17 Advanced SEO Strategies + Bonus

This is a list of 17 advanced SEO strategies, techniques, and tactics that have been proven to bring in a significant amount of organic traffic from Google. These strategies go beyond the basics and can help you take your SEO efforts to the next level. So, if you’re tired of the same old beginner tips and want to dive into more advanced tactics, this list is for you. Let’s get started!

1. Rank for “Journalist Keywords”

Journalist Keywords are terms that journalists search for when they are looking for information to include in their articles. By targeting these keywords, you can build backlinks at scale. For example, if you publish a study or research on a specific topic, journalists may search for statistics or data to include in their articles. If your content ranks for these journalist keywords, you have a higher chance of getting backlinks from journalists who cite your stats or data in their articles.

2. Use Animated Images to Improve Time On Site

Time on site is an important ranking factor, and one way to improve it is by using animated images, such as animated SVGs. These high-resolution animated images can help engage users and prevent them from skimming through your content. When users spend more time on your page, it signals to search engines that your content is valuable and relevant.

3. Create Content Hubs

Content hubs are like mini Wikipedia pages on a specific topic. They are collections of resources or articles organized by category. Each category or entry within the hub is optimized around a specific keyword. Content hubs are designed to match the search intent of users looking for information on a particular topic. They also provide internal linking opportunities, which can improve SEO and increase dwell time on your site.

4. Target Comparison Keywords

Comparison keywords are terms that compare different things, such as “Content marketing vs SEO” or “iPhone vs Android.” These keywords are worth targeting because they typically have lower competition and attract relatively advanced users who are comparing different options. By creating content optimized around these comparison keywords, you can provide valuable information and help users make informed decisions, which can lead to higher rankings and more organic traffic.

5. Use Dynamic Parameters for Pagination

Using dynamic parameters for paginated pages can help improve crawl efficiency and indexation speed. By changing the URL format of your paginated pages, you can help search engines understand the patterns and structure of your website better. This can lead to faster crawl times and more efficient indexation, resulting in better search visibility for your paginated content.

6. Use Podcasts as a Link-Building Strategy

Podcasts are a powerful platform for building backlinks and increasing brand visibility. By appearing as a guest on podcasts in your industry, you can reach a new audience and earn high-quality backlinks. Compared to traditional guest posting, going on a podcast is often easier and more effective. To get interviewed on podcasts, pitch your expertise and value to the podcast’s audience, invest in good audio quality, start with smaller podcasts, and leverage your early appearances to land bigger and better shows.

7. Forge a Content Alliance

A content alliance is a collaboration between two businesses or websites to create a piece of content together. By partnering with another entity, you can leverage their expertise, data, or resources to create high-quality content that benefits both parties. This collaboration can lead to increased exposure, backlinks, and audience engagement, resulting in more organic traffic and improved SEO.

8. Maximize SERP Real Estate

Maximizing SERP real estate involves taking up as much space as possible on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). By ranking high and utilizing different features, such as featured snippets, videos, rich snippets, and top stories, you can increase your SERP real estate and attract more organic traffic. The more visible and prominent your content is on the SERPs, the more clicks and traffic you are likely to receive.

9. Embed Original Images in Your Content

Using original images in your content can improve the user experience and indirectly impact your rankings. Stock photos and duplicate images may hurt your page’s rankings, so it’s best to use as many original images as possible. High-quality, custom visuals can make your content stand out and provide value to your audience. Additionally, original images may be used by other websites, providing you with backlinks and further exposure.

10. Optimize Your Content for Keyword Relevance

Optimizing your content for keyword relevance goes beyond simply including the target keyword multiple times. Google looks for relevant, high-quality content that matches the search intent of users. To give Google the signals it needs to assess your content’s relevance, include LSI (latent semantic indexing) keywords that are related to your target keyword. Tools like Clearscope and Surfer SEO can help you find the right LSI keywords to include in your content and improve your chances of ranking higher and attracting more organic traffic.

