How can you use content clustering to improve your SEO?

I advocate for a more efficient approach, which involves clustering content based on contextual relevancy. While the topical approach seeks similarities in subjects across different content, the contextual approach explores deeper, aiming to understand why our audience engages with specific content. This method, which I term 'contextual content clustering,' pinpoints similar content that resonates with a particular audience group. It's important to note that topical similarity doesn't guarantee a similar audience, as different pieces of content within the same topic may be suitable for different audience segments based on various factors like tone, depth, or angle of approach.

Let us understand this from how Coke will do it. The team will begin by selecting "themes" reflecting their iconic flavour, laying the foundation for impactful "pillar content". Complementing this, diverse "cluster content" acts like flavorful sips, seamlessly linking back to the central pillar. Strategic use of "audience-centric keywords" is key, regularly refined to align with changing "consumer preferences". "Continuous analytics" monitoring guides adjustments for optimal performance. In the "Multi-Device addicted" consumer era, Coke ensures "cross-device optimization", providing users with a satisfying experience anytime, anywhere.

Suppose, you make a Whatsapp Group for a weekend plan and name it "Let's party"- a pillar page. When your buddies and you discuss the venue, time, outfits, and pick up and drop, etc. What does all these imply? Cluster page as they are linked to pillar page - "Let's party". Once you link the pillar page and cluster page with internal links, you build trust in search engines as an authoritative site. Remember, the content cluster is reverse to Wikipedia as the links direct to the same page. More internal links are a doorway to getting placed in SERPs. The pillar page content is split through H2 header tags having a link for every cluster page. Even, the "Related content" section directs to other similar pillar page topics.

Top Tip: Use a free tool like answerthepublic.com to develop a content cluster. Type in your main topic of interest and it will return a list of questions, prepositions, comparisons people use to search your topic. These are colour coded by search volume and cost per click. It's an excellent starting point.

Content clustering is a standard SEO principle in building authority around a certain topic. The basic is: - Write a longer piece of content that will serve as your “pillar”, focusing on a broader keyword. - Write up to 8 blog posts around the same topic, focusing on more specific keywords. - Link subtopics to the pillar content and vice versa. This shows search engines that you are an authority on this topic, which in turn increases your ranking for those specific keywords. HubSpot Academy is a good place to read about content clustering and HubSpot itself provides you with a tool where you can see how each of your topics is performing.

A WORD OF WARNING: With the generative AI revolution, and the way that people are starting to use LLMs to answer ToFu queries, SEO is changing. You need to prepare for what's around the corner and not invest all your efforts, time, money and resources in basic SEO content that's worked over the last 10 years. Pillar pages and cluster topics I'm sure will still be a thing - but you may need to focus more on mid-funnel content - and more in-depth, opinion-based content too. The kinds of things that ChatGPT or Google's Bard can't give you a simple answer for.

TOPICAL AUTHORITY is the name of the game nowadays in organic search. Google wants to surface the best, most authoritative and trustworthy resources on the internet for its users when they're searching. By publishing your content using a cluster-based approach, you're able to showcase your expertise across an entire topic AREA—not just any one topic. Think about it this way: If you publish an article on how to grow carrots, but the rest of your website has nothing to do with gardening, you'll struggle to rank. Instead, if you publish multiple articles on how to grow all different types of backyard garden crops, the best times of your to plant, how to prevent pests, and more, you'll better showcase (to Google) your topical authority.

Content clustering is GOLD for organic SEO. Creating pillar pages (or a main topic page) allows associated subtopics or clustered content to have a home. Once all connected pieces are linked within the cluster, you can establish a web of interconnected information. From there, search engines can more easily recognize connections among various content pieces through this internal linking strategy, indicating that your website and content are an authority for that subject.

