-
I’ve been doing SEO for years and I’ve seen this same problem in agencies time and time again. The good news is that you’re asking the right questions.
The reality about topic authority:
The concept is sound, but it’s become just another “magic framework” that people apply without thinking. The truth is, topic authority is the result of doing your job well, not the strategy itself.
Alternatives to blog spam for building authority:
1. Product-led content – Comprehensive comparison guides, hybrid landing pages that educate while selling, category pages with integrated editorial content
2. Tools and utilities – Calculators, configurators, downloadable resources. They generate natural links and demonstrate real expertise
3. Data and research – Industry reports, benchmarks. This is gold for getting editorial links
4. Community/UGC – Forums, Q&A, in-depth reviews. Generate massive amounts of long-tail content without writing every word
Your multi-category ecommerce problem:
You basically have three options:
• Vertical specialization: Identify 2-3 categories with the best margins and build authority ONLY there. The rest: Basic SEO, don’t invest in elaborate content.
• Horizontal authority: Don’t specialize in products, specialize in the user’s problem (e.g., “gifts for X” crosses multiple categories).
• Forget about topical authority: For many ecommerce businesses, you win with fundamentals: converting product pages, impeccable structured data, UX that generates reviews, and quality link building.
The framework you really need:
For each client, ask yourself:
1. What are the 10 searches that generate the most revenue?
2. What type of content ranks for those searches? (product pages, editorial, comparisons…)
3. How much would it cost to compete effectively there?
Those numbers dictate your strategy. Not a generic framework.Regarding changing your department:
Real change doesn’t come from adopting a new framework (topic authority, E-E-A-T, whatever). It comes from:
• Measuring revenue from organic search, not vanity metrics
• Charging for strategy, not just deliverables (“ownership of these searches that generate $X”)
• Documenting the “why” behind every data-driven decision
• Specializing in specific customer types
Topic authority is relevant for SaaS, B2B, and editorial brands. For multi-category ecommerce, it’s often a costly distraction from what really moves the needle.
