A topic group is a set of articles about one subject. It has one main article, the broad guide to the subject, and supporting articles that each cover one part of it in depth. Every supporting article links to the main article, so your readers, and search engines, see the whole subject covered in one place.
In the planner, a topic group is called a cluster, and its main article is its pillar.
One topic group at a time
Your plan can write one topic group at a time. When it does, the calendar fills the group being written first: its main article, then its supporting articles, until the group is complete. Only then does the next group start. A group holds up to 20 articles, depending on how many articles your plan writes a month.
A group also finishes when we can no longer find new supporting articles for it. The next group is the one you asked for next, otherwise the one we expect to bring you the most.
When your plan writes one topic group at a time, the planner shows a line above the calendar, for example Writing now: Yoga for back pain, 6 of 15. Next: Pilates for beginners.
Choose which group is written
Open Add Keywords on the planner, then the Clusters tab. When your plan writes one topic group at a time, each group shows where it stands:
- Writing now with how many of its articles are written or on the calendar, for example Writing now · 6 of 15.
- Next for the group you asked to be written next.
- Finished or Ended for a group that is complete or that was stopped.
And each group has its controls:
- Write this group next starts that group as soon as the group being written now is complete.
- Open now starts that group straight away. The group being written now stops, and you can open it again later.
- Finish this group, on the group being written now, stops it. The next group starts. Articles already written or on the calendar stay as they are.
Build a group around a keyword
When you add a keyword of your own, you can ask for a topic group around it. Look for Build a group around this:
- on a keyword card, after you click the keyword to open its details;
- on a keyword in the Stored tab of Add Keywords;
- after Import, under a keyword that has no group yet: 'your keyword' has no group yet. Build a group around it.
On the Clusters tab, Find more supporting articles does the same for a group's main article.
We then suggest the group. Nothing is added until you choose:
- The first line says what your keyword would be. Either it can be the main article of a group of its own, or it is a supporting article of a group you already have, and the line names that group and its main article.
- For a group of its own, choose the Main article. Your keyword is chosen to start with. We may also offer up to two broader keywords that more people search for, which often make a better main article. If you pick one, your keyword becomes one of its supporting articles.
- Under Supporting articles, untick any you do not want. Each one shows how many people search for it a month and why we suggest it. A keyword your site already has a page for is unticked, with that page named.
- Choose when it is written:
- When your plan writes one topic group at a time: Write this group next, or Write this group now, which stops the group being written now.
- Otherwise: Add and plan, main article first puts the main article on the next free day and its supporting articles on the days after it.
The main article you choose is marked Chosen by you, and the keywords you keep stay in this group when you regroup your keywords. Each keyword still goes through the same checks as any keyword you add: a keyword you already have is not added twice, and a keyword outside what we write for your site is set aside.