Topical Map - All you need to know!
This tool provides a comprehensive overview of the topics covered by a website and plays a crucial role in helping search engines understand the relevance and significance of the content for specific keywords. Topical maps shift the focus from general keywords to specific topics and subtopics related to a particular industry or niche. In this way, they help build topical authority in a specific niche, a key aspect of search engine optimization. Topical authority is a semantic SEO strategy that aims to position your website as the leading authority in one or more topics and plays a significant role in the E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness) concept.
To be considered authoritative in your topic in the eyes of Google, your website must cover the entire spectrum of the chosen topic or entity. By structuring your content into a hierarchy of topics and subtopics, you not only help your users find the content they are looking for but also make it easier for search engines to understand your website by analyzing your site structure.
And that’s what semantic SEO is all about: helping search engines understand your content better. The better you do this, the more likely Google will reward your website with higher visibility in search results.
How exactly do you do that? It all starts with creating a plan. Many SEO strategies involve creating lots of content and hoping it ranks. This approach is like building a house one brick at a time without a plan, which inevitably leads to structural problems.
The solution to this problem is a topical map. It helps improve a website’s visibility in search results by aligning the content with specific topics and questions, thus increasing the relevance of the website for both users and search engines. The topical map is a dynamic document that should be continuously updated to reflect changes in your business, industry, or search trends, ensuring that your website remains a valuable and relevant information source in your niche.
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How to Create a SEO Topical Map
Keyword Research
The first step in creating a topical map is to identify the relevant keywords for your website. Use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest to find keywords with search volume and potential traffic. It is essential to consider keywords that may have little to no search volume, as the goal is to cover the niche as broadly as possible.
Important: Consider both main keywords and long-tail keywords that are relevant to your target audience. Long-tail keywords are becoming increasingly important.
Categorization and Clustering
Once you have a list of relevant keywords, it’s time to categorize and cluster them into thematic groups. Group similar keywords and assign them to corresponding topics. Main topics can be further divided into subtopics to achieve a clear structure.
Create a Topical Map
With the defined categories and clusters, you can now create your topical map. Visualize the hierarchical structure and link the content within the topic areas. Ensure that the content is logically interconnected and provides a clear navigation structure for users. Use the following breakdown:
- URL Structure: Includes the keyword and no special characters
- Primary Keyword: Specific and unique for each URL
- Secondary Keyword: Complementary to the primary keyword
- CPC Value: Cost per click (Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest)
- SEO-friendly Title: Optimized for search engines
- Stage in Sales Funnel
- Content Type: Blog, FAQ, glossary, etc.
- Keyword Difficulty: Hand-rated as easy, medium, or difficult
- The Optimal Website Structure
The ideal website structure
Benefits
A well-structured website offers numerous benefits. It improves user-friendliness and makes it easier to find information, while also helping search engines better understand and categorize your content. An optimized website structure leads to higher topical authority, which can improve rankings in search engines.
Practical Implementation
To implement the optimal website structure based on your topical map, consider the following steps:
- Create meaningful URLs that reflect the specific topic.
- Use descriptive headings and subheadings to structure the content (only one H1 heading per URL including the primary keyword).
- Link relevant content within the topic areas through internal links to enhance user experience and improve dwell time.
- The necessary content can be generated using AI tools like ChatGPT. However, these must be reviewed and customized to ensure the company’s wording is maintained.
