A cluster of interlinked long-tail pages, all supporting a broader pillar page, tends to build more collective authority than the same content published as isolated, unconnected pages.
Group Related Long-Tail Terms First
Before building pages, sort your long-tail list into clusters that clearly relate to a shared broader topic.
Build the Pillar After You Understand the Cluster
A pillar page written after you've mapped the long-tail terms underneath it will naturally reference and link to the right supporting content.
Interlink Deliberately, Not as an Afterthought
Each long-tail page should link back to the pillar and, where relevant, to closely related long-tail pages in the same cluster.
Next step: Use the Longtail Keywords Tool to make sure your long-tail cluster fully covers the topic before you finalize the pillar structure.