Almost 50% of buyers read a company’s content before making purchase decisions, making one thing clear: today’s customer is hungry for insight.
But with approximately 7.5 million blogs published every day, disparate posts lacking a strategic positioning are no longer enough to make an impact. To cut through the noise, businesses are now paying more attention to the environment in which content lives on their website, with 60% of B2B brands opting for a content hub solution.
If you’re tentatively exploring the possibility of reorganising your content into a hub, keep reading. In this article, I’ll show you the crucial differences between content hubs and blogs, highlighting why the environment where your content lives can significantly influence your brand’s success. By the end, you’ll understand how you can leverage these platforms to enhance your content strategy and drive better results.
Content hubs vs blogs
Overview
A traditional blog is a staple in the digital marketing toolkit. It’s text-based, chronologically organised, and often features editorial content that ranges from thought leadership articles to how-to guides. Blogs are designed to share insights, tell stories, and engage with readers on various topics relevant to your industry.
However, the chronological nature of blogs means that older posts can get buried quickly, making it harder for users to find specific information unless they diligently scroll through hundreds of posts. While blogs can be an excellent way to share timely updates and insights, their structure can sometimes limit the depth of engagement and ease of access to older, still-relevant content.
By contrast, a content hub is a dynamic and versatile platform that goes beyond the limitations of a traditional blog. It contains diverse media formats, including videos, infographics, whitepapers, podcasts, and more, all thematically organised around key topics. Coupled with a refined filtering system, this allows users to easily find content that directly addresses their needs and interests.
Unlike a blog, a content hub is not just a collection of random posts; it’s a curated repository of branded content designed to provide comprehensive insights and answers. This makes it far more relevant to the modern internet surfer, who prefers quick access to material rather than scrolling through chronological entries. By offering a richer, more engaging user experience, content hubs can better meet the demands of today’s information-driven audiences, keeping them coming back for more.
Now that you know the differences between the two, here’s a visual breakdown of the key benefits:
| Benefit | Traditional Blog | Content Hub |
|---|---|---|
| Better UX | Chronologically organised posts can bury older content, making it hard to find specific information. | Provides all relevant information in one place, thematically organised with a refined filtering system, enhancing ease of access and navigation. |
| Building trust and authority | Regularly updated with new posts but can lack depth and comprehensive coverage of topics. | A curated collection of diverse content formats signals expertise, enhances the brand’s reputation and offers in-depth coverage of key topics. |
| Greater reach and longevity | Blog posts can quickly get buried, and their visibility depends on continuous updates and promotions. | Content hubs offer an extended lifespan for your material, allowing evergreen content to remain accessible and relevant, enhancing overall reach and engagement. |
| Improved customer journey | Primarily focuses on top-of-the-funnel content with limited depth for other stages. | Caters to every stage of the funnel with diverse content formats, guiding users from awareness to decision-making seamlessly. |
| Demonstrating expertise | Shares insights and stories but may not fully showcase the breadth of a brand’s knowledge and market understanding. | Illustrates a brand’s comprehensive understanding of its market and audience through a diverse and curated collection of in-depth content. |
It’s clear why content hubs are becoming an essential component of modern websites. Let’s now explore the various types of content hubs, complete with examples, to show how they can be tailored to meet specific audience needs.
Types of content hubs (with examples)
The “hub and spoke”
The hub and spoke model is a classic content strategy where a central hub, or pillar page, serves as the main repository of content on a specific topic. The “spokes” are individual pieces of content, such as blog posts, infographics, or videos, that link back to the central hub.
This model helps organise content around key themes, making it easier for users to navigate and find related information. So, it best serves audiences looking for comprehensive information on a particular subject, such as professionals seeking in-depth knowledge, researchers, and decision-makers. It is particularly useful for businesses targeting B2B clients who need detailed insights before making purchasing decisions.
Example: Zapier’s content hub attracts 145.9K monthly visitors with one single query
Zapier’s Ultimate Guide to Remote Work is a prime example of the hub and spoke model in action. The central hub is the comprehensive guide which serves as the main directory for a wide range of content related to remote work. Each section (or spoke) links to detailed subpages discussing specific aspects of remote work, ensuring easy navigation through a wealth of resources.
By covering all aspects of the main topic with insightful content, Zapier adapted to users’ content consumption behaviour (ie: jumping from query to query to form a robust understanding). It re-created the search process within one central hub, preventing users from bouncing from website to website in their quest for answers. This way, Zapier positioned itself as a trusted authority in remote work solutions.
And it shows: this hub attracts 145.9K monthly visitors from the search query “remote work” alone.
The content library
This is a collection of all your content, categorised by topics or formats. Unlike the hub and spoke model, which centres around a single topic, a content library covers multiple topics more fully. It’s essentially a way for users to browse a wide range of resources.
This model is best if you have a broad audience that includes customers, prospects, and partners looking for a variety of information in one place. It’s ideal for companies with diverse offerings or those that need to support different stages of the customer journey with varied content.
Example: Natilik caters to a diverse audience with one one well-structured library
Our client Natilik’s content hub is a perfect example of a comprehensive content library, offering a wide array of resources categorised by topics such as solutions, technology, and type of content. This structure ensures that users can effortlessly navigate various subjects, finding precisely the information they need.
