How to Build SaaS Topical Authority in SEO

Topical authority is achieved by consistently creating and organizing content around a specific niche, thus making your brand the trusted resource for that subject.

For SaaS startups, developing topical authority early can accelerate growth. A study by Graphite revealed that websites with higher topical authority gain traffic 57% faster than those with less targeted content strategies.

While building SaaS topical authority is important for long-term success, it can be challenging to know where to start. So, here, we’ll break down how SaaS companies can build topical authority step-by-step and dominate in their industry.

But before we dive into the steps,

What is Topical Authority?

Topical authority measures a website’s expertise and credibility on a specific topic. It refers to the ability of a site to demonstrate deep knowledge of a subject. It’s about exploring every aspect of a topic in-depth, covering related subtopics thoroughly so that both users and search engines see your site as the go-to source for that topic.

HubSpot is a good example of a brand that has mastered topical authority. When people hear 'inbound marketing,' HubSpot is often the first name that comes to mind. As seen in the image below, a quick Google search for "inbound marketing" shows HubSpot dominating the top positions on the SERP, securing strong rankings for the keyword and its related terms.

The same goes for related keywords like 'Inbound marketing examples.' HubSpot consistently ranks in the top three, even without including the keyword in its title tag.

They are also ranked in the top two for ‘’inbound marketing campaign’’

Hubspot didn’t reach this level just by chance. They spent years producing valuable content, guides, tools, and insights on inbound marketing. 

Just as they have solidified their position as an industry leader in “inbound marketing” through building topical authority, SaaS brands can follow the same path to success.

Importance of Topical Authority for SaaS

Now, let’s see a few key reasons SaaS brands should consider building topical authority.

1. Builds trust and credibility

Topical authority can directly influence how potential customers perceive a brand. When a brand consistently appears in search results with valuable content, it reinforces its position as a trusted and credible source in its niche.

Imagine, you’ve been researching for a CRM solution lately. Each time you look for information, you keep finding helpful resources on Salesforce's website. Over time, this repeated exposure builds trust, positioning Salesforce as an industry expert. This trust can increase the chances that you'll choose them when it’s time to make a purchase.

2. Drives organic traffic

When topical authority is achieved, search engines begin to see your website as a trusted source of information. This is evidenced by Google's emphasis on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) consideration in their search quality raters' guidelines, where websites demonstrating strong topical authority are seen as reliable sources and thus rewarded with higher rankings. When a higher ranking is achieved, your chance of attracting organic traffic increases significantly.

3. Strengthens customer acquisition and retention

Building topical authority not only drives traffic but also attracts high-intent visitors who are more likely to convert into paying customers. This is because your content has already earned their trust by addressing their needs and providing valuable insights during their research journey. But it doesn’t stop there. Your established topical authority keeps customers engaged, fostering long-term loyalty.

4. Boosts content marketing ROI

Investing in content to build topical authority may seem like a lot upfront, but the return on investment (ROI) is always worth it. Higher search rankings drive more organic traffic, while the trust and loyalty you build make it easier to turn readers into customers. Plus, you'll also attract more qualified leads who genuinely resonate with your offer. Over time, these efforts compound, maximizing your marketing ROI and ensuring every bit of effort is worthwhile.

How Topical Authority Can Help SEO Performance

As we’ve already established, search engines favor websites with strong topical authority. Let’s explore how this can improve your SEO:

• Easier to earn backlinks: Authoritative content attracts backlinks from other sites. When your content is recognized as a trusted resource, other creators are more likely to reference it. Backlinks, in turn, boost your domain's authority and improve your SEO performance.
• Enhanced content cluster strategy: Topical authority often involves building content clusters around a central theme. By linking related posts to a pillar page, you create a clear structure that helps search engines understand your site's content hierarchy. This improves crawlability and ranking potential.
• Trust signals to search engines: Search engines like Google aim to provide users with trustworthy content. Publishing in-depth, accurate, and well-supported content enhances your site's E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), which is a key factor in SEO.
• Competitive edge in your niche: Establishing topical authority can help you dominate your niche, especially if competitors lack depth in their content. This positions your brand as a leader, making it harder for others to outrank you.

8 Steps in Building SaaS Topical Authority

To establish topical authority, SaaS companies need a structured approach. These steps will guide you in developing a content strategy that builds trust, drives organic traffic, and positions your brand as a leader in its niche.

Step 1: Finalize major topics or themes

‍Purpose: Identify high-value topics closely tied to your SaaS offering.

‍Action:

• Start with your SaaS product’s unique value proposition

What problem does it solve? Identify it and use this to define themes. For example, if you’re marketing a social media scheduling tool, the UVP might be AI-driven recommendations to boost engagement. Your themes could include "How AI Can Help You Post at the Perfect Time" or "Boost Engagement with AI-Powered Social Media Insights.

