Using HubSpot’s Content Strategy Tool to Build Topic Clusters

TL;DR

• Organizing content around topic clusters (pillar + subtopic pages) improves SEO and user experience.
• HubSpot’s SEO > Topics tool helps you plan, execute, and monitor clusters.
• Start with a pillar page, link 6–10 relevant subtopic pages, validate internal links, and track performance over time.

Why Topic Clusters Matter

• Google now prioritizes content organized by thematic authority rather than isolated keywords.
• Topic clusters elevate page authority and site structure, helping more pages rank and fast-track search visibility.
  
• HubSpot’s own blogs use topic clusters strategically across blog sections (e.g., Marketing, Sales), reinforcing brand authority.
  

1. What Are Topic Clusters

• A pillar page provides a broad, high-level overview of a key topic—with clear title, URL, and H1 branding.
• Subtopic pages address specific, related questions and must link back to the pillar.
• This structure helps define your topical authority both for readers and search engines.
  

2. Research & Create Topics with HubSpot

Within HubSpot:

• Go to Content → SEO → Topics and click Add a topic.
• Evaluate Monthly Search Volume and Difficulty before selecting a topic.
  

3. Build Your Cluster

• Assign one pillar page per Topic. It needs to clearly reference the topic in title, URL, and heading.
• Add 6–10 subtopic keywords per topic to stay focused; HubSpot supports up to 100—but fewer maintains clarity.
  
• Attach content: your existing posts, landing pages, or website pages. Each subtopic needs an outbound link to the pillar page.

4. Validate Internal Linking

• Use the Topical Coverage visualization in the Topics tool.
  • Green lines mean subtopic content correctly links to the pillar.
  • Gray indicates missing content.
  • Red means a root issue—content doesn’t link back.
    

5. Track & Analyze Performance

• In Topics → View topic analytics, review sessions, session length, and bounce rate—all tied to organic traffic.
• Link Search Console for deeper insight: inbound links, rankings, and additional keyword-level data.
  

Pro Tips

• Begin with narrower focus areas rather than broad pillar topics—build topical authority over time.
  
• Stay aligned: clusters should serve clear business or brand themes; if a topic drifts from core competency, it may not belong.
  
• Periodically revisit clusters—for example, each quarter—to refresh, expand subtopics, or prune outdated content.