What Is Topical Authority in SEO & How to Build It

If you’ve been around SEO for a while, you’ve probably heard the term “topical authority” being thrown around with increasing frequency. And for good reason. Topical authority is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s becoming one of the most important ways to stand out in today’s content-saturated search results.

But what exactly is topical authority? Why does it matter? And more importantly—how do you actually build it in a way that moves the needle for your site?

Better yet, we’ll take a look at how you leverage topical authority to outrank far bigger competitors with minimal link building required.

In this guide, we’re going deep. we’ll walk you through exactly what topical authority is, how it differs from domain authority, why it matters for modern SEO, and how to build it methodically using strategies that actually work (without burning out creating random blog posts).

We’ll also cover:

• How search engines assess topical depth
• The role of E-E-A-T in topical authority
• How to structure content clusters that compound over time
• The common mistakes to avoid when trying to build authority in a niche

This post is written for SEO professionals, content strategists, and business owners who want to compete with bigger players—even if you’re starting with a smaller site.

If you are struggling to build topical authority for your site, why not let us help you? Head over to our topical authority packages page to see exactly how we can build topical authority for you.

Let’s get started by unpacking exactly what topical authority means.

What Is Topical Authority?

Topical authority is the depth of trust and credibility your website earns by consistently publishing high-quality, interconnected content on a specific subject. It’s what happens when search engines start recognising your site as the go-to source on a particular topic.

This isn’t just about writing a handful of blog posts with the right keywords. It’s about demonstrating real subject matter expertise across a range of subtopics, answering every related question, and connecting content in a way that shows Google (and your audience) that you understand the space better than anyone else.

Topical authority can be built on international, national, or even local level with great results when executed correctly. The approach remains largely similar at whichever level you wish to work on, but for local topical authority building, you’ll need to put a local angle on the bulk of your content.

And here’s where it gets interesting: topical authority can let smaller, lower-domain-authority websites outrank massive competitors.

What Is the Difference Between Domain Authority and Topical Authority?

Domain authority and topical authority are often confused, but they measure very different things—and understanding that difference can completely change how you approach SEO.

Domain authority (like Ahrefs’ DR or Moz’s DA) is a rough measure of your site’s overall strength based on backlink quantity and quality. It’s about how many reputable websites link to yours, regardless of the content topics. In general, more high-quality links = higher domain authority.

Topical authority, on the other hand, is all about depth. It measures how well your site covers a particular subject area. It’s less about how many links you have and more about how relevant and comprehensive your content is around a specific theme.

Here’s a simple way to think about it:

• Domain authority = how powerful your website is
• Topical authority = how trustworthy your content is on a specific topic

Let’s say you run a fitness blog.

• You’ve got 300 links from cooking blogs, travel blogs, and random small websites. Your domain authority might look decent.
• But if you’ve only written 3 articles on “strength training for beginners” with no supporting content or internal links, your topical authority in that niche is likely weak.

Now flip it:

• You’ve written 30 well-researched, interlinked posts about strength training.
• You’ve covered every question a beginner might have, linked them all together, and earned just a handful of backlinks—but they’re from relevant fitness sites.

Suddenly, you’re the go-to source for that topic—and Google notices.

That’s topical authority. And in 2025, search engines are leaning into it hard.

Learn more: Domain Authority vs Topical Authority

Why Is Topical Authority Important?

Topical authority is becoming one of the most reliable ways to gain SEO traction—especially if you’re trying to outrank bigger, more established competitors.

Here’s why it matters:

1. Google Rewards Depth Over Breadth

Google isn’t just looking for surface-level content anymore. It wants to serve the best result—and that means the most useful, in-depth content from trusted sources. If your site consistently delivers value on a specific topic, Google starts to see you as an authority—and rewards you with higher rankings.

If someone lands on your site to learn how to start a herb garden, and you also offer:

• A guide to growing herbs indoors
• A comparison of herb growing kits
• Tips for harvesting and storing basil

…then you look like the kind of site that deserves to rank. Because you cover the topic holistically.

2. It Helps Smaller Sites Punch Above Their Weight

You don’t need a massive budget or thousands of backlinks to compete. Topical authority lets you level the playing field. By creating focused, well-structured content that comprehensively covers a niche, even lower-DR sites can outperform larger ones.

3. It Strengthens Your Internal Linking Strategy

When you build topical authority, you’re also building strong internal content clusters. These help search engines crawl and understand your site more effectively—and they help users find what they need faster. That improves UX and keeps visitors on your site longer. Click through signals from users on your site may help further the authority of your pages and uplift your entire content cluster even more. This is why with topical authority you can see your pages climb the SERPs over time.

