Content Gap Analysis: Find Missing Opportunities
Learn how to conduct content gap analysis to identify opportunities and create content that outperforms competitors.
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The State of Link Building in 2024
Link building remains one of the top three ranking factors in Google's algorithm. However, the tactics that worked in 2020 no longer deliver results today. In 2024, successful link building requires a focus on quality over quantity, relevance over volume, and value exchange over manipulation.
85%
of SEOs say link building is getting harder but more important
3x
Higher ROI from white-hat vs black-hat link building
60%
More sustainable rankings with white-hat strategies
1. Skyscraper Technique 2.0
Medium Difficulty
Updated version of the classic skyscraper technique for 2024 standards.
How It Works:
- Identify Top Content: Find popular content in your niche using BuzzSumo or Ahrefs
- Analyze Gaps: Identify what's missing or could be improved
- Create Better Content: Produce content that's more comprehensive, updated, and valuable
- Outreach: Contact websites linking to the original content
Outreach Template:
Subject: Found a broken link on [Their Website]
Hi [Name],
I was reading your excellent article about [Topic] and noticed a broken link to [Resource].
I've created a comprehensive guide on this topic that might work as a replacement: [Your URL]
It covers [Key Points Covered] and has been updated for 2024 standards.
Would you consider updating the link?
Best,
[Your Name]
Hi [Name],
I was reading your excellent article about [Topic] and noticed a broken link to [Resource].
I've created a comprehensive guide on this topic that might work as a replacement: [Your URL]
It covers [Key Points Covered] and has been updated for 2024 standards.
Would you consider updating the link?
Best,
[Your Name]
Success Rate:
- Response Rate: 25-40% with personalized outreach
- Link Acquisition Rate: 10-20% of responses
- Time Investment: 5-10 hours per campaign
- Average DA: 40-60 for acquired links
2. Resource Page Link Building
Easy Difficulty
Target resource pages and link roundups in your industry.
Implementation Steps:
Step 1: Find Resource Pages
Use search operators: "[niche] resources" "helpful links" "[topic] tools"
Step 2: Quality Assessment
Check Domain Authority, relevance, and link quality
Step 3: Create Valuable Resource
Develop comprehensive tools, guides, or calculators
Step 4: Strategic Outreach
Personalize each outreach email
Resource Ideas That Work:
- Interactive Tools: Calculators, assessment tools, configurators
- Comprehensive Guides: Ultimate guides with step-by-step instructions
- Templates: Downloadable templates for common tasks
- Checklists: Printable checklists for complex processes
- Research Reports: Original industry research and data
Pro Tip:
Create a dedicated "Resources" page on your site and link to other valuable resources. This increases the likelihood of reciprocal links.
3. Digital PR & Expert Contributions
Hard Difficulty
Establish authority through media mentions and expert contributions.
Digital PR Strategies:
- Original Research: Conduct and publish unique industry studies
- Expert Roundups: Contribute to industry expert roundups
- Press Releases: Newsworthy company announcements
- Media Outreach: Pitch stories to journalists and bloggers
- HARO: Respond to journalist queries on HelpAReporter.com
HARO Response Template:
Subject: Expert Insight: [Topic from Query]
Hi [Journalist Name],
I saw your query about [Topic] and wanted to offer my expertise.
As a [Your Position] at [Your Company] with [Number] years experience in [Field], I can provide:
• Insight on [Specific Point 1]
• Data on [Specific Point 2]
• Expert opinion on [Specific Point 3]
[Brief 2-3 sentence response addressing their specific question]
For attribution: [Your Name], [Your Title] at [Your Company]
[Your Website]
Let me know if you need additional information.
Best,
[Your Name]
Hi [Journalist Name],
I saw your query about [Topic] and wanted to offer my expertise.
As a [Your Position] at [Your Company] with [Number] years experience in [Field], I can provide:
• Insight on [Specific Point 1]
• Data on [Specific Point 2]
• Expert opinion on [Specific Point 3]
[Brief 2-3 sentence response addressing their specific question]
For attribution: [Your Name], [Your Title] at [Your Company]
[Your Website]
Let me know if you need additional information.
Best,
[Your Name]
Success Metrics:
- HARO Success Rate: 5-15% response rate
- Media Placements: 2-5 per month with consistent effort
- Domain Authority: Links from DA 70+ sites possible
- Brand Visibility: Significant increase in brand searches
4. Guest Posting 2.0
Medium Difficulty
Modern guest posting focused on value exchange and relationship building.
