If all you did was look at dividend yield, then tobacco giant Altria's (NYSE: MO) 9.2% yield would easily win out over real estate investment trust (REIT) Realty Income's (NYSE: O) comparatively small 5.5%. But investors looking to create decades of passive income shouldn't stop there because there's huge differences between these two companies.

Here's a quick look at why conservative investors will likely be much happier with the smaller yield.

Altria's primary division, which makes up around 90% of its top line, sells what it calls smokable products. While that's a fancy way of saying cigarettes, with the company owning the U.S. rights to the juggernaut Marlboro brand, it also makes cigars. In short, Altria is a consumer staples company.

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Source Fool.com