What Are Topic Clusters and How to Use Them for Your Brand (SEO)

You have researched less competitive keywords. You have been consistently producing quality content. Your titles are intriguing. Even your meta description and internal links are pristine.

But despite all that, it feels like your content marketing strategy is moving backward.

Without a doubt, something is off.

Have you been publishing content solely based on individual keywords? Then it’s time you consider creating topic clusters.

But what exactly is a topic cluster, you ask?

A topic cluster is a collection of connected pieces of content organized around a common theme. These pages provide thorough coverage of a particular topic as a whole. Therefore, users do not have to go to another website to complete their search.

The final result is a wholesome experience that offers the reader a ton of value and demonstrates to Google that you have industry expertise in the subject.

In this post, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of topic clusters and explain how incorporating them into your content structures can enhance your marketing strategy.

What are topic clusters in content marketing?

The topic cluster concept, also referred to as the pillar-and-cluster methodology, was introduced by HubSpot Research in 2017. 

A topic cluster is a collection of related web pages grouped around a sizable body of content known as a pillar page. 

It consists of three parts:

A central topic-focused pillar page

This page addresses a variety of user intentions. No matter where they are in their buyer’s journey, it will provide readers with enough value to compel them to click through to the next piece of content that is most relevant to them.

“Cluster” pages that go into deeper detail about related topics

A cluster page typically focuses more intently on a single user intent. This strategy goes beyond simply looking for a long-tail term and writing about it. It involves delving deeply into a particular topic.

All internally interlinked pages

Search engines may tell that a pillar page is the most relevant one in the group by looking for internal links from its topic cluster pages. Links from the authoritative pillar pages convey authority to the other pages in the cluster. 

There should be a suitable anchor text for each link. Thanks to this anchor text, search engines can better grasp the content “behind” each link.

How do you use topic clusters?

A keyword denotes a specific element inside a topic, whereas a topic is a more general umbrella idea. It’s a lot like how a store organizes related food products into aisles. 

For instance, “produce,” “meat,” and “dairy.” There are a few subtopics for each theme (for instance, “milk” is the subtopic within the core topic of “dairy.”). “Cheese” and “yogurt” are the keywords for the subtopics. Similar to this, a well-designed website group keywords into topics. 

When you organize your content using a topic-first strategy, you divide it into topic clusters, consisting of pillar pages and collections of content on the same subject that are linked together.

Why do topic clusters matter to SEO?

Topic clusters are important if you oversee content creation or search engine optimization (SEO), as they influence the KPIs you track and report on.

Do you track conversions, search traffic, or keyword rankings? How about engagement? 

To maximize the effectiveness of your digital marketing efforts, use the topic cluster strategy to optimize your SEO program and content schedule.

Using cluster content is important for SEO strategies for the following four reasons:

Search engines investing in projects that improve user experiences and search

Before 2015, SEO was all about keywords. However, nowadays, the vast majority of searchers enter lengthy search terms. In fact, 64% of search searches have four words or more, according to Ahrefs. 

As a result of readers using such precise search terms, according to Google, the content shown in search engine results pages must also be precise.

In addition, a lot of users search without even using a term! This is primarily a result of the widespread use of voice search tools like Siri and Alexa. 

Have you ever asked Alexa on your phone, “Alexa, where should I eat steak tonight?” 

If you said “yes,” you are a contributor to this change.

Google recently dropped some huge SEO bombshells. They started by announcing an advance in ranking technology that aids the algorithm in determining the relevance of particular portions within the page.

Second, they improved their capacity to comprehend subtopics related to a topic cluster using neural networks. We highly recommend reading Google’s announcement, which is available here.

Third, Google declared in September 2021 that they now comprehend the common methods by which individuals research particular topics.

Think about that for a minute. 

This goes beyond simply pointing out connected topics. 

Google can predict the order in which customers will typically move through the buyer’s journey. The new “Things to know” search function makes it simpler for consumers to research and understand new topics. 

Amazing right? Topic clusters are excellent at making these kinds of advancements. They group information according to the broad topic and provide links to sections with more in-depth analysis.

This helps Google understand the structure of your website and how your content interrelates. Therefore Google perceives your website as an authority in specific subject areas. In actuality, most brands specialize in multiple fields. 

It is a good idea to start thinking about topic clustering as you plan the development of your website. 

Topic clusters improve authority, relevance, and context

There are many on-page SEO elements from which Google derives meaning, including the page title, URL, subheadings, paragraphs, and sentences. 

However, Google also uses the information found on the cluster pages that link to your content and the anchor text to draw insights.

