Are you finding it tough to get your content ranking on search engines? Struggling to secure that one high-authority backlink despite your best outreach efforts? Worried that you're missing out on valuable traffic?
You're not alone. But what if you could flip the script and make your content stand head and shoulders above the rest? What if the backlinks come on their own for your content?
It's time to introduce you to the Skyscraper Technique, a proven SEO strategy. With a little help from SEO tools, you can turn existing content into something bigger, better, and more engaging that will naturally attract many backlinks.
The skyscraper technique is an SEO strategy that involves finding high-performing content, creating a significantly better version, and then promoting it to earn backlinks. This method improves rankings by offering superior value, design, and depth compared to existing top-ranking pages.
The technique was created by Backlinko’s Brian Dean back in 2015 and gained immense popularity after the organic search traffic to his entire site doubled in only 14 days.
Now you might be wondering: does this technique from 2015 even matter anymore? Search has changed dramatically, after all. With AI chatbots delivering instant answers and Google’s AI Overviews often replacing the classic “10 blue links,” it’s fair to question whether strategies like this still have a place.
The short answer: yes, but not in the same way they did five years ago. As search shifts toward surfacing authoritative, reference-worthy content, the Skyscraper Technique becomes even more important
In this guide, we’ll show you exactly why it matters in the age of AI SEO and how to use it to boost your rankings and build high-quality backlinks without a big budget or a brand. There’s even a little checklist and a list of tools you can use to make it easy.
And just so you know, we refreshed this article by following the skyscraper technique.
At its core, the Skyscraper Technique is pretty simple: instead of starting from scratch, you build on what’s already working. Think of it as finding the tallest “building” (content) in your niche and then constructing one that’s even taller, stronger, and impossible to ignore.
The first step is research. Start by looking for content in your space that’s already performing well: articles with tons of backlinks, shares, or high search rankings. This tells you there’s a clear audience and demand. Once you’ve identified that piece, your job is to make it better in every possible way.
That could mean:
The idea isn’t to copy and paste someone else’s work but it’s to outdo them. Your goal is to make your version so comprehensive, so insightful, and so genuinely useful that readers won’t feel the need to read anything else on the topic. In other words, your article becomes the definitive resource.
But writing a better piece is only half the job. The real magic happens in the promotion phase. Once your content is live, reach out to the websites that linked to the original article. They’ve already shown they’re interested in the topic and if your version is more valuable, there’s a good chance they’ll want to link to yours instead.
It’s a win-win: they get to share a more current, higher-quality resource with their audience, and you earn powerful backlinks that boost your rankings. That’s the real power of the Skyscraper Technique — it turns great content into a natural link magnet.
I’ve heard a lot of people say the Skyscraper Technique doesn’t work anymore, that it’s lost its edge now that AI chatbots, summaries, and AI Overviews dominate the top of search results. And honestly, I get where they’re coming from. The search landscape has changed. But in my experience, the technique is more relevant than ever because the core principles behind it haven’t changed. Here’s why:
Whether it’s a chatbot, a Google Overview, or a human reader, everyone wants one thing: the best possible answer. If your content is more comprehensive, trustworthy, and current than everything else, you stand a much better chance of being surfaced, cited, or ranked even by AI systems.
In fact, a recent Ahrefs analysis of 75,000 brands found that branded web mentions (i.e. how often your brand is discussed across the web) had the strongest correlation (0.664) with visibility in AI Overviews. If your content is deeply authoritative and helps your brand get talked about, you give yourself a much greater shot at being surfaced or cited by AI systems.
High-quality backlinks are still a top-ranking factor, and skyscraper content is one of the most reliable ways to earn them organically. Plus, those backlinks don’t just help SEO, they get you brand mentions, bring referral traffic, improve brand authority, and increase the likelihood of being cited in AI summaries.
AI Overviews and generative search tools rely heavily on content they trust and they source from search engines like Google and Bing. They look for pages with clear expertise, strong E-E-A-T signals, and a history of backlinks. Research have found that higher SERP rankings are associated with a greater likelihood of being cited in AI Overviews.
By creating skyscraper content, you’re effectively building a page that’s more likely to become a go-to source for both algorithms and humans.
For quick questions, people might settle for an AI summary. But when they’re making buying decisions, conducting research, or seeking expert-level insights, they still click through. In fact, people using AI chatbots like ChatGPT tend to do more Google searches. And when they do, they’re drawn to the most authoritative, resource-rich content on the page.
