Claude Topical Authority Map Builder Prompt
You are an SEO strategist specialising in topical authority who has helped sites go from zero to 100K+ organic monthly v
Category
🔍 SEO
Difficulty
Advanced
Models
3
Last Updated
2026-06-28
Works with
📄 Example output
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❓ FAQ
⚙️ Fill in your variables
📋 Prompt
You are an SEO strategist specialising in topical authority who has helped sites go from zero to 100K+ organic monthly visitors.
Niche: [website niche]
Main topic: [main topic to dominate]
Current content: [current content count] articles/pages
Domain age: [domain age]
Task: Build a complete topical authority map:
1. TOPICAL LANDSCAPE:
- Core topic (what you want to own)
- 5 subtopics (second-tier coverage areas)
- 3–5 related topics (adjacencies that build authority)
2. CONTENT ARCHITECTURE:
Pillar pages (1 per subtopic): Role and structure
Cluster pages (5–10 per pillar): Specific keywords to target
Supporting content (FAQs, glossaries, tools): What to build
3. AUTHORITY GAPS: Topics competitors cover that you don't yet
4. PUBLISHING ROADMAP: 6-month content calendar (one cluster per month)
5. INTERNAL LINKING PLAN: Which pages link to which
6. QUICK WINS (first 30 days): 5 pieces of content to publish immediately that have the best chance of ranking fast
Niche: [website niche]
Main topic: [main topic to dominate]
Current content: [current content count] articles/pages
Domain age: [domain age]
Task: Build a complete topical authority map:
1. TOPICAL LANDSCAPE:
- Core topic (what you want to own)
- 5 subtopics (second-tier coverage areas)
- 3–5 related topics (adjacencies that build authority)
2. CONTENT ARCHITECTURE:
Pillar pages (1 per subtopic): Role and structure
Cluster pages (5–10 per pillar): Specific keywords to target
Supporting content (FAQs, glossaries, tools): What to build
3. AUTHORITY GAPS: Topics competitors cover that you don't yet
4. PUBLISHING ROADMAP: 6-month content calendar (one cluster per month)
5. INTERNAL LINKING PLAN: Which pages link to which
6. QUICK WINS (first 30 days): 5 pieces of content to publish immediately that have the best chance of ranking fast
TOPICAL AUTHORITY MAP: ToolsNova — AI Tools Niche
CORE TOPIC: AI Productivity Tools (primary ownership target)
SUBTOPICS (pillar pages):
1. AI Prompt Engineering → Pillar: 'Complete Guide to AI Prompts 2026'
2. AI Writing Tools → Pillar: 'Best AI Writing Tools 2026'
3. AI for SEO → Pillar: 'How to Use AI for SEO in 2026'
4. AI Coding Tools → Pillar: 'Best AI Coding Assistants 2026'
5. AI for Marketers → Pillar: 'AI Marketing Tools: Complete Guide'
CONTENT ARCHITECTURE — SUBTOPIC 1: AI Prompt Engineering
Pillar: 'Complete Guide to AI Prompts 2026' (target: 4,500 words)
Cluster pages (target 1,200–2,000 words each):
• 'Best ChatGPT Prompts for Writing' — keyword: chatgpt writing prompts
• 'Claude Prompts That Work: 20 Examples' — keyword: claude prompts
• 'Midjourney Prompt Formula: Complete Guide' — keyword: midjourney prompts
• 'What is Prompt Engineering' — keyword: what is prompt engineering
• 'Prompt Engineering for Beginners' — keyword: prompt engineering guide
• 'Chain of Thought Prompting Explained' — keyword: chain of thought prompt
• 'Zero-Shot vs Few-Shot Prompting' — informational
• 'Prompt Engineering Certification: Is It Worth It?' — commercial
INTERNAL LINKING:
Each cluster page links to: Pillar + AI Prompt Library + 2 other clusters in the same subtopic
Pillar links to: All 8 cluster pages + AI Prompt Library tool
QUICK WINS (First 30 days):
1. 'ChatGPT prompts for SEO' — moderate volume, low competition, directly aligns with existing tool
2. 'Free AI prompts for writing' — commercial intent, your library is the landing page
3. 'Midjourney prompts 2026' — freshness advantage with year in keyword...
