- Topical Drift

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How it works

From two inputs to a complete content architecture

The generator runs a full pipeline — SERP analysis, entity extraction, topic canonicalization, hierarchy classification, URL generation, and internal linking — automatically. You get the finished map in your editor.

Read the methodology

Enter macro + seed

Provide the broad subject area (macro) and the specific topic to map (seed). Example: Dog Breeds → Golden Retriever.

SERP + entity analysis

We analyse real search results to discover subtopics, extract named entities, identify FAQs, and surface competitor content structures.

Classify and structure

Every topic is classified as a Standalone page, Section, Hub, or FAQ. Duplicates are merged. Hierarchy and tier levels are assigned automatically.

URLs + linking plan

Canonical URLs are generated from the hierarchy. Every edge gets anchor text, placement hints, and required vs optional status.

Open in editor

Your finished map loads directly into the visual editor — Force Graph, Horizontal Tree, and Radial Tree layouts ready to explore immediately.

Export and execute

Export PNG or SVG for clients, CSV for your content calendar, and JSON to reload or pipe into your CMS or internal linking tool.

Generate your first map

What you get

A complete topical authority data model

Not just a list of topics — a structured, machine-readable blueprint with every node classified, every URL planned, and every link mapped.

Topic Nodes

Every Topic and Subtopic is a node with ID, label, slug, tier, and node type. Macro → Seed → Topic → Subtopic hierarchy established automatically.

FAQ Nodes

Common questions extracted from SERPs and People Also Ask — classified as FAQ nodes and attached to the correct parent page with FAQ edges.

Hub Pages

Topics with multiple children are automatically marked as Hub pages — shown with a gold ring in the editor and flagged in the JSON for your CMS template.

Sections

Topics too thin for their own page become Sections — heading + content blocks inside a parent page. No URL generated. Shown with dashed border in the editor.

URL Architecture

Canonical URLs generated from parent URL + slug. Every standalone page gets its own URL. Sections inherit the parent URL.

Internal Linking Plan

Every edge carries recommended anchor text, alternate anchors, placement hint (body / hub section / FAQ block), and required vs optional status.

Entities + Aliases

Every node is enriched with named entities (organisations, concepts, tools, people) and alias phrases (keyword variants and search intents).

Confidence Scores

Every node carries a 0–1 confidence score from the pipeline. Low-confidence nodes are flagged so you can review before briefing content.

Export Everything

Export PNG (client presentation), SVG (print-ready vector), CSV (content calendar), or JSON (pipeline reload, CMS, Neo4j, D3.js).

Visual Editor Included

The generated map opens directly in the editor. Edit any node, re-parent, add children, fix URLs, and switch between three graph layouts.

Start Your Topical Map

The pipeline

What runs under the hood

Seven stages — from raw seed keyword to a fully structured, entity-enriched topical authority graph.

Normalize the seed

Creates consistent IDs and slugs. Establishes the macro, seed, and site context for all downstream nodes.

Discover candidate topics

Pulls possible subtopics from AI topic expansion. Validates and enriches with SERP titles, headings, PAA questions, competitor structures, and entity extraction.

Canonicalize topics

Merges duplicates and near-duplicates. Separates true topical concepts from wording variants.

Classify each topic

Determines whether each concept is a Section, FAQ, Standalone page, or Hub page. Allows a topic to be both a section on a parent page and its own standalone page.

Assign hierarchy + generate URLs

Decides the parent-child structure and tier levels. Creates canonical URLs only for nodes that get their own pages. Leaves section-only and FAQ-only nodes without URLs.

Generate internal linking

Creates required parent-child links and related sibling links. Attaches FAQs to the correct parent. Adds anchor text and placement guidance to every edge.

Assemble the final graph

Outputs a graph-ready structure with nodes and edges. Loads directly into the visual editor. Exports to CSV for content planning and JSON for graph databases.

Read the full methodology

Generator vs Editor

Two ways to build your topical map

Topical Map Generator

Requires free account

Enter a macro and seed — the pipeline generates your complete topical authority map automatically. Best when starting a new site or topic cluster from scratch.

AI-powered topic discovery from SERPs
Entity extraction and alias enrichment
Automatic page / section / hub / FAQ classification
URL architecture and internal linking plan generated
Confidence scoring on every node
Up to 3 maps per month (fair use, free in beta)
Opens in editor automatically

Generate My Topical Map

Visual Map Editor

Free · No account

Build or edit your map manually in the visual editor. Load a generated JSON, import the starter map, or start from scratch. Best for refining, reviewing, and exporting.

Load any JSON topical map file
Import built-in Golden Retriever starter map
Add, edit, duplicate, re-parent, and delete nodes
Force graph, horizontal tree, and radial layouts
Hide section-only nodes, search, minimap
Export PNG, SVG, CSV, and JSON
No account required

Open Editor Start from Scratch

Recommended workflow: Generate your map with the Generator → review and edit it in the Editor → export PNG for your client and CSV for your content team. Then run a Topical Drift Analysis after six months to see which pages have drifted off-plan.

FAQ

Quick answers

The most common questions about the Topical Map Generator.

View all FAQs

Generating a topical map runs a multi-stage AI pipeline including SERP analysis, entity extraction, and topic classification. An account lets us save your maps so you can access them later, load them into the editor, and track your usage against the fair-use limit of 3 maps per month during the beta. The editor itself requires no account.

The macro is the broad category your site or section operates in — for example Dog Breeds. The seed is the specific topic you want to build topical authority around — for example Golden Retriever. The generator uses both to anchor the map and ensure every node is contextually correct for the seed within the macro category.

Most maps complete in under 60 seconds. Larger seeds with many subtopics or seeds that require deeper SERP analysis may take up to 2–3 minutes. You will see a progress indicator during generation. The finished map opens automatically in the editor when the pipeline completes.

Yes — the generated map opens directly in the visual editor. You can edit any node, re-parent nodes, add children, delete low-confidence topics, fix labels and URLs, mark hubs, and add entities or aliases. All edits are saved to your account and can be re-exported at any time.

From the editor you can export:

PNG — viewport or full map at 4800px+ (client presentations)
SVG — vector format for print or Figma/Illustrator
CSV — all node fields for your content calendar spreadsheet
JSON — full graph for pipeline reload, CMS, Neo4j, or D3.js

Yes. The editor is completely free and requires no account. You can load the built-in Golden Retriever starter map to explore a full example, import your own JSON, or build a map from scratch by adding nodes one at a time. The generator is an optional first step that automates the topic discovery process.

Generate My Topical Map Use Editor (No Account) View all FAQs

Build your topical authority map before you write a single word

Enter a macro and seed — get a complete site architecture with nodes, hub pages, URLs, internal linking, and entity data in under 60 seconds.