Build Clusters
Build a topical authority cluster from a seed keyword using pillar-spoke
structure, coverage scoring, and interlinking plans.
What is a Topic Cluster?
A topic cluster is a group of interlinked pages that collectively cover a subject
area. Google evaluates topical authority at the cluster level — ranking a single
page is harder if the site has no supporting content around the topic.
Structure:
- Pillar page — comprehensive overview of the broad topic (targets head term)
- Spoke pages — focused articles covering subtopics (target body/long-tail terms)
- Internal links — every spoke links to the pillar, pillar links to all spokes, spokes cross-link to siblings
Before You Start
Gather this context (ask if not provided):
- Seed topic. The broad subject area to build authority around.
- Existing content. Does the site already have pages on this topic? List them.
- Business relevance. How does this topic connect to the product or service?
- Content capacity. How many pieces can the team produce per month?
Step 1: Subtopic Discovery
From the seed topic, generate subtopics using these methods:
Search-derived:
- People Also Ask questions for the seed keyword
- Related searches at the bottom of SERPs
- Autocomplete suggestions (seed + a, b, c...)
- Competitor content analysis — what subtopics do top-ranking sites cover?
Intent-derived:
- Awareness: "what is [topic]", "why [topic] matters"
- Consideration: "best [topic] tools", "[topic] vs [alternative]"
- Implementation: "how to [topic]", "[topic] tutorial"
- Troubleshooting: "[topic] not working", "common [topic] mistakes"
Audience-derived:
- Beginner questions about the topic
- Advanced practitioner concerns
- Decision-maker evaluation criteria
Aim for 8-20 subtopics per cluster.
Step 2: Cluster Map
Organize subtopics into a structured cluster:
Pillar: [Broad Topic] (head term)
│
├── Spoke: [Subtopic 1] (body term)
│ └── Intent: informational
│
├── Spoke: [Subtopic 2] (body term)
│ └── Intent: commercial investigation
│
├── Spoke: [Subtopic 3] (long-tail)
│ └── Intent: transactional
│
├── Spoke: [Subtopic 4] (long-tail)
│ └── Intent: informational
│
└── ... (8-15 more spokes)
Step 3: Coverage Scoring
Score how well the existing site covers the cluster:
| Subtopic |
Existing Page? |
Quality (1-5) |
Traffic |
Gap? |
| [subtopic 1] |
/blog/topic-1 |
4 |
500/mo |
No |
| [subtopic 2] |
— |
— |
— |
Yes |
| [subtopic 3] |
/blog/old-post |
2 |
50/mo |
Partial (needs refresh) |
- Full gap — no existing page, needs creation
- Partial gap — page exists but is thin, outdated, or off-intent
- Covered — strong existing page, may just need internal linking
Step 4: Pillar Page Design
The pillar page should:
- Cover the topic comprehensively at an overview level (2,000-4,000 words)
- Link to every spoke page for deeper dives
- Be structured as a table of contents for the entire cluster
- Target the highest-volume keyword in the cluster
- Include a summary of each subtopic (2-3 paragraphs) with a link to the full spoke
Pillar page is NOT a mega-article that tries to cover everything in depth. It is a hub that distributes authority and directs readers to the right spoke.
Step 5: Interlinking Plan
Map the internal links:
| From Page |
To Page |
Anchor Text |
Context |
| Pillar |
Spoke 1 |
"[subtopic 1] guide" |
In the subtopic 1 overview section |
| Spoke 1 |
Pillar |
"[broad topic]" |
In the introduction or conclusion |
| Spoke 1 |
Spoke 2 |
"[subtopic 2]" |
Where subtopic 2 is mentioned contextually |
| Spoke 3 |
Spoke 1 |
"[subtopic 1]" |
Where comparison is relevant |
Rules:
- Every spoke links to the pillar (mandatory)
- Pillar links to every spoke (mandatory)
- Spokes cross-link to 2-4 siblings (where contextually natural)
- Use varied anchor text (not always the exact keyword)
Step 6: Cluster Health Metrics
Score the cluster's readiness to compete:
Coverage Score = (Covered spokes / Total spokes) x 100
Link Health = (Spokes with bidirectional pillar link / Total spokes) x 100
Content Quality = (Spokes scoring 3+ quality / Total spokes) x 100
| Metric |
Score |
Threshold |
| Coverage |
[x]% |
> 70% to start ranking for pillar keyword |
| Link Health |
[x]% |
100% is the target — every spoke must link to pillar and back |
| Content Quality |
[x]% |
> 80% — clusters with thin spokes dilute authority |
Expected Outcomes by Health Level
| Cluster State |
Coverage |
Link Health |
Content Quality |
Expected Result |
| Incomplete |
<50% |
<70% |
Any |
Pillar unlikely to rank page 1; spokes rank individually at best |
| Developing |
50-70% |
70-90% |
50-80% |
Pillar may appear page 2-3; some spokes rank for long-tail |
| Competitive |
70-90% |
100% |
80-90% |
Pillar competes for page 1; most spokes rank for their targets |
| Dominant |
>90% |
100% |
>90% |
Pillar strong on page 1; cluster captures most queries in the topic |
Internal Link Standards per Cluster
| Link Type |
Minimum Count |
Direction |
| Pillar → each spoke |
1 per spoke |
Downward — link from the relevant section of the pillar |
| Each spoke → pillar |
1 per spoke |
Upward — "our complete [topic] guide" |
| Spoke ↔ sibling spokes |
2-4 per spoke |
Lateral — where contextually natural |
| Cross-cluster bridges |
0-2 per cluster |
Between hubs — only with genuine topical relevance |
Cluster ready to compete: Coverage > 70%, Link Health = 100%, Content Quality > 80%.
Below these thresholds, prioritize filling gaps before expecting the pillar to rank.
Step 7: Production Sequence
Order the content production for maximum impact:
- Pillar page first — even as a draft, it establishes the hub
- Highest-opportunity spokes next — pages targeting gaps with the best opportunity scores
- Refresh existing spokes — update and relink any partial-gap pages
- Remaining spokes — fill out the cluster over time
- Update pillar — add links to each new spoke as it's published
Output Format
Topic Cluster: [seed topic]
Cluster Summary
- Pillar keyword: [keyword] (volume: [x], difficulty: [y])
- Total spokes: [count]
- Existing coverage: [x]% ([n] pages exist, [n] need creation)
- Total cluster volume: [sum of all keyword volumes]
Cluster Map
[Visual structure from Step 2]
Coverage Scorecard
[Table from Step 3]
Pillar Page Spec
- Target keyword: [keyword]
- Recommended title: [title]
- Structure: [heading outline with spoke links]
Interlinking Plan
[Table from Step 5]
Production Roadmap
[Ordered list from Step 6 with estimated timelines]
Pro Tip: Use the free Blog Keyword Generator
to discover subtopics for your cluster. SEOJuice MCP users get automatic cluster mapping —
run /seojuice:content-strategy to see existing clusters with coverage metrics, or use
list_clusters and get_cluster_detail to check cluster health and identify gaps.