The library includes diverse content formats such as blogs, case studies, webinars, and podcasts, catering to different preferences and learning styles. Whether a user is looking for in-depth technical guides, customer success stories, or thought leadership pieces, Natilik’s content library provides a wealth of information tailored to every stage of the customer journey.
This inclusive approach makes the Natilik content hub an invaluable resource for a broad audience, including customers seeking solutions, prospects exploring capabilities, and partners needing detailed product information. By covering multiple topics comprehensively, Natilik supports its users’ diverse needs, facilitating informed decision-making and enhancing their digital transformation journey.
The topic gateway
The topic gateway model is designed to capture those longtail keywords search engine crawlers love by creating detailed, in-depth content around specific topics. This model includes a main gateway page that introduces the topic and links to numerous subpages that delve deeper into various aspects of the subject. This approach is particularly useful for targeting niche audiences and driving organic search traffic by strategically positioning the copy around specific search terms.
So, rather than serving diverse audiences as seen in the content library, the topic gateway targets niche audiences looking for detailed information on a particular subject. It’s especially beneficial for businesses in specialised industries or those targeting highly informed consumers who are seeking comprehensive answers to their queries.
Example: Microsoft Cloud Cultures targets professionals seeking comprehensive answers
If this feels like déjà vu, then you’ve already read my previous article breaking down the best thought leadership campaigns. I mentioned Microsoft’s Cloud Cultures there and I’ll mention it again here because, beyond thought leadership, it also best exemplifies the topic gateway model.
The main gateway page introduces the overarching theme of the series — how different cultures interact with and are influenced by cloud technology. This central hub provides an engaging introduction and links to numerous subpages, each dedicated to exploring how cloud technology impacts various regions and industries.
Each subpage thoroughly explores specific use cases, blending professional insights with cultural narratives. By structuring the content this way, Microsoft effectively targets professionals seeking comprehensive answers about the practical applications and cultural significance of cloud technology.
The content database
A content database serves as an extensive archive of all content ever published on a domain. It’s organised by various criteria such as keyword, category, location, or date, making it a powerful resource for users looking for specific information. This model is ideal for large organisations with a vast amount of content, catering to an audience that requires access to a wide range of historical publications, such as researchers, academics, and industry professionals. It’s therefore suitable for businesses with a long history of content production.
Example: Atos Syntel’s blog reflects their commitment to sharing useful resources
Atos Syntel’s blog is an exemplary content database, featuring a neat archive of IT and business articles. Categorised by topics such as cloud infrastructure, digital workplace, and technology services, it allows users to easily find relevant information.
Serving a diverse audience including IT professionals, business strategists, and researchers, each article is tagged and keyword-searchable for efficient access. Moreover, to provide valuable knowledge for decision-makers, the archive offers insights from top Atos experts on the latest IT trends. This extensive model enhances the website’s UX and reinforces Atos Syntel’s position as a thought leader. By offering access to a plethora of articles and historical data, it supports informed decision-making and reflects their commitment to sharing useful resources.
The topic matrix
The topic matrix approach is perfect for websites with a high volume of content. It organises content by topics using subpages in the navigation menu, creating a matrix of interconnected resources. This model ensures that users can easily find related content and explore diverse topics. It’s the best approach for audiences who need to navigate large volumes of content efficiently, such as tech enthusiasts, regular readers of industry blogs, and customers seeking in-depth knowledge across multiple related subjects.
Example: Deloitte’s content hub positions it as a leading provider of industry insights
Deloitte publishes its content on a separate platform called Deloitte Insights, which is structured around major topics like Strategy, Economy & Society, Operations, Workforce, and Technology. All of these topics appear navigation, as sub-menu elements, each leading to subpages filled with articles, reports, videos, and podcasts. Under the “Technology” topic, for instance, users find interconnected resources on Data & analytics, Emerging technologies and Technology management. The top-nav menu also includes industry-specific subpages, ensuring quick access to relevant insights.
Deloitte’s content hub thus makes its extensive content accessible by providing a logical structure to complex information. This approach is ideal for business leaders, industry professionals, and researchers seeking detailed knowledge across sectors, supporting informed decision-making and reinforcing Deloitte’s position as a leading provider of industry insights.
In conclusion: deciding between a content hub and a blog
If you’ve read so far, then you know by now that content hubs offer significant advantages over traditional blogs. They provide a better user experience, build trust and authority, offer greater reach and longevity for your content and improve the customer journey by catering to every stage of the funnel.
Choosing the right content strategy is crucial for your brand’s success. Whether you opt for a content hub or a traditional blog, the key is to align your choice with your long-term marketing goals, audience needs, and existing technology stack. By carefully considering these factors, you will create a better platform that solidifies your brand’s position as an industry leader.
Not sure where to start?
At Dusted, we deliver strategic solutions for ambitious clients across a range of B2B and B2C sectors. From digital performance audits and strategic planning to content creation, we can assess your business’s unique needs in building a content hub that works for your audience.
So get in touch now to book a consultation. We can’t wait to hear from you!
