Topic clusters - and how they can benefit your SEO
Being visible on Google and other search engines is a key goal for your website if you want to attract new customers. For this reason, SEO is an important part of your online marketing strategy. However, SEO can be a complex task and competition for the coveted top spots on Google can be fierce. That's why it's important to stay on top of your SEO tools.
In this post, I dive into the toolbox and take a closer look at a model that is increasingly influencing SEO - and which you can incorporate into your current SEO strategy: topic clusters.
What are Topic Clusters?
Overall, Topic Clusters are an upgrade to your current SEO strategy that focuses on topics rather than keywords. Topic clusters are also known as content clusters or subject clusters. A topic cluster consists of one main topic and a group of landing pages with related subtopics that provide comprehensive coverage of the main topic.
This method allows you to organize your website content, which basically makes it easier for search engines to navigate important topics and find related content.
This creates clarity, focus and legitimacy behind your brand - together it increases both the usability of your website and your website's visibility in search engines. In other words, it can be an important part of your SEO strategy.
Optimize your SEO with topic clusters
Google's algorithm is constantly evolving and the search engine is getting better at understanding what consumers are actually looking for when they Google. We previously touched on this in our post on search intent.
The development also means that Google has become better at assessing when a given page will be able to answer a given search. SEO is no longer just about keywords, but rather about relevant topics.
Let's take an example
If you are interested in exploring the culinary specialties of Copenhagen, a typical Google search would read: "Where should I eat tonight?". This type of search is based on the assumption that search engines are smart enough to understand the intent of your search - and your SEO strategy should reflect that.
This is where the topic cluster model becomes relevant. It works as part of a strategy to gain more authority and legitimacy in your specific field. By structuring your content into topics, you show Google which areas you know a lot about and which questions you can answer.
It's important that you understand how your target audience searches when they use search engines. Very few people actually search for keywords or keywords. Most people will try to solve a specific problem or question, and it's Google's job to answer it. Therefore, your content should be based on human needs and thought processes rather than keywords.
What do topic clusters consist of?
Topic clusters generally consist of three parts:
1) One pillar page
The pillar page is the core of your content cluster. It consists of a landing page that covers the overall topic, which is then supported by a series of supporting pages.
The topic should of course be relevant to your company's products or services, which are then unfolded on your supporting pages. Overall, it should be the keyword that you want to rank particularly well for.
Let's take an example from Amplify. Since SEO is a big part of our business, we want to rank for the keyword "SEO agency", so of course we have a landing page for this search. This is our pillar page.
But we also know that our pillar page can't do it alone. We need to have a number of supporting pages that can unfold SEO as a topic rather than just thinking of it as an autonomous keyword. I've illustrated this visually below (note that this post about topic clusters is, in a very meta way, also part of our topic cluster that will uncover SEO as a topic).
You can do the same based on your knowledge of your products or services. You know what you offer and know your range inside out. After that, it's just a matter of getting started writing!
2) More supporting pages
Supporting pages are pages in your topic cluster that cover related subtopics. Your supporting pages should support your pillar page both in terms of content and with internal links. They should contain related subtopics and consist of blog posts, product pages or other types of content. However, the most important thing for subpages is that they answer users' questions by covering the topic.
3) Internal links
Hyperlinks are the final part of the model, and actually the most important part of your topic cluster. First and foremost because internal links are the connection between your pillar page and your supporting pages - and thus the essential piece that helps the algorithm identify a topic cluster. At the same time, internal link building is an often underestimated part of your link building strategy.
Your supporting pages should always include a link back to the pillar page as it makes it easy for the user to navigate around the website. Conversely, your pillar page doesn't necessarily need to link to all supporting pages.
One pillar page, multiple supporting pages... how big should your topic cluster be?
Now that we have elaborated on the different parts of the topic cluster, it is also very relevant to look at the ideal size. In principle, the number of supporting pages depends primarily on the parent topic.
The smallest topic clusters typically consist of a pillar page and a handful of supporting pages, while a larger one can consist of several hundred pages. However, as a rule of thumb, it's always a good idea to organize your content into smaller and more defined cluster models. The most important thing is to maintain an overview and focus - it's all about the depth of the topic.
How do you create your topic cluster?
Hopefully, you now have a sense of how a topic cluster works and why it's a great upgrade to your current SEO strategy. With that said, let's take a look at how to build your content clusters.
1) Get an overview of your ideas
The first step in building a topic cluster is to create an overview of all the topics that are relevant to your business - and not least your customers. It's a good idea to brainstorm what topics and questions your target audience would like to know more about.
Here you can use tools like AnswerThePublic, Ahrefs or Search Console to find ideas for topics.
Once you have your relevant topics, you can categorize them into potential topic clusters. First, choose your parent topic - your pillar page - and then choose which subtopics you can unfold on your supporting pages.
2) Content is the most important thing
Once you've chosen your pillar page and supporting pages, it's time to start writing. It's a good idea to start by creating your pillar page, as this is the foundation for your supporting pages.
If there are existing pages in your topic cluster, you should also optimize these. Remember to promote your pages using hyperlinks!
Benefits of topic clusters
Now you know what topic clusters are - and how to create them. But for the sake of clarity, let's establish why you should invest time in creating them.
- You increase your visibility on Google when you support your pillar pages with supporting pages.
- You increase the chance of ranking on more specific keywords within your core areas.
- You increase usability by making it easier to navigate the content on your website.
- You build legitimacy and authority in your specific subject area.
By using the cluster model, it is possible to cover every conceivable topic and keyword based on grouping. The method shifts the general focus of SEO strategies from keywords to topics, thus grouping content into overall topics.
Topic clusters create authority - and visibility
When your business is able to create value-added content, it positions itself as an expert in its field, giving it authority - and thus higher rankings for your most important keywords.
3 quick tips before you get started with topic clusters
I hope you feel ready to embark on an optimization of your current SEO strategy. Before you embark on your new project, here are 3 tips to get you started:
1) Keep track of your links
Your hyperlinks are the essential part of your topic cluster and it is therefore crucial that you keep track of your link structure. The most important links are those that link from your supporting pages to your pillar pages - they should always be present. Conversely, you may want to link from your pillar page to your supporting pages, but only if it makes sense.
2) Visual elements create an overview
It's a good idea to include visual elements such as videos, images and infographics on your pages. Especially on your pillar page, as this will often be longer than your supporting pages and can therefore be difficult to read. By using visual content, you also capture readers who are more visually oriented and prefer to watch videos.
3) Keep your content sharp
It's important that your pillar page gets around the main topic well without completely exhausting it. Likewise, there should still be value for readers to click through to your supporting pages.
If you remember to follow these strict rules, topic clusters can be a valuable tool to help your website rank better on search engines.
Get help with your topic cluster!
Want to learn more about how to improve your current SEO strategy or the user experience on your website? Contact us on 70 60 50 28 or contact us at info@amplify.dk - As an SEO agency, we are ready to help you get more visibility on Google.
FAQ - topic clusters
In a topic cluster, you create structure and organize the content on your website. It can be a group of landing pages, blog posts and guides that all have the same main topic.
The short answer - YES.
If you're interested in appearing in good rankings, you need to have your topic clusters under control.
At Amplify, for example, we have a topic cluster called SEO. Our topic cluster is created through landing pages, guides and blog posts about SEO advice, 10 tips for a good SEO strategy and more.
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