Skyscraper Technique is still one of the most effective and beginner-friendly content strategies—when executed correctly. If you’re aiming to rank content in today’s digital space, you need more than just high word counts or a few backlinks. Your content has to truly earn its spot at the top.
But unlike a few years ago, simply adding a few sections or rewriting an existing piece won’t cut it. Today’s successful content meets search engine expectations for quality, intent, trust, and user experience.
This guide covers everything you need to implement the Skyscraper Technique, from choosing the right topic to promoting your improved content. You’ll also find actionable tips to not just climb to the top of the SERPs—but to stay there.
What Is the SEO Skyscraper Technique?
The Skyscraper Technique is built around the idea of improving upon already successful content. Just like companies have taken existing product ideas and made them more useful or appealing to dominate markets, the same logic applies to content marketing.
The Skyscraper Technique involves:
- Identifying high-performing content in your niche
- Analyzing its strengths and gaps
- Creating something better—more helpful, more in-depth, more up-to-date
- Promoting your version to gain backlinks and visibility
You’re not starting from zero. You’re using what already works as a base and building something taller and stronger—like a new skyscraper in a city skyline.
The New Skyscraper Approach: What’s Changed?
When this method first emerged, SEO was simpler. If your content were longer, had more links, and looked slightly better, you could easily outrank others. Length and backlinks were the main factors.
Back then:
- Long-form content had an edge
- Link-building alone could push rankings
- Even small updates made a big difference
Promotion was key, but the content quality bar was much lower. Many succeeded just by sending emails to build links.
Today, SEO is more refined. Search engines now favor content that provides real value and engagement—beyond just links or word count.
In 2025, AI tools can mass-produce lengthy articles, so the focus has shifted to:
- Offering fresh insights
- Demonstrating real expertise
- Earning trust through valuable content
Why Skyscraper Content Still Works in 2025
You might wonder—if length and backlinks aren’t enough, why use the Skyscraper Technique?
Because the original idea wasn’t just about quantity. It was about creating the best resource on the topic. That principle still applies.
Today’s successful content does more than just rephrase existing posts. It aligns with what search engines want to see:
- Search Intent: Pages that match user expectations and deliver what people are truly searching for tend to perform better.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Covering a topic thoroughly—not just at surface level—shows search engines and readers that your content is the most useful option.
- Trust and Expertise: High-quality content shows that it was written by someone who knows the subject. Including data, examples, author information, and citations adds credibility.
- User Engagement: A good structure, easy navigation, and engaging copy keep visitors on the page longer. Search engines take this as a positive signal.
- Backlink Potential: When your content is the best in its category, others will naturally want to link to it—boosting your authority.
- Freshness: Regular updates keep your content relevant and visible. This is especially important for competitive topics where older pages may fall behind.
Step-by-Step Guide to the Skyscraper Method
Find a Proven Topic: Use tools or search engines to identify content that already ranks well and has lots of backlinks.
Analyze the Original Content: What’s missing? Is it outdated? Are the visuals poor? Could it be more comprehensive?
Create a Better Version: Add more value by including visuals, updated data, expert insights, and in-depth answers to user queries.
Optimize for Search Intent: Understand what users really want when they search the target keyword and make sure your content directly answers it.
Ensure High-Quality Design and UX: Use clear headings, bullet points, and mobile-friendly formatting to improve readability and retention.
Promote Your Content: Reach out to websites that linked to the original piece, suggesting your improved version. Share it across channels where your audience is active.
Track, Analyze, and Update: Keep an eye on rankings, engagement, and bounce rates. Update the content regularly to keep it relevant.
Skyscraper Method for 2025: How to Make Rankings Stick
Creating better content is step one—but to keep rankings, you need:
- Continuous updates
- Regular backlink audits
- A mobile-optimized and fast-loading page
- User feedback and engagement metrics
Don’t treat skyscraper content as a one-and-done task. Keep refining it as trends, search intent, or data evolves.