4. It Builds Long-Term SEO Resilience

Topical authority compounds over time. The more high-quality content you create around a topic—and the more effectively it’s structured—the harder it is for competitors to unseat you. You’re building a moat around your rankings. Furthermore, as you build out your topical authority and earn positive signals from your site users such as longer times on site and click throughs to your other pages, you further boost the authority of your pages. It’s this positive feedback loop that makes it even harder for your competition to knock you off the top spot.

5. It Reduces the Number of Backlinks You Need to Rank

Because topical authority sends such a strong relevance signal to search engines, you can often outrank higher-authority competitors without matching them backlink for backlink. Your content becomes more valuable in context, meaning you can get results faster and with fewer link-building resources.

If you want to future-proof your SEO strategy, start building topical authority. It’s the kind of SEO investment that keeps paying off long after the content is published.

Learn More: The Importance of Topical Authority

How Does Topical Authority Work?

Topical authority works because search engines are constantly trying to identify not just what content is relevant to a query, but who is best positioned to answer it comprehensively.

Here’s how search engines like Google assess topical authority:

1. Depth and Breadth of Content

If your site deeply covers a topic across a wide range of angles—beginner guides, advanced tutorials, product comparisons, FAQs, opinion pieces—Google recognises that depth. A strong signal of topical authority is when a site can answer both common and long-tail queries around a theme.

Example: A site trying to rank for “best survival games” would also be expected to cover related topics like “survival crafting mechanics”, “base-building tips”, “multiplayer vs single player survival games” etc. The more angles you cover, the more complete your topical footprint becomes.

2. Internal Linking and Content Structure

Google looks at how your content is interconnected. Are related articles linked together meaningfully? Is there a clear hierarchy between pillar pages and supporting content? A well-structured content cluster signals to search engines that your site isn’t just publishing content randomly—you’re building a knowledge system.

Example: If your article on “how to tame a dinosaur in Ark” links to a broader guide on Ark Survival Evolved, and that guide links to an overview of co-op survival games, you’re creating an intentional structure. That helps Google see you as a reliable source.

3. Topical Consistency Over Time

Publishing one-off posts in a niche doesn’t build authority. Google wants to see consistent investment in a subject area. That means new content, content updates, and a clear editorial direction.

Example: A site that publishes gift guides every quarter, explores new gift trends annually, and builds articles on niche scenarios (like “gifts for colleagues you barely know”) is reinforcing its topical authority through consistency.

4. External Signals (But Focused Ones)

Backlinks still matter—but search engines pay close attention to where those links are coming from and what content they point to. Links from topically relevant sources to your key pages boost trust in your authority on that subject.

Example: A link to your in-depth Hades game guide from a popular roguelike subreddit sends a much stronger topical signal than a generic link from a lifestyle blog.

5. Engagement and Behavioural Signals

Search engines also measure how users interact with your content. Do they bounce immediately or stick around? Do they visit multiple pages in your topic cluster? High engagement suggests quality, which supports authority.

Example: A well-structured series of articles on “modding Starbound” might encourage users to read 3–4 posts in a row. That sends strong behavioural signals to Google that your content delivers value.

In short: topical authority is how search engines identify not just what pages mention a topic, but which websites own that topic in terms of depth, consistency, structure, and trust.

It’s not about chasing one-off rankings. It’s about becoming the definitive resource—and that’s what Google wants to rank.

E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness) in Topical Authority

Topical authority and E-E-A-T go hand in hand. You can’t build one without feeding into the other. E-E-A-T—short for Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness—is Google’s framework for evaluating content quality. It’s especially important for topics where accuracy and trust really matter (like health, finance, or anything YMYL).

But here’s the thing: E-E-A-T isn’t just about author bios or fancy credentials. It’s about how your entire site behaves—and that ties directly into topical authority.

Expertise

Google wants to surface content written by people who know what they’re talking about. If you’re consistently publishing insightful, well-researched content in your niche—and your content is accurate, up-to-date, and clearly explained—you’re ticking the expertise box.

Example: A gaming site that regularly reviews early access titles, compares co-op mechanics, and dives deep into modding tutorials shows clear expertise. Especially if those posts are written by a known gamer or reviewer, or link out to credible sources.

Experience

Experience is about demonstrating first-hand knowledge. Are you speaking from lived experience, or just regurgitating what others have written?

Example: A post titled “Why I Quit Playing X Game After 300 Hours” clearly shows personal insight. A walkthrough based on first-hand gameplay does more for E-E-A-T than a generic copycat guide.

Authority

This is where topical authority directly plugs in. The more comprehensive your coverage of a topic—and the more your content is referenced or linked to by others in the niche—the more authoritative you become in Google’s eyes.

