Making Homesense a Pillar in the HVAC Community Blog Writing + Website Content

Before moving to Colorado Springs, we worked closely with Homesense, an Indianapolis-based company providing heating and cooling services, including HVAC replacement, HVAC repair, and preventative maintenance. We were delighted to pick back up where we left off by creating, and later, updating, four expansive web pages — pillar pages — that would live on the company’s website and be accessible to online searchers in need of HVAC information.

Continue reading to see what we created and how it performed — but first, some background information:

Pillar pages were born as a result of a Google algorithm change: one that noticed searchers becoming smarter and more conversational when approaching the search bar and, in turn, search queries becoming longer. Therefore, a content pillar is an SEO tactic that approaches searches less by “keywords” or “keyword phrases” and more by themes or overarching concepts/buckets.

Specifically, a content pillar page is a piece of long-form content (2000+ words) that goes in-depth on one of those themes or buckets, with several smaller pieces of content pointing or linking back to it.

Visualize a tree. The content pillar page being the trunk and other blog posts, videos, conversations, ebooks, infographics, etc. branching outward from it.

Or, think of a content pillar page like an ultimate resource or FAQ. It will answer general questions on the topic at hand but leave room for smaller blog posts or pieces of content to really dive into the details.

When a search engine recognizes this model, it will label your page as an authority on the topic and direct searchers in need to your valuable information. This means more eyes on your content and the potential for more clicks, website visits, or sales.

After reviewing previous 12-month search traffic for Homesense in October 2020, we realized that their Indianapolis Guide to Furnace Replacement and Furnace Repair Services pillar page needed some help to boost its presence — having received only 505 impressions and 1 click over the past year.

To boost this webpage’s presence, we specifically:

• Elevated the content in the hierarchy by changing from a Post to a Page format
• Incorporated more keyword strength into the existing content of the page, thereby increasing its SEO value, readability, and tone
• Linked existing topic clusters (i.e., supporting materials such as blogs, videos, infographics, ebooks, quizzes, etc.) to the pillar page, thereby strengthening its value for both users and search engines

Since publishing the new page on November 5, 2020, the page has received the following data to date:

We created a 3,000+ word pillar page on Indoor Air Quality, including causes, health effects, recommendations, testing, cost, and more. Furthermore, we linked existing topic clusters (i.e., blogs, videos, infographics) to the new pillar page to further strengthen the pillar page’s value to users and search engines.

Since publishing the new page on January 27, 2021, the page has received the following data:

Since June 18, 2020, this blog had been viewed 24,145 times in the search results and clicked 8 times. Just as we did with their aforementioned Furnace Repair/Replacement Guide, we boosted the presence of their Home Air Conditioning Repair: Everything You Need to Know as an Indianapolis Homeowner pillar page.

Specifically, we:

• Elevated the content in the hierarchy by changing from a Post to a Page
• Incorporated more keyword strength into the existing content of the page
• Linked existing topic clusters

Since publishing the new page on March 25, 2021, the page has already received more traffic than the previous blog had over a 12-month timeframe:

We created a new 3,000+ word pillar page on HVAC Maintenance: what it is, how often it’s required, necessity, cost, benefits, and more. In addition, we linked existing topic clusters like blogs, videos, and more to the new pillar page to alert search engines to the page’s high value.

Since publishing the new page on June 26, 2021, the page has received the following data:

While drafting the content pillar pages is of course the first step, being willing to check and adjust and monitor their performance over time is important. In this case, we made some necessary changes and updated content or implemented SEO best practices to ensure that the pages proved valuable to readers and got Google’s attention.

It’s not always a smash the first time around, but with some tweaking and patience, these pillar pages can be a huge asset to your online credibility.