In short, the rules of the game may look different, but the same play still wins. If anything, the Skyscraper Technique is more powerful now than when it was first introduced. Let me show you what that looks like in practice.
The Skyscraper Technique has helped countless websites achieve massive gains in search rankings, traffic, and backlinks. Let’s dive into some real-world case studies of how this strategy has been successfully implemented.
Brian Dean, the creator of the Skyscraper Technique, used this method to increase organic traffic to one of his posts on Backlinko by 110% in just 14 days.
This post is refreshed regularly, the latest being in September 2024. It is still the #1 result for the keyword "Google ranking factor," along with 150+ keywords in the top 3 position, bringing in 8,000+ monthly traffic and 17,600+ backlinks.
G2's content and offsite SEO team use the method to fuel their rapid traffic growth in the B2B software review space.
Content: Refreshed and expanded blog posts, comprehensive software category insights
Approach: Identified and updated outdated blog posts, turning them into more comprehensive, current resources targeting top-ranking content in highly competitive software categories. Offered more in-depth insights than their competitors
Result: Contributed significantly to G2's growth from zero to over a million monthly visitors within a year. And in 2025, G2's Learn Hub that has most blog articles has over 137,629 backlinks from authority websites, based on Ahrefs data.
The skyscraper method is still part of G2's link-building strategy and helps it consistently obtain hundreds of quality backlinks from highly authoritative sites.
Are you ready to try the technique out for yourself? Here’s a short checklist to help you along the way! Let this be your holy grail for executing the Skyscraper Technique.
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To start with the Skyscraper Technique, you first need to do your research. Don’t blindly choose a blog simply because it is doing well. That obviously won’t add any value to you or your company. Instead, restrict your research to relevant topics that you want to cover.
For example, G2 wants to reach out to SEO professionals and encourage them to explore SEO tools available in their marketplace. Targeting SEO-related keywords, such as "Skyscraper Technique" or "SEO tools," makes sense to attract this audience and provide value related to their work.
To make sure, targeting the KW is beneficial, you can use keyword research tools like Ahrefs and Semrush.
Audit the top-ranking content based on your target keywords. You can just search directly on Google to see what ranks on the first page for those keywords.
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the top-ranking content. Review what makes the existing content successful: strong data, structure, or engagement. Look for gaps in the information, outdated statistics, or missing multimedia elements.
Ask yourself: How can you make your content more comprehensive, engaging, or valuable than what's already out there?
Here are some ways to do it.
You have the original content in front of you. How are you going to improve it? You can’t just copy-paste it, throw some fancy jargon in there, and think your work is done. Instead, ample ways exist to improve the content into a piece that genuinely excites the audience.
Here are a few of them:
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Use the content analysis you did in the previous step to improve your content. Focus on adding value in these key areas:
You can use tools like Clearscope to find gaps, grade your content, assess how well it covers relevant keywords, and grade its overall SEO performance.
For example, while working on this article, I noticed that existing content on the Skyscraper Technique lacked information on advanced tools and strategies, such as using AI tools for content analysis or influencer outreach for link-building as well as additional context on AI search and will it work for AI SEO. I added a section on advanced Skyscraper Techniques to address this gap, highlighting new approaches no other article includes as well as more information on why the technique will work in AI SEO as well and when it might not. This not only covers bases but also adds new insights.
Even though you’re writing a blog that is sure to be a success, that doesn’t guarantee that all the people you contact will publish it. You need a list of potential blogs, brands, and influencers interested in your content to reach out to.
Brian Dean had an outreach success rate of 11%. This might not sound like a lot, but it made a great impact. How so? Remember that it isn’t the quantity that matters; it’s the quality. An 11% success rate can bring amazing results if your entire list consists of high-quality links. A good way to start the list is to write down the blogs you already know of. Then, jump online to search for similar blogs with an overlapping audience. Here's how you do it.
The list usually includes spam and irrelevant sites. Clean it up to include only high-authority sites with higher domain ratings and relevant content.
Find the relevant person to reach out to for these domains. They may be the writer, editor, website owner, or someone from the SEO or website management teams. You can use tools like Hunter.io to find their email addresses or connect with them on LinkedIn. Keep this list ready.
Showing social proof is a necessity now before you can reach out to any sites or brands. You must first create a buzz with your audience to establish such proof. So get on your social media channels and promote your piece.
Once your content starts gaining traction, it becomes more attractive to external websites and partners, who are likelier to link to it.
At this point, your enhanced content will have gained some momentum, so it’s finally time to share it. Here, you can use the list of possible distribution partners from step two of the checklist.
