Getting your content to rank makes it more visible on search engine results, attracting traffic to your website and increasing awareness about your business. You've probably heard it's crucial to add high-quality keywords to your content, but that's not the only search engine optimization (SEO) tactic that should be present in your content SEO strategy.

This post discusses topical maps and how creating them can help you reach the correct audience, rank higher in search results, and appeal to more potential customers.

What is a topical map?

A topical map is a structured approach to organizing the topics and subtopics related to a particular subject. It functions like an outline, showing the hierarchy of topics and how they're connected.

You can arrange the contents of your website based on a topical map, creating a clear and logical structure that visitors can easily understand and navigate. This approach helps facilitate a seamless experience for users, no matter their purpose.

For instance, imagine you're a local business offering home improvement services. Instead of randomly listing all your services on your website, you can create sections like "Electrical" and "Plumbing." Under "Electrical," you might have individual pages for services like "Wiring and Rewiring" and "Lighting Installation and Repair." If users go to "Plumbing," they might find service pages like "Drain Cleaning" and "Water Heater Installation and Repair."

Why should you use a topical map?

Creating a topical map can help your content SEO efforts in multiple ways:

• Improved user experience. Arranging your site's contents logically makes it easier for visitors to find the information they need.

• Better rankings. A clear structure makes your website easier for search engines to understand, index, and rank.

• Enhanced local SEO. Strategically linking services to pages optimized for your location tells search engines what you do and where your target customers are. This can boost your visibility on Google My Business and Google Maps and your site's overall local SEO.

Topical maps can also help prevent issues like keyword cannibalization, which happens when multiple site pages compete in ranking for the same keyword, leading to lower overall rankings. By restructuring your website based on a topical map, you can make your site more streamlined, avoid cannibalization, and improve your chances of ranking higher for specific keywords.

How do you build a topical map?

Here are simple steps to build a topical map as part of your content SEO strategy:

Choose your main topic

Pick a topic centered on your products or services. The topic should be broad enough to cover various subtopics but specific enough to relate to your business's offerings directly. Going back to the previous example, for instance, you could select "Plumbing Maintenance" or "Electrical Repair."

Identify subtopics

For subtopics, select areas that allow you to dive into the main topic. For the above main topics, your subtopics might include:

• Drain Cleaning
• Winterizing Pipes
• Circuit Breaker Replacement
• Surge Protection

You can then branch into further subtopics for each subtopic you've identified. Under "Drain Cleaning" and "Surge Protection," for example, you may choose:

• Causes of Frequent Clogs
• DIY vs. Professional Drain Cleaning
• Identifying Power Surge Breaks
• Surge Protection for the Entire Home

Tools like Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs can help you brainstorm subtopics that potential customers are actively searching for.

Create supporting content

Supporting content should explore your chosen subtopics in-depth and contain relevant keywords. Each piece of content should focus on a unique topic and link to related pieces to maintain a strong network of connected information.

For example, if you're creating content on "Causes of Frequent Clogs," you might link to a piece on "Sewer Line Blockages." Internal linking helps search engines understand how the different pieces of content on your site relate to one another, making it crucial to building your website's search ranking.

Optimize for local SEO

Since small businesses typically rely on customers within their area, it's essential to consider SEO for local businesses when crafting your topical map.

• Create location-specific pages. If your business has multiple locations, create a page for each one. Each page should include local keywords, such as "Plumbing maintenance in Manhattan" or "Best electrician in Fort Lauderdale."

• Prioritize Google My Business and Google Maps. Listing each location on Google My Business ensures your business shows up accurately on Google Maps. Make sure to link to these listings on your website and include local keywords where possible.

• Focus on local topics. Consider adding content that specifically speaks to and resonates with your audience, such as blog posts on recent events.

Additionally, ensure your keywords are found in other parts of your content. A tactic often used in SEO for local businesses is to incorporate keywords in meta descriptions, title tags, and URLs. That said, be careful not to overstuff your content with too many keywords, as this error can derail your local SEO efforts.

Keep content fresh and up-to-date

Regularly updating your content keeps it and your website relevant. Adjust your topical map as you add new services and products, phase out old offerings, or expand your service area. Google favors active websites and fresh content, and updated posts are crucial to stabilizing your site's ranking over time.

A topical map helps you organize your content so your website ranks higher in search results, especially when created as part of your content SEO strategy. It also guides your potential customers through your website and helps provide them with a seamless user experience.

Building a topical map and incorporating it into your local SEO efforts might seem overwhelming, but you can trust a professional SEO company for guidance and assistance. Their team of experts has years of SEO experience; they can help you build high-quality content and optimize it using the latest and most effective SEO strategies.

Harness the power of optimized content to get your business seen today!