We understand the dedication and effort you invest in each article you publish. Implementing an SEO topic cluster strategy ensures that all your hard work contributes to a larger, more effective content plan.
This strategy focuses on creating purposeful and interconnected content. It goes beyond merely publishing articles to establishing a comprehensive resource for your audience.
You will develop a primary ‘pillar’ page centered around a broad topic, and then create ‘cluster’ pages that explore more specific aspects related to that topic.
These pages will interlink, demonstrating to both your readers and search engines the depth of your expertise. It’s an excellent method for organizing your knowledge.
Let’s embark on this journey together. We will provide you with a clear, step-by-step guide to create your very first topic cluster.
What Is an SEO Topic Cluster?
People around the world are constantly seeking answers online. Every minute, 6.3 million queries are entered into Google as users look for the information they need.
The key to attracting search traffic lies in producing high-quality, detailed content that effectively answers these questions. These ‘pillar articles‘ are comprehensive posts designed to deliver extensive evergreen information on the topic.
As your website expands, you may find it challenging to cover all relevant information on a topic within a single post. At CanadaCreate, we recommend creating clusters of articles focused on each topic to effectively manage this.
An SEO topic cluster revolves around a central pillar or ‘parent’ post that links to ‘child’ articles, which delve into specific subtopics. Each child post also connects back to the pillar article. Depending on your niche, you may need to develop multiple topic clusters.
For instance, the article you are currently reading is part of our SEO cluster. It includes a link back to the cluster’s pillar post, which is the Ultimate WordPress SEO Guide for Beginners (Step by Step).
The pillar article provides a comprehensive overview of WordPress SEO and links to this article along with other child articles that offer detailed information on various SEO subtopics.
This structure allows our readers to easily navigate through complex topics, while also enhancing our SEO performance.
How Do SEO Topic Clusters Enhance SEO?
Content clusters represent a robust SEO strategy as they organize your content in a way that search engines can easily understand and rank. Here are some advantages of implementing clusters:
- Topic clusters help search engines grasp the significance of a main topic and its related subtopics. This showcases your site’s depth and expertise, indicating its relevance to search engines.
- They enhance user experience by guiding visitors through interconnected information, positioning you as a reliable source. Engaged users tend to explore more pages and spend additional time on each, which can positively impact your SEO.
- A cluster framework provides a clear guideline for content creation. By concentrating on interrelated topics, you will organically develop a comprehensive resource hub rather than publishing unrelated content randomly.
- The supporting articles allow you to target longer, more specific long-tail keywords that address particular questions and challenges, increasing your chances of ranking for those search queries.
- By covering a variety of topics within a cluster, you can attract a broader audience interested in different aspects of your niche.
Regardless of your current stage in website development, SEO topic clusters offer a structured path to achieving long-term SEO success, though creating and organizing these clusters will require time and effort.
Now, let’s explore a step-by-step approach to developing a content cluster strategy in WordPress:
- Identify the Topics and Keywords That Your Clusters Should Address
- Create Pillar and Supporting Articles for Your Content Clusters
- FAQs: Common Questions About Topic Clusters
Select the Topics and Keywords to Include in Your Clusters
Begin by conducting thorough research. Consider the various topics and subtopics you want to include in your content clusters. Additionally, identify specific questions within your niche that people are searching for on Google.
You might have already completed this research when you were brainstorming ideas for your blog. If so, you can leverage that same research when developing your SEO topic clusters.
If not, initiate a brainstorming session.
Generate Ideas for Your Blog Topics
Start your research by brainstorming potential blog topics. This can encompass your products and services, as well as other significant subjects related to your industry.
For instance, if you run an online pet food store, you would list the various types of pet food and products you offer, along with topics like pet care and health tips.
Identify the Primary Broad Keywords Related to Your Topics
Next, conduct keyword analysis on your chosen topics. You can easily follow our comprehensive guide on how to perform keyword research for your WordPress blog.
This guide will assist you in discovering the primary related topics that users are searching for. We demonstrate how to utilize some of the top SEO tools, including Semrush, LowFruits, Ahrefs, and the complimentary CanadaCreate Keyword Generator.