Here’s how to do an effective outreach campaign:
Here’s an outreach email template you can use when promoting your improved content using the Skyscraper Technique:
Subject
Thought this updated [Topic] would be a great fit for your audience
Body
Hi [Name],
I recently came across your article on [Topic] and found it incredibly insightful—especially [mention a specific point you appreciated]. It’s been a great resource for readers, but I saw an opportunity to expand on the topic with some updated data and new trends that could add even more value.
I’ve just published an enhanced version of the topic, titled [Your Article Title], which dives deeper into [mention a key improvement, e.g., additional research, new examples, updated statistics].
I think it would make a great complement to your article. Here’s a quick overview of what’s new:
I’d love for you to check it out: [Link to your article].
If you think it’s useful, I’d appreciate you sharing it with your readers or linking to it. I believe it could add value to your site's conversation around [Topic].
Thanks for your time, and I hope you find the content valuable!
Best regards,
[Your email signature]
Any content is only useful if people are interested in reading it. Over time, however, the usefulness of even the most outstanding content starts to decline. Others do the same as you and publish even better content. Newer industry trends emerge. So, your once “new and improved” content will eventually become stale.
The only way to defeat this curse and ensure that your content remains evergreen is to keep updating it. It’s hard work, but it continues to pay off because you continue to create value and, consequently, rank well.
The right tools make each stage of the skyscraper process faster, smarter, and more scalable. Here are the ones I rely on most. many of which you’ll find in G2’s top-rated categories:
Tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and BuzzSumo help you discover top-ranking content, analyze backlink profiles, track keyword performance, and identify new link-building opportunities. They’re essential for understanding what’s working in your niche and where you can create something better.
Platforms like Clearscope, Surfer SEO, and Frase ensure your content is comprehensive, well-structured, and optimized to compete in search. They help you identify content gaps, improve semantic coverage, and align with user intent.
Tools such as Hunter.io, Pitchbox, and Respona streamline the process of finding contact information, personalizing outreach, and managing link-building campaigns. They make it easier to get your improved content in front of the right people.
AI content creation platforms Canva, Creatify, Birdeye, and AI chatbtos like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are useful for analyzing competing content, brainstorming new angles, generating ideas, and even drafting outreach emails. They can significantly speed up research and content creation.
Use G2 to compare and choose the right tools for each stage of your skyscraper strategy based on real user reviews and ratings.
I’ve seen the Skyscraper Technique deliver impressive results but I’ve also seen it fall flat. Like any strategy, it’s not a silver bullet. There are scenarios where no matter how much time you spend on research, writing, or outreach, skyscraper content won’t get you the results you’re hoping for. Here’s when you might want to rethink your approach:
If there’s no real demand for links in your niche. For example, if you’re writing about an extremely niche feature of a product or a company-specific process, other sites are unlikely to link to it. Skyscraper works best when the topic has broad appeal and evergreen relevance.
If the top-ranking pages for your target keyword are transactional (like product pages) or navigational (like brand homepages), skyscraper-style content won’t rank well no matter how comprehensive it is. The technique is most effective for informational or educational queries.
Some topics have been “skyscrapered” dozens of times. If every competitor already has a 5,000-word guide with visuals, data, and backlinks, it’s much harder to stand out, unless you bring a truly new perspective, proprietary data, or original research.
If your domain is brand-new or has very low authority, even the best skyscraper content may struggle to earn links and rank. In that case, it’s better to start by building topical authority with smaller, focused pieces or pursuing digital PR and partnerships before attempting skyscraper campaigns.
Even great content fails if nobody sees it. If your outreach list is irrelevant or too broad, or if your emails aren’t personalized, the campaign won’t get traction. Skyscraper success often comes down to how well you target and pitch your content.
As search becomes increasingly AI-driven and competitive, simply writing a “better version” of an existing article isn’t enough. The Skyscraper Technique still works — but to truly stand out in 2026, your content needs to go beyond depth and quality. It needs to offer originality, interactivity, authority, and multi-format value. Here’s how to level up:
Love 'em or hate 'em, generative AI tools are extremely helpful. AI tools have evolved from helpful assistants into powerful SEO accelerators. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can now do far more than draft content; they can analyze SERPs, summarize competitor strategies, surface untapped keyword clusters, and even suggest content structures based on user intent.
