Using Topical Authority to Dominate Google Ranking
Google has recently begun discussing its Topical Authority program. They use it to rank websites that are the most accurate resources for people needing information in specific niches, such as health, finances, and any other topic where there is no evergreen discussion, like knitting.
For most niches, there is a continual flow of information, trends, and news discussing the topic. It is especially true with health and finances, but it’s also applicable in other niches such as making money online, anti-aging, etc.
You want to ensure that your site complies with Google’s topical authority ranking system so that they begin to send you organic traffic and highlight your site content above your competitors.
All online entrepreneurs should position their site content as a go-to resource for their target audience. But there are specific things you can do to adhere to the guidelines. Google wants to create “helpful, people-first content” that they deem topic authorities.
Google’s Topical Authority Defined for Niche Bloggers
So let’s define how Google’s Topical Authority regards niche bloggers. Google uses a system to rank sites based on the content’s expertise and other factors.
What is Topical Authority
While expertise is the most crucial element of a Topical Authority determination, other things come into play, such as how much expert content your site has, how many other sites are linking back to you as an authority source, and whether or not your website enjoys a high volume of social media recognition. This forms the basis of Topical Authority SEO.
Years ago, marketers could churn out a lot of content on their domain and rank high based on the volume. Then, Google began focusing on quality over quantity. With the Topic Authority system in place, both factors matter regarding ranking.
Topic Based Authoring Benefit
A site that has published dozens of expert content posts on a topic will outperform a site that writes one perfect piece. Google has search bots that will crawl and evaluate your site for quality and relevance to a topic.
In addition to good content, they’re also looking for original content and a unique angle. When analyzing the topic, you can offer a new solution or a unique point of view.
A case study might be embedded into your content to show you know the subject thoroughly. When you link to or mention a statistic or other authoritative information, Google also looks for cited resources.
Finding Ideas That Align with Google’s Topical Authority Guidelines
How do you find ideas that would make good Topical Authority posts? For some niches, it’s going to be easier than for others. In the example before, it will be harder for you to develop a good topic for this purpose if you are in the knitting niche.
Pay Attention to the News & Trends for Potential Topical Authority Posts
But if you are in a health niche, such as weight loss, you can quickly pay attention to the news and find out what topic would be suitable for a post where you are aiming for better rankings using this strategy.
There is a lot of chatter in the news about various semaglutide shots helping people lose weight. Even more recently, the conversation about using a natural source that mimics those pharmaceuticals has increased.
If you pay attention to the news and trends, you can quickly and easily create an authoritative blog post, known as topic-based authoring, to which other sources will link. If you type in the word semaglutides into Google, you will see articles about how research is happening to curb other addictive behaviors.
You will also see content about how they are being used to help 45% of teenagers reverse their obesity. And a supplement called berberine is now being touted as “nature’s Ozempic.”
Use Social Media Listening Tools for Topical Authority
In addition to paying attention to the news, you can look on social media or use social media listening tools to alert you whenever new trends emerge. You want to be following hashtags and paying attention to a surge in content about specific topics on various platforms.
Another thing you can do to find good topics for Topical Authority posts is to subscribe to industry blogs and magazines. These usually give you a head start in determining what content you must publish to your blog before consumers begin discussing a topic.
Tailoring Your Content for Better Rankings Using Topical Authority
Once you have an idea, you want to begin creating tailored content to be recognized by Google as a Topical Authority. To start with, you need to make sure that the quality of the content is high.
Topical Authority Using Pillar Posts
Think about a pillar blog post, where you take one subject and drill down, making it as comprehensive as possible so that the reader doesn’t have to go anywhere else to find out the information they were looking for.
For each post, you should thoroughly research and verify the information for accuracy. If you use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help you brainstorm an outline for your content, you never want to take its word for anything as fact.
Cite Your Sources to Boost Topical Authority SEO
Because Google is looking for cited sources, curate information into your content to support your opinion or showcase the facts better.
Use a strategy that Google introduced a while back known as E-E-A-T, which stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. You want to prove you know what you’re talking about in your content, so you can give your personal experience and share it professionally, reassuring them that you are an excellent resource.
Highlight Your Expertise, Experience, & Qualification When Topic Based Authoring
If you have any credibility, you should mention it within the post. It can be a degree or education, but it can also be your experience to share with your audience.
Google is also looking for your readers to align with you because they find you transparent and reliable with your content. If you have testimonials or can offer proof of what you are talking about, this will go a long way in establishing that.
