Modern SEO isn’t just about keywords—it’s about how your content is organized. Content hubs and topic clusters allow websites to improve their Domain Authority (DA) by showing depth, clarity, and relevance to both users and search engines. They also increase internal link strength and attract backlinks naturally.
In this fictional guide, we follow how an online coaching platform improved its DA from 35 to 54 in under 10 months by developing structured content clusters around key user interests.
Content hubs work because they:
This strategy ties in closely with Internal Linking for DA, Evergreen Content, and Technical SEO.
A fictional company, SkillForge Academy, provided certification courses in project management, communication, and leadership.
Before adopting a hub strategy:
They decided to organize their content into strategic topic clusters with a pillar-hub model.
They chose five core themes based on search demand and course relevance:
Each topic became a pillar page—2,500+ words of comprehensive, evergreen content designed to rank for high-value keywords.
For each pillar, they developed 6–10 supporting articles. For example:
Pillar: Project Management Fundamentals
Supporting posts included:
Each article:
They introduced:
This created a clear crawl path for search engines and a smooth reading journey for users—reducing bounce rates and increasing session duration.
See User Experience and DA for supporting insights.
To generate backlinks, SkillForge:
Backlinks were earned from .edu directories, industry blogs, and online learning portals—many of them DA 60+.
Also see: Guest Blogging for DA Growth and Content Marketing to Improve DA
| Month Range | Key Activities | Estimated DA Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Months 1–2 | Pillar page creation + audit of old posts | 35 → 40 |
| Months 3–5 | Internal linking + cluster publishing | 40 → 46 |
| Months 6–8 | Backlink outreach and content promotion | 46 → 51 |
| Months 9–10 | Continued interlinking + earned mentions | 51 → 54 |
These numbers are illustrative of how a structured content approach can improve DA steadily over time.
By focusing each cluster around a user intent, the content aligned with what people were actively searching for.
Each supporting page boosted the pillar page—and vice versa—resulting in stronger crawlability and ranking power.
When shared with bloggers or educators, they were seen as comprehensive resources worth linking to.
Need help designing topic clusters or building internal architecture for SEO? Contact Ideas to Reach or explore our SEO services to build authority with content structure that works.
