The highest-ranking pages in Google are the ones we click on when we need to do research. If you’re researching surfing spots in South Africa for an article, for example, and type these keywords into Google, then you will undoubtedly find information about the best surf spots in the country within the top-ranking search results.
When it comes time to rank a source for the information that has been used for the article, the copywriter will likely link back to the top-ranking pages. This cycle means that the top-ranking pages on Google continue to get all the backlinks, which means that new content can’t compete.
New research by Ahrefs, however, both proves and disproves this theory. The top-ranking pages on Google get new links at a faster pace than lower-ranking pages regardless of the quality of content, which will lead one to believe that it is impossible to beat these pages in search engine results. The study showed that there isn’t proof that acquiring links at a faster pace leads to better rankings though.
For digital marketers and SEO consultants, it is a good reminder that backlinks aren’t the be-all and end-all of trying to get to the top of Google. Many smaller companies with fewer pages on their website and fewer backlinks are able to claim top spots simply by providing high-quality content. While backlinks are an important part of your strategy, you can outperform your competitors by investing in quality content marketing too.
Need help with your search engine optimization strategy? Then contact WSI OMS today.