An SEO industry term for a site being seen as a strong source on a whole subject, not just one keyword, usually built by covering a topic in depth and linking the pages well. Google has not published a formal definition of it.
Example
Meera builds a set of linked pages on handloom fabrics: types, care, sizing and styling. Over time her site becomes a natural source for searches on that topic.
How you'll hear it
“We will not rank for one handloom keyword in isolation; we need topical authority across the subject.”
Don't confuse it with
- Domain Authority: a tool's link-based score for a whole site. Topical authority is about subject depth, and has no official score.
Related terms
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Sources
- Topical authority, Ahrefs
- Topic clusters, Semrush