Quick Checklist: Skyscraper SEO in 2025
- Identify top-performing content
- Fill in the gaps with more useful information
- Align with updated search intent
- Ensure an excellent user experience
- Demonstrate E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust)
- Promote your content actively
- Update regularly
Where Backlinks Fit Into High Rankings
In the earlier days of the Skyscraper Technique, you could achieve rankings by simply writing long content, adding backlinks, and doing some outreach. Today, backlinks are still essential—they remain a strong indicator of authority and trust. However, they now play a supporting role rather than being the main driver of top search results. When your content truly meets user needs, encourages engagement, and offers a better experience, backlinks help reinforce and strengthen your position in search. But if your content fails to deliver value, backlinks alone won’t keep it ranked for long. Think of backlinks as proof of quality, not a replacement for it.
Why Users Gravitate Toward Skyscraper Content
The Skyscraper Technique doesn’t just help improve rankings—it also enhances the user experience. When faced with multiple search results, people often choose the one that feels more complete, updated, and trustworthy. This is due to psychological patterns like authority bias, where users naturally trust content that appears reliable and professionally structured. Another key factor is social proof—if a piece of content is widely shared, linked, or referenced, users tend to view it as more credible.
When your content is comprehensive, current, easy to navigate, and supported by real facts or data, it encourages users to:
- Spend more time reading it
- Share it with others
- Link to it naturally from their own websites or blogs
In short, skyscraper content is more aligned with what users actually want, which leads to better engagement and improved rankings.
Step-by-Step Guide to the Skyscraper Method
Ready to build your own high-performing content piece? Here’s how to apply the skyscraper method effectively:
Step 1: Identify the Right Content to Improve
The success of this strategy starts with selecting the right source to build upon. Not all high-ranking content is ideal for this method. If you pick the wrong one, you might invest a lot of effort without seeing results.
Look for content that meets the following:
- Relevant to Your Niche: The topic should be aligned with your business or audience.
- Strong Backlink Profile: Content with several links from quality websites shows it’s considered valuable.
- Obvious Weaknesses: Look for outdated information, poor formatting, thin content, or lack of visuals.
- Evergreen Topic: Choose a topic that stays relevant over time—not news stories or short-lived trends.
- Steady Search Volume: The keywords should attract consistent traffic throughout the year.
Tip: Use free or paid keyword tools to check the popularity and potential of your chosen topic. If it’s too niche or rarely searched, it may not be worth skyscraping.
Tools & Techniques to Identify Opportunities
You can find skyscraper-worthy content using tools, but even a manual approach can work with time and attention. Here’s how:
Use Content & Backlink Tools
If you use SEO platforms, search for high-performing pages by filtering those with strong engagement and analyzing which backlinks are effective in driving their rankings.
- Content that has a lot of backlinks
- Pages with consistent organic traffic
- Topics where the existing content could be improved
Review the top-performing results manually and make a shortlist of possible content targets.
Manual Research (No Tools Required)
If you’re not using tools, try this method:
- Search your target keyword in Google.
- Visit the top 10 organic (non-sponsored) results.
- Look for red flags like:
- Old or outdated information
- Broken or irrelevant links
- Weak formatting or lack of structure
- No visuals or interactivity
- Poor mobile usability
Even top-ranking pages may fall short in quality. If you find a weak page that still ranks high, that’s a great opportunity.
Tip: Outdated content is the easiest to outperform. If a page hasn’t been updated in years but still ranks, you can win with a fresher, more relevant version.
Use Google’s “Related Searches” & “People Also Ask”
Search engines offer insights into related topics and common questions. These features can help you:
- Add subtopics your competitors missed
- Improve the depth of your content
- Create strong FAQ sections for better UX and featured snippet potential
Tip: Narrow your list down to 3–5 content pieces that meet your criteria, then audit each one in detail to find your best skyscraper opportunity.
Step 2: Create Content That Truly Outperforms
Once you’ve chosen the content to beat, your goal is to create something significantly better—not just longer.
Back when this strategy started, many believed that simply adding more words would do the trick. But in today’s SEO, depth, clarity, and trustworthiness matter much more.
Search engines now evaluate content based on:
- Relevance and intent-matching
- Dwell time and bounce rate
- Writing clarity and structure
- Citations, authorship, and real-world experience
To outperform the original, your content should deliver real added value, such as:
- Updated insights
- Deeper explanations
- New case studies or examples
- Stronger visuals or data representations
Bonus Insight: Some marketers call this “10x content”—as in, your content should be 10 times better than what’s already out there.
