Topical authority is the depth and consistency with which a site covers a subject, so that search engines and AI assistants treat it as a reliable source for questions in that area. You build it with a topic map: the main subjects your buyers care about, the subtopics and questions under each, and one clearly assigned page for every question worth answering, all linked together. This article shows how to build that map for any industry, using this site’s own map as the worked example.
What Google has said
“Topical authority” is widely used in SEO, but it is not a single published ranking factor for all sites. Google described a topic authority system for news in 2023, which helps it identify publications with expertise in specific topics or locations. For other sites, Google’s guidance on helpful content asks whether content shows expertise and whether a site has a clear primary purpose. A well-built topic map is a practical way to meet both.
For AI assistants the logic is similar. When a question is split into several sub-searches, a site that answers many of the parts well has more chances to be retrieved and cited than a site with one general page.
Step 1: choose the core topics
Start from what you sell, not from keyword tools. Each service or product line becomes a core topic. Most businesses have three to six. For Brilad they are SEO, AEO, GEO, AI development and training.
Step 2: collect the questions under each topic
| Source | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Sales calls and enquiry emails | The exact words buyers use and the questions that block a decision |
| Search Console queries | Questions you already appear for |
| “People also ask” and related searches | Follow-up questions Google has seen people ask |
| AI assistants | Which parts of a question they cover and which sources they cite |
| Competitors’ sites and forums | Gaps: questions nobody answers well |
Our guide to query fan-out explains why the sub-questions matter as much as the main query.
Step 3: group questions and assign page types
- Hub pageOverview of a core topic, linking to everything below it.
- Service pageWhat you offer, for whom, and what it costs.
- GuideExplains one concept in depth.
- How-to or checklistSolves one specific problem.
- SectionSmall questions answered inside a bigger page.
Questions with the same intent belong on the same page. Two pages answering the same question compete with each other, a problem known as cannibalisation.
Step 4: map it
A simple sheet is enough. This is part of Brilad’s own map for the GEO topic:
| Question | Page type | Page |
|---|---|---|
| What is GEO and do we need it? | Service page | GEO services |
| How is GEO different from SEO? | Guide | GEO vs SEO |
| How do AI assistants choose sources? | Guide | Retrieval-augmented generation |
| Can AI crawlers reach our site? | How-to with tool | AI crawler access checker |
| Why doesn’t ChatGPT mention us? | Checklist | 7-point checklist |
| How do we measure AI mentions? | How-to | Tracking brand mentions |
| How long does GEO take? | Guide | GEO timeline |
| Should we block GPTBot? | Decision guide | AI crawler decision guide |
Each row has one owner page. When a new question appears, it is either added as a section to an existing page or given a new row.
Step 5: link the map
- The hub links to every page in its topic.
- Every page links back to its hub and to two to four closely related pages.
- Service pages link to the guides that support them, and guides link to the relevant service page.
- Links sit inside the text where the related question comes up, not only in a list at the end.
Step 6: publish in the right order
- Service and hub pages first, since everything links to them.
- The questions closest to a buying decision: cost, comparison, choosing a provider.
- The guides that explain the concepts behind those questions.
- The long tail of specific problems.
Step 7: maintain it
Review the map every quarter. Add questions from new sales conversations and Search Console, merge pages that compete, and update pages whose facts have changed. Depth that goes out of date weakens authority instead of building it.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages does topical authority need?
There is no number. What matters is that the questions your buyers ask are answered well and clearly assigned. A focused map of 30 strong pages can outperform 300 thin ones.
Should we cover topics outside our services?
Only if your buyers ask about them on the way to buying. Content that drifts from the site’s purpose dilutes the signal.
Does this work for small businesses?
Yes. A local business can build a map of 15 to 20 pages around its services, locations and the questions customers ask before calling.
Sources
- Google Search Central blog, “Understanding news topic authority”, May 2023
- Google Search Central, “Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content”
- Google, description of query fan-out in AI Mode, 2025