Tools to discover pillars and topics

There are several free and/or low-cost tools that can help you research your topic areas and understand what information people are seeking within them.

Google Trends

A free tool from the search giant which offers insights into the volume of specific search queries and related search terms. It also allows you to compare a number of topics and see how their popularity has trended over time in different cities, countries and regions.

Answer The Public

Answer The Public is a free tool which analyses search engines and question site data to show you what people are asking about any specific subject. This is a rich source of information and can help you build up your topic cluster with relevant key phrases and content ideas.

Buzzsumo

A low-cost tool which also offers a free version without signup. This content research tool provides insight into the most popular content in any topic. This can include the most engaged-with Facebook posts and the most influential social media users, who have driven the popularity of trending content. It is useful not only to understand what content performs well but also to gain some expectations of what your own success could look like.