Example: If your site is the go-to hub for all things related to farming simulators—from game comparisons to mod packs to controller tips—you’re building real authority in that space.

Trustworthiness

Do users trust your site? Do you have clear authorship, sources, a secure site, and accurate information? These elements reinforce both E-E-A-T and topical authority.

Example: Transparent disclosures, accurate data, up-to-date info, and links to reputable sources all boost trust. So does fast load speed, mobile usability, and HTTPS.

How E-E-A-T Supports Topical Authority

Google sees E-E-A-T signals as part of how it identifies which sites to trust for specific subjects. You can’t just “look” authoritative—you have to act like it across your whole site. That means being:

• Consistent in tone and subject matter
• Transparent about who’s writing the content
• Backed by real experience or insight
• Referenced or linked to by other trusted sources

When you layer E-E-A-T on top of a focused, well-structured content cluster, you’re building a powerful case for Google to rank your site over broader, less specialised ones.

Topical authority + strong E-E-A-T = the ultimate combo for long-term SEO growth.

How Do Search Engines Prioritize Sites with Topical Authority?

Search engines don’t just want to rank “good” content. They want to rank the best possible result for every query—especially as AI-generated content floods the web. And increasingly, that “best” result is the one that demonstrates deep topical authority.

Here’s how search engines prioritise topically authoritative sites:

1. Semantic Understanding of Topic Coverage

Google uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to understand semantic relationships between topics. This means it can detect when a website covers a topic comprehensively—even if it’s not repeating the same keywords.

Example: If your site covers “co-op survival games,” but also dives into subtopics like “team roles in survival games,” “best survival games on Switch,” and “early access survival games,” Google understands you have meaningful topical breadth.

The result? Your content is prioritised because it appears more capable of satisfying diverse user intents within that topic.

2. Relevance Over Raw Metrics

A high-DR site that only briefly touches on a topic may rank lower than a low-DR site that’s deeply focused. Google’s algorithm evaluates relevance and depth over generic authority.

Example: The Gift Bot outranking BuzzFeed and Vogue is a classic example. Even with thousands of backlinks, those big sites didn’t offer enough relevant depth on the gifting niche. The Gift Bot did—and won.

3. Link Context & Internal Linking Signals

It’s not just about having backlinks—it’s where they point and how your own site is structured. Topical authority is reinforced by smart internal linking and topical link context.

Example: If your site has a tightly linked cluster on “modding in RimWorld” and external links point to the hub page and supporting guides, Google sees a clear, reinforced signal of subject-matter authority.

4. Behavioural Patterns & User Signals

Google pays close attention to how users interact with your site:

• Do they pogo-stick (click back to search results)?
• Do they click deeper into your topic cluster?
• Do they share or bookmark your content?

Sites that keep users engaged are seen as more likely to satisfy search intent—an important signal of trust and authority.

Example: A reader who lands on a “best survival games” post and goes on to read multiple related guides sends stronger quality signals than someone who bounces instantly.

5. Historical Content Performance

Search engines also prioritise websites that have a track record of ranking well and satisfying users within a topic. This makes it easier for you to rank future content in the same space.

Example: If you consistently rank for “gift guides for teachers,” your new post on “gift ideas for daycare workers” is more likely to rank quickly—even without lots of links—because Google already trusts your expertise in that domain.

In summary: Search engines prioritise sites with topical authority by evaluating:

• Depth of coverage
• Content structure and interlinking
• Topical relevance of backlinks
• Engagement metrics
• Consistency over time

It’s not about being the biggest—it’s about being the most relevant and complete.

And if you build that kind of presence in your niche, search engines will reward you with rankings that stick.

The Impact of Topical Authority

To really understand how powerful topical authority can be, let’s break it down with a real-life example from one of our former clients: The Gift Bot.

This was a small niche site focused entirely on gift guides. No massive team. No big-budget SEO campaign. Just smart, strategic content built with topical authority in mind.

Let’s look at what happened.

The Search Term: “gift ideas for people you don’t know well”

We noticed The Gift Bot was ranking above major household names like Vogue and BuzzFeed—not just once, but twice, securing both the 1st and 3rd positions on Google. That’s right. A tiny site with a Domain Rating (DR) of 0.8 and 54referring domains was outranking publications with thousands of links and years of publishing history.

Here’s the kicker: of those 53 referring domains, only about 20 were truly editorial. No massive PR wins. No high-authority backlinks from Forbes or TechCrunch. Just focused content and smart internal linking.

Why Did They Outrank the Giants?

Simple: topical authority.

The Gift Bot didn’t try to be everything to everyone. Instead, it went all-in on the gifting niche. Their site structure, content calendar, and link-building strategy all worked together to create a dense, interconnected network of articles that showed Google, “We know this space inside and out.”

