If you’re looking for a way to increase traffic on your website and improve your visibility on the online market, the skyscraper technique in link building can help you.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices and strategies have changed over time. Back then, digital marketers and SEO specialists could achieve high rankings on search engine results pages using the black hat SEO strategies. Content stuffed with keywords, even without real context, dominated the top rankings.
Nowadays, search engines have developed a fair way to rank websites on search results. They now reward websites that utilize white hat SEO strategies, such as producing top-notch content and prioritizing link building. The skyscraper technique comes into play and encourages precisely that. It spurs your audience to notice and be in awe of fresher, more interesting, and relevant content.
If you have the question, “What is the skyscraper technique in SEO?” in mind, we’ll discuss what it is, how it can benefit your website, and how to execute it. We’ve gathered the information you need to know and some tips to increase your chances of success.
Are you ready? Let’s kick things off!
What is the Skyscraper Technique?
The question, “What is the skyscraper technique in SEO?” is familiar to those who haven’t heard about it yet.
After using it, Brian Dean from Backlinko invented the skyscraper technique in link building and doubled the number of organic traffic on his website. The name “skyscraper technique” comes from the idea of people marveling at the tallest structures. Yes, the tallest — and not the second or third tallest.
The main goal of this technique is to make your website the “tallest skyscraper” in the digital world — the one that everyone in your industry looks up to. It is about being the most relevant, most interesting, most significant, and the best.
In a nutshell, here’s how the skyscraper technique works:
- Find great content with tons of backlinks.
- Put out a better one.
- Reach out to those linking to the reference content you used.
- Make a proposal, and show them why your content is superior.
How to Execute the Skyscraper Technique in Link Building?
It’s not enough to know the definition of the skyscraper technique. To leverage its advantages, you have to arm yourself with the best strategies and incorporate them into your marketing campaign.
Here’s how to execute the skyscraper technique successfully in four steps:
1. Conduct Keyword Research
Many digital marketers and SEO specialists spend hours on the internet to hunt around for the right keywords. As much as it’s fine and dandy to invest time, there are now tools you can use to make keyword research more straightforward and faster.
- Copy Your Competitors – One of the things you can do is look for your top competitors and pop their websites into keyword research tools, such as SEMrush and Ahrefs. With just a few clicks, you’ll see the keywords they used to rank.
- Check Online Communities – You can pay attention to how people type words, phrases, and questions online, such as Quora and Reddit. These things can make excellent keywords.
- Use Different Tools – To make sure that you target the right keywords, use multiple tools. Aside from the previously mentioned tools, some of the best ones out there are Answer The Public and Google Search Console.
2. Analyze the Top-Ranking Content
After finalizing the keywords, the next thing to do is analyze the competition. Look for great content relevant to your brand or business. Those blogs, articles, videos, or anything that you think you can top.
Once you find something workable, it’s time to strategize. Research to gather enough and valuable information. Invest time in anything that can help you create superior content.
3. Put Out Better Content
When executing the skyscraper technique in link building, keep in mind that content is everything. You want the content you put out to be the best among the competition. According to Brian Dean, here are the things to focus on:
- Length – If your competitors wrote 14 tips, beat them by writing 15. The goal here is to add more valuable tips. You don’t just add anything just for the sake of putting out lengthier content.
- Freshness – Never forget to check the freshness of content. There might be some information in your competitors’ content that needs to be updated. Apply the necessary changes to make your content better.
- Design – Make sure that you use short paragraphs, headings and subheadings, and proper font size. Otherwise, your content will be difficult to read. Additionally, utilize visuals that stand out.
- Depth – Fill your content with essential information. Don’t include anything that may be uninteresting or irrelevant to users. Again, your goal is to put out the best content, and it can’t be possible when you fill it with information that doesn’t add any value.
While some may think that the skyscraper technique is a hit-or-miss strategy, it isn’t. If you publish high-quality content regularly, you can easily make your way to the top of search results. Consistency is the key to staying ahead of your competitors.
4. Check Backlinks and Reach Out to Other Websites
The work doesn’t end after putting out content. You still have to ensure that it earns many backlinks for search engines to consider it worthy of a top ranking on search results.
What you can do is reach out to people who have already linked some of your previous content. If you think that the new content you put out is relevant to them, look for opportunities and ask them to link to it, too.
Get in touch with those that linked your competitors’ content as well. Make a comparison between the reference content you used and the new content you put out. Show them why they should link yours.
One of the essential things to keep in mind when executing the skyscraper technique is combining passion and expertise. Do you have enough enthusiasm and knowledge about the topic? If you do, then you’re on the right track.
Improve Your SEO Strategy
If you want a website that ranks, Advanced Digital Media Services is here to help you. Our SEO specialists utilize an array of strategies and practices, the skyscraper technique included. We focus on creating great content and earning backlinks from high-domain authority sites. Call us today! Get in touch for inquiries about our content creation and SEO services.