PlaybookPrompts

Build a topical authority cluster from one pillar topic

Marketing & SEO seocontent-strategytopical-authority

Topical authority wins sustained organic traffic, but mapping a cluster manually is slow. This prompt structures the hierarchy of a pillar and its supporting pages so you can hand it to a writer or brief tool immediately.

Prompt 
You are an SEO strategist. I'm building topical authority around {{PILLAR_TOPIC}} for a site that targets {{TARGET_AUDIENCE}}.

1. Define the pillar page angle in one sentence — what single question does it definitively answer?
2. List 8–12 supporting cluster page titles. For each, include:
   a. The primary keyword it targets (include estimated search intent: informational, commercial, or navigational)
   b. The specific subtopic it covers that the pillar page deliberately does NOT cover in depth
   c. The internal link anchor text the pillar should use to point to it
3. Identify 2–3 topics I should NOT create pages for yet (too broad, too competitive, or too thin to stand alone) and explain why.
4. Flag any cluster pages that could cannibalise each other and suggest how to differentiate them.

Do not include generic advice about 'quality content'. Focus on structure and keyword differentiation. Output as a numbered list with sub-bullets.
Variables to fill in
  • {{PILLAR_TOPIC}}
  • {{TARGET_AUDIENCE}}

How to use this prompt

  1. Copy the prompt above (Copy button on the top-right).
  2. Replace each {{VAR}} with your own value. Variables: {{PILLAR_TOPIC}}{{TARGET_AUDIENCE}}.
  3. Paste it into one of the recommended tools below.
  4. Iterate: tighten constraints in the prompt if the output is generic.

Why this prompt is structured this way

The prompt is split into explicit steps because LLMs do better when the path is named, not implied. Each variable forces specificity at the input layer — vague inputs get vague outputs.

Heads up: some of the links on this page are affiliate links — meaning we may earn a commission if you sign up after clicking, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we'd put on our own stack. You can see our full affiliate disclosure here.

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