Topical Map Builder

Topical Map Builder

Design your content cluster architecture with intent labels and content format suggestions

Build Your Topical Map



Spoke Topics (Sub-pages in the cluster)



How to Use the Topical Map Builder

  1. Enter your central hub topic — this is typically your main service page or primary category landing page that you want to rank for the broadest keyword in your cluster.
  2. Add spoke topics — these are the supporting articles, sub-pages, and content pieces that link back to the hub and cover the specific aspects of the main topic. Add 5–15 spokes for a strong cluster.
  3. For each spoke, select the search intent (what the user is trying to accomplish) and a content format (how you will fulfill that intent).
  4. Use the generated map to plan your editorial calendar. Publish hub content first, then build spokes systematically, adding internal links from each spoke back to the hub and to related spokes.

The Hub-and-Spoke Topical Authority Model

The topical map model is based on the hub-and-spoke content architecture where one comprehensive pillar page (the hub) covers the main topic broadly, and multiple focused spoke pages cover specific sub-topics in depth — each linking back to the hub. This architecture creates a topical authority signal that tells Google your site thoroughly covers the subject matter.

Koray Tugberk Ugur’s Topical Authority research demonstrates that sites achieving complete topic coverage — where every user question within a niche has a corresponding page — receive significant ranking advantages over sites with scattered, disconnected content. The topical map is the strategic planning tool that makes this systematically achievable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many spoke topics should a cluster have?
For a strong topical authority cluster, aim for 8–20 spoke pages per hub. The right number depends on the breadth of the topic — a narrow niche may need only 8 spokes while a broad topic like “SEO” could support 50+ sub-topics. Start with 8–10 spokes, publish them, measure results, and expand based on what organic traffic patterns show you are missing.
Should all spokes link to the hub, or should the hub also link to spokes?
Both directions are important. Spokes link to the hub to pass authority upward and reinforce the hub’s topical relevance. The hub links to spokes to distribute its authority to supporting content and help users navigate the cluster. Internal linking in both directions — plus spoke-to-spoke links for closely related sub-topics — creates the strongest possible topical authority signal.
Can I have multiple hubs on the same site?
Yes. Most sites have multiple topic clusters — each hub representing a different service, product category, or major topic area. Hubs can also link to each other if the topics are related, creating a broader sitewide semantic network. Each hub should have its own distinct set of spokes and should not compete with other hubs for the same primary keywords.

Click Here |