In this guide, we’ll explain what topical authority is, why it matters for SEO, and how it helps search engines see your website as an expert in its niche. You’ll also learn practical strategies to build authority through content, structure, and internal linking.
What Is Topical Authority?
In the past, SEO was all about keywords. The more you used a keyword, the better you ranked. But today, search engines are much smarter. They no longer just look at individual keywords; they look at entire topics. Topical authority is the measure of how well a website is seen as an expert on a specific subject.
Think of it like this: if you want to learn about baking, would you trust a website that has a single recipe, or a website with hundreds of recipes, guides, and tips from a team of experts? A search engine would trust the second one. It has established itself as an authority on the topic of baking.
Why Topical Authority Is Relevant for SEO
Building topical authority is a key part of your SEO strategy because it tells a search engine that you are a trusted source of information. Here’s why it is so important:
- Rank for a whole topic: When you have a lot of high-quality content on a specific topic, a search engine will rank you higher for all the keywords related to that topic, not just the one you are targeting.
- Build credibility: A person who sees that you have a lot of content on a specific topic will see you as an expert. This builds trust and credibility, which can lead to more conversions.
- Better rankings: As a search engine places more value on in-depth knowledge, a website with a strong topical authority will rank higher than one with a broad but shallow approach.
A professional platform Clickrank can help you with this. The platform can analyze your website and provide a list of keywords that you can use to build your topical authority.
How to Build Topical Authority
Building topical authority is not a quick fix; it’s a long-term content strategy. Here are a few simple ways to get started.
Focus on Topics, Not Just Keywords
Instead of trying to rank for a single keyword, you should focus on creating content that covers a whole topic. A great way to do this is with pillar pages and topic clusters.
- Pillar page: A pillar page is a comprehensive, evergreen piece of content on a broad topic. For example, a pillar page on “Digital Marketing” would cover all the basics.
- Topic clusters: Topic clusters are a series of articles that dive deep into specific sub-topics. For example, a topic cluster for “Digital Marketing” might include articles on “SEO,” “social media,” and “email marketing.”
Each of these topic clusters should link back to the pillar page, which reinforces your authority on the topic.
Create Better Content than the Competition
If your competitors have already created content on a topic, you can still beat them. You just need to create content that is better. You can find gaps in their content, leverage your unique experience, and use your own research and statistics. The goal is to provide such a comprehensive resource that your audience will want to come back to it. Our free AI Rewording Tool can help you ensure that your content is always fresh and readable.
Use Internal Linking
Internal links are a great way to show a search engine that you are an authority on a topic. When you link from a page with high authority to a new page on your site, you are passing some of that authority to the new page. This is a great way to build the authority of your most important pages.
The Verdict: Topical Authority Is the New SEO
Topical authority is a long-term strategy that requires effort, but the results are well worth it. If you’re seen as an expert, your rankings for all the keywords within that topic will improve, and your customers will trust you more.
