The importance of resource pages cannot be underestimated. They provide value and, if done right, will rank high within the SERP’s. Because Google is looking for content of value when ranking websites, it’s no wonder resource pages are very popular for bloggers. Many people think resource pages are simple to create, thinking you need to compile a list of high value relevant sources listed in order, but I’m here to tell you, it takes more effort than this. For example, a resource page is only as good as your audience. This means if you have a blog and cater to the wrong audience, then you’re going to have a low converting resource page. This is why I follow 5-6 steps before publishing my resource page on my blog. These steps help me stay focused compiling the right type of list, which increases user engagement. Your goal should be to have your readers share your page because it’s very easy to have people build links to it because it saves people enormous time. For example,
Every blogger is looking for the best type of content in their niche and spends hours skimming through millions of resources, trying to find them. The Internet is vast and this can be very time consuming, but if you know someone has done the work of collecting only the best content, then it’s something valuable. Over the years, I’ve compiled 2-3 resource pages and linked to over 10 because of the value.
Before creating a page and utilizing this strategy, it’s important you pay close attention to the following factors…
Audience
I’ve written about this previously and the importance of audience applies to every situation. For you to craft a valuable resource page, it’s important you know who you are creating it for. Knowing your audience will allow you to focus your effort, giving you a better understanding of what you’re looking for. For example, if you know your audience is interested in “link building”, then you’ll go out and find the best “link building” content, case studies, and tutorials.
Mix of Outbound Links
Before you go out and start compiling a list of authoritative resources, it’s important you create a clear breakdown of the type of resources you’re looking for. For example, before starting, I’ll write down the following information on a piece of paper and follow it through.
- How many tutorials is sufficient?
- How many links from government websites? (if any apply)
- How many links from educational institutions? ( if any apply)
- How many case studies?
- How many videos and infographics?
Once you have this written down, you know EXACTLY where to focus your attention.
The Resource List
For your page to be truly effective, you need to compile a huge list of resources. There are a few ways to get this done, but here’s the formula I follow. I start by writing down my publishing date and usually give myself 30-45 days. I’ll add 5-6 links on my resource page each day and this will give me time to do research, too. After 30 days, I’ll have roughly 150 outbound links on my page, which is a massive resource page, but once published, I’ll keep updating. You have to keep in mind, for a resource page to generate buzz, it has to provide enormous value and from my experience, the higher external resources, the higher the viral buzz.
An Explanation
Here’s something many bloggers forget to do when creating a resource page and this will give you an upper hand on your competition. When you write an outbound resource down, it’s important to add an explanation of each next to it. This will save people time from clicking the link then figuring out it’s NOT exactly what they are looking for. Remember, people will have different requirements with some very specific, so save your readers time by providing them a quick breakdown of what each resource is about. It’s very simple because all you have to do is this…
CPA Facebook Case Study – A breakdown of the Facebook Ad Network and my conversion rate on an NBA offer with results. (An example)
If I’m a visitor, I know EXACTLY what to expect when I click on this link and if I’m not looking for information on CPA offers, then I won’t be interested. However, this way, I don’t need to click to find out it’s not relevant to me.
Consider Internal Linking
A resource page is a great way to promote content on your own website so add internal links to your pages where applicable. I’ve used my own resource page to build momentum to stagnant content scattered throughout my website. But keep a few things in mind, if you are going to be building internal links then…
- Make sure you link to high value content
- Make sure it’s valuable and provides substance
- You’ve optimized the page for SEO – Internal linking is great for boosting rankings in the SERP’s