My blog posts don't rank even though I write good content
I spend 8+ hours writing each blog post. I do keyword research, I optimize my headings, I add images. But my posts just sit on page 5 of Google with like 10 visits. Meanwhile, a site with obviously worse content ranks above me. What's the point?
1 Answer(s)
The point is that SEO in 2024 is 20% content and 80% everything else. If your content is genuinely good but you're not ranking, it's almost certainly one of these issues.
1. Your domain authority is too low. If your site is new (under 1 year), Google doesn't trust you enough to rank you for competitive keywords yet. You need backlinks. Guest post on other sites in your niche, get listed in directories, and create link-worthy content (original research, data, tools).
2. You're targeting keywords that are too competitive. "Best running shoes" has 500 million results. You'll never rank for that. Target long-tail keywords like "best running shoes for flat feet under $100." Use Ahrefs or Ubersuggest to find keywords with under 500 results and decent search volume.
3. Your technical SEO is broken. Check your site speed, mobile friendliness, and crawlability. Use Screaming Frog to find broken links and duplicate content.
Great content without distribution is a diary, not a business. Focus 50% of your effort on getting links, not writing more posts.