As a general rule, first make sure the page answers search intent well and the site covers the topic in depth; after that, link building can help that content gain visibility. Links don't replace weak content, and good content with no external signals can take longer to be discovered. There is no guaranteed formula, but there is a sensible order.
What topical authority is (and what it isn't)
"Topical authority" is an SEO industry concept: the idea that a site covering a topic broadly and in depth has better chances of ranking related content. We have not found it as a factor in the Google guides we consulted, so it is best treated as a working framework and not as an official metric.
What Google does say is consistent with that approach: it asks whether the content offers a substantial, complete or comprehensive description of the topic and whether it adds value compared with other pages in the results.
What role links play
Google explains in its SEO guide that it finds pages mainly through links and that PageRank is just one of many signals. Ahrefs, for its part, recommends focusing effort on producing quality content and getting quality links to that content, because Google ranks pages, not sites.
An order of priorities
- Check the basics: the page is crawlable, indexable and well linked internally.
- Check the intent: does the page answer what the person typing that query is looking for? If not, rewrite before investing in links.
- Complete the topic: cover related questions with original content, not with near-identical pages. Google warns that creating pages for every query variation to manipulate results can violate its scaled content policy.
- Add external signals: links and mentions in relevant outlets pointing to the pages that are already worth it.
- Measure and adjust with Search Console before expanding the budget.
When to prioritize links first
- When the site already has solid, competitive content but little external presence.
- When the goal is local or brand visibility, and not just ranking one query.
- When the site is new and needs to be discovered: that is not a reason to buy links in bulk.
For AI, Google says that creating unique, useful content will probably influence results more in the long run than its other suggestions, and discourages pursuing inauthentic mentions.
Where SEOfy fits
SEOfy is useful at step four: when the content is already ready and you want presence in Latin American media. It publishes content in outlets with a direct relationship with editors, with attributes and labeling stated per outlet. It doesn't replace content work and doesn't guarantee rankings, traffic or AI citations.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rank with content alone?
On some topics, yes. Google acknowledges that a lot of content works without explicit SEO actions. It depends on the competition.
Is topical authority a Google factor?
We have not found it as a factor in the documentation consulted. It is an industry concept.
Do links help a weak page rank?
It is not a recommended strategy. Improve the page first.
Related reading
- Do backlinks still matter in 2026? What Google says
- Do backlinks help you appear in ChatGPT or AI Overviews?
- High-DR backlink or relevant links: which is better
Next step
When your content is ready to gain presence in the media, see how SEOfy works.
Sources consulted
- developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content
- developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide
- ahrefs.com/blog/domain-rating/
- developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies
- developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide
- www.seofy.link/