11. Leverage the Power of Comments

Comments on your website can have a positive impact on SEO in multiple ways. First, comments can be a direct ranking factor, indicating user engagement and the quality of your content. Second, comments provide additional content for users to read and engage with, increasing dwell time on your site. Finally, comments are indexed by search engines and can contribute to your overall search visibility. By actively moderating and replying to comments, you can enhance the user experience and improve your SEO.

12. Uncover “People Also Ask” Keywords

The “People Also Ask” (PAA) section in Google search results is a valuable source of keyword ideas and opportunities for optimization. PAA questions are related to the search query and are displayed in an accordion format. By expanding the PAA section and analyzing the questions, you can identify relevant keywords to target in your content. Tools like Answer The Public can also help you discover related questions and expand your keyword research.

13. Add “Content Features” to Your Page

Content features are elements that you can add to your content to make it more engaging, informative, and valuable to users. Examples of content features include calculators, comparison charts, feature breakdowns, pros and cons lists, summaries, and quote boxes. These features can enhance the user experience, increase dwell time, and provide additional value to your audience. Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines consider supplementary content important, so incorporating content features can positively impact your rankings.

14. Publish Topic + Year Content

Publishing content focused on a specific topic and year can attract targeted traffic and improve your search visibility. By creating comprehensive guides or articles that cover the latest trends, updates, or predictions for a specific year, you can target long-tail keywords with lower competition. For example, optimizing your content around “SEO 2023” can help you rank for this specific keyword and attract users interested in the latest SEO trends and strategies.

15. Leverage Unlinked Brand Mentions

Unlinked brand mentions are mentions of your brand or website in blog posts or news articles that do not include a hyperlink to your site. By identifying these unlinked mentions, you can reach out to the authors or publishers and request that they add a link to your site. Since they have already mentioned your brand, they are more likely to comply with your request. This strategy can help you earn valuable backlinks and increase your online visibility.

16. Optimize for Google Discover

Google Discover is a personalized content recommendation feature that displays high-quality content to users based on their interests and browsing history. While it is not possible to directly optimize for Discover, there are strategies that can increase your chances of appearing in users’ Discover feeds. These strategies include using high-quality images, creating fresh and engaging content, having a high level of traffic to a single page, and covering popular topics that align with users’ interests.

17. Find Low-Competition Keywords From Reddit

Reddit can be a great source of low-competition keywords and content ideas. By analyzing subreddits related to your industry or niche using tools like Semrush, you can uncover keywords that pages within those subreddits rank for. While Reddit itself has a high domain authority, most Reddit threads are unorganized and lack the structure and depth of well-written blog posts. By creating well-structured, in-depth content around these low-competition keywords, you can outrank Reddit threads and attract organic traffic to your site.

Bonus Strategy #1: Visualize Your Sitemap

Visualizing your website’s sitemap can help you ensure that your site has a flat architecture, which is beneficial for technical SEO. Tools like Semrush’s SEO site audit or VisualSitemaps can help you visualize your sitemap and identify any potential issues with your site’s structure. A flat website architecture helps search engines understand the hierarchy and organization of your site, leading to better crawlability and indexation.

Bonus Strategy #2: Find Hidden Terms With Google Keyword Planner

The Google Keyword Planner is a popular tool for keyword research, but it can also be used to find hidden keywords that are not easily discovered through traditional keyword research methods. By entering a URL into the Keyword Planner instead of a seed keyword, you can generate a list of keywords that Google doesn’t show to most users. This can uncover new keyword opportunities and help you find low-competition terms to target in your content.

Now that you have a comprehensive list of advanced SEO strategies, it’s time to implement them into your SEO efforts. Start with the strategy that resonates with you the most and gradually incorporate others into your SEO strategy. Remember to monitor your results and make adjustments as needed. Good luck with your advanced SEO endeavors!