If you have a website, Google isn’t just going to rank it.
You’re not entitled to anything. You need to send trust signals to Google.
One (of many) ways to send trust signals is via topical authority. Let’s look at this in terms of food.
If you’re craving a Butter Chicken would you buy it from an Italian Pizza Shop that just added the dish to it’s menu last week?
Or would you go to the curry house that specializes in South Asian food?
You’d go to the curry house right?
It’s because you would trust the Curry house to make a good curry… Because that’s what they’re experts in.
You can see that from the menu they have when compared to the Italian Pizza Shop.
What Is Topical Authority?
A concept where your website is the ultimate go-to resource in your space.
If you sell protein powder – create content on your website for everything from what is protein to how to use to how long protein powder lasts to what is the best protein powder to buy.
If you sell cars and you want to sell more sedans, you need to create content for topics like how to choose a sedan, best sedan for 2023, sedan vs coupe, sedan pros and cons.
Topical authroity IS your ticket to telling Googlebot, Bingbot and friends that you’re an expert on a topic.
You need to cover your industry in-depth – your topical coverage of your industry will show how well you understand your audience, your topic and what they’re looking for.
How To Build Topical Authority?
I kind of already explained this above but you can:
1. Write a post that focuses on a topic (Best Running Shoes)
2. Create a cluster of pages that cover mini-topics in more depth:
2a. Best Running Shoes For Flat Feet
2b. Best Long-Distance Running Shoes
2c. What Are The Best Running Shoes for Cross Country?
2d. What Are The Best Running Shoes for Heavy Guys
2e. What Are The Best Running Shoes for Treadmill Running?
You get the idea. 1 page focuses on a single topic, and then a cluster of pages focuses on sub-topics.
3. Make sure your pages link to each other.
Your “running shoes” collection page will benefit from internal linking – boosting its link authority, but it’ll also benefit from users that are ready to increase your store’s revenue.
Pro Tip: Organize Your Content
Don’t just create loads of content without organizing it.
Organize website’s content pages into topical clusters of pillar content and related sub-topcs – then watch your keyword rankings, website traffic and revenue rise. You’ll be on the road to becoming an authority for your topic.
If you’re still confused about Topical Authority…
Headover to Best Buy. There’s a reason they sell electronics and not bed sheets.
What do you buy from Petsmart? Pet food or vitamin supplements for your grandpa?
Would you by a wedding dress from Sport Check? Would you buy a tennis racket from a wedding dress boutique?
(All of the stores I just mentioned are examples of “topical experts” in the field that they operate in).
That’s your goal – become a topical expert, and like I said earlier watch your keyword rankings, website traffic & revenue rise.
