Skyscraper technique: how it works (and when it doesn't)

The skyscraper technique is a link building strategy in three steps: you find content that already has plenty of backlinks, you build a clearly better version of it, and you approach the sites linking to the original to ask them to point at you instead. It was coined by Brian Dean of Backlinko. The idea still holds up, but let’s be honest: it works far less easily than it did ten years ago. In this article you’ll read how it works, why it delivers less than promised, and how to still get something out of it as a B2B company. Not familiar with the basics yet? Then start with what link building actually is.

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What exactly is the skyscraper technique?

The skyscraper technique owes its name to a simple idea: if there’s already a tall building, you just put up a taller one next to it. Applied to SEO, that means: find the best-performing content on a topic, build something demonstrably better, and then take the links away from the original.

The logic behind it is that most backlinks, as research by Ahrefs also shows, don’t arrive on their own. A site that links to an external source does so because it had no better alternative. If a stronger source now exists, chances are good it would rather point there. So you’re filling a gap that already exists.

That makes it more attractive than publishing content blindly and hoping. You’re aiming at demand that has already been proven, not at a guess.

How does the skyscraper technique work in three steps?

The technique breaks down into three clear steps.

Step 1: find content with strong backlinks. Look for pages that rank well on your topic and have plenty of referring domains. A tool like Ahrefs or SE Ranking will do it: pick a relevant keyword, see what ranks, and sort by number of backlinks. Lots of links is a sign that the page currently counts as the best source.

Step 2: build a better version. Not longer for the sake of longer, but genuinely better. Look for what the original is missing: absent sections, outdated figures, broken links, weak examples. Make your version more current, more concrete and more usable. Fresh, up-to-date content is an argument you can use later in your outreach.

Step 3: approach the referring sites. Pull the list of sites linking to the original, filter for dofollow links, and throw out spammy or dead domains. Email the remaining contacts personally and ask whether they’d include your better source. This is the hardest step, and immediately the step where most people get stuck.

Why does this link building strategy work less well today?

When Brian Dean launched the technique, outreach was still reasonably fresh. By now every editor gets dozens of these emails a week, and most recognise the template instantly. Three reasons why the returns have dropped:

• Everyone does it. A generic “I’ve written something better” email lands in the bin unread almost every time. Your response rate is often below a couple of percent.
• More words is not more value. Google doesn’t judge on length but on whether you genuinely answer the search query. A 5,000-word article that repeats the same things doesn’t beat a sharp 1,500-word one.
• Authority counts for a lot. A site won’t just swap an established source for your young domain. If you have little authority, bigger sites will often ignore you, no matter how good your content is.

Honest advice: the skyscraper technique isn’t a button you press for guaranteed links. It’s hard work, it takes a lot of time, and success is never certain. For those who know that, it can still be a useful tactic within a broader link building strategy.

How do you avoid the most common mistakes?

Three mistakes sink most skyscraper campaigns, and all three are avoidable.

Overestimating your reach. If you approach sites that link to an authoritative source while your own domain still has little authority, you’ll come up empty. Aim at sites within your range. As you earn more strong links, your authority grows and you can reach higher.

Picking the wrong keyword. A keyword that’s too broad, like “SEO”, produces chaos: no sharp angle, no clear audience. A specific, often long-tail keyword that fits your customer works far better; solid keyword research the way Ahrefs describes it helps you get that right. For B2B that means: pick topics your ideal customer really searches for, not the biggest search volumes.

Not personalising. Sites link to the same source for different reasons: for a figure, a definition, an example. If you email everyone with exactly the same template, your response rate collapses. Segment your list and show each group why your source is a better fit for their reason to link.

Does the skyscraper technique suit a B2B company?

This is where we look at things differently from the average SEO blog. The skyscraper technique was designed for sites that run on volume: lots of traffic, lots of links, lots of pages. A B2B company is not a webshop. You don’t need ten thousand visitors a month, you need a handful of the right customers.

That changes the maths. A hundred extra backlinks to a generic article are worth little if none of those visitors ever becomes a customer. One strong page that removes exactly your buyer’s doubt and leads them to a quote is worth far more.

So don’t steer on the number of links or the number of words. Steer on leads and revenue. Use the skyscraper idea mainly as a way of thinking: what is the best source on this topic, and can I build it? But always tie it to a page that also convinces the visitor. Otherwise you’re putting up a taller building that nobody walks into.

We’re a small team and we’d rather work on a few pages that genuinely produce leads than on a large-scale outreach machine that mainly produces vanity numbers. Want to know whether link building is even your weak spot? Then look at your technical SEO and your content first. The gain is often there, not in more links.

Frequently asked questions about the skyscraper technique

Who invented the skyscraper technique? The technique was devised and named by Brian Dean, founder of Backlinko. He described the idea of outdoing the best-performing content on a topic and taking over its backlinks.

Does the skyscraper technique still work in 2026? The underlying idea still holds, but it works less easily than it used to. Outreach gets far fewer replies because everyone uses the same approach, and longer content alone no longer convinces Google. It can work, but count on a lot of effort and no guarantees.

How long before you see results? You can expect replies to your outreach within a few days, positive or negative. But the effect of new backlinks on your rankings often takes weeks to months. SEO is a patience game.

Is more words always better? No. Length is not a ranking factor. What matters is whether you answer the search query fully and clearly. A sharp, complete article beats a long article that repeats itself.

What’s a good alternative for B2B? Focus on a small number of strong pages around the topics your ideal customer searches for, and make sure those pages convert. Combine that with targeted, personal link building instead of mass outreach.

Rather steer on customers than on link scores?

The skyscraper technique is a handy way of thinking, but no miracle cure, and certainly not if your goal is leads and revenue rather than isolated numbers. We help Belgian B2B companies deploy SEO and content that doesn’t just rank, but also brings in the right customers. Curious where the real gain is for you? Take a look at our SEO approach or take the first step right away.

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