The Unique SEO Content Strategy to Rank #1 with Zero Links

We keep hearing that content is king. Write great content, content here, content there. But how true is that statement? Is there such a thing as an SEO Content Strategy that you can use to rank #1 with zero backlinks?

Like most answers in SEO, this one is also ‘it depends’. Keep reading and I’ll explain exactly why.

While you might not be able to get to position one without any backlinks for a highly competitive keyword, you’ll definitely be able to increase your rankings in Google just by optimizing your content and having in place a great SEO content strategy.

By the end of this blog post, you’ll have a better understanding of how Google treats links and content and you’ll get the SEO Content Strategy that might help rank #1 on Google with zero backlinks.

1. Can I Really Rank #1 with Zero Links?

Not long ago we performed a lot of searches for pharma, gambling and skincare keywords, in a nutshell on highly competitive keywords and niches.

...The truth is that beside a solid SEO content strategy, links still matter and if your competition is building, buying or obtaining backlinks naturally, you’ll have a difficult time ranking #1 with zero backlinks.

But if the competition doesn’t have many backlinks either, it is possible to outrank them, even without links, in some cases.

2. Why Is Google Pushing More Weight to the Content Ranking Factor?

Back in 2017, during our numerous tests, we found a big correlation between the Content Performance score we had developed and rankings.

...The algorithm we use is complex, using a mix of AI technologies and things such as LSI and Flesch–Kincaid to determine what makes a piece of content rank high.

3. The Step-by-Step SEO Content Strategy to Rank #1 with No Links

3.1. Identify your Primary Audience and Their Pain Points

The first think you should do before writing anything is identifying your target audience.

...This step is probably more useful for products and commercial keywords and less for informational queries.

3.2. Perform an In-depth Keyword Research & Audit

The really important step when trying to optimize content is always keyword research.

...You can also use the CognitiveSEO Keyword Explorer to identify new topics you can target.

3.3. Make a List of the Keywords You Can Realistically Dominate

For which of those keywords can you realistically rank better?

...So you want to see websites with as few referring domains as possible compared to your site.

3.4. Analyze the Search Intent of Your Keywords

Search intent and user experience are very important. It’s the key metric in 2020 and onward.

...A good way of analyzing search intent is to look at what’s already ranking well.

3.5. Optimize Landing Pages / Per Keyword & Per Search Intent

On with the actual optimization. Don’t worry, it’s probably the easiest step.

...The idea is to add those keywords into your blog post.

3.6. Write Content That Stands Out and Is Share Worthy

A great way to do this is to write content about complex questions that are very often asked in your industry.

...Long content tends to perform better in organic search results.

3.7. Launch & Share Your Content with Key Influencers

Once you’ve written and published your content, it’s time to promote it.

...Another easy-to-implement technique is to ask for quotes from experts in your industry or take interviews.

3.8. Monitor How Your Content Is Performing

You should make sure you’re able to track your progress if you want to know how successful your modifications were.

...Moreover, not all traffic comes from Google, so you might also want a tool such as Google Analytics to monitor other traffic sources.

3.9. Update Your Content Once in a While

Google loves fresh content. That’s why updating it from time to time should be part of your SEO content strategy.

...However, even if the score is still really good, don’t try to trick Google by simply changing the date to make your content look fresh.

Conclusion

To get high ranks, the focus shouldn’t be on backlinks, but on a solid SEO content strategy. Get your content under the right people’s eyes, and you’ll see the links pouring in.

...Then you can use those links to pass that authority to all your articles, making it easier to rank everywhere.