Most websites are built like a flat list of pages. No hierarchy. No strategy. No compound SEO value. The hub and spoke model is different—it's how you scale to thousands of pages while building topical authority.
What Is Hub & Spoke Architecture?
Hub and spoke is a content structure where broad "hub" pages link to specific "spoke" pages, creating topical clusters that signal expertise to search engines. When you add multiple dimensions, you create exponentially more pages targeting exponentially more keywords.
Hub & Spoke SEO
The Complete Architecture Guide
Master the content structure that scales to thousands of pages
The Three Primary Hubs
For a service business, you have three natural dimensions to build hubs around: Services (what you do), Locations (where you serve), and Industries (who you serve).
The Three Primary Hubs
Services
Locations
Industries
The Three Hubs
Services, Locations, Industries - each hub links to all spokes
Building the Matrix
When you combine two dimensions, you create matrix pages that target long-tail keywords with high purchase intent. Someone searching "SEO Sydney" or "SEO for Real Estate" is much closer to a buying decision than someone searching just "SEO".
The Matrix: Service × Location
Each cell = a unique landing page targeting "{Service} {Location}"
The Matrix
SYD
MEL
BRI
SYD
MEL
BRI
SYD
MEL
BRI
Service × Location = targeted landing pages
Service × Industry × Location = exponential keyword coverage
Your Dimensions
Page Potential
The Critical Decision: URL Hierarchy
Which dimension comes first in the URL? This matters because the first segment inherits the most link equity and signals to Google what the primary topic is. For most service businesses, I recommend: Service → Industry → Location.
URL Hierarchy: Service-First
/services/services/seo/services/seo/real-estate/services/seo/real-estate/sydneyBreadcrumb: Home → Services → SEO → Real Estate → Sydney
URL Hierarchy
/services/services/seo/services/seo/sydneyService → Industry → Location - most valuable first
Internal Linking Rules
For hub and spoke to work, you need strict linking rules. Every spoke links back to its hub. Every hub links to all its spokes. Related spokes cross-link to each other. And matrix pages link to both parent spokes.
The 5 Linking Rules
Spokes link UP to hub
Hub links DOWN to all spokes
Spokes link SIDEWAYS to siblings
Matrix pages link to BOTH parents
All pages have breadcrumbs
Linking Rules
Hub ↔ Spoke ↔ Matrix: structured authority flow
The Cross-Linking Secret
Here's what most people miss: one page can be reached from multiple pathways. The page "SEO for Real Estate in Sydney" should be accessible from the Services hub, the Industries hub, AND the Locations hub. One canonical URL, multiple link pathways.
One canonical URL, multiple link pathways. Every hub should link to the same matrix page.
— Hub & Spoke Principle
What We're Building
Current State
Target State
What's Next
This is Part 1 of our Site Infrastructure series. Coming up: Building the Industries Hub, Programmatic SEO at Scale, and Internal Linking Automation. The hub and spoke model isn't just an SEO tactic—it's the foundation for scalable, compound content growth.
Build Your Architecture
Start with one hub, perfect it, then expand to the matrix
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Hub & Spoke SEO
The Complete Architecture Guide
Master the content structure that scales to thousands of pages
The Three Hubs
Services, Locations, Industries - each hub links to all spokes
The Matrix
SYD
MEL
BRI
SYD
MEL
BRI
SYD
MEL
BRI
Service × Location = targeted landing pages
Service × Industry × Location = exponential keyword coverage
URL Hierarchy
/services/services/seo/services/seo/sydneyService → Industry → Location - most valuable first
Linking Rules
Hub ↔ Spoke ↔ Matrix: structured authority flow
One canonical URL, multiple link pathways. Every hub should link to the same matrix page.
— Hub & Spoke Principle
Build Your Architecture
Start with one hub, perfect it, then expand to the matrix
Building JJM: Site Infrastructure
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