Topic clusters are the foundation of a winning content strategy. 🥇
When done right, they help Google see you as an authority, bringing more readers to your site. Instead of just ranking individual pages, Google wants to know that your website thoroughly covers a topic.
Think of topical clusters like a well-organized library: a central “pillar page” acts as the main book on a subject while supporting pages dive into related subtopics, all interlinked for easy navigation. This structure helps both users and search engines find, understand, and trust your content.
Without topic clusters, websites often become a chaotic mix of unrelated content, making it harder for visitors (and Google) to see your expertise.
Next, we’ll show you how to create topic clusters and introduce an even more powerful strategy: topical maps. Keep reading, you won’t want to miss what’s next. 👀
What Are Topic Clusters?
A topic cluster is a group of interlinked pages centered around a pillar page. The pillar provides a broad overview, while cluster pages explore related subtopics. Internal links connect them, aiding navigation for both users and search engines.
Think of it as a well-organized Netflix series. 🎞️
The pillar page is the show’s main page, introducing the storyline. Each cluster page is an episode that explores a key detail, character backstory, side plot, or major event. Together, they create a complete, engaging experience.
SEO professionals love giving things multiple names, so you might also hear this strategy called content hubs, hub-and-spoke models, or pillar-and-cluster techniques. The idea is the same: grouping content strategically to boost rankings and establish authority.
To build a strong topic cluster, you need three key elements:
- A pillar page that covers the main topic
- Cluster pages that explore subtopics
- Internal links connecting everything
Why Are Topic Clusters Important for SEO?
Topic clusters make it easier for both users and search engines to navigate the website.
Instead of publishing scattered, unrelated articles, a topic cluster organizes content around a central pillar page, covering a subject in depth. This signals to search engines that your site is a credible, authoritative source on the topic.
Why does this matter? Search engines prioritize well-structured, authoritative content when ranking pages. The more high-quality, interlinked content you create on a topic, the better your chances of ranking for multiple related keywords, bringing more traffic to your site.
By implementing topic clusters, you’ll get benefits such as:
- Clearer site structure: Helps users and search engines find related content easily.
- Boosts topical authority: Demonstrates expertise by covering a subject comprehensively.
- Improved SEO performance: Increases keyword rankings and organic traffic.
- Stronger internal linking: Connects related pages naturally, improving navigation.
- Better SEO user experience: Guides visitors through content logically, keeping them engaged.
Topic Clusters and Traditional Keyword Research: What Are the Differences?
They take very different approaches. Think of it like planning a trip. Traditional keyword research is like picking specific destinations, each keyword is a separate stop on your journey.
The topic cluster approach is like planning an entire travel experience around a theme, ensuring all your destinations connect seamlessly. 🧳
The Old Way: Keyword-First SEO
Traditional SEO focuses on individual keywords. You’d pick a term like “best running shoes” and write a blog post optimized for that exact phrase.
Then, you might write another post targeting “running shoes for beginners” without necessarily linking the two. The goal is to rank for each keyword separately, but this often leads to scattered content with no clear structure.
The Topic Cluster Approach: User-First SEO
Topic clusters shift the focus from isolated keywords to broader topics. Instead of writing disconnected articles, you create a pillar page, a deep, authoritative guide on a central topic, like “How to Choose the Right Running Shoes.”
Then you create cluster pages covering related subtopics, such as “Best Running Shoes for Flat Feet” or “How Running Shoe Cushioning Affects Performance.” All these pages link to each other, forming a structured, interconnected hub of information.
6 Critical Steps for a Winning Topic Cluster Strategy
There are many ways to create topic clusters, but we’re going to focus on the 6 most effective steps. No fluff, just proven steps that get results.
1. Identify Core Topics to Build Strong Pillar Content
The first step in creating topic clusters is identifying the core topics that will anchor your clusters. These should be broad, relevant themes that resonate with your target audience and industry and can be divided into several smaller subtopics.
To figure out which core topics to focus on, think about how your content aligns with your business and marketing goals while also considering what your audience is interested in and needs.
Use the content planner to find the core topics, their search volume, and the difficulty to rank. This tool also allows you to check out the keywords for the cluster content for each pillar content!
Once you’ve nailed down your core topics, start brainstorming subtopics and related keywords to flesh out each cluster.
This approach ensures your content is thorough and covers a range of information that speaks directly to your audience’s needs, helping you attract organic traffic and establish authority in your niche.
2. Research Keywords to Build Effective Content Groups
Once you’ve identified your core topics, the next step is keyword research to find relevant search queries for each cluster’s content. Use keyword research tools to discover related keywords and their search volumes.
Here’s how to prioritize your keywords:
- Semantic Relevance: Choose keywords that are closely related to the main topic. This helps search engines understand the depth of your content and improves rankings through better search intent.
- Search Volume: Focus on keywords with a good search volume, ensuring you target terms people are actively searching for.
- Keyword Difficulty: Consider how hard it will be to rank for a keyword based on your site’s authority and backlink strength. Start with keywords you have a realistic chance of ranking for.
