Best Topical Authority Tips

When it comes to ranking, topical authority is the name of the game. It’s not a magic trick. It’s not a shortcut. And it’s definitely not something you can fake with a few quick hacks. What it is, though, is one of the most effective long-term strategies for SEO success, especially if you’re a small site trying to punch above your weight.

In this post, we’re diving deep. No fluff, no vague advice. You’re going to walk away with a clear understanding of what it takes to build topical authority properly and how to avoid the missteps that keep most websites stuck. And to top it off, we’ll show you a real-world case study that proves how powerful this strategy can be, even against big-name competition.

If you need further help with your topical authority, let us help you with our custom tailored topical authority packages. These packages come with powerful backlinks and content that is designed to develop authority in your niche.

Let’s dive into the best topical authority tips to help you dominate the SERPs in your topic!

What Is Topical Authority?

Topical authority is your site’s perceived expertise on a specific subject. If you want Google to treat your site like the go-to resource in your niche, you need to build topical authority.

That doesn’t mean being everything to everyone. It means showing depth. Breadth is nice, but without depth, you’ll never stand out. Google doesn’t want more generalists. It wants specialists. Experts. People who understand not only the main topic but all the surrounding questions and subtopics.

Let’s say you run a site about indoor gardening. One post on “how to grow herbs on your windowsill” isn’t going to cut it. But if you have an entire cluster of posts covering everything from soil mixes to lighting setups to winter care routines and those posts are clearly interconnected, you’re showing search engines (and your readers) that you know your stuff.

And that’s where the real ranking power lies.

Start With a Clear Core Topic

Before you do anything else, you need to define the topic you want to build authority around. This should be something that:

• Aligns with your brand, product, or service
• Has proven demand (i.e., people are searching for it)
• Isn’t already completely saturated with unbeatable competition

Think of it as picking your lane. You don’t need to cover everything in your industry. You need to own one space. The narrower the topic, the easier it is to build momentum early on. You can always expand on the topic later.

Example: Instead of trying to dominate “fitness” as a whole, you might focus on “bodyweight workouts for women over 40.” That’s a tightly defined space where you can create focused content and become the go-to resource.

So, how do you go about finding such topics? Well, think about your niche, what key topics are important in your niche? Say you own an online coffee shop. Well, topic of coffee beans may look like a great option. Very relevant, has plenty of scope for commercial intent and so on. Trouble is that this would be incredibly competitive and difficult to build enough authority in. Well, how can we reduce the competition? We can niche down of course. Perhaps consider building topical authority around light roast coffee, or even put a local spin on it and build authority on coffee in Cardiff UK! The idea is to find a topic that makes sense and then niche down to remove some of the biggest competition. Narrowing down on your target topic will also reduce the number of posts needed to achieve topical authority.

Keyword Research for Topical Authority Content

Keyword research is the fuel that powers your content strategy. But when you’re building topical authority, you’re not just looking for high-volume terms—you’re building a full topical map.

Focus on Keyword Families (i.e Topics)

Rather than chasing one or two big head terms, you’re looking to identify all the related subtopics, variations, and questions that make up the full scope of your subject. Instead of targeting a singular keywords, you are better off targeting the topic as a whole and attacking it from multiple angles, rather than hyper focusing on singular keywords. Usually, as you build topical authority, search engines start uplifting the whole content cluster.

Example: If your core topic is “vegan meal planning,” your keyword map might include:

• Weekly vegan meal plan
• Vegan meal prep for beginners
• How to store plant-based meals
• Protein sources for vegans
• Best vegan snacks for work

These keywords reflect different angles of the same core subject. Covering them all builds topical depth. Another bonus tip we have here for you is to start measuring your topical authority growth by tracking the positions of your pages for these core keywords and terms.

Tools to Use:

• Google Autocomplete – Start typing your topic and see what Google suggests.
• People Also Ask boxes – These often surface great question-based keywords.
• Reddit/Quora – See what real users are asking in your niche.
• AnswerThePublic – Organizes keyword variations into helpful groupings.
• Google Search Console – Check what you’re already ranking for, and build on that foundation.

Organize with a Content Map

Once you’ve gathered your keywords, group them by intent and topic. Plan out pillar posts (broad, comprehensive pieces) and supporting posts (deep dives, FAQs, comparisons). This will guide your interlinking and ensure you’re hitting all the angles.

Topical authority starts with understanding what users are searching for, but it’s built by answering those questions better and more completely than anyone else

Build Deep, Interlinked Content Clusters

Here’s where the real magic happens. One article doesn’t build authority. A dozen well-connected, in-depth pieces do.

