Topic Cluster

A topic cluster is a way of organising content by subject instead of by isolated keywords. One broad pillar page covers a theme at a high level, and a set of focused cluster pages each go deep on a sub-topic. Every cluster page links back to the pillar and the pillar links out to them, forming a tight, interlinked group.

Start by mapping the topic and its sub-questions before writing a word — the architecture is the strategy. Give each cluster page its own distinct search intent so they do not cannibalise each other, and wire the internal links deliberately (pillar to clusters, clusters back to pillar and to relevant siblings). Done well, the cluster signals genuine topical authority and lifts the whole group, not just individual pages.

The cluster model has aged extremely well because it mirrors how both Google’s systems and LLMs reason about subjects — as connected entities, not stray phrases. Treat clusters as a portfolio: measure and invest at the cluster level, prune or merge underperformers, and expand coverage where you are winning. Retrofitting structure onto a pile of unplanned posts is painful, which is why the mapping discipline separates teams that compound from teams that churn.