How to Build Topical Authority & Why Do You Need It

The term “authority” is often mentioned in the context of search engine optimization (SEO). But what does this really mean? If you’re already familiar with this concept, you might be wondering how to include more authoritative content on your website.

Essentially, authority refers to the power or influence that a particular piece of content has compared to other information available online.

In terms of SEO performance, a page with higher authority has a better chance of achieving high rankings in organic search results.

If you want your content to rank well on Google, creating authoritative content is essential. By creating exceptional quality content, you establish trust not only with your website visitors but also with search engines like Google.

High-quality content strengthens your reputation and increases your chances of being found on search engine results pages (SERPs).

The purpose of this post is to provide a comprehensive understanding of topical authority. So let’s start by diving into the SEO definition of relevant authority.

What is Topical Authority?

Authority refers to the degree of trustworthiness or credibility associated with a source. In the context of search engines, it refers to the level of importance assigned to a particular web page or website. For example, Google uses authority signals to determine the relevance of certain pages to users’ search queries.

Topic authority measures the level of authority gained by creating high-quality content. By producing top-quality informative articles, a website can establish itself as a reliable and authoritative resource on a particular topic.

For example, a blog post about SEO written by an established industry expert carries more weight than one written by a newbie or someone who doesn’t have an established reputation as an authority figure in the field. Conversely, a message from a newly established company will carry less weight because they are unknown and not trusted.

Topic authority is critical because it demonstrates an understanding of your target audience’s needs and preferences when it comes to online content.

Additionally, topic authority serves as a metric for ranking websites based on the quality of information they provide. Building topic authority can be achieved by creating high-quality content, gaining authoritative backlinks directed to the website, and increasing social media shares.

In the context of SEO and authority, it is important to distinguish between two terms: topic authority and domain authority. Topical authority is determined by the quality and uniqueness of the content, as well as its superiority in on-page SEO. On the other hand, domain authority refers to the more technical aspects of SEO, such as link building, which support the overall authority and reputation of a website.

Importance of topical authority in SEO

Strong topic authority improves search performance because Google trusts authoritative sources and ranks them higher on search results pages. You can study Google EEAT Guideline for more details about it. Here are some reasons why topical authority is important for SEO:

1.    1.   It increases the trust of search engines and users. Relevant authority increases the credibility of your brand for both readers and search engines. This results in more returning site visitors and higher search rankings. For example, Shopify and Amazon have serious authority in the field of e-commerce. Google trusts their information and ranks them ahead of other sites in e-commerce searches. As a result, they capture the largest share of traffic during this period.
2.    2.   It supports natural link building. The topic authority also leads to natural link building. Chances are, more websites will share your content organically, driving more traffic to your site and potentially increasing conversions. This is why pages with more backlinks (especially from trusted sources) often rank higher in search results.
3.    3.   It reduces marketing costs. Building topical authority SEO can be a slow process, but the long-term impact is more time- and cost-effective marketing. The best example is when a company outperforms a larger competitor due to its current authority in its niche.

Therefore, it is critical for content creators to include relevant authority in their content creation and marketing strategies. If your goal is to rank highly in search engines like Google, then prioritizing topic authority is critical.

By focusing on integrating topic authority into your content, you can attract more clicks and views from people searching for information on those specific topics. The beauty of actual authority is that you can control it as long as you understand how it works. If you need professional assistance, our SEO company is ready to help you!

How to Build Topical Authority in 5 Steps?

Creating and maintaining SEO topical authority on a brand’s website requires a thoughtful approach. While achieving topic authority is not an overnight success, it can be achieved through diligent research and strategic content optimization. Luckily, we’ve put together a number of strategies that will help you effectively increase your topic authority.

Step 1. Topical keyword research

To build authority, it is important to consistently create relevant, high-quality, and searchable content. Generating enough content ideas backed by data is critical in this process.

Once you’ve identified your niche and formulated ideas for your core pages, keyword research tools can be extremely helpful in discovering additional relevant search terms to target through your SEO and content marketing strategies.

For maximum impact, make sure you’re covering the same trending topics across your social media platforms and including them in your pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaigns. This holistic approach helps strengthen your brand messaging and increase your visibility among your target audience.

Social media platforms such as Quora and Reddit can also be valuable sources for understanding your target audience’s discussions and concerns. By actively participating in these communities, you can identify their pain points, requests, and buyer concerns, which can provide valuable information for creating content that meets their needs.

Additionally, examining the People Also Ask (PAA) section of search engine results can provide you with extensive information about LSI keywords and the questions your audience is asking. Using this information opens up significant opportunities to build relevant authority in any niche.

Step 2. Creating topic clusters

When choosing topics for your content, it is important to focus deeply on a few specific topics and make them the core of your website. By becoming a leading authority and teacher on these topics, you can strengthen your expertise and credibility.

Compiling content on a specific topic is critical to creating topic clusters, which are vital for effective SEO. Topic clusters show search engines that your website offers valuable and comprehensive content on specific topics, strengthening your authority over your competitors.

It’s important to remember that Google isn’t just looking for keywords, but also synonyms, subtopics, and comprehensive answers to common industry questions.

Topic clusters consist of groups of content on your website that revolve around a central theme. They allow you to answer all the questions your audience might have about a particular topic.

Each topic cluster consists of a main page and cluster content. The main page serves as a homepage that focuses on a broader subject area and targets more general keywords.

Cluster content dives into subtopics or answers general questions related to the topic cluster, targeting less competitive keywords relevant to the main topic.

When implementing thematic clusters, it is important to focus on three key components:

1.    1.   Determine the main topic of attention.
2.    2.   Create a core page that will be the cornerstone of your topic cluster.
3.    3.   Use backlinks to increase the authority and visibility of your topic cluster.

