Topic clusters are the key to building a great amount of credibility for your brand in your niche. They are, basically, a collection of correlated and conceptually linked website pages.
In each one of these clusters, there is one foundational page, which is more commonly known as a pillar page. This particular page provides the big picture of a specific topic. There are many cluster pages in a pillar page, which address related subjects. These pages are connected with each other with the help of internal links.
If you want to know everything related to topic clusters, along with their benefits for SEO, you’ve come to the right place. So, without any further ado, let’s get started with a thorough definition of topic clusters.
What are Topic Cluster Models?
Topic clusters are connected pages that address a specific subject and explain it in depth with the help of cluster pages. These topic clusters are known by different names, but each one of the terms means the same thing. Some common examples of the terms used apart from topic clusters are pillar pages, content hubs, etc. However, all of these names signify that they are interlinked content that is built around a central theme and covers that particular subject thoroughly.
There are three main elements of a topic cluster, and they are as follows:-
- A page that revolves around a defined theme.
- A long list of pages that covers the various subtopics extensively.
- Proper internal linking that links all of the relevant pages.
What is the Significance of Topic Clusters for SEO?
Topic clusters play a huge role in helping the search engines to learn more about the architecture of your website. That’s why they can even help the search engines consider your website as a thought leader in a specific field. So, in layman’s terms, a topic cluster is a different way of organizing your website’s content, which can be further amplified with the help of different types of SEO methodologies.
But, still, you need to understand that Google hasn’t mentioned anywhere regarding the usage of topic clusters or even listed any of their benefits. The most direct mention SEO professionals have received from Google regarding the topic cluster methodology comes from Google’s Webmaster Guidelines, and it is as follows:-
Design your website in such a way that it has the right type of thematic page structure.
Topic clusters are amazing for SEO because of the following reasons:-
- You can group the most relevant content pieces together, which will make them a lot easier to find, not just for the users but search engines as well.
- Topic clusters can play a huge role in building subject-based authority for your website by thoroughly covering a particular subject.
- These clusters can play a role in creating the right type of links, and that too, in the most natural manner.
Expert Suggestion: Don’t forget to do the right type of on-page SEO optimization for your cluster page.
How Can You Create a Topic Cluster or a Pillar Content Strategy?
Here’s a step-by-step way to create a robust topic cluster or a pillar content strategy:-
Step 1: Choose a Specific Topic
The first thing that you need to do is choose the right type of topic around which you can base your topic cluster. You can begin with a thorough brainstorming session and think about the following things:-
- Which topics are chosen by your competitors to publish their latest blog posts?
- Which topics are the most relevant for your target audience?
- What type of content do you already have on your website?
- Which topics have proven to be the best working ones for your brand lately?
- Which topics are appropriate and crucial for your brand?
You need to understand that your topic must be comprehensive enough. It will ensure that you can craft different types of content pieces around that pillar page or topic cluster. However, it must not be that broad, which can dilute the focus and impact of your topic cluster. The best approach should be dependent on your goals and target audience.
Your website’s topic cluster will depend a lot on the type of industry you’re in and the kind of offerings you provide. You must have a lot of ideas for your topic cluster, but you should only include the ones that are industry-specific and relevant to your audience.
Step 2: Carry Out Keyword Research
Keyword research is a thorough process of looking for words or phrases that you want to rank for, which are more commonly known as target keywords. It includes collecting relevant data, which helps in evaluating the most definite ranking opportunities. This is arguably the best approach to find out the best topic cluster ideas, along with creating content as per the SEO parameters.
To find the right type of keywords for your niche, you can segment your keyword research process into three different steps:-
Intent: Search intent is mainly of four types, and they are navigational, informational, commercial, or transactional. Topic clusters are mostly based on keywords that are either informational or commercial.
Volume: The keyword’s volume is a parameter which tells us about the total number of searches for a particular keyword in a month. This signifies the kind of reach that your content can get in any given month.
Keyword difficulty(KD%): It is a score which indicates how difficult it is to rank in Google’s topmost organic results in a particular time period. If the number is on the higher end, the more difficult it’ll be to rank.
Step 3: Find Out the Right Type of Pillar Pages and Subpages
There are three different types of pillar pages and subpages that you can opt for:-
10X Content Pillar: It is an in-depth, all-in-one guide which ensures that you are able to provide a thorough overview of a specific topic. It is mostly a single, long-form page which covers every little detail about a single subject. This pillar page is the right option for you if you want to establish your brand as a thought leader and attract a lot more search traffic for a high-volume keyword.
Product or Service Page: This page keeps the focus on a particular product or service that you provide. It’s not just a simple sales page but a highly specific one that provides a huge amount of educational content related to the page’s topic. This page is surely going to position you or your brand as an authority in your field.
Resource Pillar: The resource page functions more or less as a curated list of links for the internal page links on a particular subject. This page has a huge amount of information, which makes it quite easy for users to find what they’re looking for. You can implement this pillar option for complex topics where you want to get a quick and thorough overview without the need to craft a thorough single-page article.
Specialist Advice: There are different internal linking strategies that you can follow to get the best results in terms of your topic cluster success.
Step 4: Create High-Quality Content
Once you’re done with strategizing about your topic cluster, you’ll be all set to create and publish good-quality content. The content should be helpful, authoritative, and according to your target audience.
Then, you can create your pillar page with relevant links to your cluster pages. Once you’ve published your pillar page, you can create cluster pages one by one later on. However, the content for the topic cluster or pillar page, along with the cluster pages, must be of the best quality possible.
Pro Tip: You can follow the expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness(EEAT) checklist to ensure that your content is of high quality.
Conclusion
Creating the right type of topic cluster requires a lot of effort and strategizing, but in the end, it’s all worth it. To get the best results, you need to ensure that there is a proper site structure and that the content you craft is of high quality. This approach will ensure that the search engines can index your pages quickly and you can get the topical authority you need.
Are you looking to craft an authority-building and lead-generating topic cluster for your website or brand? If your answer is in the affirmative, SEO Toronto Experts’ free consultation can be quite helpful for you. Contact us now and book our free consultation today.
