Skip to content
RED SAGSkills
mediumSEO Specialist interview question

How would you build a content strategy using topic clusters?

What the interviewer wants to hear

  • Research the audience, topics and intent
  • Choose pillar topics tied to business goals
  • Map subtopics to distinct pages to avoid cannibalisation
  • Create helpful, original content with real expertise
  • Link pillars and subpages logically
  • Measure, update and prune over time

Model answer

I start with research on the audience's questions and problems, using Search Console, keyword tools, sales and support teams, and forums. Then I choose a few pillar topics that match the business's products and expertise. For each pillar, I map subtopics to separate pages, making sure each page has a distinct intent so pages do not compete with each other. The pillar page gives a strong overview and links to the detailed pages, and each detailed page links back and to related pages. The content must be genuinely helpful and show first-hand experience and expertise, for example with real examples, data or expert input, because thin content will not perform. I publish in a logical order, starting with the most valuable topics. Finally, I measure performance per cluster and regularly update, merge or remove pages that are outdated or weak.

Can you answer it under time pressure?

Take a timed medium round and get scored on every answer.

Start mock interview

More medium SEO Specialist questions