Boost Your Ranking Without Publishing More Content

Many marketers think the key to ranking higher on Google is to keep publishing new content. That’s not a bad strategy, and it should work but, there’s actually a quicker way to see results. We took a deep dive into 5,000 websites that pull in over 100,000 visitors each month (as per internet data) and found that it’s more effective instead of publishing more blog posts, you should focus on expanding your most popular blog posts.

Here’s what you can do:

  • Log into Google Search Console.
  • Check out the keywords your top-performing posts are already ranking for.
  • Then, beef up those posts by covering related topics in more detail.

But here’s the catch, this only works if you’re genuinely adding value and keeping your content top-notch. Don’t just add fluff or stuff keywords in there—you could end up getting penalized. It’s all about finding the right balance.

How you can boost your ranking by expanding existing content

1. Perform a Content Audit

Before diving into content expansion, it’s crucial to understand what’s already on your site. Conduct a comprehensive content audit to identify:

  • Top-performing pages: Pages that are already ranking well but could benefit from additional content to secure or improve their position.
  • Underperforming pages: Content that has potential but isn’t currently driving much traffic. These are prime candidates for expansion.
  • Outdated information: Content that needs updating to remain relevant and accurate.

2. Identify Content Gaps and Opportunities

Once you have a clear picture of your current content landscape, identify areas where you can provide more value to your readers. Look for:

  • Keywords: Are there secondary or long-tail keywords related to your primary keyword that you haven’t covered?
  • Questions: Use tools like Google’s “People also ask” or AnswerThePublic to find questions related to your topic that you can address within your content.
  • Multimedia: Could your page benefit from the addition of images, videos, infographics, or downloadable resources?

3. Deepen and Expand Existing Content

With your opportunities identified, start expanding your existing pages by:

  • Adding new sections: If there are aspects of the topic you haven’t covered yet, add detailed sections that provide more in-depth information.
  • Updating old information: Ensure that all data, statistics, and references are current. Outdated information can hurt your credibility and rankings.
  • Improving readability: Break up large blocks of text with subheadings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs to make your content more user-friendly.

4. Incorporate Internal Links

Expanding existing content also gives you a chance to enhance your site’s internal linking structure. By adding internal links to other relevant pages on your site, you can:

  • Boost SEO: Internal links help search engines understand the structure of your site and the relationship between different pages.
  • Enhance user experience: By guiding visitors to other relevant content, you keep them engaged and on your site longer, reducing bounce rates.

5. Leverage User Feedback and Engagement

Use analytics tools to monitor how users are interacting with your content. If you notice high bounce rates or short session durations on certain pages, consider:

  • Adding more detail: Address any gaps in the content that might be causing users to leave the page.
  • Improving call-to-action (CTA): Encourage users to take the next step, whether it’s reading another article, signing up for a newsletter, or purchasing a product.

6. Refresh Metadata and Alt Text

As you expand your content, don’t forget to update your metadata:

  • Title tags and meta descriptions: Ensure they accurately reflect the expanded content and include relevant keywords.
  • Alt text for images: Add or update alt text to reflect the new content and improve accessibility.

7. Promote Your Updated Content

Once you’ve expanded and refined your existing content, give it a fresh push:

  • Share on social media: Let your followers know about the updated content and how it provides additional value.
  • Email newsletters: Include links to the enhanced content in your next newsletter to drive traffic from your existing audience.
  • Re-index in Google Search Console: After making significant updates, request a re-index of your content in Google Search Console to help search engines recognize the changes faster.

Final Thoughts

Publishing more content isn’t the only way to improve your website’s ranking. By focusing on expanding and enhancing your existing content, you can provide more value to your audience, improve user engagement, and signal to search engines that your content is comprehensive and up-to-date. The result? A stronger, more competitive presence in search results without the constant pressure to produce new pages or blogs.