Skyscraper Technique

Build high-quality backlinks systematically using Brian Dean's proven 3-step content marketing framework—find link-worthy content, make something 10x better, and reach out to the right people.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

Build backlinks to improve search rankings
Create content with pre-validated demand for links
Outrank competitors on specific topics
Develop link-building campaigns that actually work
Promote new content to relevant websites
Increase domain authority through quality links
Launch a new site and need initial backlink momentum
Revive old content with a strategic update

This skill is particularly valuable for:

SEO professionals building link campaigns
Content marketers needing distribution strategy
Startups competing with established players
Anyone frustrated with "publish and pray" content approaches
Marketers who want predictable link-building results

Methodology Foundation

Source: Brian Dean - Backlinko (2013-present)

Core Principle: Find the "tallest skyscraper" in your space—content that already attracts many backlinks—and build something even better. Then reach out to people who linked to the original, offering them a superior resource.

"It's human nature to be attracted to the best. And what you're doing here is finding the 'tallest skyscraper' in your space… and slapping 20 stories to the top of it."

What Claude Does vs What You Decide

Claude Does	You Decide
Structures video workflow	Final creative vision
Suggests shot compositions	Equipment selection
Creates storyboard templates	Brand aesthetics
Generates script frameworks	Final approval
Identifies technical requirements	Budget allocation

What This Skill Does

When invoked, I will guide you through the Skyscraper Technique:

Find linkable assets - Identify content with proven backlink potential
Analyze the opportunity - Evaluate if the topic is worth pursuing
Plan the improvement - Define how to make content substantially better
Create 10x content - Build something objectively superior
Build prospect list - Export and qualify outreach targets
Craft outreach emails - Write personalized, effective pitches
Track and iterate - Monitor results and optimize approach

How to Use

Provide information about your link-building challenge:

Example prompts:

"I want to build backlinks for my SaaS blog using the Skyscraper Technique"
"Help me find linkable assets in the project management niche"
"Create an outreach campaign for my guide on [topic]"
"Analyze this competitor's content for Skyscraper opportunities"
"Write outreach emails for my improved version of [content]"

Information that helps:

Your niche/industry
Target keywords or topics
Competitor URLs you've identified
Content you want to promote
Current domain authority/backlink profile
Resources available (time, team, tools)

Instructions

The Three-Step Framework

Overview

Step	Action	Outcome
Step 1	Find Link-Worthy Content	Proven topic with backlink demand
Step 2	Make Something 10x Better	Clearly superior content
Step 3	Reach Out to the Right People	Targeted, qualified prospects

Step 1: Find Proven Linkable Assets

A linkable asset is a high-value page you can leverage for links repeatedly. The key is finding content that has ALREADY earned significant backlinks.

What Makes Good Linkable Assets

Type	Description	Example
Ultimate Guides	Comprehensive topic coverage	"Complete Guide to [Topic]"
Original Research	Data-driven studies	"2024 State of [Industry]"
Resource Lists	Curated collections	"100 Best Tools for [Task]"
How-to Content	Step-by-step tutorials	"How to [Achieve Result]"
Statistics Roundups	Compiled data points	"[Topic] Statistics 2024"

How to Find Linkable Assets

Method 1: Backlink Analysis Tools

Use Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz to find competitor's most-linked pages:

Enter competitor domain
Go to "Best by Links" or "Top Pages" report
Sort by referring domains
Identify content topics with 50-100+ linking domains

Method 2: Search + Analyze

Search your target keyword
Analyze top-ranking pages in backlink tool
Compare backlink profiles
Identify most-linked content on the topic

Method 3: Content Explorer

Use Ahrefs Content Explorer or BuzzSumo:

Search your topic
Filter by "Referring domains" (high to low)
Find content with substantial backlinks
Analyze what made it link-worthy

Selection Criteria

Criterion	Minimum	Ideal
Referring Domains	50+	100+
Domain Quality	Mix of sites	Authority sites in niche
Topic Relevance	Related to your niche	Core to your expertise
Improvement Potential	Some gaps	Clear weaknesses
Content Age	Under 5 years	2-3 years (outdated)

Step 2: Make Something 10x Better

The original technique emphasized being "better"—but that bar has risen dramatically. You now need to be substantially, objectively superior.

