Glossary
What is topical authority?
Topical authority is the idea that search engines trust a site more on a subject when it covers that subject thoroughly and well, with many connected pages, rather than one page in isolation. Google has said it values sites with expertise on a topic. It's built with depth, internal links and links from relevant sites.
How it shows up
Sites that cover a topic in depth tend to rank for many related searches, including new pages that rank quickly. Google has described systems that try to understand when a publication has expertise on a topic, for example in news.
How to build it
- Choose a topic close to your product.
- Map the subtopics and questions with a topical map.
- Build pillar pages and cluster pages.
- Link them all to each other where it helps.
- Add original data and first-hand experience.
- Earn links from relevant sites.
Example
This site focuses on launching products: hundreds of directory profiles, category lists, launch guides, this glossary and statistics pages, all linked together. A new guide on a launch topic ranks faster here than it would on a general marketing blog.
FAQ
Is topical authority a Google metric?
Not a named metric. It's a way of describing how coverage and expertise on a topic help rankings.
How many pages build topical authority?
There's no number; coverage of the important questions matters more than count.
Can a small site have topical authority?
Yes, in a narrow niche.
How long does it take to build topical authority?
Months. It grows as you publish connected pages and earn links on the topic.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content
- Google Search Central blog: Understanding news topic authority