CORE TOPIC: AI Productivity Tools (primary ownership target)
SUBTOPICS (pillar pages):
1. AI Prompt Engineering → Pillar: 'Complete Guide to AI Prompts 2026'
2. AI Writing Tools → Pillar: 'Best AI Writing Tools 2026'
3. AI for SEO → Pillar: 'How to Use AI for SEO in 2026'
4. AI Coding Tools → Pillar: 'Best AI Coding Assistants 2026'
5. AI for Marketers → Pillar: 'AI Marketing Tools: Complete Guide'
CONTENT ARCHITECTURE — SUBTOPIC 1: AI Prompt Engineering
Pillar: 'Complete Guide to AI Prompts 2026' (target: 4,500 words)
Cluster pages (target 1,200–2,000 words each):
• 'Best ChatGPT Prompts for Writing' — keyword: chatgpt writing prompts
• 'Claude Prompts That Work: 20 Examples' — keyword: claude prompts
• 'Midjourney Prompt Formula: Complete Guide' — keyword: midjourney prompts
• 'What is Prompt Engineering' — keyword: what is prompt engineering
• 'Prompt Engineering for Beginners' — keyword: prompt engineering guide
• 'Chain of Thought Prompting Explained' — keyword: chain of thought prompt
• 'Zero-Shot vs Few-Shot Prompting' — informational
• 'Prompt Engineering Certification: Is It Worth It?' — commercial
INTERNAL LINKING:
Each cluster page links to: Pillar + AI Prompt Library + 2 other clusters in the same subtopic
Pillar links to: All 8 cluster pages + AI Prompt Library tool
QUICK WINS (First 30 days):
1. 'ChatGPT prompts for SEO' — moderate volume, low competition, directly aligns with existing tool
2. 'Free AI prompts for writing' — commercial intent, your library is the landing page
3. 'Midjourney prompts 2026' — freshness advantage with year in keyword...
🏆
💡 Pro Tips
Best model for this prompt
Claude
Claude (Opus 4 / Sonnet 4)
Publish cluster pages before pillar pages — clusters provide the evidence for the pillar's authority claims
Topical authority is proven by covering the topic exhaustively at every level — if there's a question someone can ask about your topic, you should have an answer
Internal linking is 80% of what makes topical authority work in practice — every page should link to its pillar, and the pillar should link to every cluster
Update your authority map every 6 months — new keywords emerge, competitors move, and your gaps change
Trying to build authority on too many topics simultaneously — pick one core topic and dominate it before expanding
Publishing pillar pages without cluster support — Google can't verify your authority claim without the surrounding evidence
Ignoring existing content — auditing what you already have is step 1; building on existing strength is faster than starting from scratch
Not tracking topical authority metrics — measure your keyword rankings within each subtopic cluster to see which pillars are building fastest
- How long does it take to build topical authority?For most niches, 6–12 months of consistent publishing within a well-structured topical map. Sites with existing domain age and backlinks can see results faster. The compound effect means months 9–12 grow faster than months 1–3.
- How many pillar pages do I need?Start with 2–3 pillars maximum. Each pillar needs 8–12 cluster pages to be credible. It's better to fully build out 2 pillars than to have 10 orphaned pillar pages without cluster support.
- Is topical authority more important than backlinks?In 2026, many SEOs believe topical authority has become as important as, or more important than, raw backlink quantity for niche sites. A site with deep topical coverage often outranks a site with more backlinks but shallower coverage.
- Can AI help with topical authority research?Yes — AI is excellent at generating keyword clusters and identifying subtopics you might have missed. For accurate search volume and competition data, validate the AI's suggestions in a real keyword tool like Ahrefs or Semrush.