What Is the Skyscraper Technique (and Does It Work)?

The skyscraper method is simply a nexus gathering maneuver that involves identifying contented with galore backlinks, creating a importantly amended version, and utilizing the amended contented to get those links and amended hunt rankings.

To execute the skyscraper technique, travel these 3 steps: 

1. Identify contented successful your niche that has attracted galore backlinks
2. Create your ain mentation of that piece, but marque it substantially better
3. Reach out to those who linked to the archetypal contented and pass them astir your improved version 

Website owners privation to nexus to the champion imaginable resources. They whitethorn see updating their links to constituent to your superior content.

Brian Dean, laminitis of Backlinko, invented the skyscraper method successful 2015. It rapidly became 1 of the astir fashionable nexus gathering strategies successful SEO.

The method is called "skyscraper" due to the fact that you’re uncovering the tallest “building” successful your niche—the astir fashionable content—and constructing an adjacent taller 1 by creating a amended resource. 

While the skyscraper method was effectual erstwhile it was introduced, overmuch has changed since then. This raises an important question:

The skyscraper method doesn’t enactment similar it utilized to.

One large contented is its overuse, which has importantly diminished its effectiveness. Site owners often person emails astir "improved" content, making it consciousness similar different signifier of acold outreach to beryllium ignored.

Because truthful galore radical are utilizing the aforesaid strategy, it nary longer stands retired arsenic novel.

Another occupation is the changing explanation of “bigger and better.” Many SEOs misinterpreted "better" to simply mean "longer." They started creating overly lengthy articles that don't supply further worth to readers. 

But radical similar focused, concise contented that straight answers their questions without unnecessary fluff.

Moreover, Google's algorithms person evolved substantially successful caller years. While backlinks are inactive an important ranking factor, Google is present overmuch amended astatine assessing contented prime and relevance.

Simply having the longest contented oregon the astir backlinks is nary longer capable to warrant precocious rankings.

But here's the bully news: The halfway idea—finding fashionable contented and creating a amended version—can inactive work, but your wide attack needs to alteration slightly.

You don't request to beryllium an SEO adept to marque this strategy work. You conscionable request to travel the elemental process we’re astir to stock with you.

1. Find the Right Content

Identify contented successful your manufacture that’s already attracting galore backlinks. These are articles that different websites nexus to, signaling they're invaluable resources.

Use tools similar Semrush’s Backlink Analytics to find pages with a important fig of backlinks.

Enter your competitor's website successful the instrumentality and cheque the "Indexed Pages" study to spot their astir linked content. 

There are galore contented pieces here, but don't conscionable prime the 1 with the astir backlinks. Consider further factors. 

The contented you take indispensable conscionable 3 important criteria:

1. Relevance: It should screen a taxable your people assemblage cares astir and that you person the expertise to amended upon
2. Backlink Quality: It should person a important fig of backlinks from prime websites. Aim for contented with astatine slightest 50-100 referring domains from reputable websites.
3. Opportunity for Improvement: There should beryllium wide country for improvement. Look for contented that's generic and doesn’t connection caller insights. 

2. Create Content That Is 10x Better

Develop your ain mentation of the identified content, but marque it substantially better.

Your contented should beryllium truthful improved that websites linking to the archetypal consciousness compelled to nexus to yours instead. 

The accepted attack was to marque incremental improvements, specified arsenic adding much details, updating statistics, oregon expanding length. While these improvements mightiness help, they often effect successful contented that's lone marginally amended than the original.

This is 1 of the main reasons wherefore outreach emails are often ignored.

Here’re however to really make 10x amended content:

• Offer a caller perspective. Don't simply repetition the aforesaid information. Approach the taxable from a antithetic angle. If you person a contrarian presumption oregon somewhat arguable sentiment that challenges the presumption quo, usage it arsenic a cardinal constituent erstwhile reaching retired to tract owners. 
• Add accusation gain. Reference credible sources and information to enactment your claims. This ensures you don’t look to beryllium making unfounded statements. Crowdsourcing adept opinions tin besides adhd credibility. 
• Satisfy search intent. Understand what radical are trying to lick erstwhile they hunt for this topic. Ensure your contented addresses their needs directly. 
• Add customized images. Create and adhd customized images that explicate analyzable concepts much efficaciously than substance alone.
• Make it casual to read. Structure your contented with wide headings, slug points, abbreviated paragraphs, and capable achromatic abstraction to amended readability. 

3. Reach Out to Websites

Contact the websites that linked to the archetypal contented and suggest they nexus to your improved mentation instead.

You tin find these websites successful the aforesaid Backlink Analytics instrumentality mentioned earlier. In the “Indexed pages” report, click connected the fig nether “Referring Domains” to spot each the websites linking to that content.

When reaching out, it's champion to interaction writers oregon editors moving astatine these websites, arsenic they person editorial power and are much apt to update the link.

You tin find their email code utilizing a instrumentality similar FindThatLead. Simply hunt a website and you’ll find contacts who enactment there, including writers and editors:

Once you person their interaction information, nonstop them a personalized email introducing your content.

We won't supply a circumstantial email template here, due to the fact that radical thin to transcript templates connection for word. 

And if everyone uses the aforesaid template, it rapidly becomes ineffective arsenic writers and editors commencement ignoring identical pitches. Instead, present are immoderate tips to assistance you trade your ain personalized email:

• Keep it abbreviated and to the point. People are busy.
• Mention thing circumstantial astir their article. Show that you've really work it.
• Explain however your contented is antithetic and better. Don't conscionable accidental "I wrote a amended article." Highlight what’s unsocial astir your contented and wherefore their audiences would care.
• Make it casual for them. Include a nonstop nexus to your contented and suggest the nonstop spot successful their nonfiction wherever they could adhd the link.
• Be polite and non-pressuring. You're making a suggestion, not a demand.

You tin nonstop emails and way your results manually, but Semrush’s Link Building Tool simplifies the full process and makes it easier to standard the SEO skyscraper technique.

After mounting up your task and connecting your mailbox, you can:

• Import your nexus gathering prospects: The instrumentality volition springiness each tract a standing to assistance you prioritize
• Create outreach emails and nonstop them to your chosen addresses: The instrumentality besides collects interaction accusation automatically
• Check email statuses astatine a glance: See whether emails person been sent, opened, oregon replied to
• Monitor the backlinks you earn: Ensure they stay active

The skyscraper method tin inactive enactment if executed correctly.

This usher has explained precisely however to instrumentality this almighty strategy to amended your chances of success.

Semrush offers tools to assistance you execute this strategy effectively. Sign up to commencement your nexus gathering journey.