How to Outperform Your Competitors
Here’s how to approach your content upgrade:
- Audit the Original Thoroughly: Identify what’s missing, what’s outdated, and how it could be better organized.
- Expand the Scope: Cover topics that the original skips or just mentions briefly.
- Update Stats & Facts: Replace old references with the most recent and accurate data.
- Use Visuals: Infographics, diagrams, charts, and screenshots make complex topics easier to understand.
- Improve Structure: Use logical H2s and H3s for better readability and SEO.
- Answer Common Questions: Add FAQs based on what users are actually asking online.
- Offer Real Takeaways: Include templates, steps, or checklists users can apply instantly.
Prioritize User Experience (UX)
Even the best-written article will fail if the website is slow, cluttered, or unreadable.
Ensure your page is:
- Fast-loading on all devices
- Mobile-friendly and responsive
- Easy to scan, with clear headings and readable fonts
- Free from annoying pop-ups or design distractions
Great content deserves a great environment—make sure your readers enjoy the experience.
Step 3: Promote Your Skyscraper Content
Creating great content is only half the job—promotion is key if you want to build links and gain visibility.
Here’s how to promote your skyscraper page effectively:
Find Link Opportunities
Before publishing, gather a list of sites that might be interested in your content. Focus on:
- Pages that link to the outdated content
- Blogs or newsletters in your niche
- Curators of resource lists or research hubs
Use SEO tools to find backlinks to the content you’ve improved upon. You can also manually look for articles that cite or mention similar topics.
Send Personalized Outreach Emails
Cold outreach works best when it’s genuine, respectful, and personalized. Avoid mass emails with generic templates.
Best practices for outreach:
- Make it personal: Mention their work or a specific piece they’ve written.
- Be brief: Get to the point quickly.
- Offer value: Show why your updated content is more helpful to their readers.
- Don’t push: Suggest, don’t demand.
Sample Outreach Email Format
Hi [First Name],
I came across your article on [Topic] and noticed you linked to a resource that’s a bit outdated.
I recently published an updated guide with new insights, visuals, and tips that may be more helpful to your readers.
If you’d like to check it out, here’s the link: [Your Link]
Thanks for the great content you share!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Expand Promotion Beyond Email
While email outreach is a strong tactic, it’s far from the only way to promote skyscraper content. To maximize visibility and earn backlinks more organically, diversify your promotional efforts.
- Social Media Channels: Share your content across professional groups, niche communities, and discussion threads on platforms like LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and relevant forums. Engage in conversations where your content naturally fits.
- Content Repurposing: Break down your article into bite-sized assets such as LinkedIn carousels, short videos, Instagram stories, or slideshows. You can also rework insights into newsletter segments or blog updates.
- Paid Promotions: Consider using remarketing ads on platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook to reach audiences already familiar with your content or brand. These users are more likely to engage and share.
Track Results and Continuously Optimize
Adding UTM parameters to your URLs lets you track how users are finding your content—whether from outreach emails, social posts, or paid campaigns. These small snippets of code help you analyze which strategies drive traffic and backlinks.
Use them to monitor:
- The number of new backlinks
- Growth in organic traffic
- Engagement metrics such as bounce rate and time on page
With this data, you’ll be better equipped to adjust your promotion efforts and double down on what’s working.
Skyscraper SEO in 2025: How to Rank and Stay Ranked
Now that the core steps of the skyscraper method are clear, let’s explore how to evolve the approach to meet the expectations of both users and search engines in 2025 and beyond.
Match Search Intent With Precision
Success today depends on understanding exactly what users expect when they search.
Before writing anything, ask:
- Are people looking for a tutorial, a comparison, a checklist, or expert opinions?
- Do they need beginner guidance or deep insights for advanced users?
Even if your content is long and well-written, it won’t rank if it doesn’t solve the right problem.
Focus on Clean, Fast, Mobile-Optimized UX
User experience is a top-ranking factor. If your page doesn’t load fast or isn’t easy to navigate, people will leave—and Google will notice.
Make sure your content:
- Loads quickly, especially on mobile
- It is easy to scan with clear headers and formatting
- Avoids disruptive pop-ups and clutter
- Offers intuitive navigation and tools like a clickable table of contents
Good UX increases engagement, reduces bounce rates, and strengthens your SEO performance over time.
