- Tension: Every fresh update promises to decode Google, yet each new “must-do” risks burying brands beneath technique and away from the voice that made them worth finding in the first place.
- Noise: Endless tip lists flatten nuance—quick wins here, secret hacks there—until SEO feels like a choreographed sprint no human can finish.
- Direct Message: Algorithms evolve daily, but the signal that outlasts every update is coherence: search engines surface pages that choose relevance over gimmick, focus over frenzy.
To learn more about our editorial approach, explore The Direct Message methodology.
The first SEO checklist I ever downloaded was twelve pages of verbs — optimize, compress, interlink — each line a promise that if I obeyed, Google would reward me with traffic I hadn’t earned yet.
Ten years and dozens of algorithm names later, the verbs keep multiplying. But the sites that endure still sound like someone thought first and optimized second.
What follows is a walk through twenty familiar landmarks — only this time we linger on why each one matters beyond rank.
Below, SEO experts share their tested approaches to improving website visibility. Here’s what works for them when optimizing sites for search engines.
1. Focus on Internal Linking for Key Pages
One simple SEO tip that drastically improved my website’s ranking was focusing on internal linking to enhance the authority of key pages. By strategically linking from high-traffic blog posts to targeted service pages, I strengthened the connection between content and ensured search engines prioritized the right pages for ranking. For example, on one of my affiliate websites, I optimized internal links for the keyword “best blockchain wallets for beginners” by linking relevant blog posts and FAQs to the main comparison page.
victoria olsina
Web3 SEO Agency Founder, VictoriaOlsina.com
2. Add Structured Data for Key Pages
One of the simplest yet most effective SEO strategies we implemented was adding structured data (schema markup) to our website. By integrating schema for key pages, such as our pricing and services sections, we enabled search engines to better understand and display our content in a more engaging way—complete with rich snippets like FAQs and star ratings.
The impact was significant. For our primary keyword, “crypto tracking tools,” we jumped from the 8th to the 3rd position in Google’s SERPs within six weeks. This shift not only increased our organic traffic by 40% but also boosted our click-through rates, as users were drawn to the enriched snippets that highlighted unique features.
Ahmed Yousuf
Financial Author & SEO Expert Manager, CoinTime BTMs
3. Optimize Alt Text for Product Images
One of the best SEO strategies we adopted involved optimizing alt text for product images with phrases that aligned naturally with user searches. For example, rather than using generic terms like gym flooring, we introduced descriptive phrases such as high-grip mats for intensive workouts or safe play mats for kids. This approach targeted long-tail keywords customers were likely to use, resulting in a 40% boost in rankings for terms like “non-slip gym mats” and “garage flooring solutions” over three months. These updates also made our images more relevant and discoverable in search results.
Richard McKay
Chief Marketing Officer, Sprung Flooring
4. Create Practical Blog Posts for Keywords
To be really honest, we faced a critical issue: while our website had decent traffic, we weren’t ranking for specific, high-conversion long-tail keywords like “AI-driven content marketing strategies.” This gap meant we were missing out on potential leads and losing visibility in a key niche.
To address this, we created a well-crafted, practical blog post centered on this keyword. It offered actionable advice, real-world examples, and insights backed by credible data. We also implemented SEO best practices, including a compelling meta description, internal linking, and structured headings to ensure clarity and relevance.
The lesson here?
Solve real user problems with tailored content that aligns with search intent. It’s a simple, scalable approach to achieving consistent SEO success.
Vaibhav Kishnani
Founder & CEO, Content-Whale
5. Implement Basic On-Page SEO Fundamentals
My #1 SEO tip is to not neglect the basic fundamentals of search engine optimization. Often, by focusing on basic on-page optimizations and creating internal links (linking from one page to another within your website), we see substantial improvements. A key practice that worked for us was ensuring that every page had three internal links using relevant anchor text.
We started working on a client site that had less than 50 clicks, despite having over 200 published articles. After conducting a content audit, we realized that while the content was well-written and valuable, it lacked essential SEO fundamentals. There were no photos, no headings to break up the text, and no internal links connecting the posts together.
Matthew Demers
Founder, Diffuse Digital Marketing
6. Use Targeted Keywords in Key Places
One of the easiest yet effective SEO tips that actually made a difference for my website was adding targeted keywords in key places: the Meta Title, Meta Description, H1 tag, and the first paragraph of the content—exactly. This one tip alone has helped improve my rankings because it makes it clear to the search engines what the page is about while at the same time catching the attention of users browsing through the search results.
Here’s how it worked: I optimized a blog post for the keyword “best baby strollers in 2024” by making sure this exact phrase appeared:
In the Meta Title, I used: “Best Baby Strollers in 2024 – Top Picks for Every Budget.”
