Guest post by Alex Capozzolo.

When you dig into what works today in SEO, you’ll quickly discover that it’s not just about peppering your content with keywords and LSI terms, then waiting for the magic to happen. Search engines long ago adapted, forcing us to do the same.

Gone are the SEO days when you can write the longest post about a topic and rank (unless the query is completely unfulfilled) — though on-page SEO factors certainly still matter.

Backlinks can get you decently far in SEO still today, yet search engines keep asking for more to keep a website ranked well in its niche or market segment.

Here’s an exploration of four undeniable reasons why topical authority works wonders in SEO.

What is Topical Authority?

Topical authority — inside the world of SEO and digital marketing — means you’re not just skimming the surface of a subject. Your website is totally focused on and covers every intricate detail diving deep into it.

Picture a hub and spoke wheel. There is a central topic and several adjacent subtopics that are relevant to the primary topic in slightly different ways. Once search engines catch on to your website blogging about all of these somewhat relevant subtopics, they will consider your website to have more topical authority.

Topical authority is a ranking factor that can help your website show up above your competition. As a case study for this topic, let’s look at the real estate industry within the confines of SEO.

Larger companies with huge amounts of authority already, such as Zillow or Redfin, can make a post about a topic and rank fairly well. They don’t necessarily need to have full topical authority since Google already trusts and knows their websites.

On the flip side, small businesses fighting for local rankings in a specific real estate market will be better off trying to cover subtopics more in-depth than these larger sites. Local house buyers in smaller cities are forced to compete via massive amounts of content to outrank larger sites.

Topical authority is one piece of that puzzle to help them succeed through SEO. Companies must become the go-to place for anyone interested in that topic, and search engines recognize this.

Top Reasons Why Topical Authority Works

1. Be a Specialist, Not a Generalist

Remember a time when you had a specific question, and you wanted an expert to answer it? Your audience feels the same way. When you establish topical authority, you’re telling your readers that you’re not just a Jack-of-all-trades but a master in a particular field.

Search engines get it too. They know that users want content that goes beyond surface-level understanding. By honing in on a niche and providing deep, comprehensive insights, you become the go-to source for information on that subject. Thankfully, your efforts put toward topical authority usually lead to higher rankings and a more satisfied audience.

2. Quality Links

If your website were a popular hangout spot, the links would be the road signs pointing to it. Now, imagine if those road signs were held by well-known and respected figures. That’s what topical authority can do for your site.

When you are recognized as an authority in a specific field, other industry leaders want to link to your content. Once you become the primary resource for people to reference for a topic, you’re more likely to get natural links built to those resource pages.

Google and other search engines love this, and they reward you with better visibility. It’s kind of like getting a shoutout from the popular kid in school. Everyone suddenly wants to know you.

3. Adapt to Algorithm Changes

Just when you think you have everything figured out, search engines toss a curveball of algorithm changes to webmasters. Thankfully, there are ways to do SEO for your site that help you minimize the impact of these changes.

Search engines are consistently refining how they evaluate content, leaning towards quality and relevance. When you invest in topical authority, you align yourself with this trend. Search engines usually prefer sites that have a solid base of content that is useful to its users. Achieving topical authority helps your site stay immune to updates.

4. Gain User Trust with Accurate Information

When you build topical authority, you’re not just creating content. You are crafting a library of consistent and accurate information around a subject. Online readers know they can rely on you for facts. What does this mean?

Users will likely return to your site time and again. Search engines recognize this trust and reward it. It’s like being the author everyone turns to for a gripping series. Your readers trust you, and they keep coming back for more.

Topical Authority is Key

In a landscape that’s constantly shifting, clinging to the old ways of SEO can leave you lost without strong rankings. Embracing topical authority is like having a compass that always points you in the right direction.

Whether it’s building trust with your audience, forming relationships through quality links, or adapting to algorithm changes, the power of topical authority is a powerful strategy to boost your website’s SEO.

Alex Capozzolo is a real estate investor, realtor, and self-taught SEO nerd. He owns and manages Brotherly Love Real Estate and SD House Guys, two different real estate investing companies. He has been writing for the real estate industry for +5 years and enjoys surfing in his downtime.

The post Four Undeniable Reasons Why Topical Authority Works in SEO appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog | Webbiquity.