GlossaryContent
Topical authority
Topical authority is the idea that a site covering one subject in depth is seen as a better source on it. It's an SEO concept, not a Google metric.
Topical authority describes how well a site is seen as a reliable source on a subject. A site that covers a topic thoroughly, with many connected, accurate pages and links from related sites, is thought to rank more easily for terms in that area.
The term comes from the SEO community. Google hasn't published a topical authority score, although it has said it tries to reward sites with deep expertise. What's practical is the outcome. Covering a subject well makes you more useful to readers, and gives you more natural things for others to link to.
Practical point: pick a focused area, map the questions people ask about it, and build a set of linked pages that answer them. Use pillar pages and supporting articles. Avoid spreading thin across unrelated topics. Links from sites in the same field support the signal, since they show that peers cite you.
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