Topic clusters resemble compacted relevance buckets. They help search engines comprehend each page’s context, connections, and hierarchical interconnections within a family of information. And that’s useful if your cluster pages are more complex to understand.

Multiple topic clusters also highlight your depth of coverage. For example, Google will perceive you as more of an authority if you have ten relevant, interrelated pages that comprehensively cover the same topic on your website than if you have one piece of content.

Search rankings depend heavily on skill, authority, and trust in many businesses. So it makes sense to spend money on a content strategy that emphasizes those intangibles.

Learn how to create a powerful content strategy in this article: How to Create a Content Strategy? (Step by Step)

Topic clusters enhance keyword research

When conducting keyword research, you should start categorizing terms using topic cluster methodology. As a result, you will give your content team a structured list of keywords broken down by blog post, topic groupings, and blog category instead of a long list of terms.

Many SEOs conduct incorrect keyword research. Some focus just on the most popular and competitive keywords. However, they overlook the connections between specific keywords and how they function as a unit to guide potential clients through the buying cycle.

As a result, they fail to rank highly for anything. Users are left wanting more when their pain points are solved one at a time without considering the whole experience.

On the other hand, other SEOs gnaw away at long-tail keywords with a lower search volume that heavily overlaps. They might initially score highly due to the lack of competition.

But their traffic and rankings will quickly begin to decline if low-quality content is consistently published. Even worse, their sparse visitors will become bored with the repetitive content.

Nonetheless, both strategies are incorrect because they are isolated from one another.

Helpful Tip: Find out why your website is not getting enough visitors in this article.

Topic clusters maximize user experience and conversions

Most people frequently use Google to conduct informational searches. For instance, one might look at the benefits of purchasing a home instead of renting one. While some people are interested in the best roofing materials.

You can map the inquiries of your personas to their intents and pain points when you understand why and how they search. Knowing where they are in the conversion funnel will enable you to move them to the next level.

Using topic clusters, you can create content in advance that anticipates the needs of different buyer personas at various sales funnel stages while avoiding keyword duplication. As a result, you’ll be able to foresee the follow-up inquiries from your customers and deliver the appropriate information at the ideal time. 

Instead of sending prospects back to Google for answers, this keeps them interested in your content.

How to create topic clusters

Using a topic-driven approach, the initial step is… establishing your topics! There are four steps in this process:

Step 1: Research your buyer personas and determine their pain points

What exactly is a buyer persona? You ask.

A buyer persona is a fictionalized portrayal of the ideal client. Buyer personas are used by marketers to better understand their target market before outlining the buyer’s journey. They are based on market research and interviews.

Analyzing user behavior is the first step in a sound SEO strategy.

Consider this: Finding out what phrases users search for is all there is to keyword research. Every time Google modifies its algorithm, it responds to fresh patterns in consumer behavior.

Topic clusters are no different. You must first consider your audience to determine what subjects should be the focus of your website’s content strategy. And creating buyer personas is the most effective technique to understand your audience.

Examine your buyer personas more closely. 

What issues are they dealing with, you ask? What are their pain points? 

Identify five to ten main issues consumers pay your business to resolve.

Then, consider: Can these difficulties be reduced to a handful of fundamental ones? If so, kudos to you! 

The seeds of your topic clusters are these fundamental issues.

Step 2: Map topic clusters using keyword analysis

It’s time to create a topic cluster from your list of fundamental customer pain points. This will assist you in creating pillar content later on. However, your first step should be researching keywords. 

Then, using the keywords from this research, modify your topic phrase and develop a content map for your topic cluster.

Think about the following criteria when you group the keywords in your list.

Relevance in Semantics

Search engine spiders can learn more about the topic and depth of your content from semantic keywords because they are closely related to the original term. This information helps the algorithm used to decide a page’s position in the search results.

Attempting to rank a page for several keywords that are unrelated at once will confuse search engines.

CPC and Search Volume

The primary keywords in your topic clusters should receive a respectable number of searches. Otherwise, you risk optimizing for no one.

Additionally, conversion potential is essential, which is why CPCs are crucial because they reflect their economic worth.

Organic Difficulty

Think first about the authority of your site and the quality of your backlinks before deciding whether to target more difficult organic keywords.

You should only use keywords that have a reasonable chance of bringing organic traffic to your website.

Topic cluster mapping

After choosing a topic phrase, you should plan out the cluster’s content. 

Determine every aspect of your topic cluster model that a potential customer could wish to know. Aim for between eight and 22 relevant keywords, each substantial enough to warrant a blog post.

Brainstorming all the possible words or phrases you know are connected to your topic cluster is a fantastic place to start. 

Ask yourself: What details would benefit an A-to-Z guide on this subject?

