How a Site Can Beat the Competition Without Creating Links
Okay...so quality links give your website a boost and even send it to the top spot of Google SERPs. But in these times, we have to go easy on linkbuilding. Or at least be very careful. You'll never know when these links will come back to haunt you.
Case in point: A few months ago, Matt Cutts already warned against building links via article directories. I'm not sure if those who did previously got penalized. But the point is, you can never be too careful.
Besides, there is a way to attract visitors from Google and this involves beating your competition with content.
Much has been written about quality content, but no one can actually define what it is exactly. To many, an article is said to be "quality" if it's more than 1,000 words and it's unique.
To PotPieGirl, a popular Internet marketer, quality content means one that answers a user's question. Therefore, it isn't really dependent on the number of words.
Those descriptions are of course unquestionable, but I say a content is "quality" if it beats the competition without any backlinking involved.
So the question now is, how do you write a "quality" post that beats the others? Let's reconcile the above-stated definitions of "quality."
I learned this from Tiffany Dow, one of the best writers online I've ever seen. Tiffany's writing is simple -- you have to give your readers EVERYTHING they need to know.
For this, you'll need to think of yourself as the reader or consumer. If you're reviewing a product, for instance, ask yourself what you want to know about the product so you can make an informed decision.
You'll sometimes need tools to know what you'll write about following what people search on search engines. One of the tools I and many others use is Ubersuggest.org.
As an example, if you're reviewing a dishwasher, your competition will usually have the following outline for their review: Introduction, Key Features, Pros and Cons, and Verdict.
BUT...if you want to beat that outline, you'll need to add more content. Examples include product or brand comparison and comparison charts.
In short, add more value to your posts.
When I do my research on what products to review next, some of my choices have already been "reviewed." But the minute I scan their websites, I'm filled with hope because of what I usually see.
Although these sites enjoy top rankings on Google, they can't possibly own ALL keywords. That's because their website lacks content. They haven't reviewed ALL products in their chosen category or niche.
So my technique was to start writing about my competition's missing products. And then, I'll go back to review the products that can also be seen in my competition's site.
For a certain niche, I was the first to write about a certain product. For a few months, my webpage about it was on top of Google's SERPs.
But when a competitor -- who is a mommy blogger -- wrote about her experience about that same product, her page eventually dislodged mine from the top spot in just a matter of weeks.
When I checked her page, it was only 300 words long. Plus, it was sales-pitchy. Mine was more than that.
The more new content you post into your site, the more it rises in rankings. This is especially true if your home page is targeting a certain keyword.
I check my competition from time to time. They have more beautiful websites than mine, I think. But some of them stay on Page 3 or 4 in Google because their last post was dated August 2012.
RELATED: How to Use iWriter to Get Quality Content for Your Site - Complete Guide
Case in point: A few months ago, Matt Cutts already warned against building links via article directories. I'm not sure if those who did previously got penalized. But the point is, you can never be too careful.
Besides, there is a way to attract visitors from Google and this involves beating your competition with content.
What Exactly is a Quality Post That Can Beat the Competition?
To PotPieGirl, a popular Internet marketer, quality content means one that answers a user's question. Therefore, it isn't really dependent on the number of words.
Those descriptions are of course unquestionable, but I say a content is "quality" if it beats the competition without any backlinking involved.
So the question now is, how do you write a "quality" post that beats the others? Let's reconcile the above-stated definitions of "quality."
I learned this from Tiffany Dow, one of the best writers online I've ever seen. Tiffany's writing is simple -- you have to give your readers EVERYTHING they need to know.
For this, you'll need to think of yourself as the reader or consumer. If you're reviewing a product, for instance, ask yourself what you want to know about the product so you can make an informed decision.
You'll sometimes need tools to know what you'll write about following what people search on search engines. One of the tools I and many others use is Ubersuggest.org.
As an example, if you're reviewing a dishwasher, your competition will usually have the following outline for their review: Introduction, Key Features, Pros and Cons, and Verdict.
BUT...if you want to beat that outline, you'll need to add more content. Examples include product or brand comparison and comparison charts.
In short, add more value to your posts.
Survey the Competition and Write What's Missing From Them
When I do my research on what products to review next, some of my choices have already been "reviewed." But the minute I scan their websites, I'm filled with hope because of what I usually see.
Although these sites enjoy top rankings on Google, they can't possibly own ALL keywords. That's because their website lacks content. They haven't reviewed ALL products in their chosen category or niche.
So my technique was to start writing about my competition's missing products. And then, I'll go back to review the products that can also be seen in my competition's site.
Google Does Love Fresher Content
For a certain niche, I was the first to write about a certain product. For a few months, my webpage about it was on top of Google's SERPs.
But when a competitor -- who is a mommy blogger -- wrote about her experience about that same product, her page eventually dislodged mine from the top spot in just a matter of weeks.
When I checked her page, it was only 300 words long. Plus, it was sales-pitchy. Mine was more than that.
Update Regularly
The more new content you post into your site, the more it rises in rankings. This is especially true if your home page is targeting a certain keyword.
I check my competition from time to time. They have more beautiful websites than mine, I think. But some of them stay on Page 3 or 4 in Google because their last post was dated August 2012.
RELATED: How to Use iWriter to Get Quality Content for Your Site - Complete Guide
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