Let’s compare their approach:

Feature	The Gift Bot	Vogue/BuzzFeed
Domain Rating	0.8	90+
Backlinks	~54 (20 editorial)	Thousands
Topical Focus	100% gift-related	Broad lifestyle + entertainment
Internal Links	Strong content clusters	Minimal interlinking
Content Depth	Deep niche coverage	Occasional gift lists

We used our internal link analysis tool to visualise their content cluster. What stood out was how deep and specific their content went—covering everything from “gifts for coworkers” to “gift ideas for people you barely know,” “last-minute gifts,” and more. All connected. All relevant.

Compare that to Vogue’s content, which might include a gift guide here and there, but doesn’t build a full knowledge graph around the topic. Their content is broader, less interlinked, and not reinforced with consistent publishing in that niche.

External Signals Were Aligned Too

The few backlinks The Gift Bot earned pointed directly to their key cluster pages. Those pages weren’t just isolated blog posts—they were hubs in a structured content system. That sent clear topical signals to Google: this site is the authority on obscure gift-giving scenarios.

Even with 1/100th of the backlinks, they ranked higher. Because Google doesn’t just look at link counts. It looks at context, depth, and whether your site genuinely owns a topic.

What This Means for You

This case study shows that you don’t need thousands of backlinks or a DR of 80+ to compete. What you need is:

• A clear topical niche
• A smart content strategy
• Interlinked content clusters
• A few highly relevant backlinks

That’s what builds topical authority—and that’s what wins in search today.

So if you’re a small site trying to compete, stop stressing about not being BuzzFeed. Be The Gift Bot. Go deep. Stay focused. And build trust with both users and search engines—one page at a time.

How to Build Topical Authority

Alright, now that you know what topical authority is and why it matters, let’s get into the part that actually moves the needle — how to build it.

The good news? It’s not about publishing random blog posts and hoping for the best. Building topical authority is a strategic process. Think of it like leveling up a skill tree in an RPG. Each step reinforces the last and unlocks bigger long-term advantages.

Here’s the full roadmap I recommend — broken down step by step.

Step 1: Do Topic-Based Keyword Research (Not Just Keyword-Based)

This is the foundation. Instead of looking for high-volume keywords in isolation, start by identifying entire topics your audience cares about — and then find all the relevant subtopics, questions, and angles within them.

Let’s use an example.

Say your site is about co-op survival games.

Instead of targeting just:

• “best survival games”
• “survival games for PC”

You zoom out and look at the broader topic: “co-op survival gaming”

Within that, you identify a whole list of related content ideas:

• Best base-building co-op games
• Co-op survival games for Switch
• Tips for surviving in multiplayer PvE environments
• How to coordinate team roles in co-op survival games
• Top 10 early access survival games with co-op
• Controller settings for co-op survival games

Now you’re not chasing isolated keywords, you’re laying the foundation for a content cluster that tells Google you’re serious about this space.

Pro Tip: Use tools like Ahrefs’ “Matching Terms” + “Questions” filters or Google search AlsoAsked section to generate long-tail questions people are already searching for.

Step 2: Create Interlinked Topic Clusters

Once you have your topics mapped out, it’s time to structure them into clusters.

Each cluster has:

• A main pillar page (the broad, overarching topic)
• Several supporting pages (deep dives into subtopics)
• Strong internal links connecting everything together

This structure helps search engines crawl your site more easily and understand how your content fits together.

Example Cluster Structure:

Pillar Page: Best Co-op Survival Games (overview, comparisons, platforms)
Supporting Post 1: Co-op Survival Games on Switch
Supporting Post 2: Base Building Mechanics in Survival Games
Supporting Post 3: Modding Co-op Survival Games
Supporting Post 4: PvE Strategies for Multiplayer Teams
Supporting Post 5: Controller Tips for Co-op Survival

Each supporting post links back to the pillar page, and to each other where relevant. Now your site becomes a tightly structured “web” of knowledge around this topic.

Why it matters: Google sees your site is truly invested in the topic and that you’re a knowledgeable expert on the topic. That’s what builds trust and authority.

Step 3: Write Authority Content (Not Just “SEO Content”)

Your content can’t just be surface-level filler designed to check keyword boxes. That might’ve worked in 2012, but not anymore.

To build topical authority, your content needs to:

• Answer real user questions in depth
• Show actual experience or expertise
• Include updated information
• Be well-structured and easy to read
• Link out to reputable sources (and internally to your other relevant posts)

Comparison Example:

Weak Content	Authority Content
“5 Best Co-op Games” with no detail, no personal insight, 500 words of fluff	“Ultimate Guide to Co-op Survival Games” with comparisons, gameplay breakdowns, mod links, screenshots, and first-hand tips from 300 hours of gameplay

Authority content doesn’t mean “long for the sake of it.” It means useful. Helpful. Deep.

