Dethroning the King: Why Great Content Won’t Beat Your Competition

Content may be king, but without SEO, content rules over very few subjects; if you discount the finer points of SEO, your amazing content will get you nowhere.

Not too long ago, I posted an — admittedly more technical/advanced — SEO article on subdomains vs subfolders to my blog and promoted it through various social channels, including LinkedIn. Not long afterwards, a few less-than-positive comments surfaced in the LinkedIn discussions, all of them were hawking the same tired rhetoric. Here’s one:

“wont make a difference. what matters is quality content and giving the user what they want”

There is a business-ruining problem with this view. Of course, the thing that matters most is quality content! However, there are literally hundreds of companies in almost every niche who think that all they have to do is produce good content, and they will be successful. It is simply not the case in an even relatively competitive market.

It’s good that you recognize that your content must be high-quality to gain traffic, but guess what? So does everyone else. Just writing amazing content will do you absolutely no good if people don’t see it, and your competition knows this. So they’re writing amazing content AND optimizing it. If you persist in the narrow “build it and they will come” view, you’re going to be left behind.

• Swimmer’s analogy
• Why worry about technical SEO? 
• Content and SEO need each other
• FAQ: How can I beat SEO competition with great content?

A Swimmer’s Analogy

People do SEO for the same reason professional swimmers shave their body hair (weird analogy, but bear with me). It improves most swimmers’ times by fewer than a handful of milliseconds, but they all do it. Why? Because they need every advantage they can get to beat the competition. Every professional competitive swimmer is doing the basics. They all eat well, exercise, swim often, study proper form, etc ad infinitum. But they also do these little, seemingly unimportant things because competition is tough, and if they don’t take every advantage they can, they will be beaten.

Why Worry About Technical SEO?

Likewise, every site ranking in the top positions for the keywords you want to target is doing the basics. They’ve all created what they believe to be high-quality content. It’s likely they’ve done keyword research and built links. They’ve probably built up some social presence through a Facebook page or an X.com account. They may have even conducted A/B tests and optimized landing pages. So what does this mean? If you want to beat your competition, you have to be doing more than they are.

I don’t think I need to tell you how much better a #1 spot on a SERP is than a #2 or #3 position. And often, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of websites competing for that top spot. If the only thing you’re doing is creating amazing content, you are going to lose, because your competition is doing everything you’re doing and more. You simply will not outrank a site that is creating original content and implementing technical SEO if you focus solely on how great your content is.

So sure, subdomains and subfolders aren’t nearly as important as having consistent, high-quality content, but that is exactly the point. Every serious (read: non-black-hat) marketer in a legitimate industry knows that you need a quality offering to outrank the competition.

Content and SEO Need Each Other

SEO isn’t a band-aid to cover or make up for thin content, and likewise, great content won’t get far in search without SEO.

I’m not saying that you forgo content creation until you decide how you’re going to implement the rel=”author” tag or whether you’ll use 301s or rel=”canonical” tags for archived content. I’m saying that unless you’re doing both, you cannot compete in a saturated search market. And the number of unsaturated markets is growing thin.

The idea behind the “content is king” catchphrase that we keep hearing is sound; you won’t get far if your content sucks. But often, search marketers take this idea too far (as demonstrated by the quote that spawned this post) and use it to discount the more technical aspects of SEO. Marketers with this viewpoint bury their heads in the sand and allow their competitors to walk right over them.

In every case, you need to be doing everything you can — from creating solid, informative content to using title tags and doing deep competitive backlink analysis — to outrank your competition. You could think of SEO — be it basic or advanced — as another way of showing the search engines (and consequently, visitors) that your content is worthwhile.

SEO is not an easy thing. And if you’re not willing to do it all, someone who is will outrank you.

Ready to take your content to the next level so you can beat your competition? Let’s talk. 

FAQ: How Can I Beat SEO Competition with Great Content?

Saying ahead of the SEO competition is a challenge many businesses face. Quality content is undoubtedly one of the most potent weapons in your arsenal, but how can you use it to beat the competition?

1. Understand Your Audience

You must first understand your target audience to create great content that outranks your competition. Conduct thorough market research to identify their needs, preferences, and pain points. Knowing your audience allows you to craft content that resonates with them.

2. Keyword Research and Optimization

In the world of SEO, keywords are king. Perform comprehensive keyword research to identify relevant and high-traffic keywords. Integrate these keywords strategically into your content, including in titles, headings, and throughout the body.

3. Quality Over Quantity

While consistency is essential, prioritize quality over quantity. Engaging, well-researched, and informative content will bring in more readers. You can stand out by becoming an authority in your niche.

4. Create Engaging Headlines

Craft compelling headlines that grab your audience’s attention. A great headline can significantly improve click-through rates and user engagement, vital ranking factors.

5. Visual Content

Incorporate images, infographics, and videos into your content. Visual elements make your content more appealing and help explain complex topics, keeping your audience engaged.

6. Mobile Optimization

With the increasing use of mobile devices, optimizing your content for mobile is crucial. Ensure your website is responsive and loads quickly and that your content is easily readable on small screens.

7. User Experience Matters

A seamless user experience on your website is essential. Fast loading times, intuitive navigation, and clear, organized content layout are key factors in retaining and attracting visitors.

8. Build Backlinks

High-quality backlinks from reputable sources signal that your content is valuable to search engines. Engage in outreach, collaborate with influencers, and create shareable content to earn backlinks.

9. Regular Updates

Search engines favor fresh content. Regularly update your existing content and add new pieces to keep your website relevant and engaging.

10. Monitor and Analyze

Use analytics tools to track your content’s performance. Measure engagement, track rankings, and adjust your strategies accordingly.

In the competitive realm of SEO, excellent content is your secret weapon. You can rise above the competition by understanding your audience, conducting thorough keyword research, and focusing on quality over quantity. Engaging headlines, visual content, and mobile optimization will make your content more accessible. Focusing on user experience, backlink building, and regular updates will further enhance your SEO efforts.

Remember that SEO is a continuous journey; staying ahead of the competition requires dedication, adaptability, and a commitment to providing exceptional content.

Step-by-Step Guide: Beating SEO Competition with Great Content

1. Understand Your Audience: Conduct in-depth market research to identify your target audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points.
2. Keyword Research and Optimization: Perform comprehensive keyword research and strategically incorporate high-traffic keywords into your content.
3. Prioritize Quality Content: Focus on creating informative, engaging, and authoritative content that stands out in your niche.
4. Create Engaging Headlines: Craft compelling headlines that grab your audience’s attention and improve click-through rates.
5. Incorporate Visual Content: Use images, infographics, and videos to enhance your content and keep your audience engaged.
6. Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your website and content are mobile-friendly to cater to users on various devices.
7. Enhance User Experience: Prioritize fast loading times, intuitive navigation, and a clear content layout for a seamless user experience.
8. Build Backlinks: Earn high-quality backlinks from reputable sources through outreach, influencer collaboration, and shareable content.
9. Regular Updates: Keep your content fresh by updating and adding new articles.
10. Monitor and Analyze: Utilize analytics tools to track your content’s performance, measure engagement, and make necessary adjustments to your strategies.

This article was updated on November 16, 2023.

Mitch Monsen is an SEO with years of experience creating quality content for web properties. He currently operates WhiteFireSEO, a Utah SEO company that serves clients across the United States. You can find him on Twitter, @mmonsen7.

See mmonsen's author page for links to connect on social media.