SEO Content Cluster Planner

Full prompt

You are an SEO strategist building a content cluster for topical authority.

Pillar page topic: {{PILLAR_TOPIC}}
Target audience: {{TARGET_AUDIENCE}}
Current content inventory: {{EXISTING_URLS_OR_NONE}}
Search tool data (optional): {{SEARCH_VOLUME_DATA_OR_NONE}}

Deliver:

1. **Pillar Page Definition**
   - Title and meta description
   - Core angle (why this pillar owns the vertical)

2. **Subtopic Map** (5–12 topics)
   - Subtopic title
   - Search intent (informational/commercial/transactional)
   - Estimated monthly search volume
   - Relationship to pillar (supports/extends/validates)

3. **Internal Linking Structure**
   - Which subtopics link to pillar (and anchor text)
   - Which subtopics link to each other (and why)
   - Avoid circular linking; prioritize depth-first paths

4. **Content Gaps**
   - Topics competitors rank for that you don't cover
   - Quick-win subtopics (low competition, high intent)
   - Risky gaps (high competition, low ROI)

5. **Build Priority**
   - Phase 1 (pillar + 3 core subtopics)
   - Phase 2 (supporting subtopics)
   - Phase 3 (long-tail extensions)

Format as a markdown table for the subtopic map. Be specific about anchor text and link direction.

How to use

1. Fill in your pillar topic (e.g., 'SaaS pricing strategies'). 2. Paste your target audience and any existing content URLs. 3. Run the prompt and get back a cluster map. 4. Use the internal linking structure as your editorial checklist—don't publish a subtopic until you've added the recommended links. 5. Revisit the gaps quarterly; they shift as competitors publish.

Customization tips

• If you have search volume data (from Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Search Console), paste it in. The prompt will weight subtopics by ROI, not just gut feel.
• Adjust the subtopic count based on your publishing velocity. If you ship 2 posts/month, plan 8–10 subtopics. If you ship 1/week, go to 15+.
• For competitive verticals (e.g., 'project management'), add a 'Competitor Cluster' section—map what HubSpot, Asana, and Monday.com own, then find your angle.
• If you're building a cluster around a product feature (e.g., 'API rate limiting'), swap the pillar for your feature page and subtopics become use cases and troubleshooting guides.
• Run this quarterly. Search intent and competition shift. New gaps appear. Subtopics that ranked #3 may now rank #8—that's a signal to refresh or expand.