You publish a handful of articles, build some links, watch your rankings… and nothing really happens.
Most of the time the problem is not that you need “more content” or “more backlinks”.
The problem is that your content is not structured around clear topics.
That is exactly what a topical map fixes.
In this guide we will walk through:
- What a topical map is in SEO
- Why it matters more now than a simple keyword list
- The best tools for building topical maps
- How to create a topical map step by step
- A simple example you can copy and adapt
By the end, you will have a clear process you can use to plan months of content and build real topical authority instead of random blog posts.
What is a topical map in SEO?
A topical map is a structured overview of all the topics and subtopics you should cover around a subject, arranged in a logical hierarchy, so search engines and users can see that you cover that subject in depth.
Think of it as the blueprint for your content strategy:
- At the center you have your core topic
- Around it you group supporting topics
- Under each one you list subtopics and content ideas
Several SEO resources describe a topical map this way: a roadmap that organizes content into themes and subthemes, so your site becomes a clear, well structured “library” instead of a pile of unrelated posts.
In other words:
A topical map shows what you should write, how pieces relate to each other, and where each page fits in your site’s overall topic.
Why topical maps matter more than ever
Search engines have moved from simple keyword matching to understanding topics, entities and relationships.
Modern algorithms can tell the difference between a site that casually mentions a subject and a site that covers it across many connected pages.
A good topical map helps you:
- Prove you are an authority on a subject
- Avoid content gaps that competitors cover better
- Plan internal links in a natural way
- Write fewer but more strategic articles that rank for many related queries
Instead of asking “Which keyword should I target next?”, you start asking “Which part of this topic have we not covered yet?”
Topical map vs keyword list vs topic clusters
It is easy to mix these up, so let’s separate them.
Keyword list
- A long spreadsheet of keywords, volumes and maybe difficulty scores
- No structure, no hierarchy
- Useful as raw material, but not a strategy
Topic clusters
- A group of pages around one theme, usually with a “pillar” page and supporting pages
- A cluster can be part of a topical map
- Common model: “hub and spoke”
Topical map
- A high level view of all the clusters you need to cover a subject
- Includes hierarchy (main topic → supporting topics → subtopics → individual URLs)
- Keeps business priorities and search intent in the same picture
So you can say:
A keyword list feeds the topical map.
A topical map defines your clusters.
Clusters become your actual content and internal links.
When does it make sense to create a topical map?
A full topical map is especially useful when:
- You are building a new content hub or blog from scratch
- You are entering a new niche and want to “own” it
- You suspect you have published a lot, but in a scattered way
- You want to reduce dependency on aggressive link building by building topical authority
If your site is tiny and you only care about one or two pages, you may not need a complete map yet. But once you are serious about organic growth, it is worth doing.
Tools you can use to build topical maps
You can build a topical map in a spreadsheet, but the right tools make research and clustering much faster. Here are a few options people actually use in practice.
1. Topical Map AI
A dedicated topical mapping tool that takes a seed keyword and returns hundreds of related topics, grouped into clusters. It supports multiple languages, gives you a cluster view with basic metrics, and lets you export everything to CSV so you can shape your own site structure.
Good for: SEOs who want a “done for you” topical map starting point rather than manual keyword grouping.
2. SearchAtlas Topical Map Generator
SearchAtlas includes a topical map generator that turns a main topic into clusters, long-tail keywords and suggested article ideas. You can control how many clusters and long-tail ideas you want, then use the output as a full content roadmap.
Good for: agencies and in-house teams who want to quickly turn one topic into a full content plan.
3. FATJOE Free Topical Map Generator
FATJOE offers a free browser-based topical map generator. You enter your main topic and the tool returns related subtopics so you can quickly see angles you have not covered yet.
Good for: quick ideation sessions and testing new clusters without signing up for anything heavy.
4. Surfer Topical Map and Domain Map
Surfer’s “Topical Map” and “Domain Map” views help you see clusters for a site at a glance. You can plug in a domain, connect Google Search Console, and then spot content gaps and hub pages that deserve more support.
Good for: reviewing an existing site and seeing where your topical coverage is strong or weak.
5. Thruuu and similar free utilities
Thruuu has its own topical map and clustering tools and also compares several free topical map generators. It pulls ideas from the SERPs and groups them into clusters.
Good for: SEOs who like SERP-based clustering and want to experiment with different free tools.
