The level of trust a site earns on a subject through depth, breadth, and coherence. It is built by covering the subtopics that make up a theme, linking them logically, and keeping facts consistent across pages.

A group of interlinked pages that address a defined theme. Each cluster has a hub page that gives the overview and a set of spokes that go deep on subtopics, comparisons, and how to steps.

The index page for a theme. It defines the subject, shows the map of subtopics, links to spokes, and explains how the theme connects to your product and use cases.

Pass 1: scope the theme

• Write a one sentence definition of the theme in plain language.
• List the audiences and roles you serve and their core jobs to be done.
• Collect synonyms and near synonyms. Pick a primary term and one secondary.

Pass 2: list subtopics

• Break the theme into 6 to 12 subtopics. Prefer verbs and real tasks.
• Add two comparison candidates and two templates. These convert.
• Flag which subtopics are MOFU or BOFU to plan CTAs.

Pass 3: map entities

• List the core entities: problems, products, features, use cases, metrics.
• Write one line relationships. Example: Feature A reduces Metric B for Role C.
• Choose canonical names and capitalization. Keep them stable across pages.

Pass 4: assign owners and cadence

• Give each subtopic a status: new, refresh, or consolidate.
• Define a weekly publish cadence and a monthly refresh cadence.
• Track in a board with columns for Idea, Draft, Review, Published, Updated.

Covers definitions, principles, and pros and cons. Good for terms with broad search volume and mixed intent. Goal is reach and education with strong internal links to MOFU.

Focuses on vendor comparisons, alternatives, and versus pages. Goal is evaluation and shortlisting. Include a neutral tone and a simple decision table to build trust.

Groups templates, checklists, and frameworks. Goal is utility and capture. Show a preview, list fields, and add short how to steps under the fold.

Organizes pages by industry, role, or workflow. Goal is relevance. Include metrics that matter to that audience and link directly to tailored product tours.

Explains a recurring pain and links to methods and product capabilities. Goal is to move readers from problem framing to proof as fast as possible.

Targets onboarding, security, integrations, and migration. Goal is confidence. These pages shorten sales cycles and reduce churn risk.

Link rules

• Every spoke links up to the hub once in the lead and once in the footer.
• Each spoke links to two sibling spokes for depth and to avoid dead ends.
• Hubs link down to all spokes and sideways to adjacent hubs where relevant.
• Use descriptive anchors. Prefer verbs and outcomes over click here.

Anchor patterns

• [Task] framework for templates and how to pages.
• Compare [Tool] vs [Tool] for versus pages.
• [Theme] for [Role] for use case pages.
• Implementation guide for onboarding content.

Definition block

<section aria-labelledby="what-is">
  <h3 id="what-is">What is [Term]</h3>
  <p>[One sentence definition]</p>
  <ul><li>Where it is used</li><li>Who benefits</li><li>Outcome</li></ul>
</section>

Comparison block

<table>
  <thead><tr><th>Factor</th><th>Option A</th><th>Option B</th></tr></thead>
  <tbody><tr><td>Setup time</td><td>Fast</td><td>Moderate</td></tr></tbody>
</table>

FAQ block

<section aria-labelledby="faq">
  <h3 id="faq">FAQ</h3>
  <details><summary>Question</summary><p>Short answer.</p></details>
</section>

Entity hygiene

• Choose canonical names for products, features, roles, and metrics.
• Write one line relationships that connect entities clearly.
• Keep capitalization stable in headings, tables, and captions.

Schema to prioritize

• Article for guides and hubs.
• FAQ for short Q and A sections.
• HowTo for step by step procedures.
• BreadcrumbList for navigation clarity.

JSON LD example

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context":"https://schema.org",
  "@type":"Article",
  "headline":"[Hub title]",
  "description":"[Short summary]",
  "author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Accord Content"},
  "mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://your-site.com/hub"},
  "image":"https://your-site.com/og/hub.png"
}
</script>

How to find gaps

• Scan SERPs for the theme and list recurring subheads across top results.
• Collect People Also Ask questions and group by intent.
• Export ranking keywords for your hub and spokes and bucket by topic.
• Compare your buckets to the map. Add or merge pages accordingly.

Consolidation rules

• Merge pages that answer the same query with the same angle.
• Keep the stronger URL. 301 redirect the weaker to preserve signals.
• Move unique sections into the survivor so readers do not lose value.
• Update internal links to point at the survivor page.

Brief template

Topic: [Working title]
Primary query: [keyword]
Intent: [TOFU | MOFU | BOFU]
Job to be done: [reader outcome]
Outline:
- H2 [answer]
- H2 [how to]
- H2 [examples]
Internal links: [hub], [two siblings], [BOFU]
External citations: [primary sources]
CTA: [match intent]

Quality gates

• Answer in the first 120 words with a clear definition or outcome.
• Include one table or structured list the model can lift.
• Add one small number or range to ground a claim.
• Add two internal links and one external primary source link.

Refresh policy

• Three month check for top pages. Update examples, screenshots, and stats.
• Six month check for the rest. Merge thin posts into stronger hubs.
• Always update JSON LD when headings or steps change.

Coverage and breadth

• Count of subtopics covered vs planned per cluster.
• Queries per page in Search Console for hub and spokes.
• Share of impressions from long tail variations.

Link graph health

• Average internal in links to spokes from the hub and siblings.
• Broken link rate inside the cluster.
• Time to index for new spokes after publishing.

Pipeline impact

• Clicks from hubs to BOFU pages.
• Template downloads and demo views from cluster CTAs.
• Opportunities that touched at least one cluster page.

Month 1: map and hubs

• Ship one hub and three spokes for the highest value theme.
• Add internal links from older posts into the new hub.
• Instrument CTAs with UTM and verify analytics goals.

Month 2: depth and templates

• Ship four spokes. One comparison, one template, two how to pages.
• Add FAQ sections aligned to People Also Ask questions.
• Publish a use case page that connects to product.

Month 3: refresh and scale

• Refresh stats and examples on the hub and two spokes.
• Consolidate overlapping posts into the cluster.
• Plan the next cluster using the same process.

How many clusters should we run at once

One or two at most. Finish a cluster to a useful level before starting a third. Depth beats volume and helps you rank faster.

How long should a hub be

Long enough to define the theme and route readers. Many perform well between 800 and 1500 words with strong summaries and links.

Do we need external links

Yes. Link to primary sources near claims. It builds trust for readers and models. Keep anchors descriptive.

What about AI Overviews

Authority helps here too. Clear entities, quotable answer blocks, and schema make it easier for models to cite you when summarizing a topic.