2024 Guest Posting Best Practices:
What to Avoid:
- Mass outreach with generic templates
- Low-quality content farms
- Exact match anchor text over-optimization
- Irrelevant niche websites
- Paid guest post networks
Effective Guest Posting Strategy:
- Target Identification: Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to find sites accepting guest posts in your niche
- Relationship First: Engage with their content before pitching
- Value Proposition: Offer unique angles and fresh perspectives
- Quality Content: Provide genuinely valuable content that serves their audience
- Natural Links: Include contextual, relevant links rather than forced mentions
Pitch Template:
Subject: Guest Post Idea: [Specific Topic] for [Their Website]
Hi [Editor Name],
I've been following [Their Website] and particularly enjoyed your article about [Specific Article].
I noticed you haven't covered [Specific Topic] recently, and I have a unique angle based on [Your Unique Perspective/Experience].
I'd like to propose a guest post titled: "[Proposed Title]"
The article would cover:
• [Key Point 1]
• [Key Point 2]
• [Key Point 3]
This would be valuable for your readers because [Specific Benefit].
I've attached writing samples and can deliver the article within [Timeframe].
Best,
[Your Name]
Hi [Editor Name],
I've been following [Their Website] and particularly enjoyed your article about [Specific Article].
I noticed you haven't covered [Specific Topic] recently, and I have a unique angle based on [Your Unique Perspective/Experience].
I'd like to propose a guest post titled: "[Proposed Title]"
The article would cover:
• [Key Point 1]
• [Key Point 2]
• [Key Point 3]
This would be valuable for your readers because [Specific Benefit].
I've attached writing samples and can deliver the article within [Timeframe].
Best,
[Your Name]
5. Unlinked Brand Mentions
Easy Difficulty
Turn existing brand mentions into valuable backlinks.
How to Find Unlinked Mentions:
Google Alerts
Set up alerts for your brand name and product names
Mention.com
Comprehensive brand monitoring across web and social
BuzzSumo
Monitor content that mentions competitors or industry terms
Manual Search
Search: "brand name" -site:yoursite.com
Outreach Process:
- Identify pages mentioning your brand without linking
- Check if adding a link would provide value to their readers
- Send a polite request for a link addition
- Offer to share their content in return
Outreach Template:
Subject: Thank you for mentioning [Your Brand]
Hi [Name],
I noticed you mentioned [Your Brand] in your article about [Topic]. Thank you for including us!
I was wondering if you'd consider adding a link to our [Specific Page] where readers could learn more about [Specific Aspect].
In return, I'd be happy to share your article with our [Number] followers on [Social Platform].
Thanks again for the mention!
Best,
[Your Name]
Hi [Name],
I noticed you mentioned [Your Brand] in your article about [Topic]. Thank you for including us!
I was wondering if you'd consider adding a link to our [Specific Page] where readers could learn more about [Specific Aspect].
In return, I'd be happy to share your article with our [Number] followers on [Social Platform].
Thanks again for the mention!
Best,
[Your Name]
Success Rate: 60-80% for legitimate brand mentions where a link adds value.
Link Building Measurement & Tools
Essential Link Building Tools 2024
| Tool | Purpose | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | Competitor analysis & link prospecting | $$$ |
| SEMrush | Backlink analysis & gap analysis | $$$ |
| BuzzStream | Outreach management & tracking | $$ |
| Hunter.io | Email finding & verification | $ |
| Google Sheets | Campaign tracking & management | Free |
Key Performance Indicators
DA 40+
Target Domain Authority for acquired links
10:1
Ratio of outreach to acquired links (good target)
3-5
Quality links per month (realistic goal)
90-Day Link Building Implementation Plan
Month 1: Foundation & Research
- Audit existing backlink profile
- Identify 50 target websites
- Create 2-3 linkable assets
- Set up tracking systems
- Begin relationship building
Month 2: Outreach & Acquisition
- Launch outreach campaigns
- Pursue unlinked brand mentions
- Respond to HARO queries
- Begin guest posting outreach
- Track all outreach in CRM
Month 3: Scaling & Optimization
- Analyze what's working
- Double down on successful strategies
- Build relationships with acquired links
- Create case studies from successes
- Plan next quarter's strategy
Need Professional Link Building Help?
Our link building specialists can implement these white-hat strategies to build high-quality backlinks that improve your domain authority and search rankings.