In the Meta Description, I included: “Searching for the best baby strollers in 2024? Learn about our top picks, designed for comfort, safety, and style.”
It contained the H1 tag, which was: “Best Baby Strollers in 2024.”
The result?
The blog post moved from the third page of Google to the first page within a week. The organic traffic coming to that page increased, brought in more qualified visitors who were genuinely interested in the topic, and also helped me improve the revenue of that particular category of products.
Ankit Prajapati
Owner, Consultant-Ankit
7. Restructure URL Parameters for Service Pages
Restructuring our URL parameters for service pages unexpectedly boosted our rankings. Instead of using the standard “/services/service-name” structure, we created location-specific URLs that included both the service and the target city’s business district.
For example, “/seo-services-financial-district-boston” rather than just “/seo-services-boston.” This granular approach captured searches from professionals looking for services in specific business areas, rather than competing for broader city-wide terms.
Aaron Whittaker
VP of Demand Generation & Marketing, Thrive Digital Marketing Agency
One simple yet powerful SEO tactic that drastically improved my website’s ranking was building high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites in my niche. By leveraging my network and reaching out to journalists and bloggers, I secured links from sites with a Domain Authority of 70+. For example, I contributed a guest post to a leading marketing blog and earned a backlink to my site. I also participated in expert roundups and provided quotes for industry publications, which led to more backlinks.
Within 3 months of implementing this link building strategy, my website’s ranking for competitive keywords like “SEO services” and “link building agency” jumped from page 5 to the top 3 results on Google. The improved visibility led to a 200% increase in organic traffic and a 150% boost in lead generation. The key is to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to link building, and to target websites that are highly relevant to your niche and have a strong link profile.
Maurizio Petrone
Founder & CEO, PressHERO
9. Dominate Specific Topics Over Scattered Keywords
One of the best SEO tips moving into 2025 is that less can be so much more.
Google is actively indexing less, AI content has flooded the internet, and the stock standard way of high word count = better SEO is going out the door.
SEOs need to focus on a high rate of information gain. Make your pages valuable to users and search engines. You can do this by trimming content and formatting things so they’re easy to scan and segmented well by subheaders.
Ben Poulton
Founder, Intellar SEO Consultancy
10. Consolidate Content with Similar Intent
One simple SEO tip that significantly improved a website’s ranking was consolidating multiple content pieces with similar intent into one comprehensive and in-depth article.
For a project with a PVC pipe manufacturer, we noticed the website had multiple pages targeting the same topic, such as:
- What are HDPE Pipes?
- Benefits of HDPE Pipes
- Advantages of HDPE Pipes
- Usage of HDPE Pipes
These pages competed with each other, resulting in poor performance. We identified that all these topics shared the same user intent and merged them into a single, detailed, well-structured piece covering all these aspects.
Deepan Paul
SEO Consultant
The Direct Message
Technique amplifies what you already are—master every trick, and you still rank hollow if the substance behind it cannot satisfy intent.
11. Optimize Content for Search Intent
An SEO tip that helped elevate the rank of our website is search intent optimization, but it took us to restructure the contents of the page. Rather, we focused on the keywords, and we made it a point that the content addressed the most critical issues that the user had in the course of his search.
For instance, in the case of the keywords “local SEO services in Salt Lake City,” we modified the content of the page to include sections such as how effective SEO agency selection is and included FAQ sections, testimonial reviews, and CTAs. This approach provided users with all the information they needed to increase the level of interaction and the amount of time spent on the page.
Rachel Hensen
Content Writer, PWA Media
12. Use Testimonial-Based Backlink Strategy
I have a powerful SEO technique for consultants and agencies that have niched down-one you’ve probably never heard of. It’s not strictly white hat, but it has helped many of my contractor clients jump from page two to the top five positions on Google for transactional keywords like “roofers in Dallas.” Here’s how it works.
Like many freelancers and agencies, I manage multiple clients in related industries that, due to location, don’t compete with each other. To leverage this network, in the “Testimonial” section of the homepage, I write a review for one client’s website, then slip in a backlink pointing to another client’s site. Because I’m in control of the review, I can use almost any anchor text and even hide it at the end of a review slide.
Yes, it’s a gray hat method, but you get exact-match anchor text on a high-traffic page within the same industry when done carefully.
Seth Beaty
Founder, Rank Right SEO Company
13. Focus on Dominating a Specific Topic
Here’s a game-changing SEO tip: Focus on dominating a specific topic rather than chasing scattered keywords. Let me share a real success story that proves this approach.
