SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is key to achieving high rankings in search results. However, SEO is more than just keywords. There's a concept that's often overlooked: topical authority.
If you want your website to appear on the first page of Google, it's crucial to understand and build topical authority. What exactly is topical authority? How do you build authority on a specific topic? And why is it so important for SEO? Let's discuss each of these in the following article.
What Is Topical Authority?
Topical authority is the trust given by search engines, like Google, to a website that demonstrates in-depth and credible knowledge on a particular topic.
Simply put, Google will consider your website an "expert" on a particular topic if you consistently provide quality and relevant content in that area.
For example, if you have a blog that focuses heavily on "skin care," and your content is comprehensive, informative, and regularly updated, Google can assign trust or authority to this topic. This means that when people search for information related to that topic, your content is more likely to appear at the top.
Why is Topical Authority Important for SEO?
Well, "Why not just focus on keywords?" Interestingly, topical authority is closely related to how search engines view a website as a whole, not just the targeted keywords.
Therefore, SEO isn't just about choosing the right keywords. Google doesn't just look at keywords in an article; it also wants to ensure that the website as a whole has strong and relevant content on a topic.
If you only have a few articles on a particular topic, even if they are good, it may be difficult for Google to perceive you as an "expert" on that topic. By having authority on a topic, your website will:
- Rank higher in search results: Search engines prefer websites that are perceived as having comprehensive and trustworthy insight in a field.
- Increase user trust: Visitors are more likely to return to a website if they feel they are receiving truly useful and in-depth information.
- Get quality backlinks: Websites that are perceived as having authority are usually more likely to get backlinks from other websites, which is crucial for SEO.
How to Measure Topical Authority?
Indeed, increased rankings and website traffic can be a good sign that your topical authority is increasing. However, these results can also be influenced by other SEO strategies, such as link building. There are several ways to measure topical authority, such as:
1. Using Traffic Share by Domains in Ahrefs
Here are the steps to calculate estimated topical authority in Ahrefs:
- Enter a head term, for example, "ecommerce," into Keywords Explorer.
- Go to the Matching Terms report and set the filter for a minimum search volume of 10.
- Export all matching keywords and upload them back to Keywords Explorer.
- Open the Traffic Share by Domains report.
- This traffic share can be considered "topic share," also known as topical authority.
2. With SEMRush
Semrush has a Topical Authority metric that can help measure how credible your website is for a specific keyword. You can find it in the Keyword Overview tool. Here are the steps:
- Think of the keyword you want your website to rank for, then type it in the Keyword Overview search bar.
- Add your website domain in the "AI-powered features" section, select your desired target location, and then click "Search."
After that, you will see results labeled with Topical Authority, rated as Low, Moderate, Relevant, or High.
How do you build topical authority?
Building topical authority is a process that requires a well-thought-out strategy. It's not just about creating one great article, but more about consistently developing in-depth, relevant, and well-structured content on a specific topic.
Here are some ways to build topical authority effectively!
1. Choose One Main Topic and Focus on It
Before you start writing, you must determine the main topic that will be the focus of your website or blog. This topic should be relevant to your interests or the business you're developing. Furthermore, you can also create content pillars first to provide more structure.
If you have a blog about a healthy lifestyle, don't just occasionally write about healthy recipes, then suddenly discuss gadgets or travel tips. It's better to focus on one topic, for example, health and healthy living. Create consistent content around that topic, such as healthy eating tips, the benefits of exercise, or tips for maintaining good health.
This is important because Google will see that you're serious about the topic and will be more likely to consider you an "expert" in that field.
2. Write In-Depth and Quality Content
Writing quality content is key to building topical authority. You need to ensure that each article you write truly provides useful information, not just general topics.
Readers and search engines will find your articles more useful if they provide comprehensive information.
3. Use a Good Internal Linking Strategy
Internal linking is when you connect one article to another on your website. This not only helps visitors find more content on your website, but also helps search engines understand the structure and relevance of the topics you're discussing.
For example, if you write an article about "the benefits of yoga," within that article, you can include links to other articles you've written, such as "types of yoga poses for beginners" or "how to choose a good yoga mat." This way, you create an ecosystem of interconnected content.
4. Update Old Content Regularly
Topics and trends can change over time, so it's important to update your old content to keep it relevant. Outdated articles not only bore readers but can also reduce search engines' trust in your website.
To increase the authority of this topic, the website could add more high-quality content that is more specific to the topic of “cat towers.”
5. Get Quality Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your content. These backlinks are like "recommendations" from other websites, which make search engines trust your website's authority more. The more quality backlinks linking to your content, the better for your SEO.
Try collaborating with several websites, or write guest posts on popular blogs relevant to your topic. If they link to your article, your topical authority will increase in Google's eyes.
6. Create Diverse Content on One Topic
A single topic can be discussed from various perspectives. Don't just focus on standard articles, but try creating various types of content such as infographics, videos, or podcasts to enrich the user experience and strengthen your website's authority in the eyes of search engines.
7. Increase User Engagement
Topical authority can also be built from good interactions with your audience. If many people comment, share, or spend a long time on your website, this can be a positive signal to search engines.
If you're writing an article about "good cycling tips for beginners," include a question at the end like, "Do you have any other cycling tips? Share them in the comments!"
The more engagement, the more likely Google is to see your content as useful and relevant. This will also help increase your website's Domain Authority.
8. Don't Forget Basic SEO
Besides focusing on topical authority, you should still pay attention to basic SEO, such as keyword usage, meta descriptions, and proper heading structure. This technical SEO is still important to help Google understand and crawl your content.
Finally, don't forget to always monitor your content's performance. Use tools like Google Analytics or Ahrefs to see how well your content is performing, how many backlinks it's getting, and how your keywords are ranking.
Do You Understand Topical Authority?
Topical authority is crucial for increasing your website's credibility and ranking in search engines. The stronger your topical authority, the greater your website's chances of appearing in search results and attracting more visitors.
Simply, Topical authority is the recognition of high credibility held by a website or content creator as an expert on a particular topic or niche, built through the publication of in-depth, consistent, and high-quality content. In summary, topical authority is a status of prominence in the eyes of search engines (like Google) and audiences, resulting in better rankings, more traffic, and stronger trust.
Key points about topical authority:
- Based on specific expertise: This authority focuses on a single niche or topic, distinguishing it from broader domain authority, according to Surfer SEO.
- Built through quality content: The key is creating in-depth, relevant, accurate, and consistent content on the chosen topic, according to IDwebhost and ACCESSTRADE Indonesia.
- The result is higher rankings: By being perceived as a trusted source, your site will rank better in search results (SERPs) for relevant keywords, according to Rank Math and ACCESSTRADE Indonesia.
- The benefits include more traffic: Higher rankings directly lead to an increase in the number of visitors coming to your site organically, according to Rank Math and Neil Patel.
- Long-term process: Building topical authority is a marathon, not a sprint, as it requires time, sustained effort, and a focus on building long-lasting digital assets.