Don’t restrict yourself! 

If your list contains topics you’ve already written about, don’t stress. Since you want to create a strong list, the contents will be helpful while writing your pillar page.

Use keyword research to find any topics you might have missed after making your list:

• Enter your keyword into AnswerThePublic to see what queries your readers are asking.
• To find related keywords, enter your topic phrase into a tool like Ubersuggest.
• See what keywords your rivals are ranking for by using a tool like SEMRush.

To ensure you’re providing the reader with the most complete picture possible, you should have a strong list of short- and long-tail keywords.

Use a tool like Google’s Keyword Planner to further polish and confirm your list once you’ve included all the possible keywords.

Step 3: Sort your current content by category

Let’s face it, auditing your blog content isn’t exactly enjoyable, especially if your business has been blogging for some time. 

Before you dive deeper into writing new in-depth content, you must first identify your current content and what you lack. Therefore, a content audit is necessary.

You should approach the audit as follows:

• Sort the current content into topics.
• Determine which links on the search engine results page compete with one another (SERP).
• Identify any content that you might have duplicated or that has gaps in it.

We advise using a shared Excel or Google spreadsheet to assist you in keeping track of current content and any potential internal links within a topic cluster.

List the following for each content item:

• Site URL
• Cluster topic
• Subcluster
• Keywords to rank for
• Is it still connected to the pillar page? 
• Has it been relinked, if necessary?
• Are any other steps required?
• Has the further step been taken yet? 
• External links to pages 
• Does it also have a sub-pillar page, if necessary? 

Consider the following questions when you review your current content:

• How many visitors does this page receive per month?
• Is this information still current or applicable today, or is it related to a specific period (like “Lessons Learned from the 2020 Pandemic”)?
• Do I have any other content that covers a particular topic more effectively? 
• Do other articles on this topic have higher rankings on my website?

Finding and deleting an article from your website that is no longer useful can help your search engine optimization efforts, especially if it is competing for the same keywords with higher-quality content.

Take note of pertinent phrases, explanations, comparisons, or examples as you read older articles. When writing your pillar page that addresses the same topic, you should repurpose this pertinent content.

Even though going through your current content can be tedious, the exercise is essential for creating a thorough topic cluster structure and plan.

Helpful Tip: Our content audit process walks you through this and helps you organize your results. Get a free audit today!

Step 3: Identify opportunities for cluster content

Comparing your spreadsheet to the topic map from Step 2 will help you determine whether your content audit is complete. 

While covering one aspect of your topic in great detail, you might have completely overlooked another with a longer keyword phrase. Watch out for these gaps because later, as part of your continuous maintenance on your pillar page, you can use them to create fresh topic clusters.

Examples of effective topic clusters

The discussion has only been theoretical but let’s now examine a few real-world examples to understand how other SEO professionals’ content strategies include topic clusters in their plans.

Gremlin

This is a beautiful example of the B2B Content Cluster, which expands in time with added content. 

Gremlin contains a ton of content on specific chaos engineering procedures and solutions for those who have gone beyond the basic awareness phase and want to evaluate a solution rather than read instructional articles.

This is a good strategy that you can use to encourage prospects who are only beginning to learn about the content ideas important to your business to think about your solution. 

Gremlin’s topics were modeled more like category pages in the text. The pillar page has become more text-heavy with time, suggesting that engineers enjoy reading.

It’s an excellent, organized tutorial, easily scannable, and suitable for search engines and humans! 

From there, it links to clusters where readers can find in-depth information about a topic they discuss on the pillar page.

Gremlin doesn’t bombard readers with links to demo forms or product pages. Going even further into the informational aspect of chaos engineering is the next step. 

Several links are also available for joining the Gremlin-run chaos engineering community.

Hubspot

The Hubspot Market Research Guide provides another great case study if you’re looking for specific topics. Multiple links have allowed readers to access additional information at any stage of their funneling. 

Rather than using images as links or CTAs, the majority of the links are text-based. 

It is occasionally possible to locate a page link on supplementary pages with the right anchor text, such as ideas from Connect. But they can work similarly in separate situations and be used to form CTAs.

In any case, inserting internal links at the right places in the content is the key to making this happen. In this way, the content experience is organic and internal links appear where they do for editorially relevant reasons.

How do you measure topic cluster results?

The next step is to decide how to evaluate the outcomes of the topic cluster. 

SEMRush Traffic Analytics Tool is one of the best tools to determine how well your existing content is doing. 

Use the tool to find information like the number of views and unique users, engagement metrics, and the proportion of desktop to mobile traffic. 

This will ensure that your content is optimized for the platforms on which your audience will most likely read it.

