Free Template · Updated 2026-11

Topic Map Template: Plan Your Shelf of Pages

One main service, about 20 connected pages, and a linking plan, in a template you can fill in one sitting.

A fill-in topic map that turns one main service into a shelf of connected pages, plus a starter map for a local business and a linking plan. Finish it and you know your next 20 pages and how they link.

For: Founders and local business owners who publish random posts and want a plan for owning one topic.

If you only have 15 minutes · 4
What Google has actually said · 3
Find the questions to fill the map · 6
The topic map template · 3
A starter map for a local roofer · 17
Link the shelf together · 6
Who links to whom · 7
Staying on one topic · 4
How long it takes (honestly) · 3
Common mistakes · 5

How to use it

Only have 15 minutes? Do the quick start.
Read what Google has and hasn't said, then fill the template for your one main service using the question-finding steps.
Compare with the starter map, follow the linking table, and track progress in the sheet.

If you only have 15 minutes

Name the shelf (1 min)
Your one main service.
Pull 10 questions (8 min)
Search Console queries plus People also ask.
Sort them (3 min)
Into cost, problem, comparison, how-to, local, trust.
Pick the first page (3 min)
The cost or problem question closest to a sale. Write it this week and link it to the hub.

What Google has actually said

In May 2023 Google published 'Understanding news topic authority'. It describes a system that helps find expert sources for 'newsy' searches in specialised areas such as health, politics or finance. Its signals: how notable a publication is for a topic or place, how often other publishers cite its original reporting, and its source reputation (track record, expert recommendations, awards). Every example in the post is about news (CONFIRMED).

Google has not published a general 'topical authority' score for all sites. What it does say, in the SEO Starter Guide, is that links help users and search engines find other parts of your site, and that link text tells them what the linked page is about.

So treat the shelf idea as practical advice (LIKELY to help, not a documented ranking factor for every site): cover one subject fully, link the pages together, and stay on that subject. Google's helpful content guidance also asks whether your site has a clear primary purpose, which this supports.

Find the questions to fill the map

Search Console queries
Performance > Search results > Queries, last 3 months. Filter by your service word. Every question-shaped query is a candidate page.
People also ask
Google your main service. Open 4-5 PAA questions; each opens more. Copy the wording exactly.
Autocomplete
Type '[service] cost', '[service] vs', 'why is my [thing]', 'can I [fix] myself' and note the suggestions.
Your inbox and calls
The last 20 customer questions. These are usually better than any tool.
Competitor reviews
Read 1- and 3-star reviews of competitors. Complaints become problem and comparison pages.
Sort into the six groups
Cost, problem, comparison, how-to, local, trust. Anything that fits none is off the shelf.

The topic map template

One main service per map. If you sell three services, make three maps.

Topic map (blank)

MAIN SERVICE (the shelf): [e.g. roof repair]
HUB PAGE: /[service]  (the service page everything links back to)

1. COST PAGES (buyers comparing price)
- [service] cost
- [service] cost by [type / size / material]
- [option A] vs [option B] cost

2. PROBLEM PAGES (people about to call someone)
- why is my [thing] [problem]?
- is [problem] an emergency?
- can I fix [problem] myself?
- [problem] causes

3. COMPARISON PAGES (buyers deciding)
- [option A] vs [option B]
- repair or replace [thing]?
- best [material / type] for [situation]

4. HOW-TO AND LEARN PAGES (future buyers)
- how long does [thing] last?
- how to choose a [service provider]
- [process] step by step

5. LOCAL PAGES (only if you serve more than one area)
- [service] in [city 1]  (real local details, not a copy)
- [service] in [city 2]

6. TRUST PAGES
- [service] examples / case photos
- [service] FAQ
- pricing / how quotes work

OFF THE SHELF (don't write these): [topics outside your service]

Fill each group with real questions from Search Console, People also ask and your customers. Aim for about 20 to start.

Tracking sheet columns

Page title | Group | Main keyword | Intent | Links to hub? | Links from hub? | Status (idea / brief / draft / live) | Published date | GSC impressions (3 months) | GSC AI impressions (3 months)

Paste into a spreadsheet. One row per page.

Hub page outline

H1: [Service] in [city]
First 2 lines: what you do, for whom, where, price range or how quotes work.

## What [service] costs  -> link: cost pages
## Common problems we fix  -> link: problem pages
## Repair or replace? Choosing the right option  -> link: comparison pages
## How the job works, step by step  -> link: how-to pages
## Areas we serve  -> link: local pages
## Proof: photos, reviews, FAQ  -> link: trust pages
## Get a quote (one clear next step)

Each H2 has 2-3 sentences and links to the pages in that group. The hub is the table of contents for the shelf.

