Originally published August 27, 2022 , updated on July 23, 2024

Marketing in a crowded space has always been tough. As businesses moved online, the competition only increased. You are not only competing with local businesses but companies from around the world. This makes competitor analysis a crucial aspect of any digital marketing strategy. 

Competitor analysis is the process of evaluating other businesses in your industry to better understand the market landscape. The insights can help you identify opportunities and craft content research and development strategies to stay ahead of the competition. This takes the guesswork out of gaining an advantage over other businesses and drives results with intention. 

In this blog, we will dive into a popular ploy to gain a competitive advantage – the skyscraper technique. We talk about common mistakes a branded content production company might make and how to make the most out of the technique.

What Is the Skyscraper Technique?

Backlinks are links directed to your website from other sites. They are an important part of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) because they show search engines that your site is popular and relevant. The more backlinks you have, the higher your website will rank in search engine results pages (SERPs) and the more traffic you’ll get to your website. 

The skyscraper technique is a link-building strategy to help businesses produce interesting copy and gain high-quality backlinks. The technique works as follows:

• Finding popular written pieces on a topic relevant to your company and customer base with numerous backlinks
• Identifying weaknesses in the piece and publishing a better version on the same topic with the same backlinks
• Promoting the piece with an effective distribution strategy.

The skyscraper technique tends to be used for long-form formats such as blogs, articles, white papers, case studies, and eBooks. Much like a builder would want to make their skyscraper taller than the existing buildings, a branded content production company would want their publications to have the most significant voice on a topic – one which stands above all the rest. 

The value your skyscraper copy brings to the online discourse is then leveraged for links. It is a popular technique because you do not have to start from scratch. You simply revamp already successful copy and make it better for more conversions.  

Common Mistakes in the Skyscraper Technique

Though the name suggests greater length, better skyscraper content does not mean longer content. One of the most common mistakes that writers make is when they aim for quantity over quality. Here, a branded content production company may focus on writing copy for search engines and neglect the value they could bring to their target audience, who are real readers. They could end up keyword stuffing, adding meaningless fluff, or writing convoluting pieces. 

Another mistake an SEO content writing agency could make is only publishing skyscraper content. This makes their blog or website tedious and inaccessible. Any successful marketing strategy requires a good mix of formats to keep the audience engaged. 

Third, many agencies forget to promote their content. Creating an effective distribution strategy helps others learn about your website and create links to it. This ensures that all your content research and development pays off. 

How to Make Skyscraper Content Research and Development Better?

1. Do Your Research

When it comes to creating skyscraper content, research and development are vital. Without understanding your audience and what they want to read, you won’t be able to create copy that resonates with them.

Good research will help you understand what topics are being discussed in your industry, what information is already out there, and what angle you can take to make your article the most inclusive and commanding on the subject. Many businesses hire a branded content production company to carry out research for them to ensure better results. 

2. Cater To Your Target Audience’s Needs

If a popular article has broken links or is outdated, then your target audience needs an updated version with functional links. The first goal of your skyscraper content research and development should be to identify and cater to your target audience’s needs. 

The best content writing services carry out substantial research into relevant keywords, trendy topics, in-depth materials, and backlinks. They also research their competitors and exploit their weaknesses. 

3. Find a Unique Angle Only You Can Offer

Original articles always do better in search engines and create a better reader experience. Direct your skyscraper content research and development to come up with an original, unique angle. Going deeper into the subject is a tried-and-true technique to enhance the article that already exists. As an expert, if you find a piece of writing that skims the surface of a subject but believe that readers are hungry for more information – you can provide that information. 

This can look like finding fresh perspectives or offering a contrarian viewpoint. A branded content production company could also help you include statistical data, personal accounts, and case studies to teach your target audience something new. 

4. Get Creative

A great way of improving an existing piece of text is to make it more engaging and accessible. You can do this by translating complex topics through a video tutorial or explaining dry statistics through vibrant data visualisation. 

By switching text for images or videos, you can improve the user experience, aesthetics, and visual assets of the piece. A well-designed, professional-looking page is much more likely to be backlinked compared to a poorly designed one. You can ensure your website is link-worthy by outsourcing this to a branded content production company.

5. Promote Your Content

If you’re creating skyscraper content, then you already know that it’s important to have a solid promotion strategy in place. After all, what’s the point of creating amazing branded content production for your company if no one ever sees it? 

You need an effective distribution strategy that targets the audience in your niche and those who have shown interest in your products. This helps capture high-quality leads and nudge them towards conversion. 

Want to take your skyscraper content research and development up a notch? As a top-tier branded content production company, Goodman Lantern can help you out. Book a discovery call today, and we will help you figure out your next steps!

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