=== PillarCluster Topical Authority Builder ===
Contributors: pillarcluster, freemius
Tags: seo, topical authority, ai content, content clusters, internal linking
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 7.1
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Universal Recursive SEO Cluster Engine with 3x branching, automated upward/lateral mesh internal linking, and topical silo creation.

== Description ==

PillarCluster Topical Authority Builder automates the creation and scheduling of comprehensive SEO topical silos directly within WordPress.

Starting from a single root keyword and target URL, the engine recursively branches into sub-topics, generates technical supporting articles via AI, and automatically knits them together using multi-directional internal links (upward to parent pages and lateral mesh links across sibling topics).

Features:
* Automated 3x recursive branching architecture
* Configurable Cluster Depth Cap (Choose Tier 1 through Tier 5, or select Exponential mode)
* Customizable scheduling cadence (set intervals down to 5 minutes between posts)
* Precise internal linking (Upward parent links and Lateral mesh links across siblings)
* Excludes deep supporting sub-tier articles from the main blog loop
* Built-in per-cluster Drain Mode to halt recursive branching cleanly
* Complete cluster status detection (Active, Draining, and Completed) with safe archiving
* Cluster Deletion tool to wipe an entire cluster and unschedule pending posts
* Supports Google Gemini API and OpenAI-compatible endpoints (OpenRouter, Groq, OpenAI)

= Third-Party Services =
This plugin connects to external AI services to generate topic outlines and article content. By default, it connects to Google Gemini or the user-configured OpenAI-compatible endpoint (such as OpenRouter).
* Google Gemini API Terms of Service: https://ai.google.dev/terms
* Google Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
* OpenRouter Terms of Service: https://openrouter.ai/terms
* OpenRouter Privacy Policy: https://openrouter.ai/privacy
Data sent to these services consists strictly of the topic titles and prompts required to generate article copy. No personal user data or site credentials are transmitted.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the `pillarcluster-topical-authority-builder` folder to the `/wp-content/plugins/` directory, or install directly through the WordPress Plugins screen.
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' screen in WordPress.
3. Navigate to 'Topical Authority' in your admin menu.
4. Add your Gemini or OpenRouter API key under AI Configuration.
5. Select your target URL, keyword, depth cap, and publishing interval to launch your first seed cluster.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Do I need an API key? =
Yes, you need an API key from Google AI Studio (Gemini) or an OpenAI-compatible provider like OpenRouter.

= How does the Cluster Depth Cap work? =
You can choose how deep the 3x recursive branches will spawn before stopping:
* Tier 1: ~4 articles total
* Tier 2: ~13 articles total
* Tier 3: ~40 articles total
* Tier 4: ~121 articles total
* Tier 5: ~364 articles total
* Exponential: Uncapped recursive branching that continues until you click Drain.

= Are sub-tier posts displayed on my main blog page? =
No, all sub-tier posts are automatically tagged and excluded from the main query to keep your blog loop clean.

= What does Archiving a completed cluster do? =
When a cluster finishes publishing all queued posts, it displays "Completed". Clicking "Archive" removes the cluster from your active dashboard table while keeping all published posts and internal links live on your site.

= What does Deleting a cluster do? =
Deleting a cluster permanently removes all published and draft articles associated with that cluster from the database and unschedules any pending cron jobs.

== Changelog ==

= 1.5.0 =
* Initial public release with 3x recursive silo branching, mesh linking, configurable tier depth caps, exponential mode, and cluster drain controls.