So, you’ve mastered the SEO basics—your website is optimised, your content is flowing, and you’re starting to see a steady stream of organic traffic. But what’s next? How do you push past the competition and land those coveted top spots in search engine results?

In this guide, we’re diving into some advanced SEO techniques that will help you take your rankings to the next level. These strategies are designed for businesses that already have a solid SEO foundation but are ready to go head-to-head with competitors and come out on top.

Let’s jump in.

1. Focus on Topical Authority, Not Just Keywords

Traditional SEO tells you to focus on specific keywords. But in today’s SEO landscape, search engines prioritize websites that demonstrate authority over entire topics, not just individual keywords. To do this, your content should be deep, interconnected, and comprehensive.

Why It Works:

Google now focuses on ranking pages that cover a subject in-depth rather than just optimizing for one or two keywords. By becoming an authority on a specific topic, search engines are more likely to boost your rankings across multiple related keywords.

How to Do It:

• Build topic clusters: Create pillar content that thoroughly covers broad topics, then write related articles (cluster content) that link back to your pillar page.
• Interlink your content: Ensure your cluster articles link to one another and the pillar content, creating a web of topical relevance.
• Update and expand existing content: Google values freshness, so keep older articles updated with the latest info and link them to newer, related content.

Pro Tip: Instead of chasing keywords, ask yourself: “What can I teach my audience about this topic?” Then create content that covers all the angles.

2. Improve User Experience (UX) to Boost SEO

Search engines want to deliver the best possible experience for users. That’s why factors like page load speed, mobile responsiveness, and easy navigation are crucial for SEO. A great user experience means visitors stay on your site longer, reducing bounce rates and signalling to Google that your site is valuable.

Why It Works:

Google’s algorithm considers how users interact with your site. If people quickly leave your page (high bounce rate) or find it difficult to navigate, your rankings can suffer. Optimizing for a smooth, fast, and user-friendly experience keeps visitors engaged—and Google happy.

How to Do It:

• Improve page load times: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for improvement. Compress images, use a content delivery network (CDN), and minimize code to speed up your site.
• Optimize for mobile: Ensure your site is mobile-friendly. With mobile-first indexing, Google ranks sites based on how they perform on smartphones.
• Simplify navigation: Make it easy for users to find what they’re looking for. Clear menus, call-to-action buttons, and a well-organized site structure are key.

Pro Tip: Page speed isn’t just about SEO—it’s also about keeping your visitors happy. A one-second delay in page load time can lead to a 7% drop in conversions!

3. Leverage Structured Data (Schema Markup)

Structured data, or schema markup, is a way to help search engines understand your content better. It can help your site appear in rich snippets, which can significantly boost click-through rates and improve your visibility.

Why It Works:

Structured data tells search engines what your content means, not just what it says. This can lead to enhanced listings (like star ratings, images, and event times) in search results, making your site more appealing and informative to users.

How to Do It:

• Use schema markup tools: Tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper can simplify the process. You don’t need to be a coding expert to implement structured data.
• Target different types of rich snippets: Depending on your content, you can use schema for product reviews, FAQs, recipes, and more.
• Monitor results: After adding structured data, use Google Search Console to track how your rich snippets are performing and adjust as needed.

Pro Tip: Rich snippets stand out in search results, which means higher click-through rates—without needing to rank higher!

4. Create Linkable Assets for Advanced Link Building

Link building is still one of the most important ranking factors, but not all backlinks are created equal. To attract high-quality, authoritative backlinks, you need to create linkable assets—content so valuable, insightful, or unique that other websites can’t resist linking to it.

Why It Works:

The more authoritative and relevant links you acquire, the more search engines see your site as a trusted source. Linkable assets like data studies, comprehensive guides, or tools attract organic backlinks and can give your site a major SEO boost.

How to Do It:

• Create original research: Conduct studies, surveys, or polls in your industry and publish the results. Other sites often link to original data.
• Develop useful tools or calculators: Build a free tool or resource that’s valuable to your audience. For example, a budgeting calculator or an SEO audit tool.
• Write ultimate guides: Cover a topic more comprehensively than anyone else. Ultimate guides tend to attract backlinks because they become the go-to resource on that topic.

Pro Tip: Don’t just create these assets and hope for the best—promote them! Reach out to relevant websites or influencers and let them know about your resource.

5. Use Advanced Internal Linking Strategies

Internal linking isn’t just about navigation; it’s a powerful SEO tool. By strategically linking related pages on your site, you can pass authority between pages and guide search engines through your content.

Why It Works:

Internal links help distribute link equity (ranking power) across your site. They also make it easier for Google to crawl and index your pages, which can improve your overall SEO performance.

How to Do It:

• Link from high-authority pages: Pages on your site that already rank well can pass their link equity to other important but underperforming pages.
• Use keyword-rich anchor text: When linking internally, use descriptive anchor text that includes relevant keywords, so both users and search engines know what the linked page is about.
• Add links to older posts: Update old blog posts with new internal links pointing to fresh content to boost SEO for both the old and new pages.

Pro Tip: Too many links can overwhelm users and confuse search engines, so keep it relevant and focused. Aim for 2-5 internal links per page.

6. Optimize for Search Intent, Not Just Keywords

Today’s SEO is all about search intent—understanding what users really want when they type a query. Are they looking for information? Ready to make a purchase? Searching for a specific answer? Tailoring your content to meet this intent can significantly improve your rankings.

Why It Works:

Google prioritizes content that matches the intent behind the user’s search. If your content satisfies that intent, your page is more likely to rank well. For example, informational searches need in-depth articles, while transactional searches might require product pages.

How to Do It:

• Analyze the SERPs: Look at the top-ranking pages for your target keywords. Are they informational, transactional, or something else? This will give you clues about search intent.
• Match content format to intent: If users are looking for how-to information, create detailed guides. If they want to buy something, focus on product comparisons or reviews.
• Provide clear answers: Use headings, bullet points, and visuals to make your content easy to scan and find the answers users are looking for quickly.

Pro Tip: Search intent can shift over time, so regularly revisit your content to ensure it still aligns with user expectations and what Google prioritizes in the SERPs.

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Conclusion: Stay Ahead with Advanced SEO

To outrank your competition, it’s no longer enough to follow the basics. You need to dive deep into advanced strategies like optimizing for user experience, leveraging structured data, and building authority with high-quality content. By implementing these techniques, you’ll not only climb the search rankings—you’ll stay there.

SEO is constantly evolving, but with the right strategies in place, you can stay ahead of the curve and leave your competitors in the dust. Ready to take your SEO to the next level? Start testing these techniques today, and watch as your rankings rise.

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With these advanced SEO techniques in your toolkit, you’re well-equipped to outshine the competition and drive long-term growth for your business.