Let me share our topical authority journey.
Where we started:
What we did:
Focused 100% on ONE topic: “Customer Success Metrics”
Where we are now (12 months later):
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Domain authority | 12 | 28 |
| AI citation rate | 0% | 41% |
| Ranking keywords | 45 | 340 |
| ChatGPT mentions | Never | Regularly |
| Perplexity citations | Never | Often |
The insight:
We can’t compete for general “customer success” topics. But for “customer success METRICS,” we’re now THE authority AI trusts.
How are others building topical authority?
Great example. Let me explain why topical authority works so well for AI.
How AI evaluates topical authority:
AI systems aren’t just looking at individual pages. They’re building a model of “who knows what.”
Signals AI uses:
| Signal | What AI Sees | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage breadth | Multiple pieces on topic | High |
| Coverage depth | Detailed, nuanced content | High |
| Consistency | Regular publishing | Medium |
| Original insights | Unique data/perspectives | Very High |
| Expert attribution | Credentialed authors | High |
| Third-party validation | External citations | High |
The authority threshold:
There seems to be a threshold where AI “flips” from ignoring you to citing you regularly.
Below threshold: Occasionally cited (5-15%) Above threshold: Frequently cited (35-50%)
Your 12-month journey crossed that threshold.
Key factors in your success:
The niche focus is critical. Let me add context:
Broad topic vs narrow topic comparison:
| Approach | Time to Authority | Competition | AI Citation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Customer Success” | 3-5 years | Extreme | 5-10% |
| “CS Metrics” | 12-18 months | Moderate | 35-45% |
| “CS Health Scores” | 6-12 months | Low | 40-50% |
The narrower you go, the faster you build authority.
The trade-off:
Narrow: Faster authority, smaller audience Broad: Slower authority, larger audience
The strategy:
Start narrow. Build authority. Expand systematically.
Your “Customer Success Metrics” authority makes it easier to expand into adjacent topics later.
Publishing cadence matters more than people think.
Our testing on cadence:
| Publishing Frequency | Time to Authority | AI Citation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 piece/month | 24+ months | 18% |
| 2-3 pieces/month | 12-15 months | 32% |
| 4-6 pieces/month | 6-9 months | 38% |
| 8+ pieces/month | 4-6 months | 35% |
The sweet spot: 2-4 pieces per month
More than 6 tends to sacrifice quality.
Why cadence matters:
The consistency rule:
Better to publish 2 quality pieces monthly for 12 months than 12 pieces in month 1 and nothing after.
AI notices patterns over time.
Original research accelerates topical authority dramatically.
Why research matters:
AI systems need to cite SOMETHING. Original data becomes citation-necessary.
Types of original research:
| Type | Effort | Authority Impact | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surveys | Medium | Very High | $500-2,000 |
| Data analysis | Low | High | Time only |
| Expert interviews | Low | Medium | Time only |
| Case studies | Low | Medium | Time only |
| Experiments | High | Very High | Varies |
Our approach:
Quarterly original research:
The citation impact:
Pages with original research: 52% AI citation rate Pages without original research: 18% AI citation rate
The moat:
Original data can’t be replicated. Competitors can match your content style, but not your proprietary data.
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust) applies to AI too.
How E-E-A-T maps to AI citation:
| E-E-A-T Element | AI Signal | How to Demonstrate |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | First-hand knowledge | Case studies, practitioner content |
| Expertise | Deep knowledge | Comprehensive coverage, credentials |
| Authoritativeness | Recognition | Third-party citations, awards |
| Trustworthiness | Reliability | Accuracy, sources, track record |
Author-level authority:
AI systems track author credibility, not just site credibility.
What we do:
The impact:
Content by recognized experts: 2x higher citation rate than anonymous content.
Build personal brands alongside site authority.
Competitive analysis for topical authority:
How to assess competition:
The authority gap analysis:
| Factor | You | Competitor | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topic articles | 15 | 45 | -30 |
| Original research | 2 | 5 | -3 |
| Expert authors | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| Avg article depth | Medium | High | Improve |
Closing the gap:
The shortcut:
Don’t try to out-compete everywhere. Find the gaps in competitor authority and own those spaces.
How to measure topical authority:
Direct metrics:
| Metric | Tool | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| AI citation rate | Am I Cited | Primary authority indicator |
| Topic rankings | GSC | Search visibility |
| Backlinks in topic | Ahrefs | External validation |
| Brand + topic searches | GSC | Association strength |
Proxy metrics:
| Metric | What It Indicates |
|---|---|
| Topic coverage % | How much of the topic you own |
| Expert attribution | Content credibility |
| Freshness score | Content currentness |
| Cross-linking density | Internal authority signals |
The authority scorecard:
We score topics monthly:
Tracking over time:
Authority builds gradually. Monthly tracking shows trajectory. Expect 6-month lag between content investment and AI citation impact.
Small brand building authority against giants:
Our situation:
The strategy that worked:
Pick a sub-sub-niche:
Not: “Marketing” Not: “Email Marketing” Yes: “Email Marketing Deliverability for SaaS”
Go deeper than anyone:
Results:
For “email deliverability SaaS” queries:
The lesson:
You can’t beat Hubspot at “marketing.” You CAN beat them at something specific they don’t prioritize.
The expansion:
Now using deliverability authority as a foothold into broader email marketing topics.
This thread has been incredible. Here’s my synthesized framework:
The Topical Authority Blueprint:
Phase 1: Choose Your Niche (Month 0-1)
Phase 2: Build Foundation (Months 1-6)
Phase 3: Accelerate (Months 6-12)
Phase 4: Expand (Months 12+)
Key success factors:
Our 0 to 41% journey:
The formula works. Focused effort on topical authority consistently beats scattered content.
Measurement:
Track with Am I Cited for AI visibility. Monthly scorecards for progress.
Thanks everyone for the valuable insights!
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