Quick answer
Start with one commercially important pillar topic, then map supporting questions by customer stage. Link the supporting pages back to the pillar and to the next logical action rather than forcing links everywhere.
Internal linking is not a volume contest. The goal is to make important pages easier to discover, easier to understand and easier for a reader to continue through.
What I would check first
I would inventory existing pages, identify competing URLs, inspect which pages already earn impressions and look for important commercial pages with weak internal support.
Then I would review the user journey. If a reader can learn a lot but cannot find the service, comparison or contact page that logically follows, the cluster is incomplete.
Decision framework
Use a hub-and-spoke model when the topic has multiple distinct subquestions. Create a separate supporting page only when it has unique intent, useful depth and a clear role in the cluster.
If two pages answer nearly the same question, improve or consolidate them instead of adding another URL.
Real-world example
A landscaping business could build a pillar page on lawn renovation, with supporting guides for soil testing, overseeding, irrigation timing and maintenance. Each guide can link to the main service page when the reader is ready for professional help.
The cluster becomes stronger because the links reflect real decisions rather than because the site has more pages.
Implementation steps
Define the pillar, list supporting intents, assign one URL per intent, add contextual links in both directions and include a clear next step on every page. Use descriptive anchor text that helps the reader predict what comes next.
Review orphan pages and strengthen links from older high-authority pages to newer priority resources.
Common mistakes
Avoid exact-match anchor text everywhere, linking every page to every other page, publishing near-duplicate articles and treating the blog as disconnected from commercial navigation.
Do not let the cluster become a dead end. Supporting content should connect to a useful next action, not only to more reading.
Measurement and business implications
Track impressions, query coverage, internal clicks to priority pages, assisted conversions and whether the cluster produces qualified organic demand. Compare cluster performance with the cost of producing and maintaining it.
Use the SEO beginner guide, keyword research guide, content brief and SEO refresh audit to operate the cluster as a system.