The competition for online visibility is fierce. Getting your content noticed is a bit like building a tall, shiny skyscraper in the middle of a metropolitan city—you need to stand out from the rest.
That’s where the skyscraper technique SEO comes in.
It’s not about building physical buildings of course, but about constructing content that towers above the competition.
So, let’s dive into what this technique is and why it’s a game-changer for your online presence.
The Core Idea: Build Higher
At its heart, the skyscraper building technique is simple: find the best performing content and then create something significantly better.
Now, this isn’t about copying but identifying gaps in your competitor’s content and providing superior value. Think of it as taking an existing blueprint and adding extra floors, a better view, and a more comfortable interior.
The goal is to create better content than the best, not just following the rest.
Why Should We Use The Skyscraper Technique?
The digital space is filled with vast amounts of information, and getting your content out there is becoming increasingly difficult. To make an impact in SEO, you need more than just good content; you need exceptional content. The skyscraper backlink technique helps you achieve this by:
Attracting High-Quality Backlinks: Backlinks are valuable for their ability to pass link juice to your site. When other websites link to your content, it informs search engines that your information is valuable.
Improving Search Engine Rankings: Better backlinks and higher-quality content contribute to improved search engine rankings, driving more organic traffic to your website.
Establishing Authority: By creating comprehensive and valuable resources, you position yourself as an expert in your field. If the best content in your industry is doing well, chances are your content would surpass that too.
How To Implement The Skyscraper Technique
Okay, so building an even taller “skyscraper” than your competition sounds cool in theory, but how do you actually go about doing it? Let’s break down the process into manageable steps:
1. Find The Skyscraper In Your City
To begin the skyscraper technique, you must locate content that has already demonstrated its effectiveness. Begin your search using common search engines and inputting keywords connected to your industry.
The goal is to pinpoint articles, guides, or resources that consistently appear at the top of search results. These are the pieces that draw attention and get clicks.
Once you have a selection of these high-performing pages, investigate their backlink profiles. This involves discovering which other websites are linking to them. Various tools are available online that can provide this information, showing you the quantity and quality of backlinks.
This data helps you understand the content’s popularity and authority, revealing the potential for your own improved version.
2. Analyse And Identify Gaps
Once you’ve found a successful piece of content, it’s time for a detailed inspection.
Consider it a structural survey of the existing skyscraper. Take a close look at its strengths: what makes it popular? Is it the depth of information, the visual presentation, or a unique angle?
Equally, identify its weaknesses. Are there areas where the content is outdated, lacking detail, or missing important points? This is where your opportunity lies, patching up the content gaps that your competitor missed out on.
Consider whether you can expand on the information, provide more current data, add relevant visuals like charts or infographics, or even offer a fresh viewpoint. Perhaps the content was written in 2020 and needs further optimisation.
The aim is to find those gaps where you can add significant value, making your version a clear upgrade.
3. Construct Your Skyscraper
With your analysis complete, you can start building your own improved version.
The objective is to create content that is not just similar but better.
This involves making your content more comprehensive, engaging, and useful to your target audience. Focus on providing a positive user experience, so use clear headings to structure your content, making it easy to navigate.
Use bullet points and numbered lists to break down complex information into digestible chunks. To make your content stand out, consider adding unique value your competitors had never thought of. This could involve conducting original research, presenting case studies that illustrate your points, or sharing insights from industry experts.
Your goal is to create a resource that people will find genuinely helpful and want to share.
4. Reach Out And Promote
The construction is complete, now it is time to get the attention of those that would benefit from your work.
This part involves identifying websites that were previously linked to the original content. Consider it an invitation to investors and prospective buyers to view your newly built structure.
As such, you need to pitch to them why your content is the superior choice. Avoid sending generic emails. Instead, take the time to research each website and tailor your message to their specific audience.
Explain why your content is a valuable resource and how it can benefit their readers. Focus on building genuine connections rather than simply asking for a link.
Offer your content as a replacement for the original or as an additional resource. The key is to demonstrate the value you’re providing and build relationships with other website owners.
Building Your Best Skyscraper: Keeping It Upright And Useful
To make sure your hard work pays off and your content stays helpful, we’ll run through some common mistakes and what to keep an eye on when implementing the skyscraper techniques.
Create Genuinely Superior Content
The essence of the skyscraper technique lies in elevating existing content, not merely copying it. Don’t just add a few paragraphs, rephrase the content and call it a day.
A successful strategy demands a thorough analysis of the original piece, identifying areas for improvement. This might include expanding on key points, providing more recent data, or incorporating unique insights. Remember, your goal is to create a resource that stands out as the definitive guide on the topic.
Prioritise User Experience (UX)
A positive user experience is non-negotiable. Always make sure your skyscraper is structurally sound, easy to navigate with directories and has a clear, logical structure.
