content-cluster-plan

name	content-cluster-plan
description	Designs topic cluster strategies with pillar pages, cluster content, and internal linking architecture. Use when building topical authority for SEO.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Content Cluster Plan

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Design a topic cluster strategy with pillar pages and supporting content
• Map internal linking architecture between related content pieces
• Build topical authority around key subjects for SEO
• Plan a content calendar organized by topic clusters

DO NOT use this skill for individual blog post writing, keyword research, or technical SEO. This is for strategic content architecture planning.

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Core Principle

TOPICAL AUTHORITY IS BUILT BY COVERING A SUBJECT COMPREHENSIVELY THROUGH INTERCONNECTED CONTENT — ONE PILLAR PAGE SUPPORTED BY MANY CLUSTER POSTS SIGNALS TO GOOGLE THAT YOU ARE THE AUTHORITY ON THAT TOPIC.

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Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Business niche	"What is your area of expertise?"	No default — must be provided
Core topics	"What 3-5 broad topics should you be known for?"	No default — must be provided
Existing content	"How many published posts/pages do you have?"	Under 20
Publishing capacity	"How many pieces can you publish per month?"	4 per month
Target audience	"Who are you writing for?"	Your ideal customer
Primary goal	"What should this content drive? (traffic, leads, sales)"	Organic traffic and leads

GATE: Confirm before designing the cluster architecture.

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Phase 2: Cluster Architecture

Topic Cluster Map

For each core topic, design one cluster:

## Cluster 1: [Core Topic]

**Pillar Page:** "[Comprehensive Guide Title]"
- URL: /guides/[topic]
- Target keyword: [head/body keyword]
- Word count: 3,000-5,000 words
- Format: Comprehensive guide covering all subtopics

**Cluster Posts:**
1. "[Subtopic 1 Title]" → /blog/[slug]
   - Target keyword: [long-tail keyword]
   - Word count: 1,500-2,000 words
   - Links TO pillar: [anchor text]
   - Links FROM pillar: [section where link appears]

2. "[Subtopic 2 Title]" → /blog/[slug]
   - Target keyword: [long-tail keyword]
   - Word count: 1,500-2,000 words
   - Links TO pillar: [anchor text]
   - Links FROM pillar: [section]

3. "[Subtopic 3 Title]" → /blog/[slug]
   ...

[8-15 cluster posts per pillar]

Internal Linking Map

## Linking Architecture

Pillar Page ←→ Every cluster post (bidirectional)
Cluster posts → 2-3 other cluster posts in same topic (cross-linking)
Cluster posts → 1 cluster post in a DIFFERENT topic (cross-cluster)

Visual:
        [Cluster Post 1] ←→ [Cluster Post 2]
              ↕                    ↕
         [PILLAR PAGE] ←→ [Cluster Post 3]
              ↕                    ↕
        [Cluster Post 4] ←→ [Cluster Post 5]

Cluster Prioritization

## Cluster Priority Ranking

| Cluster Topic | Business Value | Keyword Volume | Competition | Priority |
|--------------|---------------|---------------|-------------|----------|
| [Topic 1] | High | High | Medium | 1 — Build first |
| [Topic 2] | High | Medium | Low | 2 — Quick wins |
| [Topic 3] | Medium | High | High | 3 — Long-term play |

GATE: Approve the cluster architecture before building the content calendar.

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Phase 3: Content Calendar

Publishing Schedule

## 6-Month Content Calendar

**Month 1-2: Cluster 1 Foundation**
Week 1: Publish Pillar Page
Week 2: Cluster Post 1
Week 3: Cluster Post 2
Week 4: Cluster Post 3
[Continue through Month 2]

**Month 3-4: Cluster 2 Foundation**
Week 1: Publish Pillar Page
[Continue...]

**Month 5-6: Cluster 1 Expansion + Cluster 3 Start**
- Add 3-4 new cluster posts to Cluster 1
- Begin Cluster 3 pillar and first posts

Content Brief Templates

For each piece in the cluster, provide a mini-brief:

• Target keyword
• Search intent
• Recommended word count
• Key sections to cover
• Internal links to include
• Link from pillar page section

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Phase 4: Polish

1. Existing Content Audit

Map existing content into the cluster framework:

• Which existing posts fit into which cluster?
• Which posts need updating to match cluster strategy?
• Which posts are orphaned and need integration?

2. Measurement Plan

Track per cluster:

• Total organic traffic to the cluster (pillar + all posts)
• Rankings for pillar keyword and cluster keywords
• Internal link click-through between cluster pages
• Lead/conversion attribution to specific clusters

3. Scaling Guidelines

• Start with 1-2 clusters and build them fully before adding more
• Each cluster needs 8-15 posts before topical authority signals are strong
• Update pillar pages quarterly as new cluster content is published
• Prune or merge underperforming cluster posts annually

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Anti-Patterns

• Pillar pages that are too thin — a 1,000-word "ultimate guide" is not comprehensive. Pillar pages need 3,000+ words with real depth.
• Cluster posts that don't link back — every cluster post must link to the pillar. Without links, the cluster is just random blog posts.
• Too many clusters at once — building 5 clusters simultaneously means none of them are complete. Focus wins.
• Overlapping topics across clusters — if Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 have posts targeting the same keyword, they cannibalize each other.
• Publishing and forgetting — cluster content needs updating. Outdated pillar pages lose authority over time.

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Recovery

• No existing content: Start with one pillar page and 3-4 cluster posts. Build the first cluster before planning others.
• Existing content is disorganized: Audit everything, categorize by topic, and retroactively add internal links to create cluster structure.
• Pillar page not ranking: Check that cluster posts are linking to it, the content is genuinely comprehensive, and the keyword is achievable for your domain authority.
• Limited publishing capacity (1-2 posts/month): Build one cluster at a time. A complete cluster of 10 posts takes 5-10 months at this pace, but it will be effective.