Content

Content

Writing that ranks and converts: topic clusters, content briefs, refreshes and the questions AI raises for content teams, with examples from real sites.

Start here

Content

How to build a topic cluster that actually ranks

A topic cluster is one pillar page plus focused posts that all link back to it. Here's how to plan, write, and wire them so they rank as a set.

July 23, 20264 min read

Content

How to write a content brief that gets a usable first draft

A content brief works when the writer can start without asking you a question. Five decisions get you there, and most templates bury all five.

July 17, 20265 min read

Content

How to refresh old blog posts that lost their rankings

Updating an old blog post beats writing a new one. Here's how to pick the pages worth refreshing, what to change, and how to measure the lift.

July 14, 20265 min read

Every article

A desk calendar open to September beside a potted plant

Content

How long does a topic cluster take to rank? Judge it in stages

Most pages that reach Google's top 10 get there in a month, and few do after six. Here's when to judge each page in a topic cluster, and what to check.

November 8, 20265 min read

a set of three pastel colored file folders

Content

Track a topic cluster by folder: Atlassian's Agile Coach

Atlassian files 12 Scrum pages outside its /agile/scrum/ folder. What its Agile Coach teaches about tracking a topic cluster with nested folders.

November 8, 20265 min read

Content

How HubSpot's pillar pages hold a topic cluster together

HubSpot's Instagram pillar page links to about 20 spokes that link back. What to copy, the two leaks to avoid, and how to track the cluster you build.

November 8, 20265 min read

Content

Google says to fact-check AI content, metadata included

On 1 October Google called a manual fact-check critical for AI-written content, and named titles, descriptions, structured data and alt text too.

October 18, 20264 min read

Content

Semrush's Google algorithm update timeline stopped in 2024

Semrush's Google algorithm update timeline hasn't added an entry since August 2024. Here's the maintenance bill hiding inside every dated evergreen page.

September 11, 20265 min read

stock market chart displayed on laptop screen

Content

How to set up rank tracking for a topic cluster

Tag the cluster's queries as one group, read its median position and top-10 count every week, and stop rewriting pages because one keyword moved.

August 29, 20265 min read

Content

How Klaviyo's URL folders make a topic cluster easy to track

Klaviyo keeps each topic cluster in its own URL folder, so one Search Console filter reports the whole group. Here is the structure and how to copy it.

August 21, 20265 min read

Content

New data: AI recommends brands only in their core topic

A study of 1,094 categories shows AI cites brands on almost any topic but names them only where they run deep. Here's how to earn the recommendation.

August 7, 20263 min read

Content

Google now lets you opt out of AI Overviews. Don't.

Search Console now has a toggle to pull your pages from AI Overviews and AI Mode. For most B2B and SaaS sites, flipping it costs traffic and fixes nothing.

July 23, 20264 min read

Content