If your content doesn’t add something new to the conversation, it’s not building authority.

Step 4: Build Relevant Backlinks (But Stay Targeted)

Yes, links very much matter. But when building topical authority, you don’t need 1,000 backlinks—you need a few relevant, contextually strong ones. This is a huge reason why topical authority approach can be so powerful in SEO. With few right links and well built out topical content you can compete with huge competitors sitting on top of you in SERPs.

Focus on getting links:

• From sites in the same niche
• Pointing to your key pillar pages or strongest content
• That reinforce your authority on the specific topic

So, we’ve established that link building is certainly a worthwhile activity when building topical authority, but how do you go about it?

Well there is a number of link building tactics that you could pursue that we describe in our link building guide, but here are few approaches that lend themselves quite well to topical authority links, when you’re not yet established name in your industry.

Targeted Outreach

Outreach based methods are still the bread and butter of links. There are few ways you can approach this:

• Link Bait Content Outreach – Write data rich content such as case studies and statistics pages. Then reach out to media and blogs in your niche showcasing your new, original data and content encouraging them to link out to you.
• Link Exchanges – Reach out to blogs in your niche and offer to do a link exchange, where you link out to their site and they link out to you in return.
• Guest Blogging – Reach out to blogs in your niche and offer to write an in-depth, high-quality piece of content for their site. In that content you’ll strategically place a backlink to your own site.

Broken Link Building

Use Ahrefs or CheckMyLinks to find dead links on relevant blogs or resource pages. If your content is a solid replacement, you’ve just made their life easier. Create content to replace the broken link and pitch it to them.

Broken Link Pitch Example:

“Hi! I saw you linked to a ‘multiplayer survival mechanics’ guide that no longer works. We have an up-to-date guide that could fit there perfectly—happy to share the link if useful.”

Simple. Polite. Effective.

Digital PR

Digital PR is where link building meets brand building. Instead of asking for links directly, you earn them by doing something worth talking about—then getting it in front of the right people.

Think campaigns, data studies, expert commentary, or unique assets like tools, quizzes, or maps.

Example:
The Gift Bot could run a study like “The Top 10 Most Gifted Items in the UK by Region” using internal data. A clever angle + solid outreach = links from news outlets, bloggers, and industry publications.

Digital PR is ideal for building high-quality, natural links at scale—and it boosts your E-E-A-T signals and topical relevance when the campaign is tied to your niche.

The key here isn’t just to “get links.” It’s to get the right links. Links that:

• Come from thematically relevant sites
• Point to content within your topic clusters
• Help reinforce your site as a trustworthy source on that subject

Because when Google sees not only that you’ve built the content, but that other people in the space are referencing it, you’ll develop topical authority.

Recap: How to Build Topical Authority (the Right Way)

Here’s a quick breakdown of the full process:

Step	What to Do	Why It Matters
1	Do topic-based keyword research	Lays the groundwork for cluster strategy
2	Create structured content clusters	Helps search engines understand your depth
3	Write valuable, expert content	Builds trust, keeps users engaged
4	Earn relevant backlinks	Reinforces authority and boosts rankings

If you follow this method consistently, you’ll begin to notice something powerful: you don’t need as many links to rank. You’re not chasing keywords—you’re owning a topic.

That’s the magic of topical authority. It compounds. It protects your rankings. And it builds real, lasting value over time.

Learn more: Building Topical Authority on a Budget , Top Topical Authority Tips

How to Measure Topical Authority

So, you’ve been building content. You’ve created clusters, internal links, and maybe even scored a few high-quality backlinks. But how do you know if it’s working?

Unlike domain authority (where tools like Ahrefs or Moz just give you a number), topical authority doesn’t come with a neat metric. Google doesn’t hand out a “Topical Score.” But that doesn’t mean you can’t measure it.

There are a few smart ways to track whether your site is building topical authority over time — and whether it’s starting to pay off.

Let’s walk through how to do it.

1. Check How You’re Ranking for Related Queries

This is the most practical way to see if Google’s starting to see you as an authority in your niche.

If you start ranking for a broad set of related keywords — especially long-tail ones you didn’t explicitly optimise for — that’s a clear sign of growing topical authority.

Example:

Let’s say you wrote a post targeting “gift ideas for people you don’t know well.”

Now, a few weeks later, you’re also ranking for:

• “gifts for acquaintances”
• “presents for new colleagues”
• “easy gifts under £20 for strangers”

…without even targeting those phrases specifically?

