How Forbes Dominates SERP Rankings

Google is a competitive place and achieving a high SERP ranking is an ongoing challenge. Brands strive to create fresh, engaging content to attract and retain an audience.

Forbes originally formed as a business publication but expanded their content once it started dominating SERP rankings. Thanks to this tactic, Forbes now generates 124.9M monthly visits.

So how does Forbes achieve SEO success? Their secret is a less-discussed but powerful strategy: content republishing.

In this article, we will explore content republishing through the lens of two prominent examples: Forbes and digital marketing expert Neil Patel, shedding light on how this strategy helps keep their content game strong.

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Content Republishing: A Hidden Gem

Content republishing, in simple terms, is the practice of revisiting and re-sharing existing content with your audience. It’s not about creating entirely new material but, rather, leveraging the value hidden within your archives.

An illustration of a person opening a door with several filing cabinets labeled 'old blogs'

At a glance, content republishing is counterintuitive in the era of constant SEO innovation. Yet, it’s a strategy that can yield impressive results. Republishing existing content offers many benefits. This tactic not only keeps old blog posts fresh, but brands can publish more content and at scale.

As we dive into the strategies employed by Forbes and Neil Patel, you’ll see how this tactic can be a game-changer in the digital content landscape.

Forbes: The Content Republishing Trailblazers

Forbes, the renowned business and financial news platform, is no stranger to the ever-evolving digital media landscape. According to Ahrefs, they published 1,900 new pages and republished 613 in July.

Screenshot of Forbes' posts published on Ahrefs

So basically, for every three new pages they created, they republished one. These numbers reveal how much Forbes embraces content republishing as a key part of its strategy:

  • Maintaining Freshness. With thousands of new pieces of content published daily, it’s easy for older articles to get buried and forgotten. Forbes tackles this issue head-on by frequently revisiting and updating its existing content. This keeps their articles fresh and relevant and maintains their authority in their respective niches.
  • Maximizing SEO Potential. When Forbes republishes content, Google’s algorithms catch onto these changes, which include tweaking keywords, improving meta descriptions, and updating links. All these updates help the existing content perform even better on SERPs. Republishing and updating old blog posts leads to a 106% increase in web traffic.
  • Harnessing the Power of Evergreen Content. Forbes recognizes that some content has timeless value, such as articles that explain fundamental financial concepts or provide business insights. Evergreen content remains relevant over the long-term, and this consistent traffic can lead to sustained ad revenue, affiliate marketing earnings, and other monetization methods. By republishing these evergreen pieces, Forbes capitalizes on content that never ceases to help readers.

Neil Patel: Content Republishing Success

Neil Patel also has a content strategy which emphasizes his even more impressive content republishing ratio. In June, he republished 156 pages and only published 97 new pages.

Screenshot of Neil Patel pages published on Ahrefs

Let’s look at how Neil effectively uses content republishing to his advantage:

  • Quality Over Quantity. When republishing old blogs, you’ll want to stick to the same content marketing golden rule: quality over quantity. So even though Neil republishes more existing content than new pieces, he still emphasizes the quality of his content.  This strategy underscores the importance of investing time and effort into creating high-quality content that stands the test of time. Neil doesn’t need to constantly churn out new material because his existing content continues to perform well.
  • Leveraging a Dedicated Audience. Neil’s higher republishing ratio suggests he has a dedicated audience that values revisiting his older content. This speaks to the quality and depth of his articles. His audience knows that they can trust his expertise, and they appreciate the opportunity to learn from his older but still relevant insights.
  • Demonstrating Thought Leadership. By republishing existing content, Neil positions himself as a thought leader in his niche: 64% of buyers see thought leadership content as a way to gauge an organization’s competency and capabilities. This not only boosts his credibility, but also attracts new followers.

Content Republishing Best Practices

Are you creating a content republishing strategy? Like new content, you’ll want your repurposed content to be fresh and valuable for readers.

Let’s explore some best practices for implementing this strategy effectively.

SEO Optimization and Auditing

Always optimize republished content for SEO. Research new target keywords that have gained relevance or popularity since the original publication and use them in your title, metadata and within the content. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or Semrush can be helpful in finding these keywords.

You can also type a keyword into Google’s search bar without pressing enter to see a list of recommendations based on the queries that people are actually searching for:

Google suggest

Edit your existing content to identify areas that could benefit from updates or improvements. You can add new information, correct outdated data or reformat the blog for better readability. Including multimedia elements like videos, infographics or interactive tools can also give it added value.

Promotion, Engagements and Resharing

Don’t assume your audience remembers every piece of content you’ve published. Promote your republished articles through various channels, including social media, newsletters and email marketing.

Taking advantage of social media is a great place to start because this increases their visibility and ensures they reach new and existing readers.

Customize your content for each social media platform. Use relevant hashtags and participate in trending conversations. Regularly schedule your posts to maintain a consistent presence, which will help your republished content reach your audience effectively.

Always include a CTA in your posts, asking your audience to leave their thoughts and feedback. This can entice discussions among your readers, increasing the visibility of your articles.

Content Recycling 

Content recycling or repurposing offers many benefits, including:

  • Extended Reach: Repurposed content can reach new audiences or re-engage existing ones.
  • SEO Boost: Updating and republishing content can improve search engine rankings.
  • Efficient Use of Resources: Saves time and resources by utilizing existing content.
  • Reinforces Messaging: Reinforces key messages or themes through repeated exposure.
  • Fresh Perspective: Offers a fresh perspective or updated information on old topics.
  • Content Variety: Provides diverse content formats to engage different audience preferences.
  • Brand Consistency: Helps maintain brand consistency across various platforms and over time.

Consider repurposing your written content in different formats. For example, you could turn a series of blog posts into an e-book. If you run a podcast, you can create an episode based on a popular article. This way, you’ll reach a broader audience and have a more creative content marketing strategy.

Repurposing Content List

Monitor Performance

Track the performance of your republished content to see which articles resonate the most with your audience. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics or Google Search Console to measure traffic, engagement and conversions. This data will help you refine your content republishing strategy over time.

Dominate SERP Rankings With Content Republishing

Content republishing is a powerful tool for SEO purposes. This tactic allows brands and individuals to maximize the potential of their existing content and enjoy higher search ranking. Forbes and Neil Patel exemplify how this strategy can be a game-changer when executed effectively.

When updating your marketing strategy, add content republishing to your techniques. This way, you can attract new website visitors and establish yourself as a trusted source of industry news and information.

If you need a conversion-driven content marketing strategy, Single Grain’s content marketing experts can help!👇

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