6. Classic SEO suites with topical map workflows (Ahrefs, Semrush, etc.)
You can also build strong topical maps using general SEO tools:
- Ahrefs for keyword discovery, “related terms” and competitor content analysis that feeds your map with real search data.
- Semrush for building content clusters around seed topics and visualising a topical map of pillar pages and subtopics in its content tools.
These are not “topical map only” tools, but they give you the keyword sets and cluster suggestions you need. You then arrange everything in your own spreadsheet or diagram.
7. Simple mapping tools (Sheets, Miro, Whimsical)
Even with automation, you still need manual thinking. A lot of SEOs export raw data from the tools above into:
- Google Sheets or Excel to build the hierarchy, set priorities and map URLs
- Visual tools like Miro, FigJam or Whimsical to draw the actual map and show relationships to stakeholders
Using this mix keeps you flexible. The dedicated tools do the heavy lifting on discovery and clustering. Your own sheet or diagram becomes the canonical topical map you maintain over time.
How to create a topical map (step by step)
You can build a topical map in a spreadsheet, a mind mapping tool, or even on paper. The tool is not important. The thinking is.
Step 1: Define your main topic and boundaries
Start with one clear statement:
“Our website is mainly about X for Y audience.”
Examples:
- “Link building for SaaS companies”
- “Budget travel in Europe for first time travelers”
- “Beginner strength training for busy professionals”
Then set some boundaries so your topical map does not explode:
- What will you not cover?
- Which topics are relevant but outside scope for now?
- Which commercial goals does this topic support?
You want a main topic that is focused enough to become an authority on, but broad enough to support dozens of articles.
Step 2: Gather seed topics and questions
Now you want to collect all the raw ideas before you organize anything.
You can use:
- Keyword tools like Ahrefs, Semrush or similar to find related keywords, questions and parent topics around your main theme.
- Google itself: autocomplete, “People also ask”, related searches, and SERP features.
- Wikipedia and niche wikis to see how a topic is organized in a table of contents.
- Competitor blogs: look at their main navigation, category pages and “ultimate guides”. Which themes repeat?
At this stage you simply list:
- Potential topics
- Common questions
- Key entities (brands, tools, locations, frameworks)
- Obvious subcategories
Do not worry yet about overlap or structure. Treat this like brainstorming.
Step 3: Group related ideas into themes
Now start grouping your ideas into buckets.
If your main topic was “link building”, you might see themes like:
- Fundamentals
- Strategy and planning
- Outreach
- Types of links
- Risk and penalties
- Tools and processes
- Measurement and reporting
Inside each theme, cluster similar ideas:
- “Guest posting”, “niche edits”, “resource pages” go under “Types of backlinks”
- “Ahrefs”, “Semrush”, “Majestic” go under “Tools”
This is the point where the map starts to look like a tree rather than a list.
Step 4: Turn themes into a hierarchy
A good topical map is not just grouped, it is ordered.
For each theme ask:
- Is this a pillar topic that deserves a comprehensive guide?
- Or is it a supporting topic that should live under a bigger umbrella?
Example for “link building”:
- Pillar: “What is link building in SEO”
- Supporting topic: “Why link building still matters in 2025”
- Supporting topic: “Types of backlinks and their value”
- Supporting topic: “Contextual links vs sidebar links”
- Pillar: “Link building strategies for small businesses”
- Supporting topic: “How to build links with no budget”
- Supporting topic: “Local link building ideas”
In your spreadsheet or mind map, you can mark pillar topics, supporting topics and specific content ideas.
Many topical map frameworks recommend this three level structure: primary topic, supporting topics, content pieces, exactly because it helps you plan large webs of content without getting lost.
Step 5: Add intent, volume and business value
A topical map is not only about SEO potential. It is also a business document.
For each topic, add three simple attributes:
- Search intent
- Informational
- Commercial / investigational
- Transactional
- Navigational
- Traffic potential
- Rough monthly volume of the main keyword
- Number of long tail variations and related keywords
- Business value
- How close is this topic to your product or service?
- Does it attract buyers or just general readers?
This is where tools like Ahrefs, keyword clustering tools or topical map platforms help, because they show traffic estimates and related phrases at scale.
You do not need perfect numbers. You just need enough to prioritize.
Step 6: Assign content types and URLs
Now you decide what each node in your map becomes in the real world.
