Topic Authority: The Art of Attraction and SEO Strategy
Stop chasing keywords, start becoming the “safe source” AI can cite. In the AI era, SEO isn’t about ranking one page for one phrase. It’s about building topical authority: deep, connected coverage that makes your site the most trusted “go-to” on a subject. That’s why the winning strategy is hub + spokes: create one strong pillar page (your “display case”) and surround it with supporting guides, FAQs, comparisons, and care content that answer the next questions shoppers ask. When your site is structurally clear (H1/H2s), semantically consistent, and internally linked, search engines and AI Overviews can confidently summarize, cite, and recommend you, helping product-based brands earn visibility, trust, and sales without publishing nonstop.
Let’s quickly discuss the emerging differences between traditional and AI-influenced SEO playbooks. Topical authority (the way SEO works in the AI era) means building your website so you’re the most trusted, go-to source on a topic, so Google and AI tools feel confident using your content to cite you.
Here’s what I want you to walk away with today:
Traditional SEO taught us to chase phrases.
AI-era SEO rewards brands that feel like the most trustworthy “entity” on a topic—so search engines and AI systems can safely summarize and cite you.[1]
And for product-based creatives (jewelry, ceramics, art, handmade goods), that shift is everything, because you can’t win with volume like a recipe blogger can. You win by building authority that makes your products easier to discover, trust, and buy.
The Mindshift to “Coverage + Clarity”
Keyword-chasing SEO sounds like:
“What’s the highest-volume keyword I can rank for?”
“Let me make one page per phrase and hope it sticks.”
This can lead to thin pages, overlap, and content that doesn’t connect into a bigger story. [2]
Topical authority sounds like:
“What do I want to be known for?”
“What would my customer need to see, learn, compare, and feel before they buy?”
“How do I connect the dots so my site reads like a trusted guide, not a random pile of posts?”
That’s topical authority: deep, interconnected coverage so algorithms see you as an expert, not just a page that happens to match a query.[3]
Why This Matters More Now (hello, AI Overviews)
AI summaries don’t just “pick a keyword page.” They pull from sources that are:
structurally clear (headings, sections, scannable answers)
semantically consistent (the same topic “language” across your site)
comprehensive (covering the topic and the related questions people ask next) [4]
In plain English and a reminder of what we have learned already: AI wants to cite the site that feels safest to quote.
The simplest way to see the difference
| If you’re keyword-chasing… | If you’re building topical authority… |
|---|---|
| You build pages around phrases. | You build a hub around a topic + spokes that answer every meaningful sub-question. |
| You measure wins by rankings + clicks per term. | You measure wins by topic-wide visibility, brand trust, and being included/cited in AI answers. |
| Your content feels siloed. | Your content becomes a connected ecosystem that “maps” your expertise. |
You’re Building A Collection, Not A Single Product
Think of topical authority like a cohesive jewelry collection.
You’re not creating one piece and calling it a day. You’re creating a full collection
the story
the why
the options
the comparisons
the care + longevity
the “who this is for”
the proof that you’re legit
That’s what makes Google and AI go: “Yep. This is the source of truth.”
How Pillar Pages Can Become A Ranking Engine
A pillar page is your “jewelry collection display case”, the anchor page that proves you’re a real authority on a topic. Then, everything else on your site becomes supporting material:
guides
FAQs
comparisons
product collections
care + styling content
quizzes/opt-ins
This is the “hub-and-spoke” model (aka topic ownership ), which is the clearest way to build topical authority. [8]
And that’s the sneaky-good part I teach inside my framework when building my pillar page:
The “hitch a ride” strategy
Instead of uploading products and hoping they rank on their own…You build authority with the pillar page first, then link your products into that authority so they inherit visibility and trust faster.
How to Blend Topic-First SEO
Step 1: Pick ONE topic to become known for
Not “necklaces.” Not “earrings.” A topic with real meaning and questions attached, like:
“Pastel gemstone jewelry”
“Alternative engagement rings”
“Meaningful gifts with symbolism”
“Ethical Jewelry for a cause”
(If you’re not sure, this is exactly what Search Personas are for)
Step 2: Use Search Personas to decide what the pillar page must include
A pillar page shouldn’t be a “brand essay.” It should be a customer-thinking mirror.
Search Personas tell you:
How people phrase questions
What context they include
What would make an answer feel “safe” enough to trust
What they’ll ask next after the first answer
That becomes your section plan:
“What is X?” (quick clarity)
“How to” (support)
“Best options for X” (comparisons)
“Care/sizing/materials” (objection killers)
“Shop/quiz/next step” (conversion path)
Step 3: Use the Keyword Priority Pool to choose what you publish first
This is where keywords become helpful again, but not as the boss of the strategy.
Instead of chasing volume, you prioritize keywords based on:
What your customers keep asking
What supports purchase confidence
What fills gaps in your topic ecosystem
So your keyword list becomes a sequencing tool, not a content identity crisis. Go deeper into the Keyword Priority Pool.
Step 4: Build cluster content that answers “the next question”
AI-era topical authority comes from covering the full conversation, not a single phrase. [9]
If your pillar topic is Pastel Gemstone Jewelry, your spokes might be:
“What makes a gemstone pastel?”
“Pastel gemstones by color family (pink/blue/green/lavender)”
“Pastel jewelry styling: everyday vs weddings”
“How does this flatter your skin tone?”
“Care guide: softer stones vs daily wear”
“Gift guide: what pastel stones symbolize”
Each spoke links back to the pillar. The pillar links out to the spokes. And your product collections link in contextually (“Shop pastel aquamarine pieces”). [10]
Quick on-page + technical reminders
If your site is gorgeous but your text is “baked into images,” or worse, unstructured, AI and search engines can miss the meaning. Your visuals or content aren’t the problem; the missing machine-readable structure is.
What helps immediately:
One clear H1 that matches the page’s promise
Skimmable H2/H3 sections that sound like real questions
Short “definition” blocks and FAQs (easy to cite)
Descriptive image alt text (what it is + why it matters)
Internal links that actually connect ideas (not random “SEO links”) [11]
Wrap-up: this is how creatives win in AI-era search
You don’t need to publish 12 posts a week. You need to publish the right pieces in a connected way, so your brand becomes the clearest topic you want to own. Authority in the new digital age will require comprehensive coverage of your topic that anticipates variations in queries tied to it. This new method should help you focus your marketing efforts on creating more intentional, high-quality content that serves a meaningful purpose.
Ready to Fix Your “Attraction?"
Attraction is just one part of the puzzle. Even if you execute topical-authority perfectly, you still need the architecture to guide them to a purchase.
If you are tired of guessing and want a site that is built to attract, interpret, and convert your ideal Search Personas automatically, you might be ready for a full system rebuild.
Apply for the Post-Click Growth Architecture™ Service. Turn your visibility into clarity, trust, and revenue.
Not ready for a full rebuild? Get access to the Topic First Funnel Assistant in the Substack Premium Tool library.