Start by brainstorming 3-5 broad, relevant topics that align with your products, services, or areas of expertise. These will form the foundation of your topic clusters.
For instance, at CanadaCreate, some of our topic clusters encompass WordPress SEO, WordPress security, WordPress performance, WordPress forms, blogging, and lead generation.
By analyzing search volume and trends, you can pinpoint the keywords that are likely to attract the most engaged visitors to your site.
Discover Related Long-Tail Keywords
Next, it’s essential to identify related long-tail keywords. These are longer, more specific queries and phrases that users are actively searching for. You will address these queries in your child articles.
For example, if one of your primary keywords is pet food, you might uncover numerous related long-tail keywords to explore, such as:
- What is the best organic puppy food for dogs with sensitive stomachs?
- Delicious raw food recipes for small dogs.
- Tasty gluten-free treats for dogs with dietary sensitivities.
- Top puppy food options for promoting healthy teeth and gums.
- Is grain-free dog food truly a better choice?
- How much food should I give my puppy each day?
The fastest way to discover long-tail keywords is to start typing a keyword into Google. The search box will automatically suggest relevant long-tail keywords as you type.
You can also uncover additional long-tail keywords on the search results page in the sections labeled ‘People also ask’ and ‘People also search for’.
For instance, the ‘People also ask’ section reveals the questions users are asking related to your search term.
Using LowFruits can yield great results, as it is tailored to help you find low-competition keywords that are easier to rank for, often in the form of long-tail keywords.
Simply click on the Keyword Finder (‘KWFinder’) tool and enter a seed keyword to get started.
After clicking the ‘Search’ button, LowFruits will provide a variety of keyword suggestions.
You can refine the list using the tabs at the top. For example, selecting the ‘Questions’ tab will display the inquiries people are making about the topic.
Analyze the search results for any long-tail keywords you are considering for your content. This will help you identify which keywords to focus on.
Select your desired keywords using the checkboxes on the left, then click the ‘SERP Extr.’ button to extract and analyze.
LowFruits will display the estimated monthly search volume and highlight keywords with low competition, indicating they are easier to rank for.
Important Note:Some tasks in LowFruits, like keyword analysis, require credits. You receive a few free credits each week and can buy additional credits as needed.
Focus on keywords that have a high search volume (‘Vol’) and a low difficulty score (‘SD’):
- Keywords with high search volume are searched more often than those with low volume, making them more likely to drive significant traffic to your site.
- Keywords with low difficulty scores will allow you to rank higher than your competitors more easily.
For instance, in the screenshot below, the keyword ‘what did dogs eat before dog food’ should be prioritized because it has hundreds of monthly searches and is easy to rank for.
Organize the Keywords into Clusters
You now have a concise list of primary keywords and an extensive collection of long-tail keywords associated with each primary keyword.
Typically, each primary keyword and its corresponding long-tail keywords can be organized into a cluster. However, it’s important to apply your knowledge of the subject to determine the most effective way to categorize your topics.
Alternatively, you can utilize LowFruits’ Keyword Clustering feature, which will automatically generate a list of clusters for you, organizing all relevant long-tail keywords into each cluster.
You may discover some clusters in the list that are not relevant to your blog or that you prefer not to address immediately. That’s perfectly fine. You can set those aside for now and concentrate on the clusters that are most relevant.
To explore clusters in LowFruits, click on the ‘Clusters’ tab located at the top of the page. You will find a list of clusters along with the total number of keywords contained in each cluster.
To view the keywords within a specific cluster, simply click on the cluster’s name.
Clusters can be formed through ‘SERP clustering’, which organizes similar terms based on search intent. This method only applies to keywords that have been analyzed. Alternatively, ‘semantic clustering’ can be used, which groups keywords based on their linguistic structure.
You can easily toggle between SERP clustering and semantic clustering using the buttons located at the top of the screen.
Create Pillar and Child Articles for Your Clusters
After forming your clusters, it’s time to begin writing content, tackling one post at a time. Start with a pillar article that provides an overview of each cluster, followed by individual articles that delve into each long-tail keyword in detail.
