Welcome to the SEO tutorial, and in the last topic we covered competitor’s analysis and now we will see how to target competitors. If you want to rank well for your keywords, then examine the top 10 competitors and select one or two target competitors.
Why to target competitors
Let’s try to find out the answer of “why” to target competitors. We will understand with examples:
Example 1:
Why teachers or parents always used to say, try to become like Mr. or Miss. Topper? Why not they are saying, just share your time with back benchers?
You want me to answer or you know even your parents have target competitors for you and they want you to be like them.
Example2:
Now tell me, you have started your blog, and now what you will do? Who will be on your list? A low target competitors or high target competitors?
Here, let me give you an answer, if you will prepare a list of low target competitors to compete then you will get response accordingly. Like you have targeted a website which comes in 10th or 20th page in Google search and you are following their strategies for link building, keyword research and other off-page activities.
Now my point is do you think if you will search for something and then you will go till 10th or 20th pages of search results? Obviously I don’t have time for that and hence this rule will apply for low target competitors as well.
Even if you have started blogging as a hobby, you did it for public and they can’t reach it, then what is the use of your efforts.
In this post we will try to copy or can say will put one step ahead to give competition to your top target competitors. Let’s highlight the points and then we will cross-examine those points:
- Imitate your competitors
- Keyword search for a link
- Ask your competitors for a link
Imitate or copy your Target competitors
Let suppose you have listed top one or two target competitors, now your job here is to copy what your competitors done in terms of link building.
- Find out the most valuable sites (high page rank) that mention your competitor.
- Visit these sites and try to get a link from these sites.
- If it is a forum, then add your signature or a link
- If it is a blog comment, then leave your comment on it.
Note: Don’t worry about do follow or no follow links, all links matters but in a natural way. Take your time and you will get peaceful results in 6 months.
Keyword Search for a link
Simply search your exact keyword in Google, and see your target competitors list. Now what you have to do is, try to get a link from a website that is ranking great for your keyword. I personally did this, if your content is having a quality, then they will not mind linking back to you. Because their main concern is their users and for that they will for sure do anything.
Note: One link from a high page rank website is equal to many links from a low page rank site.
Contact your target Competitors
Now show your courage and directly ask your target competitors for the link. But it doesn’t mean you will get it easily. Just show your humble gesture by giving unique greeting and huge smile to your target competitors. Here you will get mix response like:
- They will not respond to your request.
- They will ask for the link exchange.
- If they will not have your unique and quality content, then you will get for free.
Conclusion
We have just covered how to target competitors and the ways to get links like competitors. Again, it’s my responsibility to remind you, never run for links or don’t try to reach nearby your target competitors in hurry else Google will penalize you.