Why Is My Competitor SEO Outranking Me? Marketing Real Talk with Favour Obasi-ike
Why Is My Competitor SEO Outranking Me? Marketing Real Talk with Favour Obasi-Ike (Glossary)| Get exclusive SEO newsletters in your inbox.
🍪 Learn how to Outrank your Competitors with Strategic SEO and Content in this episode as we center on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and strategies for outranking competitors for online search results. Key factors highlighted for improved ranking include content volume and depth, domain longevity, the incorporation of diverse media such as videos and infographics, and adherence to Google's E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust) principles.
The conversation also emphasizes the importance of consistent content creation, utilizing platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn for broader reach, and analyzing competitor strategies using tools like Screaming Frog.
Ultimately, success in SEO is tied not just to ranking, but to converting traffic into sales through compelling offers and strong brand engagement, especially for local businesses via Google Business Profile optimization.
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FAQs
What are the main reasons a competitor might outrank me in SEO?
Competitors often outrank others for several key reasons:
- Content Volume and Longevity: They may have a greater number of pages dedicated to a specific topic or have content that has been published and active for a longer period, building trust and authority over time.
- Rich Media and Content Diversity: Successful competitors often incorporate diverse content types such as videos, infographics, tables, FAQ sections, glossaries, checklists, white papers, or lead magnets. They also use "clusters" or subtopics to provide comprehensive coverage of a main topic.
- Consistent Content Creation and Distribution: They actively create and distribute content across multiple platforms, such as podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts, then push this content to their website and email lists, creating a "compounding interest" effect.
- Adherence to E-E-A-T Principles: Google's algorithm (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) favors websites that consistently demonstrate these qualities. Competitors who maintain active, responsible, and responsive domains that align with E-E-A-T guidelines are rewarded.
- Depth and Quality of Content: Their content offers significant value, often being longer reads (7-30 minutes or more) and providing in-depth information. This increases engagement metrics like watch time for videos and reading time on websites, building a higher trust score for their site.
- Contextual and Experiential Information: They go beyond basic information to provide rich context, educational value, and an "experience" for the user, like describing the warmth and enjoyment of chocolate chip cookies, which resonates more deeply with the audience and signals value to the algorithm.
How does consistent content creation impact SEO rankings and user trust?
Consistent content creation is crucial for both SEO rankings and building user trust. When you consistently publish high-quality, relevant content:
- Algorithm Favorability: Search engine algorithms, like Google's, prioritize fresh and regularly updated content. Frequent updates signal an active and valuable resource, leading to better visibility.
- Topical Authority: Consistently covering a topic from various angles and through numerous subtopics (content clusters) establishes your website as an authority in that niche. This comprehensive approach tells search engines that your site is a go-to source for information, improving your ranking for related keywords.
- Increased Engagement: Regular content provides more opportunities for users to engage with your site. Longer articles, videos, and podcasts increase "dwell time" (time spent on your page), which is a positive signal to search engines that users find your content valuable.
- Trust and Loyalty: Just like building a relationship, trust is built over time. If you consistently provide valuable, educational, and engaging content, users will come to know, like, and trust your brand. This loyalty extends beyond initial clicks, encouraging repeat visits and conversions.
- Long-term Visibility: Content, especially well-optimized evergreen content, has a long lifespan. A comment made on LinkedIn four years ago, for example, can still generate engagement and connections today, demonstrating the lasting power of consistent authorship and digital presence.
What role do internal and external links play in improving SEO?
Both internal and external links are vital components of a strong SEO strategy:
- Internal Links: These are links from one page on your website to another page on the same website. They help search engines understand the structure of your site, distribute "link equity" (ranking power) across your pages, and improve user navigation. A well-organized internal linking structure allows search engine crawlers to discover more of your content and understand the relationships between different topics on your site. For example, if you have a main page about "chocolate chip cookies" and sub-pages about "types of chocolate chips," "flour options," and "baking ingredients," linking these sub-pages back to the main page creates a strong content cluster.
- External Links (Backlinks): These are links from other websites to your website. They act as "votes of confidence" from other sites, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and authoritative. The more high-quality, relevant external links pointing to your site, the higher your perceived authority. Strategies for acquiring external links include press releases (e.g., a Yahoo News press release for $400 can provide a powerful link) and being featured in articles on other reputable platforms. These links are critical for establishing domain authority and improving rankings, especially in competitive markets.
How can businesses analyze competitor SEO and identify opportunities to outrank them?
To effectively outrank competitors, businesses need to conduct a thorough analysis of their rivals' SEO strategies:
- Use SEO Tools: Tools like Screaming Frog can crawl competitor websites to analyze their content, page structure, internal linking, and external links. This provides insights into the types of content they're producing and how it's structured.
- Examine Content Depth and Diversity: Look at the quantity and quality of content your top competitors are publishing. Do they have more pages, longer articles, or a wider variety of content formats (videos, infographics, FAQs)? Identify gaps in your own content compared to theirs.
- Identify Keyword Gaps: Analyze which keywords your competitors are ranking for that you are not. Tools like SpyFu (which offers a GPT for competition analysis) can help identify these missing keywords and content opportunities.
- Understand Topical Authority: Assess how much "topical authority" your competitors have built. This means looking at how comprehensively they cover a subject and its related subtopics. To outrank them, you need to develop even stronger topical authority by providing more informational, educational, and valuable content.
- Monitor Search Engine Results: Directly search on Google, ChatGPT, Siri/Alexa for your target keywords. Observe who appears in the top results and analyze their content, website features (local business, fast website, citations, social media presence, email sign-ups), and overall user experience. This "reverse engineering" helps identify what the algorithm is currently favoring.