A keyword research tool helps you quickly identify not only search volume and keyword difficulty but also potential traffic, related keywords, historical search volume, cost-per-click (CPC) for PPC strategies, and more.
You can also use a keyword magic tool to find keywords related to the one you are searching for.
These factors help you build effective, high-impact keyword clusters that attract relevant traffic.
3. Review Existing Content to Enhance the Topic Cluster Strategy
Make sure your existing content is up to date and link it to your pillar page. You may have covered a topic thoroughly but missed a longer keyword phrase. Spot these gaps. 🕵️
Start by looking at what you’ve already published and see how it fits with your core topics. Does your current content cover the subtopics you want to target? If not, it might be time to update or expand it.
Look for opportunities to link your existing content to the new pillar pages or subtopic clusters you’re creating. This helps build connections between your pages and improves SEO.
Also, check if any content is outdated or underperforming. Refresh or optimize these pieces by adding more relevant keywords or updating information to keep it valuable to your audience.
One way to make your life easier is by using OTTO, the first AI SEO agent on the market. It automatically analyzes your content and optimizes it for missing keywords, performs semantic analysis, and updates the content for factual enhancement.
By reviewing your content, you can make sure everything aligns with your topic cluster strategy and strengthens your website’s overall authority.
4. Create the Pillar Page to Establish Authority
Now that you’ve researched your keywords, reviewed your existing content, and created a solid plan, it’s time to start building.
Start with the “pillar” page, which acts as the central hub for all your content. Pillar pages introduce users to or guide them toward relevant topics. Use SEO content tools to create the best page to rank higher.
Pillar posts are typically longer than your average blog article, usually at least 2,000 words. But it’s not just about length; these pages should provide in-depth, comprehensive coverage of your main topic, ensuring they’re valuable and informative for your audience.
Creating an SEO-friendly blog relies on these content attributes to successfully rank.
5. Develop Cluster Content to Support Pillar Themes
Now it’s time to create your cluster content, which helps connect all the pieces of your SEO strategy.
A “content cluster” is a group of related content all centered around one main topic. Each piece in the cluster supports your pillar page and builds its authority by diving deeper into different aspects of the main topic.
Think of it like this: the “Who, What, Where, When, and Why” of your pillar page are answered through individual blog posts within the cluster. You increase the relevance and authority of your pillar page by thoroughly covering each angle.
The ultimate goal is to ensure every piece in your content cluster adds value and is tightly related to your main topic, making the whole cluster more effective for both users and search engines.
6. Structure Internal Linking to Boost SEO Performance
Internal links are simply links that connect to other pages on the same website. These links are crucial for three main reasons:
- Navigation: They help users move around your site easily, making your website more user-friendly.
- Website Structure: Internal links help organize your content, creating a clear structure and guiding both users and search engines through your site.
- Link Equity: They help spread “link power” throughout your site, improving your overall SEO.
Search engines rely on these internal links to discover and index the pages on your site. Make sure to use link building tools to link your pillar page to its related cluster pages.
This step can get very complicated, especially if you already have a lot of content published. Use OTTO to automatically find linking opportunities and deploy the changes with one click.
When adding internal links, use clear, descriptive anchor text that reflects the content you’re linking to,
Why Aren’t Topic Clusters As Powerful As Other Strategies?
Topic clusters are a great SEO strategy, but on their own, they won’t work wonders without the right execution.
Think of them as an organizational framework for your content. They need high-quality content, well-researched keywords, and effective internal linking to truly make an impact on search rankings and user experience.
Simply creating clusters won’t give you the results you’re hoping for. There’s an even more powerful approach: topical maps. 🗺️
How Are Topical Maps Better Than Topic Clusters?
Topical maps are a detailed content strategy that organizes all relevant topics, subtopics, and related queries in a way that fully aligns with user intent.
Topical maps are a more advanced SEO strategy than topic clusters. While topic clusters group content around broad themes, topical maps create a detailed, interconnected roadmap of topics and subtopics, fully aligned with user intent.
For example, a fitness blog using a topical map wouldn’t just cover “weight loss” but also include topics like “nutrition,” “motivation,” and “fitness plans,” offering a complete resource for users.
On top of that, you can skip all of the topic clusters’ steps and create a full topical map strategy with a Topical Maps tool.
The tool automatically does the research for you, finding the keywords and search intent, creates the main pages and subpages, makes the internal linking, creates the images, and more.
Say Goodbye to Old-School SEO: The Future of SEO Is in Your Map
SEO has come a long way, and relying solely on old-school keyword strategies just doesn’t cut it like it used to.
That’s why topic clusters became the go-to solution, offering a more organized and strategic way to structure content. But topical maps take things to a whole new level, making your SEO strategy smarter, more effective, and more comprehensive than ever before. 💫
Whether you stick with the classic keyword approach, use topic clusters, or go all-in with topical maps, Search Atlas has everything you need to succeed.
Plus, with OTTO, you can automate many of your tasks, like technical SEO, on-page optimizations, link building, content creation, and even creating your own topical maps, so you can focus on what really matters.
Whatever strategy you choose, Search Atlas is here to help. Try your free trial today. No commitment, cancel anytime!
