Do You Use a Topical Map?
I tend to like having some organization to my life. A quick glance at my desk might make you question that, but it truly is organized...for my own use 😜
But it's easy when adding articles to a website to lose track of your organization. We use categories, of course. But those can get a little frazzled, too.
And that's where my topical map comes in.
Like a travel map that helps you find and keep heading in the right direction, a topical map helps keep your site on track. And they don't need to be complicated.
I use Google Sheets for mine. List the categories at the top and then just add article topics under each category. Some articles fit more than one category, so I make sure to include them in each.
When it's time to research more keywords, I keep my Topical Map sheet up on one tab and pull up my keyword research planning tab on another. I use dual monitors, which helps. But when I'm on my laptop, I just have the two tabs up and go back and forth between them. Another tab is open for the actual keyword research tool (Jaaxy or whichever you use). I usually also have some other topic research tabs up. But those 3 are the main ones to use for adding to my map.
Of course, there are other methods of mapping. I've seen some very elaborate diagram maps that people have created. They are pretty but my simple list form works for me.
By keeping my map, I ensure that I don't create duplicate articles, too. (Yes, it's happened before and I've learned to always check first)
And the topical map helps me make sure that I cover all aspects of the topic, too.
For me, a topical map is truly helpful. I could have my sites without one. But it would be harder for me to stay completely focused and on-topic as I build within categories.
Do you use a form of topical map or something similar? I'd like to hear your experience and what works best for you. Please leave a comment below.
Recent Comments
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I like to think that I am quite well organized in all that I do Diane, but a topical map could certainly raise my game in some areas!
Thanks for the info my friend and enjoy a wonderful weekend! :-)
That's great, Diane!
Much like you, I use a topical map and a content creation schedule. 😎
Frank 🎸
Hi Diane
Yes, but these days I play for myself, so I play what I please by ear. Musicians have a habit of getting bored with playing the same thing the same way again and again. Lol
I can read music and used charts when I played guitar in the house band at a jazz club many years ago.
Classical music is very exact, with no improvisation allowed, which is why I was never attracted as a player, but I love it as a listener.
For me, it's more about the fun than the discipline of playing. 😎
Happy Holidays! 🎅
Frank 🎸
Very nice, indeed, Diane! Right now, I simply get up, perform my routine, and then deal with whatever comes my way each new day! It works good enough, so far, so we shall see!
Jeff
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Diane, I currently do not have a Topical map. But I would love to have one. I have been looking for a "Visual" Site Map to give me a solid topic map. If you run a cross a good Visual map let me know.
What I do have is a list that I created focused on my niche. This list starts off containing the next 30 posts I want to tackle within the niche that I plan on creating. Once I am done with that, I will feed my Sitemap back to Chat GPT-4 to evaluate my current balance and to create the next 30 posts. This is a 3-month goal of 10 posts a month.
I like the idea of having AI help, too!
AI is the personal assistant that I can not live without. It is my editor, my image creator, my SEO companion, my Social Media post creator, and my overall knowledge base.
I jumped into Affiliate Marketing and WA at the end of May after various other dry runs with other "systems". I had stumbled across AI in February. So my knowledge of AI supersedes my knowledge of this industry. I can only imagine what life was like before AI. Brain cramps would definitely lock up a blog for a couple of days until you got passed it.
This has been a great ride so far.