Is 11k-30k search traffic too high for a small blog with low domain authority to compete for? Is competition all that matters?

[Omniafunction]

Trying to decide on a keyword phrase for my next post. One of the two phrases I'm deciding between has 100x more traffic but the priority is wayyy higher and the competition is just one point higher (54 vs 53). I'm hesitant to write on a post that gets 11k-30k monthly volume however b/c it just seems like too much traffic for a small blog with a domain authority of only 18 to compete with. But if the competition is nearly the same and the priority is higher, should I go for it anyway? I generally go for things with lower traffic thinking I will be able to better compete. Thanks!

[EGOL]

You are asking a question of "philosophy" rather than "numbers".   Before I get to the philosophy, here are some facts.

1. Your present domain authority means nothing.  If you do a great job, your domain authority will grow.

2. The present size of your blog means nothing.  If you work at it, it is going to grow.

What means something is your ability to produce competitive content and the amount of work you are going to put into your next post.

To determine your ability to be competitive, go search for that keyword phrase and look at the content in the top ten positions.  Determine its quality.   HOW GOOD IS IT?   Then decide if you can beat it.  Be honest.  Can you write content that will be better than what is out there?  Not a little better.  A lot better.

If your answer is yes (meaing that you can beat their content).  Then do not fear competition or traffic or any other metric.  You should attack.  Why?  Because where there is competition, there is a lot of traffic and a lot of money changing hands.  Even if you do not rank #1 you might connect with that traffic and with that money.  Attack with the best content that you can produce, good enough that it is truly competitive.

If your answer is no (meaning that you can't beat their content).  Then, you are not the person to compete here.  Your prattle will not rank against the heavyweights.  You need to pick a keyword phrase where you have the ability to compete.   Attack there.

Can't find a place where you can compete?  Hire someone who can.   Get education and writing skill so you can compete.  You will not get very far going into battle with a rubber sword.

[Omniafunction]

Thanks for the detailed response!  My concern was that even if we wrote better content that we would not be able to climb the rankings past blogs or health care sites/major hospital systems that have a blog with much stronger domain authority.  We can definitely write better content.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.  Very helpful.

[EGOL]

Write the post.  Get a couple of links into it.  Look at where the competitors got their links into their competing page.  Try to duplicate their best links.

Go after the primary keyword.  Give it your best shot.

You might not rank on the first page after the first month.  But, give it a year... and if your content is really better, I believe that you might move up.

** We can definitely write better content.**  If your content is really better I think you will move up.

If you are targeting a high traffic, big money keyword, there will be lots of traffic and lots of money changing hands.  You will get long tail traffic and long tail money.  In time you might hit the big time.

It is a mistake not to try this a few times.  You only need one to connect.