Why Your Website is Currently a Ghost Town
I’ve sat down with hundreds of business owners across Brisbane—from electricians in Coorparoo to lawyers in the CBD—and they all tell me the same thing: "I pay for this website every month, I even write a few bits and pieces for it, but the phone isn't ringing. What’s the point?"
Most of the time, the problem isn't that they are bad at what they do. It’s that their website is a mess of random information.
Imagine walking into a hardware store looking for a specific drill bit. Instead of clear aisles with signs saying 'Power Tools' and 'Fasteners', everything is just thrown into a pile in the middle of the floor. You’d walk out, wouldn't you?
Google works the same way. If your website is just a pile of random pages, Google gets confused. And if Google is confused, it won't show your business to people searching for help.
Today, I’m going to show you a simple way to organise your website called "Pillars and Clusters." Don't let the name bore you—this is simply about building a library of information that proves you’re the expert, so you can turn website visitors into real leads without wasting thousands on ads that don't work.
The "Big Bucket" Strategy: What are Pillars?
Think of a "Pillar" as a big bucket. It represents one of the main things you do that makes you money.
If you’re a deck builder in North Lakes, you might have three big buckets: 1. Timber Decks 2. Composite Decking 3. Patio Roofing
A "Pillar Page" is one big, long page on your website that covers everything a customer needs to know about that one topic at a high level. It’s the ultimate guide. It’s not a sales pitch; it’s you being the helpful expert.
Most business owners make the mistake of having a tiny 'Services' page with three bullet points. That doesn't help anyone. A Pillar Page answers the big questions: What is it? How much does it cost? How long does it take? Why should I choose this over that?
Why this makes you money
When you have a massive, helpful page about a specific service, Google sees you as the authority in Brisbane for that topic. It stops treating you like a random website and starts treating you like a resource. This is how you stop being another tradie and start being the only logical choice for the customer.The "Support Crew": What are Clusters?
Now, once you have your Big Bucket (the Pillar), you need smaller bits of information to fill it. These are your "Clusters."
These are shorter, more specific articles that answer the tiny, nagging questions your customers ask you every single day on the job.
Let’s go back to our deck builder. Under the "Timber Decks" bucket, you might write short articles like: "How to stop your Merbau deck from bleeding on your pavers" "Is Spotted Gum better than Blackbutt for Brisbane weather?" "How often do I really need to oil my deck?"
Each of these smaller articles links back to your main "Timber Decks" Pillar page.
The "Spiderweb" Effect
Think of it like a spiderweb. The Pillar is the centre, and the Clusters are the strands connecting back to it. This tells Google: "Not only do I know about decks, but I also know every tiny detail about maintaining them, choosing the wood, and fixing problems."When you answer customer questions like this, you build massive trust before you even pick up the phone. By the time they call you, they’ve already decided you’re the expert. They aren't price-shopping you against five other blokes; they want you.
How to Build Your First Pillar (Step-by-Step)
You don't need to be a writer to do this. You just need to know your business. Here is exactly what I tell my mates to do when they want to grow their local business.
1. Pick your "Money Maker"
Don't write about everything at once. Pick the one service that has the best profit margin or the one you want to do more of. If you’re a plumber and you hate unblocking toilets but love installing luxury bathrooms, make "Bathroom Renovations" your first pillar.2. Brainstorm the "Big Questions"
Sit down with a coffee for 10 minutes. What are the top 5 questions every customer asks when they call you about this service? How much will it cost? How long will my house be a mess? What materials should I use? Do I need council approval? What happens if something goes wrong?3. Write the "Ultimate Guide"
Write out the answers to those questions. Don't worry about sounding fancy. Write like you’re talking to a customer over the fence. Aim for about 1,500 to 2,000 words. It sounds like a lot, but if you truly know your trade, you could probably talk for an hour about it. Just get those words onto the page.4. Create the Support Articles (The Clusters)
Once your big page is live, write 4 or 5 shorter posts (500 words) that dive deep into one specific niche topic.Example for a Brisbane Landscaper: Pillar: The Ultimate Guide to Low-Maintenance Brisbane Gardens. Cluster 1: Best drought-tolerant plants for Western Suburbs soil. Cluster 2: How to save money on your retaining wall materials. Cluster 3: Privacy screening ideas for small Gold Coast blocks. Cluster 4: Why your Sir Walter turf is turning yellow (and how to fix it).
The Real Cost: Time vs. Money
I’ll be blunt: this takes work. You can either spend your own time doing it, or you can pay an agency like us to do it for you.
Doing it yourself: Costs $0, but will take you probably 10-20 hours of focused work to get one pillar and five clusters done properly. Hiring a pro: Can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the depth.
Is it worth it? Well, if that one pillar brings in two extra high-value jobs a month for the next three years without you spending another cent on ads... you do the math. In most Brisbane industries, that’s a massive win.
How Long Until the Phone Rings?
This isn't a "turn it on today, get calls tomorrow" strategy. That’s what Google Ads are for (and they are expensive).
This is a long game. Usually, it takes 3 to 6 months for Google to see your new "library" of content, realise you’re an authority, and start moving you up the rankings. But once you’re there, you stay there. Unlike ads, the traffic doesn't stop the moment you stop paying.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve seen plenty of business owners get this wrong. Here is what to avoid:
The "Me, Me, Me" Trap: Don't make the pages about how great your company is. Make them about the customer's problems. They don't care about your 20 years of experience until they know you can fix their leaky roof. Being Too Technical: Don't use industry jargon. If you're an IT guy, don't talk about "latency" and "end-to-end encryption." Talk about "faster internet" and "keeping hackers out of your bank account." Forgetting the Call to Action: Every single page must tell the reader what to do next. "Call us for a quote," "Download our pricing guide," or "Book a site inspection."
What Should You Do First?
Don't try to do ten pillars at once. You’ll get overwhelmed and quit.
1. Today: Pick your most profitable service. 2. This Week: Write down 10 questions customers ask about that service. 3. This Month: Write your Pillar Page (The Ultimate Guide).
If you do this, you will be ahead of 90% of your competitors in Brisbane who are still just posting "Happy Friday!" photos on Facebook and wondering why no one is buying.
Building content this way is like building an asset for your business. It’s like buying a piece of machinery that works for you 24/7, explaining your expertise to potential customers while you're asleep or out on a job.
Need help getting your website to actually produce leads? At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in helping Brisbane businesses dominate their local area by being the smartest voice in the room. We don't do fluff; we do results.
Contact us today and let’s talk about which "Money Maker" service we should start with for your business.