Should I Ask My SEO Supplier to Provide Topic Clusters or Just Keyword Lists?

You should ask your SEO supplier for topic clusters rather than just keyword lists. Topic clusters provide a more comprehensive approach to content strategy, helping to improve your site’s authority and search rankings. Keyword lists are limited and often fail to capture the full scope of user intent.

Why Topic Clusters Matter

Back in the day, SEO was all about cramming as many keywords as possible into a page. It was like stuffing a suitcase to bursting point and hoping it wouldn’t pop open. But Google’s algorithms have evolved. They’re now more interested in how well a site answers user queries and provides value. This is where topic clusters come into play.

Think of topic clusters as a way of organising content into interconnected themes. Imagine a software company offering a range of products. Instead of a single page for each product, a topic cluster would include a pillar page about software solutions with linked sub-pages diving into specific products, features, and case studies. This structure helps search engines understand the depth and breadth of your expertise.

How to Get Started with Topic Clusters

If you’re keen to shift from keyword lists to topic clusters, here are a few steps to guide you:

• Identify Core Topics: Start by pinpointing the main topics relevant to your business. These should be broad enough to cover various subtopics but specific enough to align with your target audience’s needs.

• Research Subtopics: Dive deeper into each core topic to identify related subtopics. These will form the content of your cluster and should address different aspects of the core topic.

• Create a Pillar Page: Develop a comprehensive pillar page for each core topic. This page should provide an overview and link to the subtopic pages, creating a web of interconnected content.

• Link Strategically: Ensure all subtopic pages link back to the pillar page and to each other where relevant. This boosts your site’s authority on the topic.

• Monitor and Adjust: SEO isn’t a set-and-forget affair. Regularly review your topic clusters’ performance and tweak as needed to improve rankings on Google.

By focusing on topic clusters, you’re not just improving your SEO strategy; you’re building a more cohesive and informative experience for your users.

The Case for Topic Clusters

Let’s be frank. Keyword lists are like a shopping list for a single meal. They get the job done, but they don’t plan for the week ahead. Topic clusters? They’re your meal planner. They ensure you have everything you need to feed your audience’s curiosity over time.

An seo optimisation expert will tell you that search engines now favour depth over breadth. They want to see that you’re not just touching on a topic but diving into it with gusto. Topic clusters position you as an authority, making your content more likely to appear in search results.

And here’s the kicker: users love it too. They get a seamless journey through your content, finding answers to questions they didn’t even know they had. So, if you’re still clinging to keyword lists, it’s time to let go. Embrace topic clusters and watch your SEO strategy flourish.