Definitions
The terms on this page, explained
Plain definitions of the concepts this service works with — so you can evaluate the work rather than take the vocabulary on trust.
- Topical map
- A structured plan of every subtopic, entity and question a site must cover to be recognised as authoritative on a subject, plus the publication order and internal link graph. The difference between a content calendar and an information architecture.
- Topical authority
- The state where a site demonstrably covers a subject well enough that new pages inherit its established relevance and rank quickly, rather than starting from zero.
- Source context
- What a website is fundamentally about and how it makes money. The filter every topic decision is made against.
- Core section
- Topics tied directly to how the business generates revenue — the reason the site exists commercially.
- Outer section
- Topics that build credibility and attract the audience who will eventually need the core section. They exist to support commercial pages and link accordingly.
- Keyword cannibalisation
- Two or more pages on the same site competing for one query. Google credits only one, and the duplication can drag relevance down across the group.