- Leverage AI for Analysis and Strategy: AI can help analyze competitor content and suggest prompts for creating superior content. It can also assist in strategizing for holidays or specific product launches by analyzing trends and competitor offerings.
What is the significance of Google's E-E-A-T guidelines in modern SEO?
Google's E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) guidelines are fundamental to modern SEO and play a crucial role in how search engines evaluate and rank content.
- Experience: This refers to the creator's first-hand experience with the topic. For example, if you're writing a review of a product, demonstrating that you've personally used it adds value and credibility.
- Expertise: This signifies that the content creator has a deep understanding and knowledge of the subject matter. This can be evidenced by qualifications, professional experience, or a history of creating high-quality, informative content on the topic.
- Authoritativeness: This is about the perceived authority of the content creator and the website as a whole. It's built through recognition from other reputable sources (backlinks), positive mentions, and a strong brand presence online.
- Trustworthiness: This encompasses the accuracy, honesty, and safety of the website and its content. A secure website (HTTPS), transparent information, and a history of reliable content contribute to trustworthiness.
By adhering to E-E-A-T principles, websites signal to Google that their content is reliable, credible, and comes from a knowledgeable source, leading to higher rankings and greater user trust. This is why having a strong "authorship" profile—where your name and expertise are clearly linked to your content across your website and other platforms—is becoming increasingly important.
How can businesses improve their local SEO and engagement on platforms like Google Business Profile?
For local businesses, improving local SEO and engagement on platforms like Google Business Profile (GBP) is critical for visibility and attracting nearby customers.
- Optimize Google Business Profile: Ensure your GBP listing is complete, accurate, and regularly updated with essential information like business hours, address, phone number, and services offered.
- Generate Engagement: Actively encourage customers to leave reviews on your GBP. Responding to these reviews, both positive and negative, shows engagement and customer care.
- Consistent Brand Messaging: Talk about your brand more consistently across all online platforms. This reinforces your identity and helps users recognize and remember your business.
- Utilize Local Keywords: Integrate location-specific keywords into your website content and GBP description (e.g., "roofing company Chicago").
- Citations: Ensure your business information (Name, Address, Phone Number – NAP) is consistent across various online directories and platforms, as these "citations" contribute to local authority.
- Photos and Videos: Upload high-quality photos and videos of your business, products, and services to your GBP to make your listing more appealing and informative.
- Encourage User-Generated Content: Get customers to share their experiences with your business online, whether through reviews, social media posts, or photos. This organic engagement boosts visibility.
Increased engagement and a strong brand presence on GBP signal to Google that your business is active, reputable, and relevant to local searches, leading to better local search rankings.
What is "authorship" in SEO and how does it contribute to rankings and brand building?
Authorship in SEO refers to clearly identifying the creator of content, linking their name and expertise to the articles, videos, or other media they produce. This concept is increasingly important because it aligns with Google's E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
- Building Credibility: When search engines can clearly identify an author who consistently produces high-quality content on a specific topic, it enhances the perceived expertise and authority of both the author and the website.
- Brand Relevance: Authorship helps establish a strong brand identity. Your unique "voice," tone, style, and message become recognizable, creating a deeper connection with your audience. This consistency builds a brand that people can remember and trust.
- Content Longevity: Content associated with a recognized author tends to have a longer shelf life and can continue to attract engagement years after publication, as demonstrated by the LinkedIn comment example.
- Cross-Platform Recognition: Authorship extends beyond a single website. By connecting your author profile across various platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, social media, external articles where you're featured), you create a comprehensive digital footprint that reinforces your expertise.
- Improved Search Signals: When your name appears as the author on multiple reputable sites, it sends strong signals to search engines about your authority and relevance, potentially boosting your rankings for related topics.
- Direct Client Connections: Establishing authorship can lead to direct client inquiries and opportunities, as people seeking experts in your field are more likely to find and connect with you.
Implementing authorship involves clearly stating your name as the author on your website articles, linking to your professional profiles, and ensuring consistent branding across all your online presences.
How important is the "offer" in converting traffic, even with excellent SEO rankings?
Even with top-notch SEO rankings and abundant traffic, the "offer" is paramount for conversions. As highlighted by Russell Brunson, an exceptional offer can dramatically change a product's perceived value and a customer's willingness to buy.
- Value Stacking: A strong offer isn't just about the product itself; it's about stacking value. This means clearly articulating all the benefits, bonuses, and unique advantages that come with your product or service, making the overall package irresistible.
- Beyond Features: Instead of just listing features, a powerful offer focuses on the ultimate benefits and transformations the customer will experience. For example, instead of just selling "SEO," an effective offer might promise "10 hungry buyers for your product," highlighting the tangible outcome.
- Customer-Centric Approach: A good offer addresses the customer's desires, pain points, and aspirations. It taps into their emotional and psychological drivers, making the purchase decision feel logical and compelling.
- Conversion-Driven Content: Your website content, especially on landing pages, should be designed to support your offer through educational material and strong calls to action (CTAs). Multiple, clear CTAs encourage users to take the desired next step.
- The "Why" Behind the Buy: People buy based on emotion and justify with logic. Even if they find you through excellent SEO, if your offer doesn't resonate or clearly demonstrate value, they won't convert. The initial search might be informational, but the offer is what drives the transactional decision.
- Prioritizing the Offer: Before pouring resources into SEO, ensure your offer is well-defined and compelling. If the offer "sucks," as one speaker bluntly put it, even being ranked number one won't lead to sales. It's about getting the "ducks in a row" by having a great website, authorship, and then a stellar offer.
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