Topic Review
SEO content briefs from top Google results, with AI outlines and content grading
Topic earns its place in the content optimization stack by actually doing the research work rather than just assisting with writing. Its automated analysis of the top 30 Google results saves hours per article, and the content grader gives writers a clear target during editing. The $99 per month starting price is reasonable for teams producing more than a handful of articles a month, but the lack of a free tier means you need to commit before you know if it fits your workflow.
Pros and cons
- Consolidates research from top 30 Google results automatically, cutting hours from brief creation
- Content Grader identifies specific gaps versus ranking competitors with actionable suggestions
- Clean Google Docs and WordPress integrations that fit existing editorial workflows
- AI outline builder produces structured heading frameworks based on real SERP data
- No free tier makes it harder to evaluate fit before committing to $99 per month
- Content grading works best for English-language Google search, limited for other languages or markets
- AI writing quality needs human editing and is not a substitute for subject-matter expertise
What is Topic?
Topic is an SEO content optimization platform built around automating the research phase of content creation. When you enter a target keyword, Topic pulls the top 30 Google results, extracts heading structures, identifies recurring topics and subtopics, and compiles everything into a content brief your writers can act on immediately. The goal is to replace the manual process of opening competitor pages and taking notes.
On top of brief generation, Topic provides a content grader that scores your draft against what the top-ranking pages cover. Rather than a vague percentage, it surfaces specific missing elements, including terms, questions, and topics that competitors address but your content does not. This makes editing more targeted and less reliant on gut feeling.
The platform integrates with Google Docs and WordPress, which keeps Topic inside the tools most editorial teams already use. The API access on higher tiers also makes it viable for teams building custom content workflows or connecting Topic to their own systems.
Core features
Research Consolidation
Topic analyzes the top 30 Google results for your target keyword and surfaces the heading structures, recurring topics, and questions those pages cover. Writers get a consolidated brief without opening 30 tabs manually.
Content Grader
As you write or after uploading a draft, the Content Grader scores your article against competitor content. It flags specific missing terms, subtopics, and questions so edits are precise rather than speculative.
AI-Powered Outline Builder
Topic generates a heading outline based on SERP data, giving writers a proven structure to start from. The outlines are editable and draw from what is actually ranking, not from generic templates.
Google Docs and WordPress Integration
Topic works inside Google Docs via a sidebar extension and connects to WordPress directly, so writers can optimize without switching tools. The integration keeps the grading and suggestions visible during the writing process.
Pricing
| Feature | Starter $99/mo | Plus $199/mo | Premium $299/mo | Enterprise Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content reports per month | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI outline builder | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Content grader | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Docs integration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| WordPress integration | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| API access | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team seats | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Who it is for
Marketing teams at B2B or ecommerce companies producing 10 or more articles per month. Topic replaces manual competitor research with automated briefs, giving writers a head start and giving editors a measurable quality bar to enforce.
Agencies managing content for multiple clients. The structured brief output is easy to hand off to writers, and the content grader reduces back-and-forth revisions. API access on Premium makes it possible to integrate Topic into agency-built workflows.
Verdict
Topic is a solid, focused tool for teams that want to take the guesswork out of content briefs and give writers a data-backed framework. It does not try to replace writers with AI, which is honest: it positions itself as a research and optimization layer, and it does that well. The absence of a free tier is the main friction point for evaluating fit, but teams producing regular SEO content will likely recover the cost quickly.
Frequently asked questions
Does Topic have a free plan?
No. Topic does not offer a free tier. Plans start at $99 per month for the Starter tier. Most plans include a trial period, so check the current offer on the website before committing.
How does Topic's content grading work?
The content grader analyzes your draft against the top-ranking pages for your target keyword. It identifies terms, questions, and subtopics that competitors cover that your content is missing, and flags them as specific suggestions rather than a vague score.
Can multiple writers use Topic on one account?
Team seat support starts on the Plus plan at $199 per month. The Starter plan at $99 per month is intended for individual use.
Does Topic integrate with Google Docs?
Yes. Topic has a Google Docs sidebar integration that lets writers see the content grader and brief suggestions without leaving the document. WordPress integration is available on Plus and higher plans.