Creating an SEO strategy and a content strategy are two different things but both should be crafted in consideration of one another. SEO lets us know which keyword clusters should be used to target our audience the right way, while creating content clusters ensures you are creating quality content based on the right topics that highly interests your target audience. Keywords from your SEO strategy gives you a chance to be seen online, while the right content clusters can convince your target audience to pay attention to your online presence.

Content clustering also works for human readers by allowing you to showcase your expertise on a topic, and provide clear, easy to navigate, and robust content. It allows them to take a deep dive into a topic, browse, and take their own learning paths

This worked so well for me in a past job when I was using HubSpot. I would consistently create the pillar page of a long blog post (but without a table of contents -- there's no need for that in a blog) and then write subtopic blog posts that delved deeper into the points of that long blog post and linked to and from each subtopic and the pillar page. I also made sure to use external links as well. Through this process, I was able to get multiple blog posts (that were educational, informative, and human-driven) to the first page and first result on that page completely organically. It works.

In content marketing, start with a bottom-up approach. Identify a key pain point keyword, create bottom-of-the-funnel content as your cluster's epicenter, like a landing page or detailed blog post. Build supporting content around FAQs and success stories. Conduct competitor analysis to expand your content network. This interconnected web strengthens your main theme, enhancing SEO and online visibility.

Begin by pinpointing a central topic aligned with your goals, acting as the nucleus of your cluster. Conduct keyword research to understand what your audience is seeking. Craft a comprehensive pillar piece that serves as the cornerstone of your cluster, and then outline subtopics to cover the breadth of the subject. Seamlessly integrate internal links, optimizing each piece for search engines. Don't forget the magic of multimedia—images, infographics, and videos add both flair and SEO value. Promote cross-linking and ensure your content is regularly updated for continued relevance. Lastly, keep a watchful eye on analytics to fine-tune and expand your cluster for optimal performance.

These aspects are the roadway to the best content cluster: ? Construct 5-10 problems that your target audience faces. Analyze interviews, surveys, and social media, and conduct secondary research in online communities. ? Make a group of the problems into wide topic areas. ? Construct pillar topics with subtopics using keyword research of long-tail keywords, analyzing People May Questions and FAQs. ? Create content ideas that sync with each pillar topic and subtopics. ? Do internal linking between the pillar and subtopic and consider all the SEO factors.

Content clustering works best when: - your core topics mirror the questions your potential customers are asking - your core topic is extensive enough to naturally branch out into a series of focused, in-depth pieces of content AND - SEO is the right channel to use for how your target audience behaves with respect to your core topic (another channel or platform might be more effective for the topic based on their stage of the buyer’s journey) I usually work first to build out a long-form pillar page that contextualizes all the subtopics, connected and interlinked with the relevant product/service page. Then after force indexing the pillar page, I work to publish in-depth articles for each subtopic, linking back to the pillar page.

Quite simply, I always like to make a mind map of the focus keyword and related keywords, linking them to the main topic and sub-topics, almost like a tree or as a visualization that shows the strength of the pages to be made into a pillars and how they relates to the clusters

Optimization of content clustering is the next step via internal link building. Taking care of meta tags and right keywords to get the best out of your content. It should not too lengthy, precise lines for accuracy. Proper management of pillar page and links with its relevant clusters.

Definitely create an interlinking web between pillar pages and subtopic pages for one cluster. However, I’ve seen the best SEO results when the clusters themselves become a comprehensive web - connecting to one another, all pointing back to the most relevant page in your site. Example - if I’m creating content to attract tech professionals to a wealth management firm, I can go topic by topic, building out clusters for each (benefits, tax planning, etc. The best results come when I connect the clusters to themselves and show Google a natural interlinking flow back to the main tech prof service page. For in a single should be well-understood by search engines(Pillar pages and their in-depth subtopic pages should be interlinked

Boosts SEO: Internal linking helps spread link equity throughout your site, improving the SEO performance of both pillar and cluster pages. Enhances User Experience: It makes it easier for users to navigate and find relevant information.

