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How to Compete With Big Brands in Google [8.3]

13.6K views
•
April 1, 2020
by
Ahrefs
YouTube video player
How to Compete With Big Brands in Google [8.3]

TL;DR

Learn strategies to compete against big brands in Google search.

Transcript

Part #3. How to compete with the "big guys" in Google search results Whatever industry you're in, the best search queries are most likely "taken" by someone already. And that "someone" is usually a big established website that is better than you in every possible way. They have a strong brand, full of credibility and trust. They have a lot of resou... Read More

Key Insights

  • Big brands dominate search results due to their strong brand, credibility, and resources, making it challenging for smaller sites to compete.
  • The 'Vicious Cycle of SEO' refers to the cycle where top-ranking pages continue to get backlinks, strengthening their position.
  • High-ranking pages often receive backlinks on autopilot due to their visibility and perceived authority in search results.
  • Competing against big brands requires creating superior content and having resources to reach a wide audience.
  • Targeting highly competitive keywords is not advisable for smaller sites until they have grown their audience and resources.
  • There are many untapped opportunities with less competitive keywords that can provide significant search traffic with less effort.
  • Building backlinks manually is essential for ranking, as waiting for them to occur naturally is not effective.
  • The next lesson in the series will cover strategies for building backlinks manually to improve search rankings.

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Questions & Answers

Q: What is the 'Vicious Cycle of SEO'?

The 'Vicious Cycle of SEO' refers to the phenomenon where high-ranking pages in Google search results continue to acquire new backlinks automatically. This occurs because their top position attracts consistent traffic, leading visitors to link back to these pages, which further strengthens their search ranking and perpetuates the cycle.

Q: Why is it difficult for smaller sites to compete with big brands?

Smaller sites struggle to compete with big brands because these brands have established credibility, a strong brand presence, and significant resources. They can create high-quality content, promote it to a large loyal audience, and have substantial advertising budgets, all of which help them dominate search rankings and make it challenging for smaller sites to compete.

Q: What strategy is suggested for smaller sites to improve their search rankings?

The suggested strategy for smaller sites is to focus on creating superior content and targeting less competitive, untapped keywords. This approach allows them to grow their audience and resources gradually. Additionally, smaller sites should engage in manual backlink building to improve their search rankings, as relying solely on natural backlinks is often insufficient.

Q: Why should smaller sites avoid targeting highly competitive keywords initially?

Smaller sites should avoid targeting highly competitive keywords initially because they lack the resources and audience size to effectively compete with established brands. These keywords are often dominated by big brands with strong SEO presence, making it difficult for smaller sites to rank. Instead, focusing on less competitive keywords can yield better results with less effort.

Q: How do high-ranking pages continue to gain backlinks?

High-ranking pages continue to gain backlinks because their visibility in search results attracts a consistent flow of targeted visitors. These visitors often perceive the pages as authoritative and valuable, leading them to link back to the content. This automatic acquisition of backlinks further strengthens the pages' positions in search rankings, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.

Q: What is the importance of manual backlink building for smaller sites?

Manual backlink building is crucial for smaller sites because it helps them improve their search rankings in a competitive SEO landscape. Unlike big brands that receive backlinks automatically due to their established presence, smaller sites need to actively seek and create opportunities for backlinks to increase their visibility and authority in search results.

Q: What will be covered in the next lesson of the series?

The next lesson in the series will cover strategies for manual backlink building. This will provide smaller sites with actionable techniques to improve their search rankings by actively acquiring backlinks. The lesson aims to equip smaller sites with the knowledge needed to effectively compete in the SEO landscape against larger, established brands.

Q: Why is creating superior content important for competing in SEO?

Creating superior content is important for competing in SEO because it increases the likelihood of attracting backlinks and engaging a wider audience. Superior content stands out in search results, offering unique value or insights that encourage users to link back to it. This helps smaller sites build authority and improve their search rankings, allowing them to compete more effectively with larger brands.

Summary & Key Takeaways

  • The video discusses the challenges of competing with big brands in Google search results due to their resources and established credibility. It introduces the concept of the 'Vicious Cycle of SEO' where top-ranking pages continue to gain backlinks automatically, reinforcing their dominance.

  • To compete effectively, smaller sites need to focus on creating exceptional content and building their audience before targeting highly competitive keywords. The video suggests looking for less competitive, untapped opportunities to grow search traffic with less effort.

  • Manual backlink building is crucial for smaller sites to improve their search rankings, as relying on natural backlinks is insufficient. The next lesson in the series will provide strategies for manual backlink building to help break into the competitive SEO landscape.


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