The 10x Better Framework

Dimension	How to Improve	Example
More Comprehensive	Cover more sub-topics	50 items → 200 items
More Current	Update outdated info	2021 stats → 2024 stats
Better Designed	Superior visual presentation	Plain text → Custom graphics
More Thorough	Add depth to each point	Bullet points → Detailed explanations
More Original	Add unique research/insights	Compiled info → Original data

Creating 10x Content

1. Comprehensive Improvement

If the original has "50 Tips," create "200+ Tips" but ONLY if you can maintain quality. Length without value is counterproductive.

2. Freshness Improvement

Find content with outdated:

Statistics and data
Tool recommendations
Best practices
Examples and case studies
Industry trends

Update everything with current information.

3. Design Improvement

Add:

Custom illustrations and diagrams
Professional header graphics
Better typography and formatting
Interactive elements
Downloadable resources

4. Depth Improvement

Transform:

Bullet lists → Detailed explanations
Generic advice → Specific tactics
Assertions → Evidence-backed claims
Theory → Step-by-step tutorials

5. Originality Improvement

Include:

Original research and surveys
Expert quotes and interviews
Case studies with real data
Unique frameworks and models
First-hand experience

The Critical Test

Ask yourself: "If I were the site owner, would I update my link to point to this instead?"

If the answer isn't an obvious "yes," your content isn't different enough.

Step 3: Reach Out to the Right People

This is where most people fail. The power of the Skyscraper Technique is reaching pre-qualified prospects—people who have already linked to similar content.

Building Your Prospect List

1. Export Backlinks

Use your SEO tool to export all referring domains to the original content.

2. Clean the List

Remove:

Forums and Q&A sites (usually nofollow)
Article directories
Bookmarking sites
Irrelevant/unrelated sites
Low-quality domains
Sites that no longer exist

Keep:

Blogs in your niche
Industry publications
Resource pages
Roundup posts
Educational sites

3. Find Contact Information

For each qualified site:

Find the article author
Locate their email (Hunter.io, FindThatLead)
Note the specific page they linked from
Understand context of the original link

Crafting Effective Outreach

The Foundation Email Structure:

1. Personalized opener (show you read their content)
2. Reference to the link they already have
3. Introduction of your improved content
4. Clear value proposition (why yours is better)
5. Easy next step (specific suggestion)
6. Non-pushy close

Modern Outreach Template:

Subject: Quick note about your [Topic] article

Hey [Name],

I was reading your article on [specific article topic] and really enjoyed [specific point they made—be genuine].

I noticed you linked to [Original Article Name] as a resource for [context of the link].

I just published a significantly updated take on that topic: [Your URL]

What makes it different:
• [Specific improvement #1]
• [Specific improvement #2]
• [Specific improvement #3]

Might be a helpful update for your readers since [reason—e.g., the original is now 3 years old].

Either way, loved your piece on [topic].

[Your Name]

Outreach Do's and Don'ts:

Do	Don't
Personalize every email	Use obvious templates
Be specific about improvements	Say "I wrote something better"
Reference their actual content	Be generic
Make linking easy	Create friction
Accept "no" gracefully	Follow up aggressively
Provide value first	Ask for favors

Tracking Results

Metric	Target	Excellent
Open Rate	30%+	50%+
Reply Rate	10%+	20%+
Link Rate	5%+	10%+