It’s important to have a simple method for tracking the articles you’ve written. At CanadaCreate, we monitor our writing progress using Asana and label each article with a cluster tag. Alternatively, you can export your LowFruits clusters to an Excel spreadsheet for tracking.
Focus on Writing One High-Quality Blog Post at a Time
You may be curious whether to write the pillar article or the subtopic articles first. Based on our experience, it doesn’t make a significant difference. The key is to begin and write one article at a time.
Pillar articles should center around the main keyword of your topic, while subtopic articles should concentrate on long-tail keywords. This approach helps prevent keyword cannibalization.
Ensure your content is comprehensive, informative, and well-organized. Incorporate subheadings and images to enhance readability and engagement.
For additional insights, check out our complete guide on crafting an outstanding blog post.
Establish Internal Links Among Posts in a Topic Cluster
Once all subtopic articles are finalized, update your pillar article. Make sure it references all the subtopics you have covered and includes links to those articles, allowing readers to easily explore further.
Each subtopic article should link back to the pillar article. This enables readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the overall topic. Additionally, it signals to Google that the pillar article is the key piece within the cluster.
Your subtopic articles should also link to other relevant subtopic articles within the cluster. Generally, aim for at least 80% of the internal links in a post to direct to other posts in the same cluster. This approach will strengthen the connections between the various posts in the cluster.
Internal linking plays a crucial role in effective SEO, particularly when utilizing topic clusters. Use descriptive and keyword-rich anchor text to guide users on what to expect on the linked page, while also helping search engines recognize the significance of these links.
All in One SEO’s Link Assistant can be a valuable tool, offering a list of internal linking recommendations. You can effortlessly add these links to relevant posts with a simple click, eliminating the need to edit each post individually.
Maintain and Grow Your Topic Clusters
After completing your cluster content, it’s essential to keep it updated. Regularly refresh your pillar articles and subtopic posts with new information, statistics, examples, and media to ensure they remain valuable and relevant for both users and search engines.
At CanadaCreate, we strive to update every post within six months. For more information, check out our guide on preventing content decay.
In addition to maintaining existing content, consider developing new clusters. Periodically research new keyword clusters to continue generating fresh content, enhancing your website’s topical authority and broadening your audience.
FAQs: Common Questions About Topic Clusters
Here are some frequently asked questions about SEO topic clusters.
What is an SEO topic cluster?
An SEO topic cluster can be compared to a bicycle wheel. The central hub represents your pillar article, which addresses a broad subject. The spokes are individual blog posts or articles that focus on specific keywords related to that main topic. The links form the rim, connecting everything together.
What are the benefits of using SEO topic clusters?
By organizing and linking your content into clusters, Google can better understand your website and recognize that you are offering comprehensive information on various topics.
These links assist Google in crawling your site, helping it identify which pages are most significant, leading to higher rankings on search results pages.
You will also rank for a wider range of keywords since each cluster targets multiple terms rather than just one.
How many clusters should my website have?
There isn’t a specific number to aim for. Begin with a few clusters centered around your most important products or services. As your website expands, you can incorporate additional clusters.
How do I select the topics for my clusters?
Discover the main topics your audience is interested in through keyword research. These will serve as your primary cluster topics. Then, delve deeper by identifying long-tail keywords associated with those topics. You can create subtopic articles that address these specific keywords.
I have a lot of existing content on my website. Can I still implement topic clusters?
Absolutely! Implementing topic clusters allows you to reorganize your existing content and create a cohesive linking strategy.
Will using topic clusters guarantee a #1 ranking for my site?
Unfortunately, no. SEO is a long-term endeavor, not a quick fix. While topic clusters are an effective strategy, you still need high-quality content, fast website performance, and adherence to other SEO best practices. Patience is essential to see positive SEO outcomes.
We hope this guide has helped you understand how to create a content cluster strategy. You might also be interested in our guide on improving your rankings through automated WordPress SEO or our expert recommendations for the best long-tail keyword generators.
If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.