That’s Google recognising your topical relevance. It trusts your site as a useful source on that subject — even if you didn’t ask it to.

2. Use Google Search Console to Track Topic Coverage

Head over to Google Search Console → Performance → Search Results.

Set your date range to the last 3 months and filter by keyword topic. For example, search for terms containing “gift,” “gifting,” or “present.”

Then ask yourself:

• Are impressions and clicks growing across multiple related posts?
• Are new variations of the keyword family showing up?
• Are older pages still gaining visibility?

Why this matters:
Topical authority isn’t just about ranking 1 page. It’s about becoming visible across a whole topic ecosystem — and GSC is where you’ll see that growth first.

3. Cluster-Wide Ranking Growth

If you’ve built a topic cluster (e.g. “gifting for different types of people”), you can monitor whether the cluster as a whole is gaining traction.

Use a rank tracking tool like Ahrefs, SE Ranking, or even manual tracking in Google Sheets. Group all your articles on that cluster and track their positions.

Example:

Cluster: “Gift Ideas for Work Relationships”

URL	Target Keyword	Ranking (Month 1)	Ranking (Month 3)
/gifts-for-managers	gifts for managers	#18	#6
/gifts-for-new-hires	welcome gifts for new hires	#25	#10
/gifts-for-colleagues	gifts for colleagues	#11	#4

If rankings are improving across the board, you’re building topical authority.

4. Look at Internal Link Graphs

This is more technical but incredibly useful.

Use a tool like Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, or even our own free internal link visualisation tool to map your internal link structure.

What to look for:

• Do your topic clusters form a clear, interlinked group?
• Are there obvious “hub” or pillar pages with lots of internal links?
• Are orphan pages (no internal links) dragging down cluster strength?

Why it matters:
Internal linking is a huge part of how Google evaluates topic structure. A tight, logical interlinking setup reinforces topical authority. A messy, disconnected one weakens it.

Example:
In The Gift Bot case study, their gifting content was so well-structured internally that even with fewer backlinks, Google understood the topical coverage better than competitors like Vogue.

5. Compare Against Competitors

If you want to see how strong your topical authority is relative to others in your niche, you’ll need to do a bit of competitive analysis.

Here’s what to check:

• How many articles do they have in the topic cluster?
• What’s the depth of their content (word count, coverage, freshness)?
• Do they interlink their articles properly?
• Do they rank for long-tail variants and question-based queries?

Example:

Let’s say your competitor has one blog post on “gift ideas for bosses.”
You have:

• One long-form pillar guide
• 5 supporting articles (e.g. gifts under £20, handmade gifts, funny gifts, etc.)
• Smart internal links between them
• And you’re starting to rank for more search variations…

You’re likely winning the topical race—even if they still have a higher domain authority.

6. Topical Trust Flow (Bonus)

This is more advanced and depends on the tools you use.

If you use Majestic, their “Topical Trust Flow” metric shows which topics your backlinks are reinforcing. It’s a helpful signal to see if Google might see your site as trusted in a particular space.

If your backlinks mostly fall under “Shopping / Gifts” or “Games / Video Games,” that’s a stronger signal than generic categories like “News” or “Web Hosting.”

Topical Authority Is a Pattern, Not a Metric

You won’t find topical authority in a single number. It’s a pattern. It’s about watching how your site behaves over time within a specific subject area:

• Rankings start to climb across related keywords
• GSC impressions grow across your cluster
• Your internal links are tight and logical
• You’re getting referenced (or linked to) in relevant places
• Your content depth outpaces the competition

Track these patterns, improve them over time, and you’ll start to see something powerful:

Your site is no longer just another blog—it’s becoming the go-to resource in your space.

That’s when you know your topical authority is working.

Learn more: Measuring Topical Authority

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building Topical Authority

Topical authority works—but only if you build it intentionally. Too often, site owners and marketers jump into content creation with the right intentions but the wrong execution. Here are the most common mistakes we see (and how to avoid them).

1. Publishing Content Without a Clear Core Topic

This is the single most common reason topical authority strategies fail.

Many sites assume that publishing more content will naturally lead to better rankings. But without a defined topical focus, all that content does is spread your site too thin—making it harder for Google to understand what you’re actually an expert in.

Example:
A blog starts covering SEO and publishes one article on local SEO for dentists, another on SaaS link building, and a third on technical audits for eCommerce. Individually, they’re decent posts—but together, they don’t build any coherent authority.

Fix:
Start with a tightly focused topic. For instance: “Local SEO for healthcare businesses.” Then break that into subtopics like citations, review generation, GBP optimisation, and localised link building. Create a central pillar and build supporting content around it.

