Skyscraper Technique: How to Build Content That Outranks All

The Skyscraper Technique: Build Content That Towers Above Your Competition

In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, standing out is no longer optional—it’s essential. If you’ve been struggling to gain traction with your content marketing efforts or watched your competitors consistently outrank you, you’re not alone. Many businesses invest countless hours creating content only to see minimal returns on their investment.

But what if there was a proven strategy that could dramatically increase your visibility, drive quality backlinks, and establish your authority in your industry?

Enter the Skyscraper Technique—a content creation and link building strategy that’s revolutionized how savvy marketers approach SEO and content marketing.

What is the Skyscraper Technique?

Coined by Brian Dean of Backlinko, the Skyscraper Technique is a content marketing and link building strategy based on a simple concept: find the best existing content on a topic, create something significantly better, then reach out to sites linking to the original content to secure backlinks to your superior piece.

Think of it like building an actual skyscraper. When you construct the tallest building in a city, people naturally take notice, talk about it, and reference it. The same principle applies to your content. By creating something that towers over existing resources, you naturally attract attention, shares, and links.

Why the Skyscraper Technique Works

The effectiveness of the Skyscraper Technique stems from its alignment with fundamental principles of both human psychology and search engine algorithms:

• People crave the best: When given options, people naturally gravitate toward the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and valuable resources.
• Link building becomes natural: Instead of begging for links, you’re offering genuine value, making others want to link to your content.
• Search engines reward quality: Google’s algorithms increasingly favor in-depth, authoritative content that comprehensively answers user queries.
• It creates a systematic approach: Rather than randomly creating content, you’re strategically identifying gaps and opportunities.

Unlike many short-lived SEO tactics, the Skyscraper Technique has proven its staying power by focusing on creating genuinely superior content—something that will always be valued by both users and search engines.

Implementing the Skyscraper Technique: A Step-by-Step Guide

Now let’s break down the process into actionable steps you can implement in your content marketing strategy:

Step 1: Find Link-Worthy Content

The foundation of a successful Skyscraper campaign is identifying the right content to improve upon. Look for:

• Content that already has a substantial number of backlinks
• Topics relevant to your business and audience
• Content with obvious weaknesses or room for improvement
• Subjects with evergreen appeal rather than trending topics

Search for topics using keywords related to your industry and use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to analyze which pieces have attracted the most links.

Step 2: Create Something Better

Here’s where you build your skyscraper—by creating content that dramatically outperforms the original. This can mean:

• Making it more comprehensive (cover more aspects of the topic)
• Adding more recent information and statistics
• Improving the visual design and user experience
• Including original research or exclusive insights
• Making it more actionable with step-by-step instructions
• Addressing unanswered questions from the original

Remember, “better” doesn’t just mean longer—it means more valuable to your target audience. Focus on quality over quantity.

Step 3: Reach Out for Backlinks

With your superior content published, it’s time to promote it:

1. Identify websites linking to the original content
2. Find the relevant contact person at each site
3. Craft personalized outreach emails explaining why your content is more valuable
4. Follow up respectfully if you don’t receive a response
5. Track your success rate and refine your approach

Successful outreach is about quality, not quantity. A few well-crafted, personalized emails to relevant sites will yield better results than mass-sending generic templates.

Essential Tools for Executing Your Skyscraper Strategy

Implementing the Skyscraper Technique effectively requires the right tools. Here are the essential resources you’ll need at each stage:

Research Tools

• Ahrefs: Identify top-performing content and analyze backlink profiles
• SEMrush: Conduct keyword research and analyze competitor content
• BuzzSumo: Find popular content in your niche and identify sharing patterns
• Google Search Console: Understand what topics your audience is already finding you for

Content Creation Tools

• Grammarly: Ensure polished, error-free writing
• Canva or Adobe Creative Suite: Create compelling visuals and infographics
• Hemingway Editor: Make your content more readable
• Loom or Camtasia: Add video elements to enhance your content

Outreach Tools

• Hunter.io: Find email addresses of potential link prospects
• Pitchbox or BuzzStream: Manage your outreach campaigns
• Mailshake: Personalize and send outreach emails at scale
• Google Sheets: Track your outreach efforts and success rates

Real-World Examples of Successful Skyscraper Content

To truly understand the potential of the Skyscraper Technique, let’s look at some examples of content that has successfully employed this strategy:

Example 1: Comprehensive Guides

Brian Dean’s own “Google Ranking Factors” post exemplifies the technique he created. By compiling a more comprehensive list than any existing resource and presenting it in an easy-to-navigate format, this piece earned hundreds of backlinks and established Backlinko as an authority in the SEO space.

