Definition
Topical authority is an SEO concept where Google gives more visibility to sites that cover a topic comprehensively and in depth. Rather than targeting isolated keywords, the strategy consists of covering all subtopics of a theme to become the go-to reference. This involves creating interconnected content clusters, strong internal linking, and obtaining thematically relevant backlinks. A site with strong topical authority will rank more easily for new keywords in its niche.
Key Points
- Covering a topic in depth and breadth builds credibility with Google
- Internal linking between content in the same cluster is essential
- Topical authority reduces dependence on backlinks for ranking
Practical Examples
Health blog covering all nutrition
A site publishing hundreds of detailed articles on nutrition, diets, supplements, and healthy recipes develops strong topical authority. Google favors it for any nutrition-related query.
Complete SEO cluster
A site creates a pillar page on link building, then 30 satellite articles covering every sub-aspect. The cluster strengthens topical authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no single metric. Evaluate by analyzing positioned keywords in a topic, organic traffic on the cluster, and ability to rank quickly for new content in the same niche.
Domain Authority (DA) is a global domain power metric. Topical authority measures credibility on a specific topic. A site can have average DA but strong topical authority in its niche.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07