What are Topic Clusters & Why are They Important for SEO?

What are Topic Clusters & Why are They Important for SEO?

SEO has changed a lot. Search engines are always changing their algorithm and companies, websites, and content creators are always changing their strategies and approach to continue growing organic search rankings and traffic. Search engines are now favouring topic based content ideas, meaning SEO’s are implementing “topic clusters” as a more effective way of linking related content.

Many already create content to help their site with SEO. With a solid level of keyword research, blog pages, and other forms of content, can create valuable assets for a site. However, content alone is not enough, and now more than ever, your content needs a strategy to truly impact your keyword rankings.

In this article, we are going to take a look at how content clusters allow you to rank higher in search engine result pages for specific keywords, and how content clusters can give your page topical authority. If this all sounds like jargon, have no fear! Here at Ignite SEO, we want to teach you all the details about content, keywords, rankings, and topic clusters! By the end of the article, we hope that you will be an expert on the world of SEO clusters.

What are Topic Clusters?

A topic cluster is an SEO technique involving a single page (pillar) containing in-depth information about a certain topic, while internally linking to supporting pages (spokes) related to the topic.

You can write an article that is really good and targets a good keyword that you know has a lot of organic traffic for your industry, but one article is not going to create as much of an impact as cluster pages. The basic idea is that you have a series of pages that are interconnected and cover all angles of a specific topic.

For example, if you were to create content about health and fitness, and you wanted to target a specific keyword such as ‘weight training’, you would need to find related keywords that can be linked to within the article, and these articles will also like back to pages within the cluster.

The end result is that the cluster content should cover every aspect of that topic. This is why pages like Wikipedia are so successful, they have deeply interrelated clusters that make them a topical authority for most search results.

Pillar pages and topic clusters

Pillar pages & topic clusters are a SEO strategy that is designed to help your website rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). The idea is that by creating pillar pages and topic clusters, you can target multiple keywords with one piece of content. This, in turn, can help you rank higher for those keywords.

How to build a Topic Cluster Model

So how can you build a topical cluster?

Keyword Research

To build a successful topic cluster model, you really need to do your research. You need to find keywords that relate to the primary keyword you are hoping to rank for, the related keywords will form the cluster around the topical keyword. It’s extremely hard to conduct keyword research without the right tools, check out our guide on the Best Keyword Research Tools to find the right tool for your requirements & budgets.

For example, if we were to use ‘weight training’ as the word you were looking to rank for, then related keywords could be ‘how to lift weights’, ‘how to gain muscle mass’, ‘correct diet for weight training’, etc. these topics all relate back to the topical keyword and form a topical cluster of related content. Then link-building takes place, where each article would have internal links to other parts of the cluster.

The idea is that you want to have your user on the site as long as possible because your content is answering all their questions instead of them returning to the search engine. This shows Google that you are a good source of information, which means they will rank you higher for search results regarding those keywords.

Hence, keyword research is the backbone of creating a good topic cluster. Once you have the keywords, you need to create a mind map of how those articles are going to link together. Check out a beginners guide to keyword research, for a beginners guide to keyword research.

Internal Links

Think about where you want to be leading your users with these links, and what the end goal of this content is. To stick with the weight training idea, if your main goal is to rank for the keyword ‘weight training’, then maybe this keyword takes the form of a landing page for your weight training classes. Your cluster content could be informational blogs about weight training topics that link back to that landing page.

This means you are creating a funnel that hopefully ends in a sale. This way you can create your blog posts so they all point to your classes as the end solution to their questions. The best way to work this out is by drawing a mind map, and imagining you are the user. Think of where each link should send them next so you can create a flow of organic traffic.

Changing Existing Content

You might notice that your core topic clusters SEO have already been explored in a blog post on your site already. You might have quality content for your target audience all over your web pages that are already rich with competitive keywords, which is great, but without internal linking, search engines may struggle to see the semantic relationship. Hence, it will not form it as a cluster page.

Linking related content is key! Go back through your blog, see if a broad topic fits a group of them, and create a topic cluster. Add internal links to the relevant content and produce more quality content around that topic to create topic clusters that rank.

Make sure all your pre-existing content is the best it can be. Search algorithms look for cluster pages, especially when they support pillar pages. Search engine results pages will favour sites that have topical clusters SEO surrounding keywords.

How can SEO Topic Clusters help your SEO?

SEO cluster content has many benefits, some of which have been mentioned above. The main benefits are:

Internal linking – helps search engines understand the relationship between your pages

In-depth content – Gives your users the information they need so they don’t return to the search engine

Quality content – Google will rank you higher if it sees you as a source of quality information, this is why SEO friendly content is so important.