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Pitfall	Why It Fails	Solution
Marginal improvement	Not compelling enough to switch links	Aim for 10x better
Template outreach	Everyone uses the same templates	Write genuinely personal emails
Wrong prospects	Targeting irrelevant sites	Clean list thoroughly
No follow-up	People miss emails	One polite follow-up after 7 days
Giving up early	Link building takes time	Commit to 100+ outreach emails
Ignoring quality	Chasing quantity over quality	Focus on getting 10 great links vs. 50 weak ones

Examples

Example 1: B2B SaaS Blog

Context: Marketing automation SaaS wanting to rank for "email marketing statistics"

Step 1: Find Linkable Assets

Search "email marketing statistics" and analyze top results:

HubSpot's stats page: 340 referring domains
Campaign Monitor's stats: 280 referring domains
Mailchimp's benchmark report: 420 referring domains

Analysis:

Most are 1-2 years old
Mix of original and compiled data
Some have broken source links
Design quality varies

Step 2: Make It 10x Better

Content Plan:

Compile 150+ statistics (vs. competitor's 50)
Add 2024 original survey data (500+ marketers)
Update all outdated stats with current sources
Create custom data visualization graphics
Add expert commentary from industry leaders
Include interactive calculator for benchmarking
Design downloadable infographic summary

Improvement Matrix:

Dimension	Competitor	Our Version
Statistics count	50	150+
Data recency	2022	2024
Original data	No	Yes (survey)
Expert quotes	No	8 experts
Visual design	Basic	Custom graphics
Downloadables	No	Infographic + PDF

Step 3: Outreach

Export referring domains from top competitor (340 sites).

After cleaning: 180 qualified prospects

Sample Outreach Email:

Subject: Updated resource for your email marketing guide

Hi Sarah,

Your article "Complete Guide to Email Marketing for Startups" is one of my go-to resources for clients just getting started—the section on list building is especially practical.

I noticed you link to [Competitor]'s email statistics page from 2022.

We just published our 2024 email marketing statistics report that might be a good update:
[URL]

What's different:
• 150+ statistics (vs. ~50 in the original)
• Original data from our survey of 500 marketers
• All sources updated to 2024
• Industry-specific benchmarks (SaaS, ecommerce, etc.)

Happy to share the data in a spreadsheet too if that's helpful for your readers.

Best,
[Name]

Expected Results:

180 emails sent
54 opens (30%)
18 replies (10%)
9-15 links earned (5-8%)

Example 2: Personal Finance Blog

Context: New personal finance site wanting to build authority on "budget templates"

Step 1: Find Linkable Assets

Analyze "free budget template" content:

NerdWallet template page: 180 referring domains
Mint's budgeting guide: 220 referring domains
Various Excel template roundups: 50-100 each

Insight: Resource pages and roundups frequently link to budget templates.

Step 2: Make It 10x Better

Content Plan: "The Ultimate Budget Template Library"

Element	Competitors	Our Version
Templates offered	1-5	25 templates
Formats	Excel only	Excel, Google Sheets, Notion, PDF
User types	Generic	Specific (students, families, freelancers, retirees)
Tutorial content	Basic	Video walkthrough for each
Customization	None	Instructions for modification
Design quality	Functional	Professionally designed

Additional Differentiators:

Template comparison quiz (find your perfect template)
Monthly budget challenges
Community showcase of customized templates
Expert tips from financial planners

Step 3: Outreach Strategy

Target two groups:

Group A: Sites linking to competitor templates (150 prospects)

Pitch: "More comprehensive template collection"

Group B: Personal finance resource pages (75 prospects)

Pitch: "Excellent addition to your resources section"

Sample Email for Resource Page:

Subject: Resource for your budgeting tools page

Hi Mike,

I stumbled across your "Best Free Financial Tools" page while researching budgeting apps—great collection, especially the debt payoff calculator recommendation.

I noticed you don't have a dedicated budget template resource listed.

We just released a free template library with 25 budget templates:
[URL]

Covers different life situations (students, families, freelancers, retirees) and formats (Excel, Google Sheets, Notion, PDF).

Might be a good fit alongside your other tools?