Start with a pillar post that acts as the main hub for your topic. Then, build supporting content that dives into subtopics, FAQs, comparisons, and tutorials. Interlink these using relevant anchor text that helps both users and Google understand the relationships between posts.

Example: Topic = Building a Gaming PC

• Pillar post: How to Build a Gaming PC in 2024
• Supporting content:
  • Best CPUs for Budget Gaming Builds
  • What’s the Difference Between DDR4 and DDR5 RAM?
  • How to Install a GPU Step-by-Step
  • The Top 5 Gaming PC Mistakes Beginners Make

Each of these links back to the pillar. And the pillar links back out to each of them. This creates a clear topical map that helps Google recognize the depth of your expertise.

Whilst this is the general structure to follow, don’t obsess over it. If there are two posts that look kind of like pillar posts, or you have a bunch of smaller but connected posts, it is fine. As long as you are covering the topic fully with high quality content that you connect with internal links, you’ll do just fine.

Bonus Tip: Use breadcrumbs, related post widgets, and manual internal links to reinforce these relationships across your site.

Use Multiple Angles to Cover the Topic

One of the key parts of building topical authority is demonstrating that you’ve explored your chosen subject from every possible angle. It’s not just about having a “main” post and a few follow-ups—it’s about covering all the different ways someone might engage with the topic.

Why it matters:

• It signals expertise: Experts anticipate the many paths a user might take and create content to meet them there.
• It improves engagement: Visitors stay longer because you offer next-step articles tailored to different needs.
• It fills content gaps: Your competitors may cover only the obvious topics. By branching out, you gain search real estate they’ve ignored.

Examples:

If you’re building topical authority around “freelance writing,” don’t stop at “how to become a freelance writer.” Think wider:

• How to pitch writing clients without a portfolio
• What freelance writers need to know about taxes
• Best freelance writing platforms in 2025
• How to price your writing services by niche
• Why freelance writers should consider a niche early on

Each of these supports the core, but also opens new entry points for traffic—and reinforces your topical authority.

This approach is what will massively drive your topical authority efforts. Resist temptation to broaden out your topic too early and stay focused on exploring the topic in depth. Think 2 miles deep and 2 inches wide for now. Once you are dominating the SERPs in this topic, you can always expand outwards later and start covering broader concepts.

Use Strategic Internal Linking From Older Pages

It is natural to build links as you write your new content, but if you are not updating your older content with internal links, you’re missing out!

Older content tends to carry more authority and creating internal links to your new pages can do wonders to boost their rankings, as those links will pass some of the authority of the mature pages to your new content.

An added benefit of this approach is also that older pages get updated and this boosts their “freshness” factor which itself can help push the older pages themselves up through the SERPs.

Focus on Quality Over Quantity

You don’t need 100 posts. You need the right posts. Focus on producing content that’s:

• Accurate – Backed by data, examples, and first-hand experience
• Helpful – Actually solves a problem or answers a question
• Detailed – Covers subtopics and edge cases
• Readable – Clean formatting, scannable headings, and good UX

Google knows when content is shallow or spammy. The days of spinning articles and stuffing keywords are long gone. Invest the time into quality writing and formatting, and it will pay off with rankings that last.

Get Backlinks to the Right Places

Backlinks are very important for boosting your topical authority, but remember, relevance is key. It is far better to have relevant backlinks from a small site tightly related to your niche, than it is from a huge site with seemingly high DA/ DR, but zero organic traffic.

Instead of chasing high DA links from random sites, aim for:

• Editorial links from blogs or publications in your niche
• Contextual links that naturally reference your content
• Links with organic traffic – aim for 500+ monthly visitors for smaller sites and 1k+ monthly visitors from larger sites.

As for where those backlinks should point, it can be tempting to point them all at your pillar page, or commercial page. But spreading the backlinks out across the whole cluster can be extremely beneficial, providing authority to the topic as a whole, as the link equity gets spread across the whole cluster, instead of the pages closest to the pillar page you hit with bunch of links.

The Impact of Topical Authority: A Mini Case Study

Let’s take a real-world look at how powerful topical authority can be. We cover the importance of the concept in depth in our post on why is topical authority important, but we will quickly cover our case study here showing how your small site can outrank huge competitors when the concepts of topical authority are well applied!

