How to Build Topical Authority (and Why it Matters)

What Is Topical Authority?

Topical authority refers to a website’s expertise and credibility on a particular subject.

It’s the trust you build by consistently creating high-quality content around a subject close to your business.

For example, Semrush is a leading voice on SEO and content marketing.

We’ve spent years building topical authority in these areas. And gained the trust of web users and search engines by providing helpful guidance and insights to marketers, agencies, and business owners.

Note: Topical authority differs from domain authority, which measures a website’s overall trustworthiness and influence across all subjects. But both impact SEO.

Why Does Topical Authority Matter to SEO?

Strong topical authority improves search performance, as Google trusts authoritative sources and ranks them higher in its search engine results pages (SERPs).

It Fosters Trust from Search Engines and Users

Topical authority builds confidence in your brand for readers and search engines alike. This leads to more returning site visitors and higher SERP rankings.

Here’s an example: Shopify and Amazon have serious topical authority on ecommerce. Google trusts their information and ranks them before other sites for ecommerce searches.

As a result, they capture the largest shares of traffic for that term.

It Supports Natural Link Building

Topical authority also leads to natural link building. More websites are likely to share your content organically, which drives more traffic to...