SEO Strategies for Real People: How to Rank Without Losing Your Soul

One successful SEO strategy that delivered results was the comprehensive integration of long-tail keywords for an e-commerce client in the outdoor gear industry. By shifting focus from highly competitive, generic terms to more specific long-tail keywords aligned with their niche audience’s search intent, we observed a 20% increase in both organic traffic and conversion rate. We found the key takeaway is that long-tail keywords, while lower in volume, drive more qualified traffic. For niche businesses or those struggling to rank for broad terms, building a comprehensive long-tail keyword strategy based on audience search data can significantly increase organic visibility and conversions. But it requires deep research into user intent. When leveraged successfully as part of a targeted SEO approach, long-tail keywords can unlock new growth opportunities.

Dennis Jost, Founder, Digital Solutions Expert, Kulana Media Productions LLC

One successful SEO strategy that has proved successful for a client is cultivating and updating top-performing, evergreen content pieces. While our SEO strategy is diversified between producing new content and updating content that performs well, the latter is very important. When you have several “star of the show” content pieces, don’t neglect them! If you see a drop from ranking 1 to ranking 3 in search results, it may be time to add updated and substantive content to that piece. Others can apply this by ensuring that, rather than only focusing on new ideas, they keep an eye on top-performing, evergreen content pieces to ensure they remain relevant and continue to rank well.

Amanda McCrea, Senior Content Coordinator, Online Optimism

I had a client whose website was pretty good, but it was like a ghost town. We decided to give local SEO a shot. We optimized their Google My Business profile, sprinkled local keywords all over their site like fairy dust, and got them listed in all the right local directories.

But here’s the kicker — we started creating content that was all about local events and shout-outs to other local businesses. It wasn’t long before the community took notice. People started talking, traffic started buzzing, and our client became the go-to spot in town.

So, for all you digital marketers out there, get local. It’s like throwing your own block party and watching everyone show up. Connect with the neighborhood, and they’ll connect right back.

Arthur Valverde, SEO Consultant, Padzup

The rising importance of mobile devices led to a focus on optimizing websites for mobile device searches. As most users consume content on the go, a shift to a mobile-first SEO approach was made, which has resulted in an increase in organic traffic. To implement this, a few simple steps can be followed. First, focus on having a responsive and mobile-friendly design, especially since Google focuses on mobile-first indexing. Secondly, limit the usage of pop-ups. Although it may seem like a good idea, it can hamper the user experience. Thirdly, absolutely fix the technical errors on your website. Fourth, pay attention to the mobile loading speed. Nobody wants a slow-loading website. Lastly, do not miss out on SEO optimization for local and voice searches. The recent trends point toward voice searches becoming the next big thing. There are many more steps in mobile SEO, but these can serve as a good starting point.

Subodh Doharey, Account Director – Search(Execution), RepIndia

Using E-A-T guidelines to create a content strategy and writing them proved to be a successful SEO strategy for a client. Choose to write topics that focus on topical authority. Consider whether the topic you are writing can make you appear as an expert in Google’s eyes. These are some ways that anyone can use this strategy.

Mei Ping Mak, Director of SEO and Web, Weave Asia

One successful SEO strategy that proved to be effective for a client was to find and answer all the frequently asked questions in their niche. This was achieved by taking all their target keywords and querying the SERPs to mine the “People Also Ask” results. The next step involved using frequency analysis to determine which PAA questions appeared most frequently for each group of related head terms. By doing this, the client was able to enhance the content of each page and started ranking better organically, ultimately winning enhanced SERP features like “Featured Snippets,” “People Also Ask” results, and “Organic FAQs.”

By creating comprehensive and informative content that addresses these questions, marketers can improve their website’s relevance and authority, potentially leading to better organic rankings and visibility in search engine results. This strategy aligns with the trend of providing helpful content, which is expected to be crucial in 2024 when Google rolls out SGE globally.

Laurence O’Toole, CEO, Authoritas

Tidying up a website’s crawling and indexation coverage is a great starting point for any SEO strategy.

Many sites, particularly large e-commerce websites, suffer from index bloat. If you’re unfamiliar with index bloat, it’s where search engines find more pages than they should. I’ve seen upwards of 90% of discoverable URLs being pages that aren’t indexed. This is a huge red flag!