2. Trying to Build Authority in Too Many Topics at Once

If you’re trying to rank in five different verticals simultaneously, you probably won’t rank in any of them. When you split your attention, you end up with shallow clusters instead of deep ones—and Google rewards depth.

Example:
A digital marketing agency blog covers SEO, PPC, email, social, and branding. Each cluster only has 2–3 posts. None have enough substance to build authority.

Fix:
Prioritise one cluster at a time. Build at least 10–15 well-connected articles around a single theme. Once that cluster is ranking and earning traffic, move on to the next.

3. Creating Thin Supporting Content

Pillar pages often get the attention, but supporting content is what gives your cluster real weight. Too many sites publish 500–600 word overviews that barely scratch the surface—meaning they don’t rank, and they don’t help your pillar either.

Example:
You write a strong pillar on “How to Start a Dropshipping Store,” but your supporting posts are “Top 5 Niches” and “Why Use Shopify?”—both under 700 words, and neither offering much depth.

Fix:
Every supporting piece should be able to rank independently. Aim for 1,200–1,500 words with genuine value—step-by-step tutorials, in-depth comparisons, expert tips, FAQs, etc.

4. Overlapping and Competing Content

This is a common issue for sites that publish at scale. If you create multiple pages that target the same keyword or very similar variations, they’ll cannibalise each other in search—making it harder for any of them to rank.

Example:
A gaming blog publishes:

• “Best Budget Gaming Laptops 2024”
• “Top Cheap Gaming Laptops Under £800”
• “Affordable Gaming Laptops for Beginners”

To a search engine, these pages all compete for the same intent.

Fix:
Consolidate overlapping pages into a single, stronger article. Use your content audit tools to find competing URLs and merge or differentiate them. Each post in a cluster should serve a distinct role and angle.

5. Weak or Missing Internal Links

Internal linking is what turns a pile of blog posts into a topic cluster. If your articles aren’t linked together, Google can’t easily see how they relate—and you’re leaving authority on the table.

Example:
You write 10 posts on local SEO but none of them link to your main “Local SEO Guide” pillar. Or worse, your links just say “click here” with no contextual clues.

Fix:
Use keyword-rich anchor text that accurately describes the destination page. Link all supporting content to the pillar page and, where relevant, to each other. A strong cluster should feel like a web, not a list.

If you need help visualising this, check out our free internal link visualisation tool—it maps your content clusters so you can see exactly what’s connected and what isn’t.

6. Poor Use of Anchor Text

Anchor text gives search engines clues about what a linked page is about. But if you misuse it—either by being too vague or overly aggressive—you risk diluting your signals or even triggering penalties.

Common Mistakes:

• Using anchors like “click here” or “learn more” with no context
• Repeating exact-match anchors excessively (looks spammy)
• Using inconsistent phrasing for the same page

Fix:
Use natural, descriptive anchor text. Balance exact-match with partial-match phrases and contextual anchors. Stay consistent when referencing your pillar pages.

Example:
Instead of linking with “click here,” try: “Check out our complete budget gaming PC build guide.”

7. Ignoring Search Intent

Topical relevance doesn’t automatically equal ranking potential. If your content doesn’t align with what searchers are expecting to see, it won’t perform—no matter how well it’s written.

Example:
You publish “How to Choose a Keyword Tool” and structure it like a quick listicle. But the top-ranking pages are detailed tutorials with comparisons, screenshots, and buyer decision flows.

Fix:
Study the SERPs. Look at the content format Google is rewarding and align yours accordingly—then make it more comprehensive and useful.

8. Using Flat or Messy URL Structures

If all your URLs live at the root level (e.g. /blog-post-title), you’re missing an opportunity to help search engines and users understand your content hierarchy.

Example:

• /seo-guide
• /seo-tips-for-saas
• /link-building-for-lawyers

These look unrelated. Instead, use folders to reflect clusters:

• /seo/guide
• /seo/saas-strategy
• /seo/legal-link-building

Fix:
Structure your URLs to reflect topic clusters. It reinforces content relationships and improves crawlability.

9. Forgetting About Backlinks

Yes, topical authority can reduce the number of links you need—but you still need some. Especially to your pillar content.

Example:
Your content cluster on “Gaming Keyboard Reviews” is well-written and interlinked, but it’s buried on page 5 because no external sites are linking to it.

Fix:
Focus on building backlinks to your pillar page and high-value supporting content. Use digital PR, guest posts, or outreach. A few strong links can lift the entire cluster through internal linking.

10. Letting Your Cluster Go Stale

Even great content loses its edge over time. If you’re not updating your clusters, someone else will—and they’ll outrank you.

Example:
You wrote “Best Free SEO Tools” in 2022, but haven’t updated it. The SERP is now filled with fresh content from 2024, and your article has dropped off page one.