I often use AI to identify blind spots traditional SEO tools miss, like topics competitors haven’t covered, sub-questions people are asking in AI Overviews, or ways to structure content so it’s more likely to be cited by generative search. The key is to use AI as a strategic layer on top of your content, not a replacement for it
And with multi-step content pipelines (MCP) and agent-based workflows becoming mainstream, AI can now handle far more complex parts of the skyscraper process. Instead of manually moving from research to briefing to writing, you can set up automated agents that crawl competitor content, cluster queries, generate briefs, draft outlines, and even personalize outreach messaging, all working together behind the scenes.
This shift means that in 2026, the smartest content marketers won’t just use AI — they’ll orchestrate it. When deployed strategically, AI agents can become your content research team, optimization analyst, and outreach specialist rolled into one, freeing you up to focus on creativity and strategy.
Engagement is everything. To increase page and user interaction time, incorporate interactive elements like quizzes, calculators, or free tools into your content that users might find valuable.
This can also make your content more shareable, enhancing your link-building potential. In fact, free tools are found to be driving more traffic to websites.
With recent algorithm updates and the rise of generative AI tools, one thing is clear: Google prioritizes Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT) more than ever. In this situation, original research and exclusive data are key to standing out.
By conducting surveys, using industry data, or creating proprietary reports, you can offer insights that others can’t replicate. Data-driven content boosts your authority and makes your content more valuable, credible, and shareable.
The result? Greater chances of attracting high-quality backlinks and improving your rankings. Content backed by solid data isn’t just preferred. It’s essential for SEO success.
Search behavior is becoming multi-modal, and Google’s results increasingly reward pages with videos, audio, infographics, and interactive elements. Embedding explainer videos, short demo clips, or even podcast snippets can dramatically improve engagement and visibility, not just in traditional search but also in visual search and AI-driven results.
If producing multimedia in-house isn’t feasible, consider lightweight alternatives: repurpose webinar clips, turn blog sections into short videos, or embed charts and mini visual reports. The goal is to make your skyscraper piece the most complete and multi-dimensional resource on the topic.
Yes, the Skyscraper Technique is a real and widely used SEO strategy. It’s based on a simple principle: find high-performing content in your niche, create a significantly better version, and promote it to earn backlinks. When done well, it can dramatically improve organic traffic, search visibility, and authority.
The technique was popularized by Brian Dean, founder of Backlinko, in 2015. He coined the term after using the approach to grow his site’s organic traffic by 110% in just 14 days. Since then, it’s become one of the most referenced link-building strategies in content marketing.
While effective, the Skyscraper Technique isn’t without its critics. Some argue that it can lead to repetitive content if marketers simply repackage existing ideas instead of contributing new insights. Others say that outreach success rates are lower today because link prospects receive many similar pitches. Additionally, skyscraper campaigns are time-intensive — success often depends on strong execution and follow-up, not just creating “better” content.
Yes, but it works differently than it did a decade ago. In 2026, AI-driven search results and Google’s AI Overviews prioritize authoritative, original, and well-cited content. Skyscraper content that includes unique data, expert analysis, multimedia, and comprehensive coverage is more likely to be cited by AI systems and rank well. The fundamentals — value, relevance, and authority — still hold true.
AI hasn’t made the skyscraper approach obsolete — it’s made it more strategic. Generative tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can now help analyze competitors, surface untapped keyword clusters, and even identify gaps that AI Overviews are likely to highlight. To stay competitive, skyscraper content needs to be more authoritative, data-driven, and structured for machine readability so that AI systems see it as a credible source worth citing.
One of the most well-known examples is Brian Dean’s original skyscraper campaign, where he created a more comprehensive version of an existing SEO guide and increased traffic by 110% in just 14 days.
Another strong example is G2’s use of the technique to grow its Learn Hub blog. By refreshing and expanding outdated blog posts with deeper category insights and targeting top-ranking content, G2 grew from zero to over a million monthly visitors within a year. As of 2025, its Learn Hub hosts 137,629+ backlinks, and the skyscraper strategy remains a core part of its link-building efforts.
The potential of the Skyscraper Technique is clear. By transforming existing high-performing content with fresh insights and promoting it effectively, you can significantly boost organic traffic, attract quality backlinks, and strengthen your brand's authority and get visibility in AI search.
However, achieving success with this strategy demands both creativity and persistence. So, consistently deliver smarter, more valuable content than your competitors. You’ll create a powerful foundation for long-term growth and sustained visibility.
Want to improve more? Read about proven on-page SEO strategies from an SEO expert.
This article was originally published in 2020 and has been updated with new information.
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