And to say the truth, you can hardly find an untapped niche today. They're about 1.7 billion active URLs on the internet among which 500 million or more are blogs (2019 data).
Almost all niches you can think of have hundreds, if not thousands of bloggers.
Those people had established themselves with time. Then, you start to be wondering, won’t it take a century to rank for your keywords? Will you ever be known in the industry or niche?
This was how I felt when I started out. But with my research, I’d got the clues.
Those people had established themselves with time. Then, you start to be wondering, won’t it take a century to rank for your keywords? Will you ever be known in the industry or niche?
This was how I felt when I started out. But with my research, I’d got the clues.
With content and commitment, I can outrank any authority website in positions and for keywords.
Using the resources available, I achieved that eventually.
I’m here to share my experiences - how I did it.
This guide will show you how to use the same tricks to outrank your competition whether you own a new or an old yet-to-succeed blog.
You can outrank a website in the industry (niche) or in certain keywords.
"Industry" is the field, niche, or area of your writing.
"Keywords" represent information internet users are searching for.
It’s clearly possible to outrank an authority website or blog in both areas. While I can guarantee the latter in the short run, competing for industry positions will take more time and sweat.
I can explain…
Here is a quick way to know those who are already dominating the industry.
Search “latest admission updates” on Google.
As of the time of this post (2020), Google gave me this.
Those guys are the big guys Google has recognized for admission updates in Nigeria, for example.
My one-year-old blog – www.schoolcontents.info is not even on the first page. Like I said, that might take a few more months before I could join the league in the industry.
The answer is YES.
As earlier said, that would take time no matter what you do.
In fact, you may need to wait for some of them to be sanctioned by Google for the usual unforgivable offenses. They may get off that page sooner if they’re hit by core Google updates or periodic algorithms.
If nothing unnatural happens to these big guys, you may need to post your ass off with more quality content and go extra with commitment SEO before you can beat them by “industry” or “niche”.
Read Also: The Only 4 Reasons Your Blog and Posts Are Not Ranking On Page 1
Do your Google search again.
This time, we’re looking for some specific keywords.
Let’s try “College of Health Ilesa Technology admission requirements” and “How to upload results to the JAMB portal”.
For the first keywords, here is the result as of the time of this post.
With these keywords, my one-year-old blog outranked all the authority blogs. It stands at number 1. It maintains this position more often than number 2nd to 5th positions, in recent months.
I don’t remember the time it disappeared on page 1 in the last 12 months.
For the second keyword, the blog outranks several other authority blogs to stand at number 4 on page 1.
As a blogger, what you need most is being able to rank and outrank the keywords you’re writing on.
And a continually outranking in keywords will eventually catapult you to the authority status too. Don’t forget that the BIG guys also started somewhere.
Can You Outrank No 1 Blog in Your Industry?
Two things are involved.You can outrank a website in the industry (niche) or in certain keywords.
"Industry" is the field, niche, or area of your writing.
"Keywords" represent information internet users are searching for.
It’s clearly possible to outrank an authority website or blog in both areas. While I can guarantee the latter in the short run, competing for industry positions will take more time and sweat.
I can explain…
How to Identify Authority Websites For Your Niche
Let’s say your niche is “admission updates”. By this, you are to be updating prospective admission seekers on the latest news on education, scholarships, and admissions.Here is a quick way to know those who are already dominating the industry.
Search “latest admission updates” on Google.
As of the time of this post (2020), Google gave me this.
 |
| Google search results for authority blogs |
Those guys are the big guys Google has recognized for admission updates in Nigeria, for example.
My one-year-old blog – www.schoolcontents.info is not even on the first page. Like I said, that might take a few more months before I could join the league in the industry.
Can You Outrank These Guys?
The question again, can you beat these guys on page 1 for the “authority”?The answer is YES.
As earlier said, that would take time no matter what you do.
In fact, you may need to wait for some of them to be sanctioned by Google for the usual unforgivable offenses. They may get off that page sooner if they’re hit by core Google updates or periodic algorithms.
If nothing unnatural happens to these big guys, you may need to post your ass off with more quality content and go extra with commitment SEO before you can beat them by “industry” or “niche”.
Read Also: The Only 4 Reasons Your Blog and Posts Are Not Ranking On Page 1
How to Identify Authority Websites for Your Keywords
This time, we’re looking for some specific keywords.
Let’s try “College of Health Ilesa Technology admission requirements” and “How to upload results to the JAMB portal”.
For the first keywords, here is the result as of the time of this post.
With these keywords, my one-year-old blog outranked all the authority blogs. It stands at number 1. It maintains this position more often than number 2nd to 5th positions, in recent months.
I don’t remember the time it disappeared on page 1 in the last 12 months.
For the second keyword, the blog outranks several other authority blogs to stand at number 4 on page 1.
How to Achieve Outranking in Keywords
Having said that it’s hard to outrank an authority website in terms of the niche, but it’s not as difficult to achieve the same for certain keywords.As a blogger, what you need most is being able to rank and outrank the keywords you’re writing on.