4. Step 3. Make a revision of the site structure

5. Another effective strategy for establishing topic authority involves optimizing a website’s metadata structure, which helps improve search engine rankings. Here are some key considerations for optimizing your site structure:
   •   •   Incorporate SEO indicators. Make sure your site structure includes relevant keywords that accurately describe your content. Thorough keyword research will help you identify the most effective keywords for different topic groups and specific pieces of content.
   •   •   Optimize your titles and meta descriptions. You need to include focus keyword variations in the titles and meta descriptions of every piece of content on the website. This optimization helps search engines understand the relevance of the content and increases the chances of ranking higher in search results.
   •   •   Use internal links. Including relevant internal links throughout your content and across different pages of your website helps create cohesion and build authority. Internal links direct users to related content and demonstrate the interconnectedness of your site’s information.
   •   •   Create a sitemap. Developing a sitemap is critical to organizing the structure of your website and ensuring that both landing pages and content align with the customer journey. A well-structured sitemap helps search engines crawl and index your site effectively, improving its visibility and user experience.

   • Step 4. Create content to solve problems

   • Plan a constant stream of authoritative content that directly addresses the needs and interests of your audience. Unique, original insight is always better. Offering value that your competitors can’t match is the best way to differentiate yourself from others.

     Types of authoritative content that can be included in your content strategy include:

     •   •   Contrasting views on hot topics in your industry.
     •   •   Interviews with subject-matter experts.
     •   •   Frequently asked questions (FAQs) that others cannot answer.
     •   •   First-hand research.

     • Step 5. Share it with your audience

     • You don’t have to wait for your article or page to reach the first page of search engine results to get it in front of your audience. Actively share it with them through social media channels and distribute it to your email subscribers. Additionally, consider repurposing your content and creating videos to further expand your reach.
   • 
   • By actively sharing your content with your audience, you can demonstrate its value not only to your readers but also to the decision-makers in your organization. This engagement and visibility can help demonstrate the effectiveness and potential impact of your content strategy.

   • How to Measure Topical Authority?

   • As an SEO professional reading this article, you may be considering how to convince decision-makers to invest in increased content production and how to demonstrate the effectiveness of topical authority.

     Naturally, building topical authority is not a quick-fix strategy that yields immediate results. However, it is crucial and influential in terms of ranking, establishing trust with both Google and your audience, and driving qualified traffic to your website.

     Given that SEO is a gradual process, it is essential to employ creative methods to measure the impact of your authoritative content even before you start generating clicks and conversions.

   • Increased visibility in SERPs

   • To determine increased visibility in search results, utilize Google Search Console to track impressions. Impressions indicate the popularity of your website.

     In content strategy, impressions are a quick-moving metric. You typically accumulate more impressions before earning clicks.

     An upward trend in impressions is a strong indication of a successful content strategy. As you enhance your content production and establish authority, clicks are likely to follow the impression trend.

     In essence, topic authority and content clusters enhance website visibility. It may take some time before your site generates a significant number of clicks. However, the upward trend in impressions, even if small, signifies that your site is heading in the right direction for increased clicks on the targeted keyword. Achieving this requires consistent content production and utilizing topic clusters.

   • Helps with conversions

   • Conversions play a crucial role in the success of businesses, and SEO can significantly contribute to driving those conversions. Demonstrating the impact of SEO on sales is vital when seeking to convince decision-makers to invest in SEO, content audit, and content production for establishing topical authority. Since SEO directly influences revenue, it becomes easier to make a compelling case for investing in SEO initiatives.

     However, it’s important to note that the effectiveness of tying sales directly to SEO efforts depends on whether people make purchases directly through SEO channels. In cases where there may be overlapping segments, additional considerations may be necessary.

     Tools like Google Analytics provide insights into the percentage of sales generated through a content strategy. It enables you to track how revenues have increased alongside website traffic. Blogs, even those without high ratings, can have a direct impact on revenue when integrated into other marketing strategies such as email or social media. Visitors to the blog can also become customers and make purchases. It’s worth noting that blogs that rank well in search results do so for non-brand keywords, indicating a direct correlation between revenue and SEO efforts.

     By enhancing your authority in Google rankings, you can further demonstrate the value of your content in driving conversions. Increased sales resulting from high-quality content serve as a strong indicator that the content has instilled trust and confidence among users, leading them to make purchases.

   • Check your backlink profile

   • High-quality content will eventually receive backlinks from trusted sources. You can use Ahrefs, MOZ, or SEMrush to see what content gets the most backlinks and also prove that trusted websites are linking to your brand.

     You can go even further by providing increased traffic or revenue directly from users who come to your site through your high-quality links.

     Thus, topic authority and content creation help increase backlink profiles.

   • Topical Authority in SEO: Final Thoughts

   • Establishing authority on a particular topic can be a feasible task. The key is to interact with experts in your field, seek their ideas, ask relevant questions, and then start writing.

     To add creativity to your content strategy, consider repurposing existing content, addressing common questions and concerns, and prioritizing customer service.

     By following the above steps and adding new information to your search results, you can help your customers get to know you and your business better. Putting in extra effort when it comes to creating content can make a big difference.

     Keep in mind that in the digital sphere, the authority of content and topics often replaces face-to-face communication. Showcase your expertise to potential buyers, demonstrate your in-depth knowledge of your products or services, and provide compelling reasons why they should trust you.

     If you have any further questions or require assistance, feel free to reach out to us at Mellow Promo. We are well-prepared to offer content marketing services of varying complexity to meet your needs.