How to Analyze Topic Performance in Hubspot
Using Hubspot to evaluate topic performance helps you understand which content clusters drive organic traffic, leads, and engagement, so you can refine your strategy with real data.
This guide walks you through how to use the content strategy and SEO tools to analyze pillars, subtopics, and related metrics directly inside your portal.
Understanding Hubspot Topic Clusters
Before you dive into reports, it is important to know how topic clusters are structured in Hubspot.
- Pillar page: Your main, comprehensive page that targets a broad topic.
- Subtopic content: Supporting blogs or pages that cover related, narrower keywords.
- Topic cluster: The group of pillar and subtopic content connected by internal links and tracked in the SEO tool.
All performance reporting in the content strategy tool is built around these clusters and their associated content.
Accessing Topic Performance in Hubspot
Follow these steps to open your topic analytics:
- In your Hubspot account, go to Marketing > Website (or Content, depending on your navigation).
- Select the SEO or Content Strategy tool.
- Open the Topics or Topic Clusters tab to see all existing clusters.
From this topics dashboard, you can review metrics at a high level, then drill into individual clusters and pages.
Key Hubspot Topic Performance Metrics
On the main topics screen, Hubspot displays a table of all clusters with data that reflects how each topic is performing.
Core Topic Metrics in Hubspot
- Sessions: The number of visits generated by content in the topic cluster.
- Average position: The average search ranking for keywords associated with the topic.
- Inbound links: External backlinks pointing to pages in the cluster.
- Influenced contacts: Contacts who visited content within the topic cluster.
- Influenced deals or revenue: Deals associated with contacts who engaged with this content.
Use the column controls to customize which metrics you see, then sort to identify your top and low-performing topics.
Time Range and Filters in Hubspot Reports
You can adjust the date range to see how performance changes over time.
- Select a predefined range, such as the last 7, 30, or 90 days.
- Choose a custom range to focus on a specific campaign period.
- Compare performance across time frames to identify growth or declines in visibility.
Filters allow you to focus on specific topic groups, content types, or domains if you manage multiple websites.
Drilling into a Specific Hubspot Topic Cluster
To get more granular insight, click a topic cluster name from the main table to open its detailed performance view.
Topic Overview Panel in Hubspot
The topic overview screen typically includes:
- A visualization of your pillar page and connected subtopic content.
- Summary metrics for sessions, average position, contacts, and links.
- Indicators showing which pages are driving the most traffic within the cluster.
This view helps you quickly evaluate whether the overall structure of the cluster is working and which pieces deserve further optimization.
Analyzing Pillar Page Performance
Your pillar page is the center of the topic cluster. Review its performance carefully:
- Check sessions and organic traffic trends to see whether visibility is rising.
- Review the average position to understand how well it ranks for the main topic keyword.
- Look at inbound links to confirm whether other sites are referencing your guide.
- Evaluate influenced contacts to measure its impact on lead generation.
If the pillar is underperforming, consider improving on-page SEO, adding internal links, or expanding the depth of the content.
Evaluating Subtopic Content in Hubspot
Scroll down to see a list of subtopic pages associated with the cluster.
- Identify which posts or pages generate the highest sessions.
- Review search position for each subtopic keyword.
- Confirm that each subtopic links properly to the pillar page.
- Look for gaps where you can create new subtopics to cover related queries.
Balanced topic clusters generally rely on several strong subtopic posts rather than a single high-traffic page.
Comparing Topic Performance Across Hubspot Clusters
Return to the topics dashboard to compare how different clusters perform against each other.
- Sort by sessions to see which topics bring the most visits.
- Sort by influenced contacts to see which topics impact lead generation.
- Sort by average position to identify topics that rank well but may need conversion optimization.
By analyzing this comparison, you can prioritize where to invest content updates, link-building efforts, or new assets.
Using Hubspot Insights to Improve SEO Strategy
Once you understand your topic performance, turn those metrics into concrete actions.
Optimize Underperforming Hubspot Topics
- Refresh older content with updated statistics and examples.
- Improve on-page SEO, including titles, meta descriptions, and headings.
- Add internal links from high-traffic pages to weaker pages in the same cluster.
- Consolidate overlapping articles to strengthen a single authoritative page.
Scale High-Performing Topics in Hubspot
- Create new subtopic posts that answer related questions revealed by search queries.
- Develop downloadable resources, such as guides or templates, tied to proven topics.
- Promote successful clusters via email and social channels to extend their reach.
- Use insights from influenced deals to align future content with revenue-driving themes.
Best Practices for Ongoing Hubspot Topic Analysis
To keep your SEO strategy aligned with results, treat topic reporting as a regular process.
- Review topic performance monthly or quarterly.
- Track changes after major content updates or site redesigns.
- Document which optimizations produce the strongest impact.
- Align reporting with overall marketing and sales goals, not just traffic.
Consistent analysis ensures that your content clusters continue to support long-term growth.
Helpful Resources Beyond Hubspot
You can explore detailed product documentation about topic performance directly from the original Hubspot knowledge base article at this external resource.
If you need strategic support planning clusters or interpreting analytics, you can also consult specialists at Consultevo for advanced SEO and content guidance.
By regularly reviewing topic cluster analytics and taking targeted action, you will use Hubspot not just as a publishing tool, but as a complete system for data-driven content optimization.
Need Help With Hubspot?
If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your Hubspot , work with ConsultEvo, a team who has a decade of Hubspot experience.
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