Link building can feel like shouting into a crowded room, hoping someone notices. Enter the Skyscraper Technique, Brian Dean’s genius hack from Backlinko. Think of it as building the tallest, shiniest skyscraper in town—so impressive that everyone can’t help but stop, stare, and link to it. By creating content that’s bigger, better, and more valuable than the rest, you’ll naturally earn those coveted backlinks and leave your competition stuck on the first floor.
Learning the Skyscraper Technique
The Skyscraper Technique is a game of content one-upmanship. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, you find the tallest skyscraper (best-performing content in your niche), figure out what makes it tall, and then build an even taller one. Think of it as content with a competitive edge—your goal is to build something so fantastic that it outshines all the others and everyone just can’t help but stare.
This works because people can’t resist linking to the best of the best—whether it’s a killer guide, a brilliant study, or an infographic that’s easy on the eyes. By turning your content into the “tallest skyscraper,” you’ll have websites ditching their old, outdated links faster than tourists flocking to the newest observation deck.
How the Technique Works
The Skyscraper Technique is not replication of the view—it’s about something bolder, taller, and impossible to miss. Here’s how:
Find High-Performing Content
Step one? Searching out content in your space that is already a backlink magnet. Consider blog posts, how-to articles, case studies, or those listicles people can’t resist. Download tools such as Ahrefs or SEMrush and track down the stuff that’s killing it on Google and picking up links for gold.
Analyze the Content
Once you’ve found content that stands out, study it critically. Why is it good? What are its strengths, and more importantly, where is it falling short? Having the formula for success gives you the information to create something better.
Create 10x Better Content
Now it’s time to overcome the competition. Your content should be more extensive, better written, up to date with fresh information, or presented differently. For example, if you’re riding a “Top 10 Tips” post, you can create a “Top 20 Tips” document that’s twice as detailed, has professional images, and plugs holes in the original.
Reach Out for Backlinks
Finally, the Skyscraper Technique is an active outreach campaign to make sure your better content is noticed. Find sites that linked to the original content and introduce them to your better content. A good, well-personalized outreach email can go a long way, showing editors and webmasters the value of swapping their link to your content instead.
Applying the Skyscraper Technique Step-By-Step
Step 1: Research Industry Content
Start with keyword and topic research for your niche. Use tools like BuzzSumo or contact King Kong to find content already getting social shares and backlinks. Find evergreen topics that continue to generate traffic and are still popular even after a very long time.
Step 2: Understand the Audience
Identify your target audience for your content that will be upgraded. Ask yourself—what would make their experience better? Incorporate a new point of view, images, or less complex language based on audience needs.
Step 3: Create Excellence Content
This is one step that calls for care. Add different media types such as pictures, videos, or graphs to deliver your content in the most dazzling manner possible. Be accurate, be interesting, and do something better than everyone else has up until now.
Step 4: Create a List of Outreach Targets
Using link analysis tools, gather a list of sites currently linking to your competitor’s content. These publishers are your best targets since they’ve already shown interest in content on the subject.
Step 5: Refined Outreach Execution
Write professional and engaging outreach emails, explaining why your content provides extra value. Be polite and discuss specific issues the recipient is likely to face, demonstrating how your content solves them.
Skyscraper Your Way to Better Links
Learning the Skyscraper Technique requires creativity, planning, and a pinch of obstinacy, but the payoff is astronomical. Not only will you pile up those precious backlinks, but you’ll also solidify your position as the industry guru everyone turns to. Simply follow these steps, and you’ll be constructing the highest “skyscraper” in your niche—leaving your competition grounded on the first floor.