10 Ways to Become a Highly Cited Topic Authority That Google Recognizes
Linking Continues as a Key factor in Topical Authority SEO
Not only should you be linking out to expert content, but Google wants to see other authority sites linking back to you, too. There are several ways you can go about achieving this goal.
Easiest LInks – Social Site Sharing
First and foremost, you want to take the content on your blog and begin spreading it on social media platforms so that others can share it virally.
If you can align with influencers or other marketers in your niche to cross-promote your content, this will help you with distribution and engagement. You can also embark on a strategy to engage with people in forums for your niche.
Signature File
You can have a signature file and a complete profile that points back to your site. Then when you share good information and help others within the forum, they will look at where they can learn more from you and click through on your link or share it with others.
Established Method for Backlinks – Guest Posts
You can also arrange some guest blog posts. If you can write an informative blog post for another niche marketer’s website and have a byline pointing back to your site for their readers to follow, this will go a long way in giving you more backlinks and authority.
Reverse Outreach
Another strategy we can implement is reverse outreach. When you create these posts that have a lot of helpful information in them, make sure you are optimizing them to rank well for long-tail keyword phrases that journalists and other bloggers will be looking for whenever they are publishing their expert pieces and need information about statistics and other data on the topic.
Broken Links
Another thing you can do is use artificial intelligence tools to pinpoint broken links on websites that are linking out to your competitors. Approach those site owners and inform them about the broken link, which can damage their SEO, and offer to let them link to your new content instead.
For News Worthy Topics Use Press Releases to Add to Topical Authority
One thing you can do that many marketers forget exists is to publish a public press release. You can use many sites to do this, and many publications will pick up your press release and use it in their own content.
You can even quote yourself as an expert within the article so that if it gets picked up or search bots crawl the press release and see your name as a referred expert, it will boost authority.
Your About Page
Ensure you have an About Page filled out on your website that touts all of your achievements and expertise within that niche. Whether it’s the amount of time you have spent in it, certification or degree, or just a sheer passion for the topic, have it published so that search bots and human visitors can see your leadership.
With each blog post you publish, include a byline with a single sentence summarizing your expertise. Using the semaglutide example, you might have a byline on your blog post: “Jane Doe is a weight loss expert and publisher who has been writing about the topic for 17 years.”
Toot Your Own Horn
Many marketers are hesitant to call themselves experts, but you have to do this if you’re going to be an online marketer. You have to toot your own horn and not be afraid to share your authority with others because no one else will tell the world what you are capable of helping with and why.
Share Your Niche Learning
Also, ensure you embark on a continuing education journey as a niche leader. It would help to immerse yourself in as much learning as possible and publicly share what you are doing to grow your information and expertise further.
Don’t Forget Google’s Other SEO Measures
While Google’s Topical Authority concept is a powerful way to showcase your leadership skills, you must ensure those posts align with other search engine optimization guidelines.
Robust Interlinking
One of the most important things you must include that relates directly to the Topical Authority rankings is ensuring a robust interlinking system. It is also vital with pillar blog posts.
When search bots come to your Topical Authority post and crawl it, if they can follow and navigate to other pages regarding the topic, it proves that you have more content to share with your audience.
Build Topic Clusters to Support Your Topical Authority
You can create topic clusters with one pillar blog post to act as your Topic Authority content and several supporting posts that link back to it and that you can link out to from there.
Use Semantic Keywords
Linking out to other sources, as mentioned previously, is also essential. You must also utilize an excellent semantic keyword approach rather than repeatedly stuffing the exact single phrase into your content.
On-Page SEO
You must still adhere to all the on-page SEO elements, such as using alt tags, title tags, meta descriptions and meta tags, headings and subheadings, and schema markup for better navigation.
Voice Search Integration
And if you want to take it even further, you will also integrate other essential SEO elements that Google focuses on. For example, voice search is becoming more popular with people speaking their commands to gadgets like Siri or Alexa.
Mobile Friendly
Another thing you have to take note of is Google’s emphasis on ranking mobile-friendly Websites at the top of the search engine results pages. Not only do you want to check to ensure that your site loads quickly and can be viewed on various browsers, but you also have to ensure that it shows up accurately on many different gadgets.
Google mentioned its Topical Authority recently as a way to inform site owners about what they feel is essential when pointing their users to the best content online. The reality is you should be doing all of these things anyway to serve your audience better.
Your search engine ranking plans should include SEO’s technical aspect and focus on what you can do to provide the best information to readers seeking your guidance.
