Creating topic clusters is an effective way to boost your ROI, improve your standing in Google and successfully build brand awareness in any industry. Following is an overview of this cutting edge content marketing strategy along with some tips on how to use it to its fullest potential.

What are Topic Clusters?

Simply put, topic clusters are landing pages for a particular topic. This page connects other website pages and blog pages related to this topic by linking out to them and/or making it easy for users to locate them with ease. At the same time, other pages on the same topic as the landing page link back to it as well as to other pages on the same topic.

Why Use this Tactic?

There is a good reason why many companies that specialize in offering content are opting to do the hard work of changing their websites to use the topic cluster method:

  • Search engine algorithms have changed a great deal over the years and Google now expects websites to not just include key phrases that a person is looking for but actually answer the questions behind the query. People are becoming increasingly comfortable asking Google complex questions and expecting complete answers. Google, in turn, expects websites to either improve their content and give consumers exactly what they are looking for or face a loss of rank.
  • The competition on the web is stiff no matter what industry you work in. Companies the world over are creating content on an hourly basis which means that your content has to stand out from the rest if you want to be found by potential customers. The topic cluster method creates an organized format that shows you truly care about your industry and know what you are talking about.
  • The topic cluster method can also lower your bounce rate. Instead of going from one website to another to find answers, your visitors will be able to find all the information on any given topic with ease on your website.
  • This method also boosts your search engine standing as Google will identify a single page from your website as being the authoritative page on a particular topic. You won't have to worry about different pages from your website competing against each other for a first page rank; instead, you will only need to focus on promoting one single page.

How to Start using Topic Clusters

The first step in using topic clusters is to identify the main topics you want to cover. Don't just settle for making a list of topics you already write about; instead, ask your employees, customers and/or business partners what type of information they are most likely to use.

Next, make a list of sub-topics under each topic. It's fine for some topics to overlap; in fact, this can even be a good thing as overlapping topics can boost your position in Google long-term.

Finally, create a long-term content plan to make sure that you are providing an adequate amount of content for each cluster. The last thing you want is empty clusters that have little to no content. If you find that you aren't able to keep up with certain topics, it may be best to delete the clusters entirely or include it with another topic.

It's Never Over

Remember that creating great topic clusters for your website is just the beginning. You not only need to create, curate and/or aggregate great content for your clusters on a regular basis but also review your site statistics to see which clusters are generating the most traffic and sales. Continually check your statistics to see what information your clients are interested in so you can put a priority on providing information that meets their needs. If a particular topic isn't doing well, ask yourself why before deleting it. Perhaps your visitors are looking for more detailed information, information that is presented in a clearer or easier to use format or true-life examples or tutorials on how to apply the information to their daily lives.

Switching over to the topic cluster method can seem like a daunting job if you aren't familiar with website design, keyword selection and content marketing. If you are a busy business owner who does not have time to handle this aspect of online marketing, consider getting in touch with us at your convenience. Brandgy specializes in website design, content marketing and a host of other services that will enable you to promote your products and/or services online with ease. Our experts are second to none and our services will enable you to reach your internet marketing goals without taking time from other important aspects of running a successful company.