The playbook
Topical Authority: Template and Field Guide
This topical authority template turns a broad task into a record another person can use. It captures topic, core resource, supporting resource, then connects that information to a decision. Copy the table into your working document or system and create a separate record for each item in scope.
Put the task in context
For local search, a coherent collection might explain profiles, service pages, listings, reviews, measurement, and multi-location operations. The collection should connect these tasks and explain their differences. Treat coverage as an editorial responsibility rather than a fixed number of articles to achieve.
Copyable worksheet
| Field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| topic | Record the topic associated with this page or query record. Use a stable reference so later updates can be matched. |
| core resource | Record the core resource associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| supporting resource | Record the supporting resource associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| evidence | Record the evidence associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| Decision field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| Observed problem | Describe the actual condition and where it was observed. |
| Recommended action | State the smallest action that resolves the documented problem. |
| Evidence | Link to the record, observation, or test supporting the action. |
| Owner and next review | Name the accountable person and when the decision should be revisited. |
How to complete the worksheet
Begin with topic. Use the same reference throughout the record so notes are not attached to the wrong item. Then define the scope of a topic your team understands. This establishes the information required before the worksheet becomes a request for action.
Next, connect foundational resources to detailed applications. Use the observed problem and evidence fields to explain why that step is needed. A useful entry describes an actual condition, such as assuming a fixed article count guarantees authority, rather than a broad instruction to “improve performance.”
Finally, maintain sources examples and internal navigation over time. Put evaluate whether the collection actually resolves the audience's questions in the action field only when it addresses the observed condition. If the problem is different, change the action. The template is a structure for judgment, not a reason to apply the same fix everywhere.
Illustrative completed decision
| Part | Illustrative entry |
|---|---|
| Problem | Assuming a fixed article count guarantees authority |
| Action | Evaluate whether the collection actually resolves the audience's questions |
| First check | Define the scope of a topic your team understands |
| Follow-up check | Maintain sources examples and internal navigation over time |
| Outcome to define | topic coverage and qualified visits |
Adapt the fields without losing meaning
You can add fields required by your team, but each should change a decision or preserve necessary context. Keep factual observations separate from recommendations. If core resource changes, record the new value and its effective date instead of silently rewriting the context of an earlier decision.
Use the record in a handoff
Ask the receiving owner to explain the next action using only the worksheet. Missing context becomes visible quickly during that exercise. Repair the record before applying the structure to a larger batch. Keep topic coverage and qualified visits connected to the item so the team can later assess whether the action was useful.
Keep page purpose visible throughout the work. A technically valid page can still fail to answer the reader’s question. Separate access and discovery problems from content problems so that the assigned action matches the cause.
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