Leads to conversions – If you have a sales funnel in place, hopefully, your cluster content will lead to a conversion

Creating topic clusters is an essential part of any SEO strategy. It not only helps with your website ranking but also provides a better experience for your users. If you want to learn more about SEO and how to create topic clusters, check out our blog or contact us for more information.

Here’s how you build a topical cluster for SEO

A simple step by step guide to implement a topical cluster on your website.

1. Identify the main themes (seed keywords) your website MUST cover, these will become your Pillar pages & are often foundational for your business.
2. Use a keyword research tool such as SEMRush to search each seed keyword & find keywords related to each topic.
3. Create a visual sitemap for each topic showing all Pillar & Supporting pages that will need to cover the topic in its entirety. Gloomaps is a good free tool for this.
4. Supporting pages can be in the form of blogs, resource guides & landing pages.
5. Overtime, build out your Pillar pages by including links to the new Supporting pages you create.
6. Internally link between Pillar & Supporting Pages to create a content “hub”.
7. Build links across the hub to increase your website’s authority & use internal linking to pass link juice to other areas of the cluster.

How can I use a content marketing strategy with a cluster?

A content marketing strategy is a process of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

When it comes to using a content marketing strategy with a cluster, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:

• Your topic clusters should be based on high-value keywords that your target audience is searching for.
• The content you provide should be relevant to your target audience and offer them value.
• Content should be consistent with the overall theme of your website.
• Topic clusters should be interlinked so that search engines can easily understand the relationships between your pages.
• Use social media with your blog post to advertise your new content clusters, and start driving traffic towards them.

Watch: How to do topic clusters

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Shaping Topic Clusters

Artificial Intelligence has become an essential tool in refining and perfecting SEO topic clusters. When it comes to building an effective topic cluster strategy, AI offers a range of capabilities that simplify the process and enhance the effectiveness of your content strategy.

Precision in Keyword Research

AI tools such as MarketMuse and Clearscope dig deep into search volume and user behaviour, providing insights into relevant keywords that align with your pillar page. These tools also identify related search queries and long-tail keywords, ensuring that each cluster page you create is optimally focused on answering a user’s search query.

Aligning with Search Intent

Understanding search intent is critical for building successful topic clusters. AI can analyse patterns in search queries, helping you identify the underlying intent behind them. This allows you to tailor your pillar content and related topics more precisely, ensuring that your content meets the needs of both users and search engines.

Optimising Content with AI

Beyond keyword research, AI tools also assist in the ongoing optimisation of your content. They suggest improvements in internal linking strategy within your website’s content, helping you strengthen connections between your pillar page and cluster pages. This approach not only improves user experience but also reinforces your content’s authority on a particular subject in the eyes of search engines.

Predicting Success

AI tools use predictive analytics to forecast the performance of your content cluster based on historical data and current trends. By understanding which content is likely to perform well, you can prioritize your efforts on topics that will drive more traffic and engagement, ensuring that your topic cluster strategy is always aligned with what users are searching for.

Real-World Examples: How Successful Companies Use Topic Clusters

When it comes to implementing a topic cluster strategy, seeing real-world examples can provide valuable insights into what works and why. By examining successful implementations, you can learn how to structure your pillar page and cluster pages effectively, optimise for search queries, and enhance both user engagement and search engine rankings.

HubSpot’s Content Strategy

HubSpot has been a pioneer in using SEO topic clusters to dominate search results. Their strategy revolves around creating in-depth pillar content on broad topics, supported by multiple cluster pages that delve into related subtopics.

By using strategic internal linking between these pages, HubSpot has managed to create a web of interconnected content that signals to search engines that they are an authority on the specific subject. This approach not only improves their rankings but also provides users with a comprehensive resource that answers all their questions on a particular topic.

Backlinko’s Skyscraper Technique

Backlinko’s success with the Skyscraper Technique is another excellent example of how to create cluster pages around a central pillar page. By focusing on creating content that is more comprehensive than what’s currently ranking,

Backlinko ensures that their target keywords and related topics are thoroughly covered. The result is content that attracts backlinks and climbs the ranks in Google’s search results, proving the effectiveness of well-structured topic clusters.

SEMrush’s Content Hubs

SEMrush has taken the concept of topic clusters and applied it to create content hubs around key SEO topics. By organising content in this way, SEMrush not only improves its visibility but also ensures that users find all the information they need in one place.

The use of internal linking strategy here is particularly strong, guiding users from one related topic to another seamlessly, which helps in keeping visitors engaged longer and improving search engine rankings.

These topic cluster examples demonstrate that success in SEO often comes down to how well you organize and connect your content. Whether you’re building a pillar page around a high-volume keyword or creating supportive cluster pages that address related subtopics, the key is to ensure that your content is interconnected and aligned with the intent behind search queries. This not only helps in improving your rankings but also makes your site a go-to resource for users and search engines alike.