Cheers,
[Name]

Expected Results:

225 total prospects
12-18 links from template replacement
5-8 links from resource page additions
Total: 17-26 new backlinks

Checklists & Templates

Linkable Asset Evaluation Checklist

Before pursuing a Skyscraper opportunity:

Demand Validation

Content has 50+ referring domains minimum
Backlinks are from quality, relevant sites
Topic is relevant to your audience and expertise
Search volume exists for the topic

Improvement Potential

Content is at least 1-2 years old
Clear gaps in coverage or depth
Outdated information that can be updated
Design/UX can be significantly improved
You can add original data or insights

Feasibility

You have expertise to create better content
Resources available (time, design, research)
Can realistically create 10x better version
Enough prospects to make outreach worthwhile

Content Improvement Planning Template

ORIGINAL CONTENT ANALYSIS
=========================
URL: [Competitor URL]
Title: [Title]
Referring Domains: [Number]
Last Updated: [Date]
Word Count: [Number]

GAPS & WEAKNESSES
=================
□ Missing topics: [List]
□ Outdated information: [List]
□ Poor design elements: [List]
□ Lack of depth on: [List]
□ Missing media types: [List]

10X IMPROVEMENT PLAN
====================
1. Comprehensive: [How we'll cover more]
2. Current: [What we'll update]
3. Design: [Visual improvements]
4. Depth: [Where we'll go deeper]
5. Original: [Unique elements we'll add]

UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION
========================
What makes ours objectively better:
1. [Improvement #1]
2. [Improvement #2]
3. [Improvement #3]

TARGET METRICS
==============
□ Word count: [Target]
□ Subtopics covered: [Number]
□ Original graphics: [Number]
□ Expert quotes: [Number]
□ Downloadable resources: [List]

Outreach Tracking Template

CAMPAIGN: [Topic/URL]
=====================
Content URL: [Your URL]
Competitor URL: [Original Content]
Launch Date: [Date]

PROSPECT LIST
=============
Total exported: [Number]
After cleaning: [Number]
Emails found: [Number]

OUTREACH METRICS
================
Emails sent: ___
Opens: ___ (___%)
Replies: ___ (___%)
Links earned: ___ (___%)

LINK LOG
========
| Date | Site | DA | Link URL | Notes |
|------|------|-----|----------|-------|
|      |      |     |          |       |

FOLLOW-UP SCHEDULE
==================
□ Day 7: First follow-up to non-responders
□ Day 14: Final follow-up (optional)

LEARNINGS
=========
What worked: [Notes]
What didn't: [Notes]
Adjustments for next campaign: [Notes]

Quick Outreach Email Checklist

Before sending each email:

Used their actual name (not "Hi there")
Referenced specific content they wrote
Made a genuine, specific compliment
Clearly stated why content is better (not just "better")
Included direct link to content
Made the ask easy and specific
Kept it under 150 words
Proofread for errors
Checked their link still exists and is relevant

Skill Boundaries

What This Skill Does Well

Structuring video production workflows
Creating storyboard frameworks
Suggesting technical approaches
Providing creative direction templates

What This Skill Cannot Do

Replace professional videography
Edit video files directly
Make final creative judgments
Guarantee audience engagement

References

Primary Sources:

Dean, Brian. "Skyscraper Method: +110% Traffic (Link Building Case Study)." Backlinko.
Dean, Brian. "Link Building for SEO: The Definitive Guide." Backlinko.
Dean, Brian. "Link Building Strategies: The Complete List." Backlinko.

Additional Resources:

Backlinko blog: backlinko.com
Ahrefs Link Building Guide
Semrush "What Is the Skyscraper Technique"

Related Skills

seo-content-writer - Creating SEO-optimized content
content-writing - Writing excellence for any content
email-writing - Crafting effective outreach emails
competitive-analysis - Analyzing competitor content and backlinks
content-strategy - Planning content for business goals

skyscraper-technique