Content Clustering 101: How to Build Topic Clusters to Drive Site Visibility
Makenzi Cotton
With AI search engines at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it’s the perfect time to make sure you are mastering the fundamentals of SEO. One way to ensure you are driving consistent organic traffic to your site is to leverage content clusters (also known as topic clusters). So, what exactly are content clusters, and why should they be a priority in your content marketing strategy?
In this guide, we’ll break down how topic clustering works and walk you through five simple steps to start building effective content clusters on your website.
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What is a topic cluster?
A topic cluster is a group of pages that explores a core topic in depth. The goal is to prove your mastery of the subject to both your readers and search engines.
To rank highly on search engines, your website must showcase your relevance and authority. For Google, that is demonstrating E-E-A-T:
- Experience: How long have you been in the industry?
- Expertise: How skilled are you within your industry?
- Authority: Do your peers view you as a leader within your industry?
- Trustworthiness: Is your website reliable and safe for users?
Of course, you should always write with your ideal customers in mind. But if the algorithm is not serving your content to your audience, you could be wasting your time and resources creating ineffective lead magnets.
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How to build content clusters in 5 steps
To build a content cluster, you need one pillar page that points to subpages (also known as cluster pages). Think of pillar pages like a more creative table of contents that organizes subtopics and connects them by internal links (hyperlinks that target pages within your website).
Most websites have several topic clusters, but all clusters need to be relevant to your offerings to ensure relevance.
Now that you have a foundational understanding of what a topic cluster is, let’s dive into how to create one.
Example: Let’s say you are a health and wellness brand that is selling supplements to customers. We’ll outline how you might create a content cluster around “sleep.”
1. Brainstorm a few ideas that are relevant to your brand
Start by thinking about your brand and why someone would want to purchase your product. What pain points do they want to address? What would they search for to find a solution like yours? From there, list out 10-20 ideas.
Example: You sell supplements that can help people address various areas of their lives, including sleep, mood stability, and overall wellness. Your brand is targeting those who want to address their health concerns before visiting the doctor.
You start listing out a few content cluster ideas, including:
- Improving your mood
- Sleep better
- Digestion tips
- Hair growth
- Healthier skin
2. Perform high-level keyword research and competitive analysis
Now, you should perform some high-level keyword research and competitive analysis. Identify some search demand and gaps within your competitor’s content. Your goal at this point is to identify patterns in the searches related to your ideas.
Example: After scouring your competitors’ websites and plugging a few keywords into your SEO tools, you decide to write a content cluster around “sleeping better” to target those who are having trouble falling asleep.
3. Start organizing your subtopics
After deciding on your pillar page’s core topic, it’s time to start brainstorming some article ideas and how they’ll relate to one another. While your pillar page is supposed to act as a comprehensive overview, you can start thinking about how your articles can truly show authority and organize content logically.
Example: You start to list out a few content pieces that support the idea of sleeping better, such as:
- How to Fall Asleep Faster
- Sleep Hygiene Checklist
- Best Bedroom Environment for Deep Sleep
- Foods That Help You Sleep
- How Stress Impacts Sleep
- Morning Habits That Improve Sleep Quality
- Sleep Disorders vs. Bad Sleep Habits
Keep in mind that you don’t have to lock in all of your topic ideas yet. You just need enough cluster page ideas to start planning how to present your topics effectively.
4. Write helpful content
Aim for actionable, research-backed educational content that offers your unique perspective. These content pieces should be able to stand on their own — all while supporting the overall cluster. Make sure your overall writing accurately reflects your brand messaging strategy.
EBQ Tip
Did you know that creating too much spammy, unhelpful content can cause search engines to penalize you? This means that you need to hire professional writers who understand how to write for search engines that appeal to your target audience. Find out how EBQ can help you create a strategic approach to keep your content focused, valuable, and aligned with what your audience is actually searching for.
5. Make sure each page leads to key converting pages
After writing your cluster pages and main pillar page, make sure you leverage internal links that guide readers toward your conversion goals — such as filling out a contact form or downloading gated content.
Each page should include:
- Contextual internal links that naturally point back to your pillar page.
- Clear next-step CTAs that move users toward revenue pages such as product pages, service pages, demo requests, or gated assets.
- User-first navigation that reduces friction and makes it easy for visitors to find related content.
- Signals for search engines that show which pages are most important, which helps improve your overall rankings and site authority.
Example: A blog about how to create better nighttime routines for better sleep could link to your “Sleep Better” pillar page and then to a product page featuring sleep supplements.
By turning every piece of content into a path toward a core offer, you ensure your topic clusters not only attract traffic but also contribute directly to pipeline and conversions.
Download our SEO Checklist for Blog Posts
Download our free interactive SEO checklist and start creating blog content specifically designed to rank well and increase visibility.
TLDR: How topic clustering drives site traffic
Topic clusters allow users and search engine crawlers to navigate your site more easily by leveraging internal links. In addition to demonstrating expertise on certain topics, content clusters can also help you outrank your competitors.
But planning, executing, and optimizing content clusters takes time and resources that not everyone can afford. That’s why many organizations partner with EBQ’s SEO Copywriters. Our writers not only take their time to master your unique brand voice, but are also trained to brainstorm, research, and implement site pages that drive visibility and ultimately, conversions.
About the Author:
Makenzi is a Revenue Consultant at EBQ. She specializes in Salesforce Solution Engineering. With experience managing 100+ projects and streamlining 340+ workflows, she drives TOF growth and improves SQL-to-MQL conversions. Her expertise regularly delivers 200-300% ROI for organizations.