• Conduct competitor analysis 

Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify content gaps. For instance, if competitors lack content on scheduling Instagram Reels, consider creating content around topics like “How to Schedule Instagram Reels for Maximum Engagement.”‍

• Map out topics based on customer pain points, common queries, and areas where your expertise stands out

See examples in the table below.

• Validate all the selected topics by checking keyword search volumes, Google Trends, or engagement tools like BuzzSumo to ensure relevance and interest.

‍Output: A defined set of core themes/topics that align with your product and target audience.

Step 2: Expand themes into subtopics

‍Purpose: Break down each theme into a cluster of highly specific subtopics to cover all aspects of the user’s journey.

‍Action:

• Use question-based tools

Use tools like AnswerThePublic to identify subtopics relevant to your audience.

• Categorize subtopics by user intent

Map content to different stages of the user journey. For example:

• Awareness stage: “What Are Social Media Scheduling Tools?”
• Consideration stage: “How to Choose the Right Social Media Scheduling Tool for Your Business.”
• Decision stage: “Top Social Media Scheduling Platforms for 2025.”

• Incorporate specific use cases or industries

Focus on detailed applications or niche needs. For example, if you’re marketing a social media scheduling tool, consider subtopics like:

• “How to Schedule Instagram Reels for Maximum Engagement.”
• “How AI-Driven Social Media Recommendations Benefit Small Business Owners.”

• Develop clusters around themes

Each major theme from Step 1 should branch into several subtopics, creating a content cluster. For example, the theme "Time-Saving Social Media Strategies" could include:

• “5 AI-Powered Hacks to Automate Your Social Media Posts”
• “A Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Social Media Content Calendar.”
• “Why AI-driven Recommendations are Essential for Social Media Growth in 2025.”

Output:

A comprehensive set of subtopics categorized by user intent and aligned with your audience’s needs. For example, a content cluster on "Time-Saving Social Media Strategies" could include subtopics like:

• “How Automation Saves 10+ Hours a Week on Social Media.”
• “Top Tools for Scheduling Social Media Posts.”
• “Case Study: How Automation Doubled Engagement for a Small Business.”

Step 3: Create a content calendar

‍Purpose: Organize your content production to ensure consistent publishing and relevance to your audience.

‍Action:

• Prioritize pillar content

Begin by scheduling pillar articles. Pillar articles are those comprehensive pieces that serve as the foundation for your content clusters. For example, a pillar article for the theme "Time-Saving Social Media Strategies" could be “The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Automation for Small Businesses.”

• Support with subtopics

Plan articles that link back to the pillar content. For example:

• “How to Create a Social Media Content Calendar in 30 Minutes.”
• “The Best Times to Post on Instagram in 2025: A Data-Driven Guide.”

These subtopics strengthen the main theme and improve your site’s SEO through internal linking.

• Optimize existing content

Set deadlines for updating older articles to align with current trends or keywords. For instance, if you’ve previously written about Instagram marketing, refresh it with tips for Reels and 2025 trends.

• Align with key events

Integrate your calendar with product updates, feature launches, or industry happenings. For example:

• Schedule a blog post on “New Features in Social Media Scheduling Tools” to coincide with your SaaS tool’s latest update.
• Write “Top Trends in Social Media Automation for 2025” to align with industry conferences.

‍Output: A well-organized content calendar for the next 3–6 months includes pillar and subtopic articles, refresh deadlines, and posts tied to timely events or updates. This ensures a steady flow of valuable, relevant content for your audience.

Step 4: Content creation

Purpose: Build in-depth content that demonstrates authority and addresses customer pain points.

Action:

• Create value-driven content formats: Develop case studies, tutorials, and how-to guides to showcase your SaaS solution’s real-world impact. At TripleDart, most of our case studies are based on real customer success stories, demonstrating how brands have leveraged SEO and content marketing to drive conversions. Our team also integrates proprietary data to ensure content is unique, authoritative, and engaging.

• Leverage proprietary data: Use unique insights from your SaaS tool to differentiate your content. For instance, an analytics tool might publish, “Social Media Engagement Trends for 2025: Insights from 10,000 Users.”
• Incorporate interactive elements: Add features like ROI calculators, product demos, or embedded videos to enhance user engagement.

• Strike a balance between technicality and accessibility: Write content that is technically accurate but easy to understand. Avoid overwhelming your audience with jargon, but ensure there’s enough depth to engage knowledgeable readers.

‍Output: A library of original content tailored to each stage of the customer journey.

Step 5: SEO optimization

Purpose: Ensure your content ranks well and attracts qualified traffic.

Action:

• Focus on intent-driven keywords: Identify and optimize for keywords aligned with user intent at different stages of their journey.
• Enhance technical SEO: Ensure fast page loading times and mobile-friendly designs to meet the expectations of busy users. 
• Leverage structured data: Use schema markups like FAQs, How-Tos, and Reviews to improve your content’s visibility in search engine results.
• Include clear CTAs: Drive conversions with strategic calls to action, such as, “Start Your Free Trial Today” or “Watch a Demo of Our Social Media Automation Tool”.

