Authority Score
One number for topical authority, built from Core coverage, quality and trust content, Outer coverage, cannibalization and overall publishing progress. Weekly snapshots track it over time.
Topical authority tool
The topical authority tool that shows what your site is missing
SemanticOS measures how completely your site covers its topic, scores your topical authority, and turns every gap, overlap and off-topic page into a concrete fix, all against one entity-based topical map.
2 hours free, no credit card · or a 7-day full trial for $7 · runs on your own Claude API key
What is topical authority in SEO?
Topical authority is the trust a search engine gives a website on a subject because the site covers that subject completely, accurately and consistently. It is earned at the level of the whole site, not a single page: when the pages around a topic answer every important question about its central entity and link to each other sensibly, each new page on that topic ranks with less effort.
That makes topical authority something you can plan and measure. You need a definition of the full topic (a topical map), a way to see which parts your site already covers, and a way to find what weakens it: missing attributes, two pages competing for one query, or content that drifts away from the entity.
A topical authority tool does exactly that. SemanticOS does it with the same entity model it uses to plan your content, so the score, the gaps and the fixes all point to the same map.
How it works
How SemanticOS measures and builds topical authority
Topical Gap Heatmap
See coverage by pillar and cluster at a glance, with thin and missing areas highlighted and a one-click route to plan the missing pages.
Entity Coverage Radar
Checks which attributes of your central entity are covered and which are not, so gaps are found by meaning, not by keyword.
Cannibalization & intent conflicts
The Cannibalization Detector and Intent Conflict Detector find pages that split authority between them, with one-click fixes that can be undone.
Entity drift
Entity Drift and Macro Context Drift catch pages that wander off the central entity and dilute what the site is known for.
Diagnose My Website
For a live site: import the sitemap, map existing URLs onto the topical map, and get a prioritised list of where authority leaks and what to fix first.
How to build topical authority, step by step
- Define the central entity and source context. Topical authority is always authority on something. Decide what that is and who the site serves.
- Map the whole topic. Generate a semantic topical map with Core pages (what the site sells or stands for) and Outer pages (the supporting context).
- Publish the Core first. The Authority Score weights Core coverage highest, because those pages carry the topic.
- Brief every page against the map. Use semantic content briefs so each page covers its attributes and links to its parent and siblings.
- Remove what splits authority. Merge or re-target cannibalizing pages and fix intent conflicts before adding more content.
- Measure and repeat. Sync Google Search Console, watch the Authority Score and the heatmap, and close the next gap.
Topical authority vs. domain authority vs. entity authority
| Concept | What it describes | How you improve it |
|---|---|---|
| Topical authority | How completely and consistently a site covers one topic | Publish the full topical map, link it well, remove overlap |
| Entity authority | How clearly search engines recognise your brand, people and products as entities | Consistent entity definitions, schema graphs, author and E-E-A-T pages |
| Domain authority | A third-party estimate of overall link strength | Earn links from relevant sites over time |
SemanticOS focuses on the first two, because they are fully in your control: what you publish, how it connects, and how clearly it describes your entity.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is topical authority in SEO?
Topical authority is the trust a search engine gives a site on a subject because the site covers that subject completely, accurately and consistently. A site with topical authority ranks new pages on the topic faster and more easily, because the rest of the site already supports them.
What does a topical authority tool do?
A topical authority tool shows how completely your site covers its topic and what is stopping it from being treated as an authority. SemanticOS compares your published pages with your topical map, gives you an Authority Score, highlights missing and thin areas in a Topical Gap Heatmap, and flags cannibalization and intent conflicts with one-click fixes.
How is the SemanticOS Authority Score calculated?
The Authority Score combines how much of the Core section is published (35%), how much of the quality and trust content is published (25%), Outer section coverage (15%), a cannibalization score (15%) and overall published coverage (10%). The same formula is used for the live score and the weekly snapshots, so changes over time are comparable.
What is the difference between topical authority and domain authority?
Domain authority is a third-party estimate of a site's overall link strength. Topical authority is about subject coverage: how well a site covers one topic and its entities. A site with modest links can still rank well on a topic it covers completely, which is why topical authority is the lever most sites can control.
How long does it take to build topical authority?
It depends on how much of the map is already published and how competitive the topic is. SemanticOS estimates months to authority from your publishing pace. Most sites see movement once the Core section of the topical map is complete and internally linked, typically within a few months of consistent publishing.
Can I check the topical authority of an existing website?
Yes. Use Diagnose My Website: import your sitemap or URLs, and SemanticOS maps existing pages onto your topical map, scores coverage, and lists where authority leaks and what to fix first.
Keep exploring SemanticOS
See your topical authority, then fix it.
Enter your domain, build the map and get your Authority Score, gap heatmap and a prioritised fix list.