We worked with a small site called The Gift Bot—a niche site focused on gift ideas. It had under 60 total referring domains (about 20 of which were true editorial links) and a domain rating (DR) under 1. On paper, not impressive.

But what it did have was:

• A clear topical focus
• Dozens of interlinked articles all centered around gift giving
• Smart use of internal linking and optimized on-page SEO

The Result:

When searching for the term “gift ideas for people you don’t know well,” The Gift Bot ranks first and third—outranking BuzzFeed and Vogue.

How?

Because BuzzFeed and Vogue cover too many topics. Their gifting articles exist in isolation. The Gift Bot, on the other hand, has a tight cluster of pages around gift giving—especially gifting for acquaintances and strangers. That structure built topical authority that Google couldn’t ignore.

This isn’t theory. This is execution. And it shows that with the right strategy, small sites can beat giants.

Tips for Building Topical Authority on a Budget

Topical authority might sound like a high-effort, high-cost strategy—but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, many of the most effective tactics are either free or low-cost if you’re willing to be consistent. For full breakdown, take a look at our topical authority on a budget guide.

Start Small, Stay Focused

Pick a narrow niche that you can realistically cover in depth. Instead of trying to rank for broad categories like “personal finance,” zoom in on something like “debt reduction strategies for young professionals.” This gives you a manageable sandbox to build in—and Google loves tight topical focus.

Write the Content Yourself (at Least Initially)

Especially in the early stages, your authentic voice and insights matter. You don’t need to be a professional writer—just someone who knows their stuff. Write with clarity, structure your posts well, and focus on genuinely helping the reader. You can always polish later.

Use Free Tools to Uncover Content Opportunities

You don’t need expensive SEO suites. Google Search Console, Google Autocomplete, Reddit and Quora can give you all the ideas you need. Look for questions people are asking. If the SERPs are thin, that’s your opening.

Internal Linking Is Free and Powerful

Don’t underestimate internal linking. It costs nothing and yet it’s one of the strongest signals you can send about topical depth. Link your related posts together thoughtfully. Use descriptive anchor text. Create a visible map for search engines.

Add Strategic Backlinks Without Spending a Fortune

You don’t need a huge link budget. A handful of editorial links from blogs in your niche can do wonders. Offer guest posts, collaborate on roundups, or share original insights in comments or community posts. Relevance matters more than raw DA.

Reinvest Time Over Money

If you’re low on budget, be high on time. Updating old posts, refreshing data, expanding content, and monitoring what ranks can help you keep improving. SEO favors iteration.

Topical authority rewards consistency and focus. Even if you’re building with limited resources, the results can snowball—especially when competitors are still stuck trying to go broad.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Check out our guide on topical authority mistakes, where we cover the common pitfalls in plenty of detail. But we’ll get you started the right way with this quick summary.

Here are the most common mistakes:

• Thin content: Publishing short, surface-level posts that don’t really say anything new. Google is getting better at identifying pages that regurgitate the same information. Invest in content that is unique, detailed, and adds genuine value.
• Too much overlap: Writing multiple posts that all target similar variations of a keyword. This confuses Google and splits your ranking potential. Example: having separate articles for “best protein bars for women” and “top protein bars for women” with nearly identical content. Instead, combine them or differentiate with clear subtopics.
• Competing clusters: Trying to build topical authority in too many areas at once. It’s tempting to chase traffic from unrelated niches, but it dilutes your focus. Start with one clear core topic and only expand once you’ve established traction.
• Poor structure: If your site isn’t easy to navigate—or if content is buried too deep—Google may struggle to see your topical map. Make sure your pillar pages are close to the homepage and interlink supporting content clearly.
• Weak internal links: Not connecting posts properly or relying on generic anchor text like “click here.” Use descriptive links that signal topic relevance, like “check out our guide on affordable home office setups.”
• Neglecting content updates: Topical authority isn’t a one-and-done project. You need to revisit old posts, add new data, and keep your content fresh. If your top-ranking guide is 3 years old and hasn’t been touched, expect to be outranked by someone who updates regularly.

Avoiding these pitfalls doesn’t require a massive budget. It just requires intention and attention to detail. If you treat your site like a real resource, you’ll naturally rise to the top.

Summary

Topical authority is one of the few SEO strategies that consistently delivers results even with the constantly shifting algorithms. If you’re tired of chasing trends and feeling like SEO is out of your hands, this is the approach that puts you back in control.

Start small. Pick your topic. Go deep. Build smart connections. And let your content compound over time.

You don’t need to be the biggest player in your niche. You just need to be the most focused.