build-clusters

What this skill does

# Build Clusters

Build a topical authority cluster from a seed keyword using pillar-spoke
structure, coverage scoring, and interlinking plans.

## What is a Topic Cluster?

A topic cluster is a group of interlinked pages that collectively cover a subject
area. Google evaluates topical authority at the cluster level — ranking a single
page is harder if the site has no supporting content around the topic.

**Structure:**
- **Pillar page** — comprehensive overview of the broad topic (targets head term)
- **Spoke pages** — focused articles covering subtopics (target body/long-tail terms)
- **Internal links** — every spoke links to the pillar, pillar links to all spokes, spokes cross-link to siblings

## Before You Start

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

1. **Seed topic.** The broad subject area to build authority around.
2. **Existing content.** Does the site already have pages on this topic? List them.
3. **Business relevance.** How does this topic connect to the product or service?
4. **Content capacity.** How many pieces can the team produce per month?

## Step 1: Subtopic Discovery

From the seed topic, generate subtopics using these methods:

**Search-derived:**
- People Also Ask questions for the seed keyword
- Related searches at the bottom of SERPs
- Autocomplete suggestions (seed + a, b, c...)
- Competitor content analysis — what subtopics do top-ranking sites cover?

**Intent-derived:**
- Awareness: "what is [topic]", "why [topic] matters"
- Consideration: "best [topic] tools", "[topic] vs [alternative]"
- Implementation: "how to [topic]", "[topic] tutorial"
- Troubleshooting: "[topic] not working", "common [topic] mistakes"

**Audience-derived:**
- Beginner questions about the topic
- Advanced practitioner concerns
- Decision-maker evaluation criteria

Aim for 8-20 subtopics per cluster.

## Step 2: Cluster Map

Organize subtopics into a structured cluster:

```
Pillar: [Broad Topic] (head term)
│
├── Spoke: [Subtopic 1] (body term)
│   └── Intent: informational
│
├── Spoke: [Subtopic 2] (body term)
│   └── Intent: commercial investigation
│
├── Spoke: [Subtopic 3] (long-tail)
│   └── Intent: transactional
│
├── Spoke: [Subtopic 4] (long-tail)
│   └── Intent: informational
│
└── ... (8-15 more spokes)
```

## Step 3: Coverage Scoring

Score how well the existing site covers the cluster:

| Subtopic | Existing Page? | Quality (1-5) | Traffic | Gap? |
|----------|---------------|---------------|---------|------|
| [subtopic 1] | /blog/topic-1 | 4 | 500/mo | No |
| [subtopic 2] | — | — | — | Yes |
| [subtopic 3] | /blog/old-post | 2 | 50/mo | Partial (needs refresh) |

- **Full gap** — no existing page, needs creation
- **Partial gap** — page exists but is thin, outdated, or off-intent
- **Covered** — strong existing page, may just need internal linking

## Step 4: Pillar Page Design

The pillar page should:

- Cover the topic comprehensively at an overview level (2,000-4,000 words)
- Link to every spoke page for deeper dives
- Be structured as a table of contents for the entire cluster
- Target the highest-volume keyword in the cluster
- Include a summary of each subtopic (2-3 paragraphs) with a link to the full spoke

**Pillar page is NOT** a mega-article that tries to cover everything in depth. It is a hub that distributes authority and directs readers to the right spoke.

## Step 5: Interlinking Plan

Map the internal links:

| From Page | To Page | Anchor Text | Context |
|-----------|---------|-------------|---------|
| Pillar | Spoke 1 | "[subtopic 1] guide" | In the subtopic 1 overview section |
| Spoke 1 | Pillar | "[broad topic]" | In the introduction or conclusion |
| Spoke 1 | Spoke 2 | "[subtopic 2]" | Where subtopic 2 is mentioned contextually |
| Spoke 3 | Spoke 1 | "[subtopic 1]" | Where comparison is relevant |

Rules:
- Every spoke links to the pillar (mandatory)
- Pillar links to every spoke (mandatory)
- Spokes cross-link to 2-4 siblings (where contextually natural)
- Use varied anchor text (not always the exact keyword)

## Step 6: Cluster Health Metrics

Score the cluster's readiness to compete:

```
Coverage Score  = (Covered spokes / Total spokes) x 100
Link Health     = (Spokes with bidirectional pillar link / Total spokes) x 100
Content Quality = (Spokes scoring 3+ quality / Total spokes) x 100
```

| Metric | Score | Threshold |
|--------|-------|-----------|
| Coverage | [x]% | > 70% to start ranking for pillar keyword |
| Link Health | [x]% | 100% is the target — every spoke must link to pillar and back |
| Content Quality | [x]% | > 80% — clusters with thin spokes dilute authority |

### Expected Outcomes by Health Level

| Cluster State | Coverage | Link Health | Content Quality | Expected Result |
|--------------|----------|------------|----------------|----------------|
| Incomplete | <50% | <70% | Any | Pillar unlikely to rank page 1; spokes rank individually at best |
| Developing | 50-70% | 70-90% | 50-80% | Pillar may appear page 2-3; some spokes rank for long-tail |
| Competitive | 70-90% | 100% | 80-90% | Pillar competes for page 1; most spokes rank for their targets |
| Dominant | >90% | 100% | >90% | Pillar strong on page 1; cluster captures most queries in the topic |

### Internal Link Standards per Cluster

| Link Type | Minimum Count | Direction |
|-----------|-------------|-----------|
| Pillar → each spoke | 1 per spoke | Downward — link from the relevant section of the pillar |
| Each spoke → pillar | 1 per spoke | Upward — "our complete [topic] guide" |
| Spoke ↔ sibling spokes | 2-4 per spoke | Lateral — where contextually natural |
| Cross-cluster bridges | 0-2 per cluster | Between hubs — only with genuine topical relevance |

**Cluster ready to compete:** Coverage > 70%, Link Health = 100%, Content Quality > 80%.
Below these thresholds, prioritize filling gaps before expecting the pillar to rank.

## Step 7: Production Sequence

Order the content production for maximum impact:

1. **Pillar page first** — even as a draft, it establishes the hub
2. **Highest-opportunity spokes next** — pages targeting gaps with the best opportunity scores
3. **Refresh existing spokes** — update and relink any partial-gap pages
4. **Remaining spokes** — fill out the cluster over time
5. **Update pillar** — add links to each new spoke as it's published

## Output Format

### Topic Cluster: [seed topic]

**Cluster Summary**
- Pillar keyword: [keyword] (volume: [x], difficulty: [y])
- Total spokes: [count]
- Existing coverage: [x]% ([n] pages exist, [n] need creation)
- Total cluster volume: [sum of all keyword volumes]

**Cluster Map**
[Visual structure from Step 2]

**Coverage Scorecard**
[Table from Step 3]

**Pillar Page Spec**
- Target keyword: [keyword]
- Recommended title: [title]
- Structure: [heading outline with spoke links]

**Interlinking Plan**
[Table from Step 5]

**Production Roadmap**
[Ordered list from Step 6 with estimated timelines]

---

> **Pro Tip:** Use the free [Blog Keyword Generator](https://seojuice.com/tools/blog-keyword-generator/)
> to discover subtopics for your cluster. SEOJuice MCP users get automatic cluster mapping —
> run `/seojuice:content-strategy` to see existing clusters with coverage metrics, or use
> `list_clusters` and `get_cluster_detail` to check cluster health and identify gaps.