‍Output: SEO-optimized content that ranks well for intent-specific keywords, enhances user experience, and drives conversions to actionable CTAs.

Step 6: Build internal links

Purpose: Create a content structure that signals expertise to search engines and improves user navigation.

Action:

• Implement a hub-and-spoke model: Use pillar pages as central hubs for your themes. For example, the pillar page "Time-Saving Social Media Strategies" should link to subtopics like:
  
  • “How to Automate Your Social Media Posts.”
  • “Top Tools for Scheduling Social Media Content in 2025.”

Subtopic articles should link back to the pillar page, reinforcing its authority.

• Add contextual links: Within blog posts, include internal links to relevant resources.
• Use keyword-rich but natural anchor text: Avoid over-optimization by keeping anchor text descriptive and relevant.

‍Output: An internal linking framework that enhances topical authority, aids navigation, and directs users to high-conversion pages.

Step 7: Acquire high-quality backlinks

Purpose: Strengthen your domain authority through reputable external links.

Action:

• Collaborate with industry thought leaders for co-branded content or guest posts.
• Create shareable content like whitepapers, infographics, or research reports.
• Offer testimonials or case studies to SaaS tools you’ve used, which often result in backlinks.

‍Output: A portfolio of authoritative backlinks that enhances your site’s trustworthiness.

Step 8: Monitor and optimize over time

Purpose: Continuously refine your strategy based on performance metrics.

Action:

• Use analytics tools to monitor rankings, traffic, and conversion rates for each content piece.
• Regularly update pillar content with new data, examples, or insights to keep it relevant.
• Identify underperforming content and optimize it with better keywords, visuals, or CTAs.

‍Output: A constantly evolving content strategy that adapts to industry shifts and search engine updates.

Best Practices to Build Topical Authority

Building topical authority takes a deliberate approach. By following these best practices, SaaS companies can position themselves as trusted thought leaders:

1. Pillar & cluster model

Organize your content into a hub-and-spoke structure. Pillar pages cover broad topics comprehensively, while cluster pages dive deeper into related subtopics. For example, a company focused on project management might have a pillar page on "Project Management Tools" with supporting clusters on "Agile Methodologies," "Kanban vs. Scrum," and "Collaboration Best Practices."

2. Conduct competitor gap analysis

Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or SimilarWeb to analyze your competitors' content. Identify gaps in their coverage and create content that fills those voids with unique insights. For instance, if competitors have articles on "Basic Onboarding Features" but none address "Onboarding Features for Remote Teams," you can dominate this niche.

3. Publish proprietary data, research, or case studies

Developing original content based on your company’s data or success stories adds authenticity and credibility. For example, publish a report like "The Impact of Automated Workflow Tools on SaaS Customer Retention." Proprietary insights are harder for competitors to replicate, making your brand a go-to source. You can have a glimpse of how we do this by reading some of our customer success stories.

4. Participate in industry communities

Engage in industry-specific LinkedIn groups, forums, and webinars to share your expertise and answer questions. By contributing valuable insights, you build trust and draw attention to your brand. Consistent participation showcases your thought leadership and connects you with potential collaborators or customers.

5. Create timely content on emerging trends

Use Google Trends, industry reports, and news platforms to identify emerging topics before your competitors. Stay ahead by publishing timely articles, whitepapers, or videos.

6. Write guest blogs for high-authority publications

Collaborate with top-tier industry publications to contribute guest articles. Writing for well-known platforms not only boosts your credibility but also earns valuable backlinks. Focus on creating actionable, insightful content that highlights your expertise and directs readers to your platform.

How we Operate at Tripledart

We specialize in building topical authority for SaaS brands through data-driven content marketing. We analyze your niche, develop a pillar-and-cluster strategy and craft content that fills competitive gaps while resonating with your target audience.

Our team leverages proprietary data and industry insights to create high-value content that positions your brand as a trusted authority. From SEO optimization to securing high-authority backlinks, we ensure your content not only ranks but also drives engagement.

With the Tripledart team by your side, you’re not just investing in marketing, you’re establishing your business as a leader in its space. Let’s grow your site’s topical authority together. Book an intro call here.

FAQs?

How long does it take to build topical authority?

Building topical authority is a long-term process that typically takes several months to a few years, depending on content quality, consistency, competition, and backlink acquisition.

Is topical authority the same as domain authority?

No. Domain authority (DA) is a metric used by SEO tools to estimate a site's ability to rank, while topical authority is about expertise and credibility on a specific subject.

Do I need to publish daily to build topical authority?

Not necessarily. Consistency and quality matter more than volume. A well-researched, in-depth article published weekly can be more effective than low-quality daily posts.