We map the questions in your subject, give each page one job, and draw the links between them.
This is planning work done by our team, with experience going back to 2004. The writing can come after, from you, our AI writer, or a Local SEO plan.
Maybe you have written a lot of pages over the years. Some are about the same thing. Some answer half a question. And you are not sure which ones Google even cares about.
That is a common spot to be in, and it is not your fault. Most sites grow one page at a time, with no map. Topical authority is the idea that Google trusts a site more on a subject when the site covers that subject fully and clearly.
A topical authority strategy is the map. It decides which pages you need, what each one is for, and how they connect. The writing comes after, through our blog writing service for the articles and our copywriting for the service pages.
Two or three pages answer nearly the same question. Google has to guess which one to show, and often shows neither one well.
You cover the service, but not the questions people ask before they buy, like cost, timing, or which option to pick.
Blog posts sit on their own and never point to the service page they relate to.
You show up for small side questions, but not for the main searches tied to your best work.
Every new post starts with “what should we write about this month?” instead of the next item on a plan.
A page shows up, then slips. Mixed signals across similar pages can make it hard for Google to settle on one.
For example, picture a roofing company in Richmond, Indiana, that wants more roof replacement jobs. Here is the kind of topic group we would plan. Each page answers one question and links to the pillar.
| Page | Its one job |
|---|---|
| Roof replacement (your service page) | The pillar. Explains the service, the area you cover, and how to get a quote. |
| What changes the cost of a new roof | Answers the price question without a made-up number: size, pitch, material, tear-off. |
| Shingle or metal: which roof fits your home | Helps the reader compare. Links back to the pillar for a quote. |
| Repair or replace? Signs it is time | Catches people earlier, before they know which service they need. |
| Hail damage and insurance claims | Explains what to expect after a storm and when to call. |
| What happens on install day | Calms the worries of people who are close to saying yes. |
If the company already had two old posts about roof costs, the plan would merge them into the cost page. Nothing new gets written for a question the site already answers.
Four steps, all done before anyone writes a new page.
We read the pages you already have on the subject and mark each one covered, thin, or missing. Your old pages are often more useful than you think.
We gather the real questions in your subject, from your customers, your Search Console, and Google's own “People also ask” boxes.
Each question gets one page. Pages that overlap get merged. Missing pages go on the list, in the order that helps your business most.
We map which pages link to the pillar and where the pillar links out. Each new page has a clear place before it is written.
Step 4 is where this plan meets the rest of your site. for the links across all your pages, not only one topic group, see our internal linking service.
In a hub-and-spoke model, one main page covers the subject and supporting pages link back to it, so search engines can see how the pages fit together.
A picture of a content hub-and-spoke model. It shows the basic shape of a topic group, where every supporting page has one job and points to the main page.
You own the plan. Your team can write from it, our AI writer can draft from it, or the pages can become the monthly new pages on a Local SEO plan.
Before we plan anything new, we look at what you already have. New pages only go on the list to fill a real gap.
An experienced SEO professional pulls the questions people really ask about your subject, then turns the best ones into pages.
We plan around the service you most want more of, so the group supports a page that brings in money.
Each page has one main question, so it is easy to see in Search Console whether that page is starting to show up.
For many small businesses they are the same page. Your main service page can be the pillar, and the helpful articles around it support it. A pillar does not have to be a long guide. It has to be the page that best covers the subject and gets the most links from the rest of the group.
Start with one: the subject closest to the work you most want more of. Finish that group before you start another. A few complete groups do more than many half-built ones.
That is common, and it is often called keyword cannibalization. We look at both pages and decide whether they should be merged into one stronger page, or rewritten so each one answers a different question. Nothing is deleted without a redirect.
You can write without one, but a plan saves money. It tells you which posts to write first, which ones you already have, and where each new post links. Without it, it is easy to pay for posts that repeat each other.
In Google Search Console, watch the searches each page shows up for. Over time, the supporting pages should appear for their own questions, and the pillar page for the main subject. Many businesses start to see changes in about 2 to 3 months, depending on competition. We never promise a date.
It can be, as long as the subject is narrow. A small business that covers one subject in its own area really well has a fair shot against bigger sites that cover everything thinly. We can't promise you'll outrank them, but focus gives you a real chance.
We build the topic plan with you and walk you through it, so you know why each page is on the list.
Merge the pages that compete, build up the thin ones, and add links to the pillar. This is often the fastest part.
New pages get written in plan order. On an AI agent plan, our AI writer drafts them and you approve them. On Local Growth or Local Pro, we add 1 or 2 new pages a month.
Look at your Google Search Console every month or two. Pages that are not showing up yet may need a clearer answer or more links.
If you've put real work into your content and still feel stuck, let's talk. On a free 30-minute call, we'll look at one subject on your site with you and point out where pages overlap or leave gaps.
Building the plan is strategy work, billed by the hour: $150 an hour, or $110 an hour if you host with us or have a plan, with a written estimate first.
We look at how one subject is covered on your site and talk through the biggest gaps we see.
A paid audit ($597, ready in 2 to 3 business days): our crawler compares your site with your top 3 competitors to find topics, pages, and schema they have that you do not. An experienced SEO professional reviews every finding.
On an AI agent plan, the Keyword Strategist spots pages that target the same search and suggests topics you are missing. Its ideas are AI estimates, not live search data.
Fill out the form to book your free 30-minute call. Tell us the one subject you most want to be known for.