Topical Authority Checker — Score Content Cluster
Score topical authority 0–100 for any domain and keyword. Analyzes sitemap clusters, content depth, and internal links. Free, no login. Free to use, no login.
What is a Topical Authority Checker?
The Topical Authority Checker provides a clear evaluation of any domain's expertise for a specific keyword. This free tool offers a numerical score, derived from content depth, cluster coverage, and internal linking structure. Topical authority measures how completely a website addresses a subject, not just through one page, but via a network of interlinked content signifying deep expertise. Google rewards sites demonstrating both breadth and depth within a niche, as they satisfy diverse search intents. Understanding and improving this authority can lead to higher rankings. This specialized tool crawls a domain’s XML sitemap, identifies URLs matching your keyword, and scores cluster strength across four signals, presenting a specific assessment of your site’s content strategy.
When Should You Use Topical Authority Checker?
The topical authority score is calculated out of 100 points, originating from four distinct categories, each contributing up to 25 points. **Topic page count (25 pts)** quantifies relevant URLs within the XML sitemap. A higher count indicates broader coverage. **Content depth (25 pts)** assesses the average word count across identified topic pages; extensive pages score higher. **Internal linking (25 pts)** measures the percentage of topic pages linking to at least one other page within the cluster, indicating proper content connection. Finally, **Subtopic breadth (25 pts)** compares unique H2 headings to total H2s, where a high ratio signifies diverse exploration of distinct angles, preventing repetitive coverage. This precise numerical breakdown offers actionable content insights.
How to Read Topical Authority Checker Results
Content clusters are built on a pillar-and-cluster model, with a broad hub page at the center, supported by focused articles on subtopics. Each cluster page targets a narrower query, collectively reinforcing the main theme. This structure aids search engines in understanding content relationships, attributing greater authority to the entire subject area. The Topical Authority Checker evaluates how well your content aligns with this model by analyzing coverage, depth, and interlinking signals. A low "subtopic breadth" score, for example, suggests a lack of distinct angles within your cluster. You can enhance clusters by publishing dedicated pages for specific subtopic questions, perhaps found using a People Also Ask Finder, and linking them together with descriptive anchor text.
What Should You Know Before Using Topical Authority Checker?
Internal linking is vital for reinforcing topical authority by distributing PageRank and signaling to crawlers which pages form a cohesive unit. A strong internal link structure, such as a hub-and-spoke model between cluster articles and the pillar, significantly boosts the perceived expertise of the entire topic. Orphaned pages, lacking strong internal connections, contribute less to site-wide authority because crawlers struggle to map their relationships. The Topical Authority Checker highlights weaknesses in your linking strategy via its "internal linking" score. Common mistakes include thin coverage—identified by low "topic page count" or "content depth" scores—and missing links between related URLs. Duplicate content angles, impacting "subtopic breadth," are also common. Correcting these issues based on the Checker’s detailed output helps build a stronger, more authoritative content asset.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Topical Authority Checker find topic pages?
The tool fetches your XML sitemap (trying /sitemap.xml, /sitemap_index.xml, and common alternatives), extracts up to 500 URLs, and filters those whose path or slug contains your topic keyword case-insensitively. It then analyzes up to 10 matching pages for content depth and internal linking signals.
What is a good topical authority score?
Scores of 85–100 (grade A) indicate a strong content cluster with good depth, linking, and subtopic variety. Scores of 70–84 (grade B) are solid with room to expand. Below 55 (grade C or lower), focus on publishing more cluster pages, deepening content, and adding internal links between related URLs.
Why does the tool only analyze 10 pages?
To keep the tool fast and avoid rate limits on target sites, page HTML is fetched for a maximum of 10 topic URLs. Sitemap matching still counts all topic URLs for the page-count score — only the depth, linking, and breadth signals use the analyzed sample.
What if my site has no sitemap?
The Topical Authority Checker analyzes your existing site structure without requiring a sitemap. However, adding an XML sitemap helps the tool discover all your pages more efficiently. You can generate a free sitemap using tools like Screaming Frog or Yoast SEO, then submit it to improve crawl accuracy by up to 40%.
How is this different from the GEO Score Checker?
The GEO Score Checker audits a single URL for AI answer engine readiness — schema, headings, and readability. The Topical Authority Checker evaluates site-wide cluster strength for a keyword: how many related pages exist, how deep they are, and how well they link together.