Example 2: Data-Driven Research

HubSpot’s annual “State of Marketing” reports consistently attract substantial backlinks by providing fresh data, attractive visuals, and actionable insights that marketers can’t find elsewhere.

Example 3: Ultimate How-To Resources

Ahrefs’ “The Ultimate Guide to SEO” stands out by combining comprehensive information with interactive elements, custom graphics, and expert insights—making it significantly more valuable than competing guides.

Measuring Success: Key Metrics to Track

To evaluate whether your Skyscraper content is delivering results, you’ll need to track several key performance indicators:

Link Building Metrics

• Number of new backlinks acquired
• Domain authority of linking sites
• Outreach response rate
• Link placement quality (contextual vs. sidebar)

Traffic Metrics

• Organic traffic growth
• Search ranking improvements
• Direct traffic from referral sites
• Social media traffic

Engagement Metrics

• Average time on page
• Bounce rate
• Social shares
• Comments and interaction

Conversion Metrics

• Email sign-ups
• Content downloads
• Consultation requests
• Direct sales attributable to the content

Remember that Skyscraper content often delivers results over the long term. While you may see some immediate wins, the true value often compounds over time as your content continues to attract links and traffic.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with a solid strategy, there are several pitfalls that can undermine your Skyscraper efforts:

Choosing the Wrong Content to Emulate

Not all popular content is ripe for the Skyscraper treatment. Look for content that ranks well but has clear deficiencies you can improve upon. Avoid topics that are overly saturated or highly subjective.

Creating Longer, Not Better Content

One of the biggest misconceptions is that Skyscraper content just needs to be longer. Length without added value won’t drive results. Focus on creating genuinely more useful, not just more verbose, content.

Generic Outreach Messages

Mass-sending identical outreach emails rarely works. Personalize your communications, explain specifically why your content is better, and make it clear what’s in it for the recipient if they link to your resource.

Neglecting Content Promotion

Outreach is just one aspect of promotion. Share your content through social media, email newsletters, industry forums, and other channels to maximize its visibility and link potential.

Failing to Update Your Content

The best Skyscraper content stays current. Schedule regular reviews and updates to ensure your content remains the definitive resource as industry information evolves.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Skyscraper Technique

How long does it take to see results from the Skyscraper Technique?

Initial results often appear within 1-3 months, with backlinks beginning to accumulate from outreach efforts. However, the full SEO benefit typically materializes over 3-6 months as search engines recognize your content’s value and improved link profile.

Does the Skyscraper Technique work in all industries?

While the Skyscraper Technique can be effective across most industries, its implementation may vary. In highly technical or specialized fields, the focus might shift more toward depth and accuracy rather than comprehensive breadth. The key is understanding what “better” means to your specific audience.

How much should I invest in creating Skyscraper content?

Skyscraper content typically requires more resources than standard content, but the investment should be proportional to the potential return. Start with one high-quality piece and measure its performance before scaling your efforts. The ROI of well-executed Skyscraper content often justifies the higher initial cost.

Can small businesses effectively use the Skyscraper Technique?

Absolutely. Small businesses can often focus on narrower, more specialized topics where they can truly establish expertise. This targeted approach can actually yield better results than attempting to compete on broader topics dominated by major players.

How many outreach emails should I send for each piece of content?

Quality trumps quantity in Skyscraper outreach. A targeted list of 20-50 highly relevant prospects with personalized messages will typically yield better results than hundreds of generic emails. Focus on websites that already link to similar content and have a clear interest in your topic.

Should I create Skyscraper content on trending topics?

While trending topics can generate short-term traffic spikes, the Skyscraper Technique typically yields better long-term results when applied to evergreen subjects. The ideal approach is finding topics with sustained search interest that align with your business goals and expertise.

Elevate Your Content Strategy with the Skyscraper Technique

The Skyscraper Technique remains one of the most effective content marketing strategies because it addresses fundamental needs: readers want the best information, and websites want to link to valuable resources. By systematically creating superior content and promoting it effectively, you can build a content portfolio that generates traffic, links, and conversions for years to come.

Remember, successful implementation requires attention to detail at every stage—from choosing the right topics to creating genuinely better content and conducting personalized outreach. While the process demands investment, the compound returns it generates make it one of the most cost-effective approaches to content marketing and SEO.

The digital landscape continues to evolve, but the principles behind the Skyscraper Technique remain constant. Build something remarkably better than what exists, and both users and search engines will reward your efforts.