Optimizing your content cluster for SEO involves strategic steps. Firstly, ensure your pillar page is well-optimized with the main target keyword. Craft compelling meta titles, descriptions, and header tags. Secondly, optimize each cluster page for its specific subtopic, incorporating relevant keywords naturally. Thirdly, interlink your pillar and cluster pages thoughtfully, emphasizing semantic relationships. This internal linking strategy reinforces the thematic relevance of your content. Fourthly, focus on user experience by organizing content logically with clear navigation. Lastly, monitor performance using analytics tools, refining your strategy based on insights for continuous SEO improvement.

Keep Content Fresh: Update your content to reflect the latest trends, statistics, and SEO best practices. Analyze Performance: Use tools like Google Analytics to track the performance of your content clusters.

Actually, I disagree with the notion that solely delegating content tasks to a dedicated team guarantees effective content clustering. While leveraging experts and influencers certainly adds value, the core issue lies in assuming that delegation alone ensures success. In reality, nurturing a deep understanding of your audience and constantly refining content to meet their evolving needs is equally vital. It's not just about creating volumes of content but about crafting valuable, resonant, and engaging material that genuinely connects with your audience to drive SEO success.

AI makes it a bit simpler to scale the execution phase of your content clusters - you can either generate a draft with a predefined outline or template or use AI to create the title and outline from predetermined keywords. Content writers and editors are most successful when the strategy is crystal clear, which should not be outsourced or templatized. A content and/or SEO strategist should decide which content clusters, which subtopics, which keywords and in which priority order. Once a specific, detailed plan is in place, including which anchor keywords should be interlinked in each article, the strategist can feel comfortable delegating the writing and execution to another part of the team.

To stay ahead of the curve, regularly update your content to reflect the latest trends, statistics, and SEO best practices. Don't forget to analyze performance using tools like Google Analytics to track the effectiveness of your content clusters. This ongoing process ensures your content stays fresh and informative, keeping your audience engaged and search engines happy.

Es ist sinnvoll nicht nur Content Cluster (Pillar Pages) aufzubauen, sondern ein gesamtes Learning Center, das auf die Ausbildung von potentiellen Kunden ausgerichtet ist. Denn SEO ist nicht das Optimieren für Maschinen, sondern für suchende Menschen. Das Learning Center ist vergleichbar mit einem Schulbuch, das potentielle Kunden bestm?glich für einen Kauf ausbildet. Die Kapitel sind dabei die Content Cluster und die Artikel die Unterkapitel, die auf das übergeordnete Kapitel referenzieren. So bildet man Suchende bestm?glich aus und liefert Suchmaschinen positive Signale, dass Suchende gefunden haben wonach sie suchten.

When I'm reading articles, I love it when the site has "you may also like..." or "read more on this topic..." content cluster or category taxonomies built into the footer of each page. Not only does this provide a fantastic user experience, it keeps visitors on the site longer!

Try to make sure your content clusters relate to each other for stronger SEO. For example, if your main topic is heart health, you want other topic clusters to complement this, such as "exercise for heart health". This also helps position you as an authority in the topic (so you rank higher on Google and more people will click on your website), as you demonstrate you have deeper knowledge of your topic.

If you really want all the work you are putting in to yield results then ensure that your website is user-friendly and it's easy for visitors to navigate between cluster and pillar content. A good UX can indirectly improve your SEO by reducing bounce rates and increasing time spent on your site. Also, share your content across various channels to increase visibility and don't forget to monitor and analyze the results by using analytics tools to track the performance of your pillar and cluster content. Look at things like page views, time spent on page, bounce rate, rankings etc.

Try to avoid content dilution. Each new article should be an in-depth view of a subtopic: - Give more details about the subtopic - Present examples, case study - Use the available space to enhance ergonomy - Bring new information The point is to HELP THE READER better grasp the subject, and NOT to "work the SEO". Otherwise you fall in the trap of content dilution.