Glossary
What is Topic cluster?
A topic cluster is a group of related pages: a broad pillar page on a subject, and detailed pages on its subtopics that all link back to it.
Updated
A topic cluster organises content around one subject. A broad pillar page gives the overview; a set of cluster pages each go deep on one subtopic. The pages link to each other, which shows search engines, and readers, how the material fits together.
The structure
- Pillar page. A comprehensive guide to the main topic. See pillar page.
- Cluster pages. Specific articles, each aimed at its own long-tail keyword.
- Links. Each cluster page links up to the pillar, and the pillar links down to the cluster pages. Related cluster pages can link to each other.
Why it helps
Readers can follow the topic from one page to the next, and search engines see a coherent body of work on the subject. See topical authority.
Building one
- Pick a topic central to your business.
- List the questions people ask about it.
- Group them by subtopic.
- Write them, link them, and update the pillar as the cluster grows.
Related
- Pillar pageA pillar page is a comprehensive guide to a broad topic that links to more detailed pages on each of its subtopics.
- Internal linkingInternal links are links from one page of your site to another. They help readers navigate and help search engines find pages and understand how they relate.
- Topical authorityTopical authority is how thoroughly a site covers a subject. Search engines tend to trust sites that cover a topic in depth over sites that touch it once.