A starter map for a local roofer

An example to copy the shape of. Swap in your service and your customers' real questions.

Group	Page	Intent
Hub	Roof repair in [city]	Buy / visit
Cost	How much does roof repair cost?	Compare
Cost	Roof replacement cost by material	Compare
Cost	Metal vs shingle roof cost	Compare
Problem	Why is my roof leaking after rain?	Learn, close to buy
Problem	Is a roof leak an emergency?	Learn, close to buy
Problem	Missing shingles: what to do	Learn, close to buy
Problem	Can I fix a roof leak myself?	Learn
Comparison	Repair or replace your roof?	Compare
Comparison	Best roofing material for [climate]	Compare
How-to	How long does a roof last?	Learn
How-to	How to choose a roofer (questions to ask)	Compare
How-to	What happens during a roof inspection	Learn
Local	Roof repair in [nearby city]	Buy / visit
Trust	Roof repair photos: before and after	Compare
Trust	Roof repair FAQ	Learn
Trust	How our quotes work	Buy

Link the shelf together

Every page on the map links to the hub page.
The hub is the page you want customers to land on. Google's guide says links help users and search engines find pages.
The hub links to every page in the map, grouped by heading.
So no page is an orphan that only a sitemap knows about.
Pages in the same group link to each other where it helps the reader.
A cost page should point to the comparison a buyer reads next.
Link text says what the page is ('roof leak repair cost'), not 'click here'.
Google says link text tells users and Google what the linked page is about.
Nothing on the shelf is off-topic.
Practical advice: a roofer writing about crypto doesn't help roofing buyers, and it dilutes what the site is about.
Publish steadily and update the hub as pages go live.
Honest answer on timing: nobody can promise how long this takes. Expect months, not weeks.

Who links to whom

From	Links to	Example anchor text
Every page	Hub	roof repair in [city]
Hub	Every page, grouped under its H2	how much roof repair costs
Cost page	Comparison page	repair or replace your roof
Problem page	Cost page + hub	roof leak repair cost
Comparison page	Trust page (quotes)	how our quotes work
How-to page	Problem page	signs your roof is leaking
Local page	Hub + trust pages	roof repair photos

Staying on one topic

Before writing, ask: would a buyer of my main service care about this page?
If not, it's off the shelf.
Second service? Start a second map, only after the first has its first 15-20 pages live.
Practical advice: finish one shelf before starting another.
No trend posts just for traffic.
Google's helpful content guidance warns against writing about trending topics just to get search visits.
Old off-topic posts: update, redirect to a related page, or remove.
Practical advice: keeps the site focused for readers.

How long it takes (honestly)

Nobody can promise a timeline, and Google hasn't published one. It depends on how many competitors already cover the topic well, how old and trusted your site is, and how good your pages are.

A practical way to think about it: plan to publish the first 15-20 pages over 2-3 months, then judge progress at month 6 using Search Console. Look for more queries per page, impressions rising across the group, and pages moving up from positions 20+ into the top 10. Since June 2026 you can also watch AI impressions in the generative AI performance report (impressions only, no clicks).

If nothing moves after 6 months, the usual causes are thin pages, weak proof, poor internal links or a topic too competitive for a new site. Fix those before writing more.

Common mistakes

Writing 20 thin pages in a week.
Mass low-value pages can break Google's scaled content abuse policy and don't help buyers.
Copy-pasting local pages with only the city changed.
Thin doorway-style pages are against Google's spam policies. Add real local details.
Forgetting to link new pages from the hub.
Orphan pages are hard to find.
Using 'click here' as link text.
Google says link text tells people and Google what the page is about.
Two pages for the same question.
They compete with each other. One question, one page.

Unlock the full template

Everything above, plus the branded PDF to keep.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is a topic map in SEO?

A plan of all the pages you'll write about one subject, grouped (costs, problems, comparisons, how-to, local) and linked to one main hub page.

Is topical authority a Google ranking factor?

Google has written publicly about a topic authority system for news (May 2023). It hasn't published a general topical authority score for all sites. Covering a topic fully and linking pages well is practical advice that also helps readers.

How many pages do I need for topical authority?

No official number exists. Start with the questions your customers actually ask. As a rough practical guide, for most local services that's 15 to 30 pages.

How long does it take to build topical authority?

No one can promise a timeline. It depends on competition, your site's history and how good the pages are. Plan for months.

What's the difference between a hub page and a pillar page?

Same idea, different names. It's the main page on the topic that links to every related page and gets linked back from them.