This is crucial because all the content and links in the world won’t help a website if the pages aren’t indexed to begin with.

Here are a few key steps to apply this strategy:

1. Go to Google Search Console. Under “Indexing,” select “Pages.”

2. Work through all the “Not Indexed” errors here.

3. Ensure your sitemap files only serve status 200 URLs.

4. Remove internal 3xx and 4xx links on your website.

This exercise could significantly improve your website, or a client’s site.

Ben Poulton, SEO Consultant and Founder, Intellar

Let me take you back to when a small e-commerce client wanted to shine in search engine results. The challenge was daunting – fierce competition, a niche market, and a tight budget. Instead of chasing the elusive short-tail keywords, I devised a strategy that focused on long-tail keywords. We delved into the intricacies of the client’s products and uncovered unique, specific search terms that reflected buyer intent.

The website’s content was transformed, woven with these long-tail keywords seamlessly. Product descriptions, blog posts, and even FAQs became gateways for potential customers to discover the client’s offerings. Simultaneously, we implemented a link-building campaign that targeted niche influencers and industry-specific blogs. Rather than casting a wide net, we strategically placed the client in front of a highly relevant audience. The results were excellent, to put it mildly.

Leslie Gilmour, CEO of Digital Marketing Agency, BeFound

One strategy that always works for our local clients is putting together a review strategy. Not only do reviews make a profile look better, but they’re also a direct factor in how well a local profile ranks. We work with our clients to add getting reviews as a part of their service system. We also set them up with review-reminder services to send reminders via email and text. This has helped some of our clients get more than 100 reviews for their business.

Isaac Hammelburger, Founder, Search Pros

Optimizing website content for featured snippets has proven a successful SEO strategy for clients. By identifying common user queries and providing concise, informative answers, clients can secure the coveted “position zero” in search results, improving visibility and establishing authority. To replicate this success, digital marketers should conduct thorough keyword research, create valuable, structured content, and use structured-data markup. Regularly updating and maintaining content is crucial to maintaining its position and remaining relevant in the competitive world of SEO.

Fahad Khan, Digital Marketing Manager, Ubuy India

Leveraging Google Trends is one successful SEO strategy that yields excellent results for our clients.

To apply this approach to boost your SEO, what you all need to do is diligently monitor the trending topics related to your niche in Google Trends. Produce relevant content by conducting thorough keyword research to identify keywords and phrases that are trending in your niche-related searches.

By organically including these trending keywords and phrases into your content, you not only optimize for search engines but also attract potential media houses and journalists to connect with you and share your content via backlinking – an important aspect of SEO.

In addition, this approach ensures that your articles and blog posts are perfectly aligned with the real-time interests of your target audience. Resultantly, this not only helps boost your SEO rankings but also ranks you as a dynamic and timely source of information within your niche.

Shivansh Bhanwariya, Founder and CEO, Shivansh Bhanwariya Digital

In my experience working with a SaaS client, a highly successful SEO strategy involved targeting Job-To-Be-Done (JTBD)-related keywords, which helped my clients make more money from organic search. To replicate this strategy, you begin by conducting thorough keyword research to identify relevant JTBD-related keywords. Then, create and optimize content that directly addresses the specific needs and pain points of your target audience, focusing on how your SaaS product can fulfill these job-to-be-done requirements. This customer-centric approach can significantly enhance conversion rates and drive business growth.

Anurag Pandey, Founder, Visiner (SaaS SEO Agency )

As a digital marketer, one approach that has really worked for me and my clients is to focus on user experience (UX). UX is an often-overlooked aspect of search engine optimization, and yet, it can have a huge impact on both the user experience and SEO success.

For example, one client who was struggling with low rankings in search engine results had poor navigation and page structure. We addressed these issues by optimizing their website’s Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) structure for Google, along with offering better internal links between pages for improved user flow. 

Within a few weeks, our client saw significant improvements in their ranking position in organic search engine results due to improved user experience.

Sehrish Aslam, Marketing Assistance Specialist, Bank Statement PDF Converter

One effective SEO strategy is updating older content regularly and launching fresh pieces with new target keywords and more suitable meta tags. While creating as much valuable content as possible is encouraged, it’s important not to neglect old top-performing blogs, as this can negatively impact overall organic traffic.