And a continually outranking in keywords will eventually catapult you to the authority status too. Don’t forget that the BIG guys also started somewhere.
1. Keywords Research Is Still the Key
Hearing the term often can cause more harm than help. People have listed to hundreds of lectures about keyword research. Some go to the extent of buying courses and tools. Yet, it seems like a journey to heaven.
If I may help. Don't stress any further in your learning and implementing tactics about keyword research.
In a simple sentence, just look for what people are truly searching for, which can easily get on your Google Console and Google suggestions. Those methods are enough to scale you through the hurdle of keyword research.
2. Go Beyond Keyword Research
The umbrella your competition is hiding under is still keyword research. Can't you go beyond that? They're doing what you're doing. Then expect the same result. If you must get a better result, you need to go beyond keyword research.
I've suggested 5 Tactics to Write For Real Searches while treating the beyond-keyword-researches scenario.
3. Treating Blogging as a Customer Care Centre
There is probably no better way to know what to write about without your primary intention to improve your customer care services through the blog. As an individual blog also, you may need to picture every visitor as a potential buyer.
Before asking, imagine it for them. Before complaining, address the possible challenges.
Every aspect of your business from marketing, to sales, and after-sales services will need to answer certain queries. Address all in advance.
Read Also: Best Blog Writing Techniques: How To Write Unique Posts
What New Blogs Should Do to Outrank Competition
If you own a new blog, follow the quick guide below to outrank those authority blogs in your niche.1. Concentrate More on Long-Tail Keywords
You can’t beat those before you easily if you’re writing what they’ve written or are currently writing. Check for what they are not including in their keywords and write on it. I detailed this and more in the post, "How To Make Posts Rank When Others Have Already Written Them".2. Depart from Similar Areas
If they are ranking for terms such as how to design logos, go for how and where to use professional logos. If they are covering updates on admission lists, concentrate on tuitions of those schools.
3. Go for Basic Guides
The authority blogs don’t have time to work on basic topics again. They’re having a bigger audience to serve. Leave them there and talk basics to gain a new set of readers.
This post will help you have a good understanding of how to use basics and non-pillar posts to rank your blog.
4. Avoid Posting the Latest Things Only
Give more attention to old needed things people are searching for. If you want to join the league of people sharing the latest, they will shadow your domain. Their audience knows where to check for the latest updates. They don’t really go through Google. They visit the websites directly.
5. Use your Personal Voice
Present your articles in your own way but be professional. Don’t imitate anybody here. Readers know you’re copying when you talk or write like someone else. Hence, they will prefer the person to you. This is how to make your posts unique.
Let’s see what could be wrong. But before then, take note.
What Old Blogs Should Do to Outrank Competition
Truth be told, if your blog is as old as two years and you’re not ranking for your targeted keywords, it simply means some things are wrong.Let’s see what could be wrong. But before then, take note.
If your blog is less than 5 years without great work and commitment, you shouldn’t be seeing yourself as an authority yet. You don’t call yourself an authority. It’s what the users call you and it’s what Google calls you.
Now check the following areas if you’re still lagging behind in ranking for keywords.
1. You Can Start Afresh
I don't mean you should delete your existing blog and start all over. With my recommendations for the new blogs above, you must have seen what you're doing wrong.Take the pain. Delete poor content, and edit and empower them, if possible. Take the 5 suggestions above seriously for your old blog too.
2. Check for Copy and Paste
Hope you’re not a victim of copying and pasting other people's works. If you are, forget outranking those you’re copying.I explained this in “ Number 1 Worst Way to Start Blogging for Money”.
3. Check for Plagiarism
I don’t see plagiarism as copy and pasting. It’s more complex than that. It’s best explained as repetition or reproduction of the same work others have covered just as they covered it. An authority blog wrote, “15 ways to achieve successes”. You also wrote, “15 ways to achieve success”.
And to make things worse, you discuss literally the same points. Even if they are writing in your own vocabulary, you’re still copying.
Go beyond others; bring in personal experiences, and use pictures, screenshots, and chats to differentiate your work. In fact, argue against their points if possible. I discussed this more in the post “4 Reasons Your Blog and Posts Are Not Ranking On Page 1”.
I had done this and I’ve seen others doing it. The rule never changed – content, commitment, and better.
Do you think it’s too hard to get to the top of authority websites/blogs? Have you applied these tactics without success in the past? Do you know better ways to outrank the big guys on the first page of a Google search? Share your experience. Leave a comment below.
Conclusion
Outranking authority blogs and posts is nothing unachievable. All you must get right is what it takes. And if you can give that, I assure you it works.I had done this and I’ve seen others doing it. The rule never changed – content, commitment, and better.
Do you think it’s too hard to get to the top of authority websites/blogs? Have you applied these tactics without success in the past? Do you know better ways to outrank the big guys on the first page of a Google search? Share your experience. Leave a comment below.
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