When working with Styyylish.com, an antique furniture boutique, we realized they couldn’t compete with industry giants like 1stDibs.com for broad terms like “antique furniture.” Instead, we identified a niche opportunity: Biedermeier furniture.
Pro tip: Before launching your SEO campaign, run business projections for each potential category you could target. Think of it like planning a trip—first choose your destination (category), then map out the best route (content calendar). This strategic approach ensures you’re investing your SEO efforts in the category with the highest potential return.
Arnaud Kuhlein
CEO, SEO Ocean
14. Create Targeted Keyword Pages and Build Links
For my client’s website, I use the strategy of creating a page for a targeted keyword and optimizing for searcher’s intent as the first step (it’s not easy to just make a page live and then rank in the top 10). But what helps drastically move their rankings for these pages and their primary keywords is link building to these pages.
It helps with showing Google that the page is recognized as trustworthy due to its listing as a resource in another site’s article.
Lora Bovie
Director of SEO, Rising Fox SEO
15. Add Local Terms to Existing Content
When I focused on adding local terms to my existing website content, the results were dramatic! In less than 3 months, I went from not ranking at all to achieving positions 11 through 15 for high-intent local keywords like “local SEO Jacksonville FL,” “local SEO company Jacksonville,” “Jacksonville local SEO,” and “SEO services Jacksonville.”
Shifting away from the highly competitive national level terms and instead targeting location-based terms is a simple strategy I also implement for my clients to help them see faster results.
J. Ivy Boyter
Owner, Full Throttle SEO
16. Ensure Keywords in URL and Schema
When thinking of optimizing your pages, you would most commonly think of the meta descriptions, titles, headings, and content. I found that sometimes the actual URL of the page is overlooked and is often underoptimized or even overoptimized. Ensuring your keywords are also included in your URL and your URLs follow a well-nested structure can make a big difference in the SERPs.
I also think you should spend more time optimizing your page schema since it is also a great place for keyword optimization and for providing an edge over competitors that may not have proper schema elements on their pages.
Ragheed Akeel
SEO Specialist, seoplus+
17. Research Keywords and Write Optimized Blogs
My simple strategy was keyword researching and writing optimized blogs for the ranking keywords.
And, my ranking improved from Page 6 to Page 3 for the keyword Hudson Valley wedding photographer.
Michelle Faciol
SEO Specialist, Stories by Victoria
18. Optimize Internal Linking Structure
The best SEO tips are often the simplest. For us, optimizing our internal linking structure made a huge difference. It’s something that can easily go unnoticed, but the impact is significant. We reorganized the links on key pages to prioritize relevance and distribute link equity to underperforming content.
We have our own blog, and there was a post on it that focused on local SEO for small businesses. The post was stuck on the second page and wasn’t even showing up in searches for specific keywords. However, by linking to it from the homepage using natural anchor text, we were able to increase its visibility in Google.
Ihor Shulezhko
CEO of Rankup.Ua, Rankup.ua
One of the simplest SEO tips that drastically improved Google’s SERP ranking of my website was building its topical authority. Although it was time-consuming, I felt like my brain was in a microwave oven, but it helped drive sustainable results. The best part was that my website started to appear in the snippets bar as well.
For your ease, I’ll help you understand what building topical authority means. By simply answering every possible question that may arise in the user’s mind, you show that your website has a command over a certain niche.
Suppose you are building a bail bonding website. For a moment, think about every question that may arise in a person looking for a bail bond company. Start answering them logically and cohesively.
This would give signals to Google and other search engines that your website has topical authority in a certain niche, improving your website’s rankings.
Seyed Muhammad
SEO Content Writer and Researcher, QRG group
20. Implement Meta Descriptions Across the Website
This one is going to sound crazy and I can hear the eyeballs rolling already…but Meta Descriptions. The amount of websites I see in my job as a US-based SEO that either don’t have any metas or hundreds of missing or duplicated metas is astounding. It’s such a missed opportunity. You can believe all the Google hype that Metas don’t affect rankings, but they do—even if it’s indirectly by improving clickthrough.
I assure you that if you take the time to put in place a full complement of meta descriptions across your website or your clients’ websites you will see improvements that you hadn’t bargained for, especially with eCommerce websites. It seems to be trendy to take your lead from Google when it comes to SEO strategy but the Google leak proves that there is a lot more to website ranking than “the official line.”
My advice is to test things and follow the data, don’t believe all you read from official sources.
Phil Gregory
MD, Peak District SEO
Final thoughts
Google will rename its update again next season; another list will promise salvation. But sites that speak with unmistakable clarity — grounded in these principles—rarely scramble.
They iterate, yes, yet remain legible to both crawlers and humans because they chose coherence before tactics and meaning before metrics. The ranking follows.