Mobile-friendliness is equally important, as a large portion of online traffic comes from mobile devices. Try to incorporate visual elements, such as images, infographics, and videos, to better explain a concept or add some flair to your wall of text.
Focus On User Benefit
While backlinks are a desired outcome of the skyscraper technique, they should not be the sole focus. Content is still king in 2025, and providing genuine value to the user triumphs over any marketing tactic or ploy.
Aim to answer their questions, solve their problems, and offer actionable insights. When users find your content helpful, they are more likely to share it and link to it naturally. This user-centric approach not only improves SEO but also establishes you as a trusted authority.
Maintain Content Freshness
The digital world is dynamic, and information rapidly becomes outdated. Regular updates and revisions are necessary to maintain the relevance and accuracy of your content.
Schedule periodic reviews to guarantee your skyscraper content remains current and relevant. Even something as simple as ”updated for the current year” shows your commitment to providing reliable information and reinforces your credibility.
Avoid AI Flagging
With the rise of AI content detection tools, creating high-quality, human-centric content is more important than ever.
Focus on writing that showcases genuine expertise and a unique perspective. Avoid overly formulaic or repetitive language, as these are common indicators of AI-generated text.
Try to add in personal anecdotes that come from years of industry experience. By creating content that clicks with human readers, you can reduce the chances of AI flagging and make it as authentic as it can be.
Does The Skyscraper Technique Work For Every Industry?
The skyscraper technique is a neat trick for getting your content noticed, but it won’t work everywhere. Sometimes, it’s like trying to build a skyscraper on a tiny island – you just don’t have enough space.
You might find it tough in very specific areas where there isn’t much content to start with. For example, in new tech or super-specialised science, there simply might not be enough out there to improve upon.
Also, if things change very quickly, like in some parts of finance or tech, keeping your “skyscraper” up-to-date becomes a real headache.
And then there are those businesses that don’t have much of an online presence to begin with. You can’t build on it if nobody’s written about it much. In these cases, you’re better off creating something new from scratch.
Here are a few examples where this technique might not be the best:
New Tech Fields: Information is often fragmented and quickly evolving in the early stages of new technologies, such as emerging AI ethics. Building a comprehensive skyscraper becomes difficult when the foundational knowledge is still being developed.
Very Specific Scientific Research: The information is often confined to academic papers and research journals within highly specialised scientific disciplines, like aspects of quantum computing research. This means that the content is not designed for a general audience, so there is very little content to build upon.
Small Local Shops: Businesses like local antique repair shops often operate primarily through word-of-mouth and local customer relationships. Their online presence may be minimal, making it challenging to find relevant content to improve. For cases like these, it’s better to focus on building a basic online presence and engaging with local communities.
Fast-Changing Finance Areas: Information changes rapidly in highly volatile financial markets, such as cryptocurrency day trading. News and market trends become outdated within hours, making it hard to create relevant content. Therefore, creating a skyscraper in this area would be very hard to keep up to date.
Brand New Art Forms: When considering brand new art forms, the experience is mostly visual and experiential. Textual resources are limited, so in such cases, showcasing the art through images and videos, rather than relying on lengthy articles, is a more suitable approach.
Conclusion On What Is Skyscraper Technique In SEO
When done well, the skyscraper technique offers a solid way to improve your online visibility. It’s about creating content that’s better than what’s already out there and building real connections with others. By focusing on this, you can see good improvements in your SEO.
Creating truly effective skyscraper content requires a blend of SEO expertise and compelling writing. If crafting high-quality content that engages your audience feels daunting, consider professional help.
Best SEO provides expert copywriting services that can help you reach your online targets, ensuring your digital efforts stay ahead of the curve and competition.
If you’re looking to build content that truly towers above the competition, contact us for a free 30-minute strategy session and see how we can help your content climb to the top.
Frequently Asked Questions About What Is Skyscraper Technique In SEO
What Tools Are Best For Finding Skyscraper Content?
Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz can identify top-performing content and analyse backlink profiles. You can also use free tools like Google Search with advanced search operators.
Is the Skyscraper Technique Considered Black Hat SEO?
No. When done ethically, it’s a white hat technique. It focuses on adding value, not manipulating search engines.
Should I Only Target Content With A High Number Of Backlinks?
While backlinks are important, content relevance and potential for improvement should also be considered. A smaller number of high-quality backlinks can be better than a large number of low-quality ones.
Are There Industries Where The Skyscraper Technique Is Less Effective?
Yes. Finding suitable targets can be difficult in highly niche areas with limited content or where information changes rapidly.
When Is It Too Late To Use The Skyscraper Technique On A Topic?
It is never too late. However, if a topic is very saturated with high-quality content, it may be very difficult to outperform the current top-ranking articles.
How Can I Find Contact Information For Website Owners?
Use tools like Hunter.io or check the website’s “Contact Us” or “About Us” pages. Sometimes, you can find contact information on social media.