The key is to update the content to reflect the current time and events. This may involve changing the blog’s headline and meta tags to reflect the current year, such as “AI trends to look out for in 2024.” Fresh content with updated figures and research tends to generate better views, and Google usually ranks them higher than pieces that haven’t been updated since 2020.

For those operating an affiliate or blog-focused website where a majority of revenue comes from healthy organic traffic, it’s recommended to split content drafting into a 2:1 ratio and regularly update older content.

Jon Kelly, SEO Specialist, 1st On The List

High-quality, user-focused content production is one effective SEO tactic. To put this strategy into practice, start by conducting in-depth keyword research to determine target keywords and comprehend user intent. Create content that supports this goal by offering insightful guidance and solutions. Prioritize quickly-loading pages, ensure they are mobile-friendly, and optimize on-page features. Create backlinks of the highest caliber, make frequent content updates, and improve the user experience overall. Promote content via a variety of platforms, such as social media sharing, and track results with Google Analytics and other tools. Keep in mind that SEO is a long-term approach; thus, maintaining success over time requires perseverance and patience.

Jeff Romero, Founder, Octiv Digital

One SEO strategy that has proven successful in my experience is the comprehensive compilation of content around a specific topic. For example, instead of writing a short piece with a few SEO tips, our team produced an in-depth guide with 25 tips. This substantial, all-encompassing approach not only improved our client’s SEO results but also established us as an authority within our niche. 

Other digital marketers can adapt this strategy by investing time in detailed research on their chosen topic and then creating a meaningful, in-depth, and resourceful piece of content, exceeding typical standards and expectations. Do not forget the visuals – include screenshots and be very specific with them, as they can help make your content more unique and in-depth.

Ron Evan Del Rosario, Demand Generation – SEO Link Building Manager, Thrive Digital Marketing Agency

Our experience working with Krock.io proved the effectiveness of expanding website structure for SEO. Krock.io wanted us to help them increase their organic traffic in their target regions (US, Canada, and UK) to increase subscriptions to their service. A broader website structure enhances user engagement, which leads to better search engine rankings. After expanding their website structure, they had longer user engagement, which increased their rankings and overall conversions. The user engagement metrics increased by 20% for average sessions and 27% on pages per session. The traffic in the USA increased by 25%, 30% in Canada, and 35% in the UK. There was a 15% increase in subscription rates. Others can use this approach as well. The first step is to do a technical audit of the website, identify areas that need improvement, and expand the website structure. Pay close attention to missing queries and services.

Valerie Lavska, CMO, Promodo

As digital marketers, we’ve successfully employed entity-based keywords, a potent SEO strategy. By utilizing single-word, two- or three-word, and long-tail keywords related to the same entity, we connect user intent, context, and word relationships to generate accurate search engine results. This approach significantly boosts client visibility by establishing relationships between keywords and categories, eventually interconnecting. To implement this strategy, focus on your entity-related keywords, ensuring your content aligns seamlessly. By understanding these keywords and their relationship to user intent, digital marketers can replicate this approach, driving improved search engine rankings and user engagement for their clients.

Ajay Prasad, Founder and President, GMR Web Team

For a SaaS, we created an entire roadmap for their bottom-of-the-funnel content. This covered the whole BoFU scope, from category content to competitor alternatives. They’re a small Chrome-extension product, so it didn’t take much to convince users to sign up for their product. Now, they have an entire lead-generation pipeline for their product at a fraction of the cost compared to PPC. My advice to others is to focus on profits over traffic.

Taylor Scher, SEO Consultant, TaylorScherSEO

As a digital marketer, the most successful strategy I have used has been focusing on high-quality, informative content. In my experience, content sits at the heart of SEO. Without content on your web pages, all other SEO elements lose significance. Even a page with no “SEO” can rank if it has good content, but without content, no SEO tactics can be effective. So, my best strategy is to start by putting words on my clients’ web pages and develop an effective content strategy.

Great SEO content isn’t just about writing; it also involves proper keyword research. With a good research process, the rest of your SEO efforts become much simpler. If your pages aren’t ranking well, you may need to re-evaluate and choose different keywords. Invest in a keyword-research tool and follow the best practices for using it. Once you’ve created optimized, relevant content, make sure to promote it through social media, email, or other channels that align with your business and target audience.

Precious Abacan, Digital Marketing Manager, Softlist