Topic Clusters for SEO: How To Organize Your Content

Many businesses are choosing to restructure their sites with a more organized, deliberate strategy based on topic clusters. These groups of pages offer several benefits for search engine optimization (SEO), like organizing a content strategy and boosting visibility in search engines.

In this article, we’ll define topic clusters, why they’re essential, and how you can create one for your website. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What are topic clusters?
• How do topic clusters work?
• Benefits of the topic cluster model
• 4 steps to create topic clusters

Read on to learn more! And, if you want to keep growing your marketing knowledge, make sure you sign up for our email newsletter for more Internet marketing tips and tricks!

Explore More: How to Use Keyword Clustering for Your Content Groups

What are topic clusters?

Topic clusters are a group of pages that are connected and relate to one central theme.

How do topic clusters work?

To use topic clusters, you must first designate one single page as the pillar page — a main hub of content for an overarching topic. These pillar pages provide a general overview of a subject while linking to other, more specific information on additional content pages. 

You will use internal linking to connect these pages, which is vital to increasing your search engine visibility and rankings. It also creates a more organized site structure, allowing crawlers to search and index content more easily. 

Any thriving topic cluster consists of three things: 

1. Main pillar page
2. Numerous cluster pages
3. Strategic links

Benefits of the topic cluster model

Current search engines are highly advanced, capable of interpreting data, connecting ideas, and understanding user intent to provide pages that answer their question. 

As algorithms shift away from heavy reliance on keywords, it’s time for websites to focus on topics. Topic clusters create a website architecture centered around topical relevance, grouping pages based on related long-tail keywords. 

So, why do topic clusters matter to your digital marketing strategy? Check out these benefits of restructuring your website with topic clusters. 

Increase the success of keyword research

If you’re currently facing irrelevant keywords or using phrases that are too closely related, which results in keyword cannibalization, topic clusters can guide you down a better path. 

Topic clusters allow you to group your keywords into specific blog posts and categories, helping you avoid repetitive use. This strategy will result in a more unified and coherent website, making it easier for users to navigate your content.

Improve user experience

A topic cluster lets you design an experience that satisfies the user’s needs as they move through the customer journey. Understanding how and what people search will help you create cluster content and address their pain points, intentions, and questions.

Curating content based on questions you believe are worth answering allows you to create an enjoyable and informative experience for your users. When you satisfy their needs and lead them deeper into the buyer funnel, they’re more likely to seek you out when they’re ready to convert.

Establish authority

Curating numerous pieces of content connected to one pillar page will show Google you’re a trustworthy expert on the topic. Pairing this with consistent and strategic linking will strengthen your credibility and establish your authority on a particular topic.

For example, say you have a pillar page interlinked with 20 related pages throughout your site. Google will perceive you as a more authoritative source than a site with only one page on the subject. The more links you have pointing towards a quality page, the higher you rank on the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Allows for more visibility in SERPS

Interlinking is essential within topic clusters because it lets crawlers find related pages. By linking multiple cluster pages to your pillar page, you’ll help Google understand the context of your content.

Additional pages increase the amount of information Google has to use and index. These details allow crawlers to quickly understand your content’s relevance and present it to the right audience. With more clarity, the SERPs are more likely to rank you higher.

4 steps to create topic clusters

Now that you understand topic clusters, let’s look at how you can implement this SEO strategy on your website. 

1. Determine your main topic

The first step of creating your cluster group is defining your overall topic. Whether you run a health and wellness business or you’re working in the finance industry, choose topics essential to your business. This relevance will help you establish who you are and show off your value.

It might be helpful to start with the question, “What does my audience want to know?” You can begin zeroing in on a narrow topic, focusing on a singular idea while allowing enough space to add subtopics. 

For example, if you run a yoga studio, maybe your topic is “yoga benefits.” From there, you could write different pages on the mental, physical, spiritual, and long-term benefits of yoga. 

Looking at the SERPs can also help you see what other studios are writing: 

Keep your business goals in mind, locate content gaps, and develop valuable topics to lead customers further through the funnel.   

2. Conduct keyword research

A strong keyword research strategy is vital to finding potential subtopics. Use online tools and resources like KeywordsFX, Moz Keyword Explorer, or Semrush to conduct a competitor keyword analysis and develop unique long-tail keywords. 

You should also consider buyer personas and consumer journeys. These factors help you target keywords and curate content that fits your audience’s needs and search intent. You can organize these keywords into distinct categories, helping you determine which themes and ideas are worth your time and effort.

3. Create the content, add links, and publish

When it’s time to start creating your content, it’s wise to begin with your cluster pages. Once they’re complete, you’ll have an easier time writing your pillar page since you already understand the details of the content.

Just remember to keep things broad, mentioning the foundational topics without repeating what you’ve included in your cluster pages. 

4. Add internal links

As discussed, internal links are essential to topic clusters. The pillar page must link to its cluster pages, and the cluster pages must link back to the pillar page using the same anchor text at least once.

Use your links and CTAs to push your readers towards those additional topics you’ve covered. Google will have an easier time crawling, and your high-traffic pages will share their value to pages connected to it. 

Create a content strategy that converts with WebFX

Topic clusters offer boundless advantages to your website and SEO strategy. If you aren’t sure where to start restructuring your website, our team at WebFX is ready to help. 

Our content marketing strategies help you develop authoritative and informative content that drives traffic and leads. With a team of over 100+ specialized content writers, we can create content for nearly any industry.  

Contact us online or give us a call at 888-601-5359 to learn more today!