To build topical authority, you need to follow a series of steps that range from keyword research to creating optimized content. Below, we’ll explore these steps in detail.
1. Topic-based keyword research
The foundation of any topical authority strategy is keyword research focused on topics, not just isolated terms. The first step is to identify a seed keyword — a core keyword that’s relevant to your business. For example, if your website’s focus is “digital marketing,” that would be your seed keyword.
Next, you should expand your search to include all the keywords related to your main topic. Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush are helpful for identifying related terms, and creating lists that include both long-tail keywords and broader terms will help you cover all the nuances of your topic.
For example, in addition to “digital marketing,” you could student data include “small business marketing strategies,” “inbound marketing,” and “marketing automation tools.” This will ensure that your website covers the topic in a comprehensive manner.
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2. Creating topic clusters
Topic clusters are groups of interconnected content that cover all aspects of a topic. They are organized around a “pillar,” which is a comprehensive main page on the topic, and satellite content that explores related subtopics.
For example, a pillar article about “Japan” might include links to more specific articles, such as “Japanese culture” or “Japanese language.”
Organizing topic clusters helps create a clear, hierarchical structure of information, making the site more navigable for users and Google. In addition, the interconnection between articles reinforces the semantic relevance of the content, increasing its authority in the eyes of search algorithms.
3. Production of relevant and comprehensive content
Content quality is at the heart of any topical authority strategy. You need to produce articles that are not only informative, but that address the needs of your users in detail. This means covering all aspects of your topic, from the most basic questions to advanced topics.
When writing this content, it is essential to optimize for SEO, including the main keyword and its variations in the titles, meta descriptions, subtitles and throughout the text. However, the most important thing is to ensure that the content clearly and completely answers the audience's questions, offering a rich and informative experience.
Furthermore, keeping content up-to-date is essential. A website’s authority is not only gained by new articles, but also by constantly updating existing ones. This shows Google that the website is committed to providing the most relevant and up-to-date information to its readers.
4. Link building strategy
Building internal and external links is a vital part of a successful topical authority strategy. Internal links, which connect different pages on your site, help reinforce the topic cluster structure and improve the user experience by making it easier to navigate between related content.
On the other hand, obtaining quality backlinks — external links from relevant and trustworthy websites pointing to your content — is necessary to increase your domain authority. The more quality links pointing to your website, the higher your credibility in the eyes of search engines.
An effective way to gain backlinks is to apply the Skyscraper technique, which involves creating more complete and informative content than your competitors. By offering an article that delves deeper into the topic and provides new insights, you increase your chances of being referenced by other websites.