Nobody Uses Topic Clusters Correctly
Today’s opinion post is by Olivia Collins, Director of Marketing at Evergreen Essentials. She has over 15 years of experience in marketing, SEO, and analytics.
Almost nobody gets topic clusters right. After a decade in SEO, I’ve watched countless marketing teams chase this strategy without understanding its core mechanics. We’ve all jumped on trendy SEO approaches, but topic clusters keep tripping up even experienced content strategists.
Working with enterprise clients, I’ve noticed they often fixate on the technical setup while missing why topic clusters exist in the first place. The goal isn’t just linking related pages - it’s building a coherent knowledge base that helps users dive deeper into subjects they care about. Most implementations I review end up being glorified tag pages with surface-level connections.
The real problem? We overcomplicate what should be straightforward. Back when I led content at a SaaS company, we fell into this trap ourselves. Chasing traffic metrics, we rushed to create dozens of “clusters” that were really just loosely related blog posts. The results were predictably disappointing - bounce rates stayed high and engagement barely budged.
The keyword obsession doesn’t help either. I still cringe remembering content briefs that prioritized keyword density over answering real user questions. Effective topic clusters flow from genuine audience insight. During content audits, I look for signs that pieces solve problems rather than just targeting search terms.
Here are the common pitfalls I regularly spot:
- Misaligned Topics: Supporting content that barely connects to the main theme or misses user pain points
- Surface-Level Strategy: Obsessing over internal links while neglecting substantive, helpful content
- Unclear Clusters: Mixing multiple themes into confusing content groupings
- Ignoring Actual User Intent: Writing for algorithms instead of addressing real user needs
The solution starts with picking one core topic you can genuinely own. Map out your audience’s actual questions and challenges. Build supporting content that meaningfully expands on subtopics. Think depth over breadth.
Your topic cluster should work like a natural learning path. At my previous agency, we saw engagement skyrocket when we structured clusters as progressive deep-dives rather than circular reference loops. Users followed the content trails because each piece built on their understanding.
Interaction matters too. The best clusters I’ve worked on incorporated user feedback loops, regular content refreshes, and evolving perspectives on cornerstone topics. This approach satisfies both search engines and users by creating genuinely valuable resource hubs.
Topic clusters aren’t inherently flawed - I’ve implemented them successfully for several clients. But widespread misuse highlights the need for a reset in how we approach them. Quality and user value must drive the strategy.
Our role as marketers is delivering genuine value while adapting to search evolution. Let’s move past superficial implementations and build topic clusters that serve user needs through substantive, well-structured content.