Build Trust Within the Content
People and search engines both look for signs of credibility. To make your content more trustworthy, ensure it includes:
- Accurate and recent data or statistics
- Real-life examples, case studies, or firsthand experiences
- Quotes or insights from credible experts
- Visible publication or last updated dates
- Author bios—especially for sensitive topics like health, money, or legal issues
This not only builds reader confidence but helps search engines recognize your content as authoritative.
Cover Related Topics and Solve Additional Problems
Don’t stop at just answering the main question. Strong content anticipates the next one.
The best pages:
- Explore subtopics and FAQs
- Offer actionable advice and follow-up steps
- Address common pitfalls or myths
- Provide downloadable tools or checklists when possible
The goal is to keep the reader from needing to return to search results. That’s what earns longer dwell times, more links, and better rankings.
Quick self-check:
- Does your content likely answer follow-up questions?
- Does it include step-by-step instructions or practical guidance?
- Have you addressed common concerns or errors?
- Are there supporting tools or next-step resources?
Strengthen Your Internal Link Structure
Once your Skyscraper Technique page is live, don’t leave it stranded. Strengthen its visibility and authority by linking to it from other related articles across your website.
Internal linking helps:
- Search engines find and index new content quickly
- Distribute ranking power across your site
- Reinforce topic relevance for content clusters
- Enhance navigation and keep users engaged longer
Use natural, contextual anchor text instead of keyword-heavy links. This improves readability and avoids over-optimization.
Exact-match (less ideal):
“Check out our best CRM software for small businesses guide.”
Contextual (better):
“See our full guide for more on choosing the right tools.”
Advanced Tactics to Stay Ahead
Once your skyscraper content is published, the work doesn’t end. These advanced steps help you maintain rankings, extend reach, and keep delivering value over time.
Repurpose Content Into New Formats
Break your skyscraper post into smaller, targeted pieces:
- YouTube videos
- Social media carousels
- X threads or highlights
- Email series
- Downloadable guides or mini-courses
This multiplies your content’s value and visibility, giving it more chances to get shared and linked.
Refresh Content Every 6–12 Months
Even high-ranking content can fade. Make it a habit to regularly update skyscraper pages with:
- New data or trends
- Revised screenshots or examples
- Updated links
- Fresh expert commentary or tips
This keeps your content competitive, current, and less likely to be outranked by someone else’s updated version.
Test and Improve Key Elements
Small changes can lead to big improvements. Experiment with:
- Headlines & meta descriptions – Test different tones or keyword placements
- Opening paragraphs – Make your hook sharper and more relevant
- Visuals – Use faster-loading graphics or new charts that better explain key points
- Calls to action – Try different placements, styles, or messages
Monitor results and iterate to keep boosting performance.
Skyscraper SEO Technique Quick Checklist
Research Phase
- Choose a high-ranking but outdated or weak piece
- Confirmed it has backlinks, search demand, and evergreen potential
Creation Phase
- Audited existing content for gaps
- Expanded coverage, added value, and updated data
- Optimized for structure, readability, and mobile UX
Promotion Phase
- Created a tailored outreach list
- Sent personalized messages
- Shared and repurposed across channels
Post-Publish Phase
- Monitored traffic, links, and engagement
- Refreshed content every 6–12 months
- Repurposed content into new formats
5 Skyscraper Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these common pitfalls that undermine your Skyscraper Technique efforts:
- Targeting the wrong content: Make sure the original has ranking power and room for improvement.
- Adding fluff instead of value: More words ≠ , better content. Focus on relevance.
- Neglecting UX: Even great content won’t work if the page is hard to use.
- Over-optimizing for keywords: This hurts readability and trust.
- Skipping promotion: Publishing without outreach leaves your content in the dark.
Final Thoughts
The Skyscraper Technique still works in 2025—when done right. Success comes from satisfying search intent, offering a clean, mobile-friendly experience, and building trust with in-depth, credible content. Promotion across channels and regular updates keep your content relevant. Backlinks are earned by value—not shortcuts. Focus on creating content worth referencing, and long-term results will follow.