What is 10X Content?
10x content as its name indicates, provides 10 times more value than any other content available online. In simple terms, it refers to content that is of exceptional quality and covers all unique aspects.
Suppose you have recently opened a restaurant and want to serve fresh pizzas. There are many other outlets doing the same but you want people to choose you over others.
That's why you will make your pizza special and unique from others. You will make all efforts to enhance pizza flavour and presentation by researching more and more. Similar is the case with 10X content.
It is a common term used in content marketing and can be a key strategy for building brand authority and improving search engine rankings.
The concept was popularized by the founder of Moz, Rand Fishkin. In a blog post published in 2015, he argued that creating high-quality content was becoming increasingly important for online success.
He also stated on X:
He suggested that if someone wanted to stand out in online searches - they needed to create content that was 10 times better than anything else on the same topic.
This meant making all the efforts to create content that couldn't be found elsewhere.
The idea quickly gained the attention of marketers and today, creating 10x content is seen as a key strategy in SEO.
Why is it important?
Below are a few reasons why it matters:
Differentiation
It is now difficult to stand out from others because of the availability of extensive online content.
The only way businesses can make a difference and compete in the industry is by creating exceptional content.
Increased engagement
Nowadays almost everyone owns a smartphone. People habitually scroll through search engine results or various apps without even noticing it.
In that scenario when someone already has access to plenty of resources, it is difficult to set yourself apart from others. You can do this by creating content that is valuable and has a higher chance of being shared with a wider audience.
When more and more people share your content, you will receive more visibility for your website.
Better SEO
When you provide your visitors with content that answers questions that they are searching for - you can improve your SE rankings and drive more organic traffic to your websites.
This is because search engines like Google prioritize websites in their rankings that offer unique value to their visitors.
What has made 10x content crucial to SEO?
There are several factors involved in that:
Increasing user experience
The focus of search engines has mainly shifted towards the users. The websites with more user-centric approaches usually gain attention and are ranked higher.
If users stay more on your website and visit it again and again, it could be a sign they've found your content relevant and engaging.
Lessening link importance
In the past, SEO relied heavily on link building which is why many websites did not pay attention to content. But now the concept has changed.
Search engines have become more sophisticated in their algorithms. They now place less importance on links and more emphasis on the quality of the content.
The rise of content marketing
Businesses are increasingly using the strategy of content marketing to attract and engage their target audiences.
However, this has also led to an explosion of online content which is making it even more challenging to stand out from the crowd.
Ways to create 10X content
Become aware of what’s going around
After reading all this you must be thinking about how to produce a useful piece of content.
For that, you need to stay informed with the latest news, updates and trends in your field. This means regularly reading news articles, participating in online forums, watching videos and engaging with other creators in your niche.
Define your audience
Experts say if you do not know who your audience is, all your efforts are useless. That means before structuring your website you must have an idea who you are targeting.
Identify your target audience and understand their needs, interests and pain points. Once you know this it will be easier for you to plan your strategy.
Research your topic
This must be first on your priority list. Conduct thorough research on your topic and gather details from credible sources.
When you provide accurate and comprehensive information to your audience, you gain favour both from search engines and visitors.
Conduct keyword research
There are plenty of both free and paid tools that can make your writing process easy and useful. Longtail Pro, Semrush and Ahrefs are a few paid sources that are excellent to use.
On the other hand, free sites like Quora or Reddit are best to find out what your target audience is searching for.
You can provide valuable content that meets their needs and establishes your credibility as an expert by answering them.
Use keywords properly
This step is also crucial as you are now going to provide information on what your audience is looking for.
Make a list of all keywords and group them together based on their relevancy and search intent. Add them naturally into your articles or blog posts.
However, avoid keyword stuffing which can harm your rankings and make your content appear spammy.
Develop a unique angle
You must be wondering why people are going to read your blog posts when there are several others available online. Well, you're spot on. The point here is that no one is going to read it if you haven't provided additional value. If your content looks just like others, that means you haven't put any effort into improving it. As a result, no one is going to read it.
Determine a unique angle for your content that sets it apart from other works on the same topic. This can be achieved by offering a fresh perspective, unique insights or original research.
Answer the question
Your audience always expects you to solve their problems. So why disappoint them? Your content should provide a clear and concise answer to the question or problem that your audience is trying to solve.
Avoid fluff and filler content and focus on providing practical and actionable advice that your readers can use.
Use engaging formats
No one can deny the importance of adding visual elements to a piece of content. This is a perfect way to engage the users and help them understand a topic better.
Use engaging formats to present your content such as interactive tools, infographics, videos or podcasts to capture your audience's attention.
Boost your user experience
Now that we know Google gives more importance to user experience so what's the point in ignoring it? Your content should be easy to navigate, visually appealing and accessible on all devices.
Use a mobile-friendly design, clear headings structure and a readable font to enhance the user experience and encourage visitors to stay on your site.
Provide value
You must have heard about providing value to users several times, but do you know what that actually means? Well, that means you must offer practical solutions, helpful tips or actionable advice to them.
This will establish you as a thought leader in your industry and help build trust with your audience.
Optimize for SEO
Google gives priority to users but that does not mean you should ignore the importance of optimizing your content for search engines.
Add relevant keywords, optimise your meta tags and use internal and external links.
The purpose behind all these efforts is to bring more organic traffic to your website and make it search-engine-friendly.
Source high-quality information
Several studies show that when you quote more credible sources in your content you get the trust of search engines. They recognise you as one of the authoritative and trusted sources of providing useful information.
So it is quite important to add data from reputable studies, quote experts in the field and cite reliable sources to back up your claims.
Make the best use of long-form
Long-form content can be a great way to provide in-depth analysis and comprehensive coverage of complex topics. This type of content is often more shareable and can attract backlinks from other websites.
But that must not be only for the sake of adding more word count. It must provide actual value.
Provide statistical analysis
Being able to analyze and interpret data is an important skill for data-driven content. This means learning how to use tools like Excel or Google Sheets and understanding how to create charts and graphs that effectively communicate your message.
Don’t try to make it viral
When you create content with the sole aim of going viral, it often results in a lack of quality which can damage your brand's reputation and credibility.
While it's important to write shareable content - the focus should be on producing content that is inherently shareable.
This means it should be informative, entertaining or inspiring and resonate with your audience on a deeper level.
Be patient and keep going
It requires a lot of effort and time to create 10X content but it's worth it. Don't be discouraged if your first few attempts don't meet the mark.
Keep refining your content based on feedback and analytics and continue to improve and iterate over time.
For news SEO, publishers should focus on the following:
Tell a compelling story with a clear beginning, middle and end to keep the reader engaged.
Provide a clear answer or solution to a problem for the reader to gain value from the content.
Create memorable and shareable content by incorporating multimedia elements.
The best examples of 10X content can be from news websites:
The New York Times "The 1619 Project" - This is a series of articles, essays, and other multimedia content that explores the history and legacy of slavery in America. The project is comprehensive, well-researched, and emotionally resonant with a clear takeaway for readers.
The Washington Post's "The Afghanistan Papers" - This is a series of articles that were published in 2019 based on confidential interviews with U.S. officials and military officers involved in the war in Afghanistan. The articles provided a deep dive into the failures of the war effort and were highly informative and engaging.
Conclusion
10x content is a crucial component of modern SEO. As user experience gains prominence and the significance of link building diminishes - search engines are increasingly prioritizing the quality of content.
To succeed in this environment, content creators must focus on producing content that is exceptional in terms of relevance, engagement and quality.