$ man content-cluster-topology

Content Cluster Topology

The deliberate architecture of how content connects within and across websites — hub-and-spoke model, taxonomy-driven routing, canonical site designation, and bidirectional cross-linking that compounds topical authority.

by Shawn Tenam

Individual pages are nodes. Internal links are edges. AI engines evaluate topical authority by measuring the graph, not just individual pages. A flat blog with no internal links means every page starts from zero. A cluster topology with bidirectional links creates a graph where every new page strengthens every existing page. The three-site architecture amplifies this — shawnos, gtmos, and contentos each build authority in their vertical, and cross-site links connect the verticals. sameAs schema markup tells search engines these three sites represent one entity. Sites with 15 or more recognized entities have a 4.8x higher citation probability.

The topology is defined in website/taxonomy.yaml. Every content pillar maps to a domain. How-to entries have a canonicalSite field that determines which site renders the page and which sites redirect. Bidirectional related arrays on every data object create the cross-links. Breadcrumb schema markup communicates the hierarchy to AI engines. The system compounds: every new entry creates new edges, every new edge strengthens every connected node.