How To Be A Topical Authority
Topical Authority is the the name given to the internet’s #1 authority on a given question, subject or topic. When someone searches for something in Google or other search engines, the aim is to show the best results, in order.
The Topical Authority is:
The #1 Organic Search Result, on that particular topic, on that day.
It’s worth noting that organic search results are just that - organic - so rankings can (and often do) change daily, but can change even faster.
THE IMPORTANCE OF Topical Authority IN ONLINE SEARCH
Breaking it down into bite-sized pieces, a web page that wins the #1 ranking in Google is the one with the best information. This is usually (but not always) backed by trust signals, such as inbound links.
This page is ranked by search engines with a score known as ‘Page Authority’. The more pages a website contains that have good page authority, the better one should expect to see a relatively good score for its ‘Domain Authority’.
Both of these scores are measured on a scale of 1 to 100. (As an example, The New York Times website nytimes.com has a domain authority of 95 at time of writing this blog - and this score is subject to change.)
Why Topical Authority Matters ONLINE
The world LOVES an expert.
And it’s important to note that a website is not judged by the sum of all of its' pages being evaluated together. Search engines can ignore the website as a whole and pick out the best page or parts to show to searchers.
Excellent content on a single page of your website can lift that page to #1 spot in Google because search engines are always looking for the best answers.
When we get it right and a web page provides useful, relevant, focused and original content – on a specific query (or topic) – and addresses the gamut of semantically related questions in the best possible way – it can be awarded with Google’s #1 position in organic searches.
When this happens, a tremendous amount of traffic – and business can be won with zero online marketing dollars spent.
CONTENT IS KING!
What happens when a website has good Domain Authority?
A website with good Domain Authority has a much easier path to ranking for whatever topic the website publishes. This is often a headline in the form of a statement, question or a phrase that is newsworthy.
These websites publish often - and articles are well researched and well written with references to other articles and information… outbound links are an important signal that a web page is trying to help the reader.
SEO AND TOPICAL AUTHORITY
Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a big part in the Topical Authority conversation.
SEO helps take the guesswork away from search engines and also requires that we be considerate of moving parts that are "under the hood" of a website. Search engine algorithms measure many factors, including:
Web page content
Number of external links pointed at a web page
Website usability and user experience (i.e. to people 'bounce' away from your page right away, or do they linger)
Images (titles, descriptions, alt tags, etc. are all semantic SEO signals)
Internal links
And more… ALL of which factor in to your ability to become a Topical Authority.
A couple important technical factors that might affect a website’s authority include site loading speed and whether or not it is mobile device-friendly… although it’s harder to find a non-responsive site listed as a Topical Authority these days than ever before — but there are probably still a few non-responsive web pages with Topical Authority out there!
So where does one begin?
WORKING TOWARDS BECOMING a Topical Authority?
Becoming a topical authority is an achievement that is won over time. Care to rank #1 for the search term ‘hamburger’? All you need to do is create the world’s most useful, informative, comprehensive and original web page on hamburgers (updated daily!).
You can begin to see how much work can go into becoming #1… and it really makes you appreciate the value of Wikipedia (and it’s no wonder Wikipedia turns up at the top of the SERPs for almost everything).
Fortunately for small business owners, generic and highly competitive search terms are not what their businesses depend on. And better yet, it’s not out of reach to achieve the kind of topical authority required to gain the #1 spot and win a LOT more business.
CONTENT MARKETING to Become a Topical Authority
10 years ago, there were quick and easy SEO signals that worked instantly to get your site ranking higher. Today, those strategies have evolved into more complex content writing and marketing strategies because of the way algorithms work. This effort is known as content marketing.
Over many years of experimenting with SEO and content marketing, we have learned a few truths about becoming the topical authority.
In a nutshell, here are the most important factors to ranking #1 in Google for a search query:
Domain Authority (many pages with high Page Authority)
Links to your website from quality websites
GREAT original content on the subject… With related pieces published often (not really possible for most people, but referring back to the New York Times example - multiple times a day will win out... it also depends on what your competition is doing
Search Engine Optimized site structure excellent user interface and user experience (UI/UX), and some technical SEO could help - such as fast loading, and responsive mobile-friendly design is a MUST these days.
lemonskate can make your Journey to being a Topical Authority much easier!
Fortunately, there are many useful SEO tips and strategies lemonskate’s SEO consultancy services can provide. We can share ways to expedite your journey to becoming the Topical Authority in searches - no matter what industry you work in.
lemonskate can also help get your website optimized and running to its highest potential and provide excellent content marketing strategies to grow your business for years to come!.
If you’re ready to grow your business online, Contact lemonskate today.