| name | seo-cluster |
| description | Topic cluster modeling — turn a seed keyword into a Pillar / Sub-Pillar / Cluster tree with a clean internal-link graph. Use to plan topical authority before writing, or to map an existing set of posts onto a cluster structure. Feeds the seo-writing pipeline (Stage 1). |
| allowed-tools | Read, Write, Glob, Grep, WebSearch, WebFetch |
SEO Cluster — Topical Authority Modeling
A ranking site isn't a pile of articles — it's a cluster. One Pillar page owns the broad term; Sub-Pillars own its facets; Cluster articles own long-tails; internal links tie them into a hierarchy Google reads as authority.
When this skill activates
Implicit: "build a topic cluster", "plan content structure for [topic]", "what articles should I write about X", "map my posts into clusters".
Explicit: "Use the seo-cluster skill to [task]."
Routed from: [[seo-writing]] Stage 1, /mk:seo keywords.
Scope
Covers:
- Seed keyword → 3-level topic tree (Pillar → Sub-Pillar → Cluster).
- Facet coverage frameworks (so a cluster is comprehensive, not lopsided).
- Internal-link graph rules (hub-and-spoke, up/down/sideways linking).
- Mapping existing content onto a target cluster (gap detection).
Does NOT cover:
- Writing the articles → [[seo-content]] / [[seo-writing]].
- Per-article briefs/outlines → [[seo-content-brief]].
- Keyword metrics (volume/difficulty) — that's a research-tool concern →
references/research-tools.md in [[seo-writing]].
The cluster model
┌─────────────┐
│ PILLAR │ broad head term, "ultimate guide", links to all Sub-Pillars
└──────┬───────┘
┌───────────────┼───────────────┐
┌────▼────┐ ┌────▼────┐ ┌────▼────┐
│Sub-Pillar│ │Sub-Pillar│ │Sub-Pillar│ a distinct FACET each
└────┬────┘ └────┬────┘ └────┬────┘
┌───┴───┐ ┌───┴───┐ ┌───┴───┐
Cluster Cluster Cluster Cluster Cluster Cluster long-tail, specific-intent
- Pillar (1) — the head term. Broad, comprehensive, links down to every Sub-Pillar.
- Sub-Pillars (N) — each a different facet of the head term (not overlapping). Link up to Pillar + down to their Clusters.
- Clusters (2–3 per Sub-Pillar) — specific long-tail queries / pain points. Link up to their Sub-Pillar.
Facet frameworks (pick facets that don't overlap)
To make Sub-Pillars comprehensive across any niche, choose facets from these universal angles:
- Foundational & Core — definitions, principles, mechanisms, history.
- Typology & Classification — types, variants, models, formats.
- Actionable & Application — how-to, tutorials, use cases, best practices.
- Commercial & Decision — pricing, buying guides, tools, A-vs-B comparisons.
- Troubleshooting & Optimization — pain points, errors, FAQs, trends.
A cluster covering 3–5 of these reads as authoritative; one that's all "how-to" reads as thin.
Internal-link graph rules
| Link direction | Rule |
|---|
| Down (Pillar→Sub, Sub→Cluster) | Always. The hub links to every spoke. |
| Up (Cluster→Sub→Pillar) | Always. Every article links up to its parent. |
| Sideways (Cluster↔Cluster) | Only when genuinely related, same Sub-Pillar. Sparingly. |
| Cross-cluster | Rare — only for a real topical bridge. Random cross-links dilute the signal. |
Anchor text = the natural target-keyword phrase, never "click here". One link per target (first occurrence). This graph is executed by [[seo-writing]] Stage 5.
Key concepts
- Topical authority — Google rewards comprehensive coverage of a topic space, signalled by the cluster structure + interlinking, not by any single page.
- Intent mismatch — the #1 cluster failure: including keywords that don't serve the business. Filter every node against business context + excluded topics.
- Cannibalization — two articles targeting the same intent compete with each other. One node = one intent = one article. Merge duplicates.
Output
- A cluster tree (markdown table or the [[seo-writing]] Keywords table):
level, parent_keyword, keyword, seo_title, search_intent, content_angle.
- Written to
plans/marketing/<site>/pipeline.md (when feeding the writing pipeline) or plans/marketing/<campaign>/seo-cluster.md (standalone).
Cross-references
plans/marketing-context.md — required hub (business context filters the tree)- [[seo-writing]] — consumes this as Stage 1; executes the link graph in Stage 5
- [[seo-content-brief]] — turns each node into an article outline
- [[seo-plan]] — prioritizes which nodes to write first
.claude/workflows/marketing-rules.md — content quality rules
Provenance
Imported from AgriciDaniel/claude-seo and adapted for KitForge. Facet frameworks + link-graph rules align with the seo-writing pipeline's Strategy Architect (Stage 1).