Topic clustering mistakes to avoid

Content flooding and siloing are the two greatest mistakes people make when creating topic clusters.

Starting with link silos, this is where SEOs purposefully don’t link between various topic clusters to focus on relevancy. This technique has a drawback in that it misses out on worthwhile internal linking possibilities that transmit PageRank and context forward.

Because everything is connected, tangential topics can help Google better grasp the connections between various clusters.

The second mistake to avoid is content oversaturation. This is when you write excessive blog entries that focus on closely related keywords.

As a result, pages will compete with one another for rankings, leading to keyword cannibalization.

You risk keyword cannibalization when you use an excessive number of the same or closely related keywords throughout your website’s content. 

This implies that occasionally Google will give the webpage you don’t intend to prioritize a higher position.

Always create cluster content around distinct search phrases with various keyword intent types to prevent content oversaturation. Before you start writing the content, Google your keywords to ensure the SERP differs from other phrases in the cluster.

Steps for making pillar pages

It’s time to draft your pillar page now that you have mapped your topic cluster strategy.

Remember that a pillar page is a webpage that serves as a complete and detailed outline of your topic. Consider it a launching point for articles with more in-depth coverage, an “A-to-Z” guide to your subject with references to related material.

In this section, we’ll discuss how to plan, outline, and write pillar pages.

1. Plan your pillar page

Here are some of the most common questions about pillar page planning:

How many words should pillar pages contain?

Standard blog entries might range from 500 to 2,000+ words depending on your objectives, whereas pillar pages often contain 5,000–10,000 words.

How long does it take to come up with a pillar page?

Pillar pages are more than just an extended blog article. In addition to the actual writing and preparation, you will need to allot time for topic selection, keyword research, content auditing, internal link cleanup, and web design.

Let’s assume that your content writer needs two to four hours to write 2,000 words. A pillar page time estimate might resemble something like this:

• One to three hours for topic identification with buyer personas.
• 2 to 3 hours for keyword research
• Content auditing: 5 linked articles at one hour each
• Planning and outlining: 2–4 hours
• 6 to 12 hours of writing
• For every 1,000 words, editing and revision take an hour.
• Cleaning up internal links: 1 hour

According to this estimate, a 5,000-word pillar page will take at least 20 to 25 hours to complete.

Is my topic too narrow for a pillar page?

A pillar page is a significant financial commitment, so you should take it seriously.

Ask yourself the following questions to determine whether a particular subject is appropriate for a pillar page:

• Is the subject wide enough to accommodate eight to twenty-two more specialized blog posts? 
• Can this page answer all the queries a reader might have on this subject?
• Does this topic address customer pain points?
• Is the search volume “just perfect” for this subject?

If the answer to these questions is “yes,” you are ready to pull the trigger.

2. Create an outline for your pillar page

Using a keyword-driven topic cluster map to direct your pillar page layout offers the following three advantages:

• Long-tail keywords: It becomes simpler to picture the connection between keywords and your pillar page.
• Cluster content: Linking between the pillar page and associated cluster content is now more precise.
• Thorough: You are confident that you have answered every possible customer query regarding your topic.

3. Write your pillar page

Once your plan is complete, have the following tips in mind while you write your pillar page:

Include chapters, headings, and a table of contents

Your pillar page is going to be lengthy at 5,000–10,000 words. Make sure your pillar page is as simple to skim through as possible. 

Include chapter headings, section headers, and even a table of contents. Remember that most of your audience probably used a longer search query to find your website. Therefore you should make it as simple as possible for them to see what they are looking for.

Use Q&A formats

Feel free to format your pillar page as a question and answer. Questions are full of keywords, making it easier for your reader to skim through them. Additionally, optimizing for Google Featured Snippets is a terrific method to use questions and answers.

A Google Featured Snippet is a concise summary of an article on the search results page above the search engine results.

But before implementing any search engine optimization tip, think about what will make sense for your reader. If this format doesn’t fit the context of your content, don’t use it.

Hire a proofreader

Pillar pages represent your topic cluster’s focal point. They are significant pieces of information! 

Engage an experienced and unbiased proofreader to provide input on your pillar page before you press “publish” to ensure that it is thorough and precise.

Takeaway: Start implementing topical clusters into your strategy

Creating a robust pillar page will require you to be very organized. This is because you will spend a lot of time and effort on it. But the good news is that leveraging topic clusters can help you create outstanding content in less time.

Are you now ready to include topic clusters in your content marketing strategy?

Will this take a lot of work, and you don’t have that much time?

Redakthor can assist with any task, including conducting a content audit, finding relevant information, or writing a pillar page. Get in touch with us to get started.