For each topic, note:
- Content type (guide, comparison, checklist, case study, glossary entry, FAQ, landing page)
- Target URL (existing page or new one)
- Role in the cluster (pillar, supporting, FAQ, link magnet)
An example for a topical map about “topical authority”:
- /topical-authority/
- Role: pillar guide
- Intent: informational + soft commercial
- /topical-map/
- Role: supporting guide
- /how-to-create-a-topical-map/
- Role: in depth process article
- /topical-map-tools/
- Role: tools roundup / affiliate content
At this point your topical map starts looking like a site architecture plan, because that is what it becomes when implemented.
Step 7: Plan internal links and navigation
A topical map without internal links is only half finished.
For each pillar topic, decide:
- Which supporting pieces should link back to it
- Which related pillars it should reference
- How navigation and breadcrumbs should reflect the hierarchy
Good topical maps naturally create content hubs, where:
- Pillar pages give broad overviews and link out to detailed guides
- Detailed guides link back to the pillar and sideways to siblings
- FAQs and glossaries fill in gaps and pick up long tail traffic
Several guides highlight this benefit: topical maps make planning internal links much easier and help distribute authority across the cluster instead of keeping it locked on a single page.
Example: a simple topical map for “topical map SEO”
To make this concrete, here is how a small topical map for your own target keyword might look.
Main topic: Topical map SEO
Pillar pages:
- “Topical Map SEO: What It Is And How To Use It”
- “How To Create A Topical Map For SEO (Step By Step)”
- “Topical Map vs Topic Cluster vs Keyword List”
Supporting guides:
- “Topical Authority: Why Topical Maps Matter More Than Keywords”
- “Topical Map Examples for Different Niches (SaaS, Ecommerce, Local)”
- “Best Topical Map Tools and Templates”
- “How To Use Topical Maps To Plan Internal Links”
- “Common Topical Map Mistakes And How To Fix Them”
Helpful extras:
- Glossary pages: “What is topical authority?”, “What is a topic cluster?”
- Case study: “How a topical map increased traffic in [niche] by X%”
- Template post: “Downloadable topical map spreadsheet template”
Your actual map might be bigger, but the structure will be similar. Each of these pages would link to each other in a way that reflects the relationships in your map.
Maintaining and updating your topical map
A topical map is not a one time exercise. It should evolve with:
- New search behavior
- New products or services
- New competitors and SERP features
Some topical map tools even connect to Google Search Console and automatically highlight topic gaps and clusters that need more coverage.
You can keep it simple:
- Review your map every quarter
- Mark which topics are covered, in progress or planned
- Add new questions that appear in search results
- Merge or split topics when they become too broad or too narrow
Treat your map as the “source of truth” behind your content calendar.
Common topical map mistakes to avoid
A few traps to watch out for:
Starting from tools instead of strategy
If you begin with keyword tools and try to force them into a map, you often end up with a Frankenstein structure.
Start with your main topic, audience and offer, then let tools fill in details.
Going too broad
Trying to map “marketing” or “health” as a whole is almost impossible. Narrow down:
- “Email marketing for B2B SaaS”
- “Gut health for women over 40”
The narrower the main topic, the easier it is to build genuine topical authority.
Ignoring business value
It is easy to get excited about big volume informational topics that never lead to customers. Make sure your map includes enough problem aware and solution aware topics that connect naturally to what you sell.
Overusing duplicated angles
If many pages in your topical map all answer the same intent with similar content, you risk keyword cannibalization. Each node in the map should have a distinct angle, intent or format.
Not connecting the map to internal linking
A topical map that stays in a spreadsheet and never shapes your navigation, menus, breadcrumbs and contextual links is wasted work. Always ask: “Where will this page sit in the cluster and who will link to it?”
Quick FAQ about topical maps
What is a topical map in simple words?
A topical map is a structured plan of all the topics and subtopics you need to cover around a subject, arranged so search engines and users can see you are an expert, not just a random blogger.
Is a topical map the same as a topic cluster?
No. A topic cluster is one part of your site, usually around a single pillar page. A topical map is the bigger picture that shows all clusters needed to cover a subject or niche.
How detailed should my topical map be?
Detailed enough that you can use it to plan at least six to twelve months of content, but not so detailed that you are stuck researching micro topics for weeks. You can always add more detail later.
Do I need a topical map for every website?
If the site depends on organic search and will publish more than a handful of articles, a topical map is almost always worth creating, especially in competitive niches.
