So maybe content is king after all!

by 21 replies
25
Just as a general FYI:

I recently created a new site. I spent the time writing fairly deep and extensive content. And while admittedly not a highly competitive keyword, in the space of 3 weeks, I went from page 5 on Google, to page 3, to page 2, and this week page 1 (around position 4). Moreover, not just for the "primary" keyword, but a number of other keywords too. Moreover, I didn't actually write the content with keywords in mind in terms of trying to use the keyword to meet some mystical "Density" ratio.

So maybe I'm being naive here and I'm just getting some Google honeymoon affect and will soon wake up to reality, but it got me thinking about ranking generally.

We've always heard Google/Cutts say "Write good content". And Google are somewhat guilty of creating their own backlinking mess due to having links affect your ranking, but if you stop to think for a second...the philosophy is to return the most relevant content for a users search. Google knows that people are engaging in a myriad of artificial ways to build links...come on, it's privileged to have the smartest engineers all under one roof. While they generally claim that links act as a form of "social proof", they know too that your average plumber isn't going to get much in the way of natural backlinks. We've seen them pull the rug out with their Panda/Penguin updates, and you can bet they'll do the same in the future.

So my anecdotal comment really here is I've made it to page 1 thinking only about the user and providing good content. I haven't build a single backlink and I guarantee you I haven't received any natural backlinks.

So ultimately, perhaps it really does come down to content...who would've thunk it
#search engine optimization #content #king
  • That's So True...
    Even I Ranked My 7 Days Old Blog On 1st Page Of Google (Medium Competion) Without Making Single Backlink To That Site..
  • Content marketing is more than writing blogs. Way more.
    If you’re just getting involved in content marketing, the first thing you need to do is launch your blog and start writing. Then, when your blog is established and purring along, try throwing in a new type of content. I predict that you’ll immediately see a difference — fresh traffic, targeted visitors, higher conversion rates, and better SEO.
    • You don’t need to try all of these examples - different content types suit different brands in different ways. If you don’t think that a certain type of content will serve you, no problem. This list isn’t about must-haves. It’s about maybes.
    • Don’t be afraid to try new stuff – I’ve found that some people shy away from new types of content because they think it will take too long, be too hard, or fall flat. I understand your apprehension, but I encourage you to try it anyway. Want to get started with a video? You don’t need to buy a green screen, editing software, or a pro-grade camera. Use your iPhone and your YouTube account. Start small and work your way up.
    • Pick one and put it in your schedule – if you use a content marketing schedule, slot one or two of these into the editorial calendar for the next month. If you don’t plan it, you probably won’t do it. I challenge you to pick one and give it a try sometime in the next four weeks.
    • This list is not exhaustive – I encourage you to think of content not in terms of types but ideas. The form that the content takes is secondary. The idea is primary. First, develop your idea. Then, determine what it’s going to look like. The variety of content is endless. Heck, you may even want to invent your own type of content.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • You are definitely being terribly naive. So you wrote on a subject that few others are competing for and it ranked? Nothing new. Google has to show something for a search result and if there is little to no competition for a phrase or keyword then your site may get up there. We get this every few months here in the forums over the years. Now show me a competitive niche where you rank with no links.

    Incidentally hard to say without looking at your serp but yes there is a honeymoon effect called QDF (query deserves freshness). Its made a whole lot of people figure they have hit the secret sauce with Google and then there site s fall.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Banned
      ...and probably logged into a Google account.
      • [ 3 ] Thanks
  • [DELETED]
  • Banned
    Yeah content is king and link is queen.
  • It's a confidence boost to rank for even a less popular keyword as that shows you are doing something right. Still most sites that are highly ranked even for very popular/high competition keywords are those which have numerous high quality, in depth/lengthy content pages that offer real quality advice to readers versus the flimsy low content pages often found on affiliate blogs. So, you are on the right path, just keep going in this direction. If your content is likable, others will start sharing links to it. That can only help your search engine ranking considering your site has such great content already.
  • same happened with me
  • First off, what's the competition like for that keyword and how much traffic are you receiving from your first page ranking?

    You can't rank on the first page for a decently profitable keyword without backlinks, much less a highly profitable keyword. Even a 500 searches/mth keyword would be fairly difficult to rank for without links, and that is if it's possible.
  • You will need a well established blog to rank for some medium keyword's, but again, to be well established, it will need back links.

    You can rank on Google with a new blog, but it has to be less competition keywords. I have a blog that's 2 weeks old ranking for low-medium competition keywords, but I am using social adr and SENUKE to build back links. Now I am not nuking crazy, I am slowing building links
  • Content is king... when it's written so well that it gets organic backlinks and thus provides link-juice to the other pages on the domain.
  • I totally agree with you IMMer1975 !!

    Content has always been king in the cyberspace! ....

    ...let me rephrase that ...

    QUALITY Content has always been king!

    If you want to benefit from the Search Engines - then you need to optimize your content for the search engines of course, but do not ever forget WHO you REALLY are writing to!!

    Humans!!!

    So keeping your target audience in mind while creating your content is very critical - just as optimizing your content with the right keywords for the search engines.

    I would say that you have to balance this here - learn how to write your content for your audience and also optimize it a little bit to get some organic search engine traffic.

    If you master both, you are going to be able to get a lot of free traffic to your blogs online!

    Great topic!!

    I wish you the best of the best!

    Cheers!
  • Yes, content is king and developing a relationship with your potential customers/clients. Here the following tips:
    1. Quality content to get them to your website.
    2. Spend time developing the relationship with people who come to your website.
    3. Interact with them on social media platforms.
    • [1] reply
    • I had to stop reading this thread because one more time I read
      someone echo, "Content is king!" I'm going to vomit all over my
      keyboard.

      Paul
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • [DELETED]
  • You are right. If you write good content you will rank better, sometimes it might take time but eventualy you will get there. I started dating site 10 months ago and all I did was write simple (not many keywords focused) content for home page and I wrote around 10 articles total within 3 months. I just left it like that. Last week I noticed I am on page 1,2,3,4 for many keywords and I made $490 of my site so far
  • Content is King but Backlinks are Queen. A country should have both of them.
  • Content comes first and a website without content isn't a website.
  • [DELETED]
    • [1] reply
    • Banned
      What a waste of my time this thread is.
      • [1] reply
  • just curious...

    how much content did you have on your page? Did it consist of a ton of words? did you mix in video and external links? Was it a blog set up with multiple posts or your average website with multiple pages?
  • Low competition - there is your answer
  • Ya you are right for the new websites without backlinks Google gives ranking on page one for one week, This happens to all new web sites this is called as Google dance after some time it gives the exact ranking position.
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    So maybe content is king after all!

    Just as a general FYI: I recently created a new site. I spent the time writing fairly deep and extensive content. And while admittedly not a highly competitive keyword, in the space of 3 weeks, I went from page 5 on Google, to page 3, to page 2, and this week page 1 (around position 4). Moreover, not just for the "primary" keyword, but a number of other keywords too. Moreover, I didn't actually write the content with keywords in mind in terms of trying to use the keyword to meet some mystical "Density" ratio.