In today’s digital world, having an online presence is crucial for any business looking to reach new customers and drive growth. However, simply having a website is no longer enough. You need to ensure your site content is optimized for search engines – this is where topical SEO comes in.
Topical relevance refers to creating content that closely matches the topic being searched for by users. If your content directly answers the user’s query, search engines like Google are much more likely to determine that your page is relevant and authoritative on that subject.
Building topical authority means establishing your brand and website as an expert source on specific topics within your industry. The more quality content you can publish related to a topic, the more search engines will trust you as an authority site worth surfacing for relevant queries.
But achieving topical SEO success on your own can be challenging. Here are some tips on how to leverage topical SEO to elevate your online presence:
Start with Keyword Research
The first step is gaining insight into topics and keywords your audience is searching for so you can create aligned content. Use keyword research tools to identify relevant long-tail keyword opportunities with high search volume but low competition.
Develop In-Depth, Useful Content
Aim for long-form, pillar content pieces packed with value – e.g., robust guides, how-tos, or analyses. Thin content tends to lack substance. Lengthy, meaty content rich in insights establishes you as an expert on a topic.
Optimize for Subject Matter Expertise
Evaluating subject expertise helps search engines understand your topical authority. Some tips:
- Publish content written by contributors knowledgeable on the topic.
- Cite trustworthy external sources and statistics to back up claims.
- Include images, infographics, videos, etc. to demonstrate expertise.
- Obtain backlinks from topically relevant sites to increase subject authority.
Leverage Strategic Internal Linking
Linking between your content reinforces relevancy between connected topics. For example, a blog post about “Minimalist Web Design” could link to your guide on “Accessible Website Compliance”. This shows search engines those resources share topical authority.
Be Patient and Persistent
Evolving into a subject authority takes time and consistency. Stick with creating content pillars around priority topics. Eventually, this topical relevance and expertise pays off by ranking well for those terms. Patience during the ramp up period is key.
The Sky’s the Limit on Topical Authority Opportunity
The world of potential content topics and search queries to target is vast. You likely can’t tackle them all. Start by auditing your existing content and identifying a shortlist of promising but untapped topical categories to pursue.
Some ways to uncover new topical opportunities:
- Brainstorm content ideas – What topics would your products or services be especially relevant for?
- Analyze competitors – What subjects are they ranking for which you could also create content around?
- Leverage trends – Spot emerging popular topics in your industry to quickly establish authority on while search volume is rising.
- User search queries – Look at search terms visitors are already using on your site for inspiration.
Reinforcing Topical Relevance Over Time
Gaining topical authority doesn’t stop after publishing a few articles. Here are some ways to continue improving relevance over time:
- Refresh old content – Update outdated or underperforming content by adding new stats, examples, studies or trends. This makes the topic relevant again.
- Link building – Having reputable sites link back to your content with relevant anchor text keeps reinforcing your subject matter authority in that specific area.
- Promotion – Repurpose and re-promote evergreen topical content across social media, email, ads, etc. Exposure to new audiences amplifies relevance.
Measuring Topical SEO Success
Here are some key seo factors to track the impact of your topical SEO efforts:
- Organic traffic – Are more visitors arriving from search engines to your targeted topics? Rising traffic indicates improving topical relevance.
- Keyword rankings – What pages rank where for your focus keywords? How has that changed over time? Improved rankings equal greater topical authority.
- Total keywords ranking – The number of keywords your site ranks for related to a topic also shows expanding authority.
- Conversion rate – Are more site visitors taking intended actions, like making purchases or downloads?
Leveraging targeted topical SEO and content to build subject expertise is a proven way to elevate your online presence. By becoming a go-to authority site on the themes highly relevant to your brand and audience, search engines will reward you with greater visibility. With a smart strategy and some patience, your brand’s web presence and traffic can reach new heights!