Fix:
Schedule quarterly or biannual audits. Refresh stats, screenshots, and recommendations. Update internal links and consider adding new subtopics as the niche evolves.

Topical authority isn’t about producing as much content as possible. It’s about building a content ecosystem with a clear purpose, strong internal architecture, and ongoing refinement. Avoid these mistakes, and you’ll be in a much stronger position to own your niche—one cluster at a time.

Learn more: Topical Authority Mistakes

What is Topical Relevance?

Topical relevance is how closely your content aligns with the core subject it’s targeting. Search engines are looking for semantic consistency—not just keyword matches.

Example:
Say your blog is about “co-op survival games.” A relevant post wouldn’t just mention that phrase once—it would also dive into related themes like multiplayer mechanics, survival strategy, crafting systems, and genre comparisons.

The more contextually related terms and ideas you include (naturally), the more relevant your content is seen to be. Topical relevance is the backbone of building topical authority.

What Are Topic Clusters in SEO?

Topic clusters are a content strategy where a central “pillar page” is surrounded by and interlinked with related “cluster” content.

Example:
Your pillar page could be “Best Co-Op Survival Games.” Then you build out cluster pages like:

• “Top Survival Games on Steam for 2 Players”
• “How Base Building Works in Valheim”
• “Beginner’s Guide to Don’t Starve Together”

Each piece links to the others, reinforcing the theme and helping search engines understand your topical depth.

What is Semantic SEO?

Semantic SEO is the approach of optimizing for meaning, not just keywords. Google now understands context, synonyms, and related concepts through NLP (natural language processing).

Example:
A guide on “zombie survival games” should naturally include phrases like “post-apocalyptic,” “undead hordes,” “infection mechanics,” and “resource scarcity.” This signals depth and relevance even if the exact keyword isn’t repeated dozens of times.

Think less keyword-stuffing, more “what would a real expert cover?”

What is Website Authority?

Website authority (also called domain authority) measures how strong and trustworthy your site is across the board—mainly based on backlinks.

Example:
IGN has huge domain authority because of its long history and thousands of backlinks. But that doesn’t mean it has topical authority in every niche. A small site hyper-focused on a single genre (like The Gift Bot and gifting) can outrank them with far less domain authority by building trust within that topic.

Topical Authority vs Content Hubs: What’s the Difference?

• Content hubs are the structure—a main page and related subpages.
• Topical authority is the result—Google recognising your site as a subject-matter expert.

Example:
Anyone can build a content hub. But if the pages are weak, unlinked, or lacking depth, it won’t earn authority. Topical authority is earned through quality, consistency, interlinking, and relevance—not just structure.

How Long Does It Take to Build Topical Authority?

Typically, 3–6 months for early traction. But for competitive spaces, 6–12 months is more realistic.

Example:
If you launch a focused section on “modding survival games,” and publish 3–4 solid articles per month with good internal linking and one or two backlinks, you could start seeing ranking movement within a few months.

Topical authority builds over time. The more you invest, the faster it compounds.

Does Topical Authority Help With Indexing?

Absolutely. If Google trusts your site in a niche, it will crawl and index your content faster—because it expects value.

Example:
The Gift Bot publishes a new gifting article and gets indexed within hours. A brand new lifestyle blog with no topical authority might wait days or weeks.

It’s like Google puts you on the “priority list” for crawling once you’ve earned trust.

Can You Rank Without Backlinks Using Topical Authority?

Yes—for low and medium competition queries. If your topical depth is strong, Google may rank you purely based on content quality and structure.

Example:
The Gift Bot ranked above Vogue and BuzzFeed with only ~54 referring domains. Why? Their content was more relevant, better structured, and contextually stronger in that niche.

For hyper-competitive queries, you’ll still need backlinks—but fewer than you would without topical authority.

How Many Articles Do I Need to Build Topical Authority?

There’s no magic number—but a solid cluster usually has at least 20–30 well-connected articles covering different angles of the topic.

Example:
If your niche is “Roguelike Games,” your cluster might include:

• Reviews of individual games
• Comparison lists
• Gameplay mechanics breakdowns
• Tips and strategy guides
• Genre history and future trends

The goal isn’t volume—it’s coverage and interlinking.

Learn more: How many posts do you need for topical authority?

Final Thoughts

Topical authority is your secret weapon if you’re trying to rank without relying solely on backlinks.

It rewards:

• Deep content, not shallow fluff
• Relevance and structure over raw word count
• Smaller, focused sites—not just industry giants

Whether you’re running a niche gaming blog, a product review site, or a digital brand—go all in on one topic, structure your content well, and prove your expertise.

Google will notice. And it will reward you.