Skyscraper Technique
The Skyscraper Technique is a link-building and content strategy developed by Brian Dean of Backlinko. The approach involves finding high-performing content in a niche, creating a substantially better version, and then reaching out to sites that linked to the original to suggest they link to the improved piece instead.
What is the Skyscraper Technique?
The Skyscraper Technique follows a three-step process. First, identify content that has already earned significant backlinks (the “skyscraper” that exists). Second, create something demonstrably better: more comprehensive, more current, better designed, or more useful. Third, contact the websites that link to the original and present the improved version as a superior resource worth linking to.
The technique works because it eliminates the hardest part of content marketing: finding topics that people actually want to link to. By starting with content that has already proven its link-worthiness, the creator has evidence of demand before investing in production.
“Better” can mean several things in practice. It might mean more thorough coverage, updated statistics, original research, improved visuals, or a more accessible format. The key is that the improvement must be obvious and significant enough that linking sites have a clear reason to update their references.
Tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz help identify link-worthy content by showing which pages in a niche have the most referring domains. The outreach phase typically uses email, targeting the specific person who manages the linking page rather than generic contact addresses.
Skyscraper Technique in Practice
Brian Dean’s original case study demonstrated the technique’s potential. His post on Google ranking factors earned 4,603 backlinks after he created a version that was more comprehensive than any existing list. The page’s organic traffic increased by 110% within two weeks of the outreach campaign.
Ahrefs used the Skyscraper Technique for their “SEO statistics” page, compiling 60+ statistics with original data from their own index. The page earned over 5,000 backlinks from more than 2,100 referring domains, making it one of the most-linked pages in the SEO industry.
Canva applied the technique to design-related content, creating definitive guides on topics like “color theory” and “font pairing” that outperformed existing resources in depth and visual quality. Their design school section now generates over 5 million organic visits per month, with skyscraper-style guides accounting for a significant share of inbound links.
Shopify’s blog team used the approach for ecommerce guides, specifically targeting pages where competing resources had outdated statistics or broken examples. Their “how to start an online store” guide has accumulated over 10,000 backlinks by consistently updating and expanding content that competitors allowed to decay.
Why Skyscraper Technique Matters for Marketers
Link building remains one of the most difficult and important aspects of SEO. The Skyscraper Technique provides a structured, repeatable process that connects content creation directly to link acquisition. Rather than creating content and hoping for links, marketers build content with link-earning as the explicit goal.
The technique also compounds over time. A single skyscraper piece can continue earning links for years as it becomes the reference resource in its niche. This makes the initial investment in creating superior content more defensible than paid link-building tactics that stop working when spending stops.
For brands competing against established publishers, the technique offers a path to earning authoritative backlinks without relying on brand recognition or existing relationships. The quality of the content does the persuading.
Related Terms
FAQ
What is the difference between the Skyscraper Technique and regular content marketing?
Regular content marketing creates original content based on audience needs and keyword research. The Skyscraper Technique specifically targets content that has already proven its ability to earn backlinks, then creates a superior version with outreach built into the strategy. The distinction is that link acquisition is the primary goal, not just a hoped-for side effect.
What response rate should you expect from skyscraper outreach?
Industry benchmarks suggest a 5% to 15% success rate on outreach emails for skyscraper campaigns. Brian Dean reported an 11% conversion rate in his original case study. Results depend heavily on the quality of the improvement, the relevance of outreach targets, and the personalization of outreach messages.
How long does a skyscraper campaign take to show results?
Content creation typically takes 1 to 4 weeks depending on the topic’s complexity. Outreach campaigns run 2 to 6 weeks. Ranking improvements from new backlinks usually appear within 4 to 12 weeks after links are acquired. A full cycle from research to measurable SEO impact takes 2 to 5 months.
Does the Skyscraper Technique still work?
Yes, but competition has increased since the technique was first published in 2013. Success now requires genuinely superior content, not just longer content. Original data, expert contributions, interactive elements, and better design differentiate winning skyscraper pieces from those that fail to earn links despite outreach.