Topic Clusters for Dental Marketing

The digital landscape is one of continuous evolution, and this ongoing state of change affects everything aspect of digital marketing and web design. Unnoticed by many internet users, websites are constantly updating their content and format in order to keep pace with the current standards for SEO. As search engine algorithms evolve, web content must move to keep pace.

While much of this happens behind the scenes–out of sight of must users–there are some more visible manifestations. Topic clusters are a visible shift in website design and user interface as a result of changing SEO needs. Understanding topic clusters and how they shape your website’s design and SEO are critical to successful dental marketing. 

What are Topic Clusters?

Topic clusters are, as the name suggests, pages on your website which are clustered together around a similar topic. Similar to the “spoke and hub” model used by airports and airlines, a topic cluster is centered around a pillar page, which contains an introduction to the subject at hand and then links to other, related topic pages within the same website. An example for a dental practice’s website might look something like this: a central pillar page for “Cosmetic Dentistry” which also contains links to topic pages about “Dental Prosthetics”, “Teeth Whitening”, and “InvisAlign”. Here you can see the basic structure: a central, overarching subject or category of topics, linked to everything else one might search for related to it. A typical topic page structure might look something like this:

• A pillar page is located at the top of the cluster and introduces the main subject or topic
• The pillar page in turn links to the cluster pages
• Each cluster page details one part (a subtopic) of the main subject or topic
• Internal linking designed within the cluster
• Hierarchical URLs are in place to reinforce the semantic of the cluster

So how do topic clusters enhance your SEO? While we’re not privy to the exact inner workings of the algorithm, we can tell you that topic clusters enhance your visibility to search engines and individual subject searches by creating a keyword and link rich space on your website around a specific subject or set of topics, which will then show up on many different web searches. By increasing that page’s search viability, you elevate the SEO of your site as a whole.

Topic clusters are a powerful tool, and as digital marketing for dentistry gets more competitive a successful implementation of a topic-cluster based website design is a must for any functioning practice. 

Using Topic Clusters in Your Website

Now that you understand a bit about topic clusters and how they can enhance your practice’s website, how do you go about implementing them? Using topic clusters in your dental practice’s digital marketing can be a complex process, one requiring experience, know-how, and a depth of understanding of both web design and the niceties of dental marketing.

That’s where a dedicated, professional touch comes in. At DentaMarketing, we have the skills, industry knowledge, and acumen to take your website–and all aspects of your digital presence–to the next level. Our team of professionals brings their combined skills to bear in order to deliver the results you need. Get in touch today, and we’ll discuss your options for ensuring the success of your practice.