting ways to grow your business! More people are using email and social media than ever before, and the result is plenty of new opportunities for leaders and marketing teams across all industries. One aspect of marketing you may be neglecting is your mobile strategy. Over 3.5 billion people own mobile devices globally, which means you’re leaving a lot of money on the table if you’re not doing everything possible to reach smartphone users. If you need more context, consider this; the average person spends 3.3 hours on their smartphone every single day. You can maximize sales and conversions by looking for opportunities to put your business front and center while your target audience uses their phones. The thing is, mobile users have slightly different behaviors and interests when compared to their desktop counterparts. Our goal today is to reveal four effective mobile marketing strategies you can use to help your brand thrive following the new year. Emphasis Personalization In 2021 and 2022, we learned that consumers love personalized experiences. Business owners quickly figured out that catering to their audience’s needs is a great way to generate more sales. You can see personalization aspects across all of the major marketing platforms today, including social media, email, and on-site. Nailing personalization will help you get more mobile conversions in 2021. People are interested in engaging with companies that offer products that help with specific pain points or cater to individual goals. The best way to make this strategy work for you is to understand the customer personas that visit your site. Personas are generalized personality type profiles that define your target audience. For instance, a sporting goods store would have personas for football fans and separate profiles for people interested in basketball. Because your products or services offer multiple solutions, you need to consider these factors when offering personalized content or promotions to smartphone visitors. Using a mobile-responsive design ensures that their experience is personalized to their interests and their device. Leverage the Power of Voice Search Another trend expected to impact mobile sales specifically is voice search. Consumers use smart speakers like Amazon’s Alexa to search the internet, but mobile phones play an equally important role. Android and Apple-powered smartphones have a voice assistant that smartphone users can use to ask questions, browse the website, and make purchases. We know that more people are using their devices to place orders too. A surprising 22% of people using smart speakers, including their mobile phones, used their devices to buy a product. You can improve your voice search visibility by including new keywords throughout your content. The truth is, people rarely speak the way they type. When you’re creating blog posts, use a conversational tone, and include some of these new words throughout your content. Now, when someone is searching for your chosen keywords, there’s a chance your site could pop up in their results. Due to this exposure, they could go to your website and become a subscriber or customer. Mobile users are likely to follow their voice-activated device’s suggestion, so getting this part of your mobile marketing strategy right is essential. Simplify Processes and Empower Users Next, let’s talk about your website’s design and choices you can make to empower users. The people interacting with your brand want a smooth and seamless experience across all platforms. Smoothing out your edges and using each marketing platform to your advantage will help you dramatically boost your mobile conversion rate. For instance, you may want to consider adding a customer support feature to your largest social media accounts. A whopping 63% of people expect customer support options through social media. If a smartphone user is thinking about becoming a customer, not having an additional support option could be a deal-breaker. Your objective is to make things as simple as possible for visitors discovering your company and those interested in the products or services offered on-site. So, improving your page loading times and reducing clutter on your website will ensure that mobile and desktop users alike can find exactly what they need. It’s also a good idea to simplify the big moments in the buying process. For example, fine-tuning your checkout page ensures that more customers stick around and complete their order. As a result, you’ll see fewer abandoned carts and an improved customer retention rate. This part of the process will evolve in phases. Take your time and slowly improve navigation, design, and function availability across all platforms, and you’ll see more mobile engagement. Shift to Visual Content We’ve also noticed a drastic shift in the way people consume content. Mobile users are a big fan of visual content like images and videos. Both of these types of media see more engagement when compared to simple text posts. There’s an additional engagement level that people get from experiencing others doing things instead of writing about them. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there are plenty of ways to mix up your content for mobile users. If you’re looking for a new way to generate more mobile leads for your email list, consider creating an infographic lead magnet. Lead magnets are essentially pieces of content that users can get in exchange for their email addresses. An infographic is a visual piece of content that displays interesting points and facts for people to read. Creating a lead magnet with a nice piece of visual content will encourage mobile users to subscribe, which opens the door to future engagement opportunities. Video content is also extremely helpful in helping brands grow their mobile audience. In fact, video content alone is 50x more likely to drive organic traffic than text-only posts! Think about unique videos you can make that focus on your products or industry as a whole. You can make an opinion piece, guide, tutorial, or even spend some time chatting with your followers. People love video content, and that trend will not change in 2021. Final Thoughts As you can glean from this article, trends will continue to grow. As more people get comfortable using mobile devices, expect to see a continued increase in shoppers. We think that there will be an increased demand for these strategies as brands continue adapting to their customers’ needs.

Helping you navigate the sea of digital since 1999 | © 2022 Atlantic Online Fairlead Marketing Inc. | All Rights Reserved | Privacy

Share by: