When your competition is fighting as hard as you for your audience’s attention, and when they’re following all SEO rules by the book, the only move that can give you an edge is thinking out of the SEO box and breaking free from the conventional.
So, while there’s no denying the benefits of sticking to the rules, there are times when moving out of the SEO algorithm grid can deliver surprising results too.
We asked our community of leaders and experts if they’ve ever tried discovering hidden opportunities by exploring innovative SEO strategies and received an overwhelming response.
Read on!
Fix Technical SEO Issues
During a technical audit, I spotted a few things: relative links and a lack of a 404 page (with a 404 status) that resulted in an infinite crawl trap. We encouraged the client to just fix this one issue and that one change generated 40k additional keywords on Google one month later, with 2,623 keywords on Google page one.
Katherine Ong
Owner, WO Strategies LLC
Include Emojis in SEO Content
One of the most surprising techniques that we’ve started using after SEO algorithms became more sophisticated was emoji SEO. That is exactly what it sounds like-including emojis in our SEO content!
I accidentally included this technique when working with a Gen Z writer on our team that insisted on including a cake emoji in a copy he was writing for a bakery client.
I let her do it, thinking the eventual failure would be a valuable lesson, but the bakery wound up outdoing its local competitors! This technique is especially valuable on social media, where people use emojis a lot.
Share Authentic Content on Social Media
My biggest SEO win came from just writing down what was in my head without thinking about SEO stuff, putting it on my blog and sharing the link on one social media platform without thinking much. I woke up the next day to find the world reporting about it, with even big worldwide known media outlets linking to my site.
Vincent Schmalbach
Web Developer, AI Engineer & SEO Expert, Vincent Schmalbach
Optimizing for Featured Snippets
Once, I ventured beyond conventional methods by optimizing for Google’s Featured Snippets, with a twist. Instead of the usual keyword-heavy articles, I focused on creating concise, easy-to-digest content in Q&A format. For a client in the home improvement sector, we addressed common queries like “How to install a ceiling fan,” breaking it down into clear, actionable steps paired with illustrative images.
This approach surprisingly skyrocketed the client’s visibility. Within three months, their page views increased by 45%, largely because the snippet frequently appeared at the top of search results. The key wasn’t just providing answers but doing so in a way that aligns perfectly with what users, and Google, deem as easily accessible and relevant information. It’s about making content both approachable and authoritative.
Kerry Anderson
Co-founder, RankingCo
Content Pruning
One of my unconventional SEO wins came from experimenting with content pruning at Riverbase Cloud. We had a vast blog archive, and I noticed that some older content was no longer relevant or getting any traction. Instead of focusing solely on creating new content, I decided to prune underperforming posts. By removing outdated pieces and consolidating articles with valuable insights, we redirected link equity to more significant pages.
This approach surprisingly boosted our organic search traffic by 30% within two months. For others looking to try this strategy, start by auditing your blog content’s performance in Google Analytics. Identify posts that haven’t received traffic in the past year and assess whether they can be updated, merged, or removed. This cleanup not only improves your site’s authority but also boosts engagement and user experience.
Gary Gilkison
Principal Analyst, Riverbase Cloud
Creating a Knowledge Hub
SEO is a constant puzzle due to the ever changing algorithms. What worked for us was to shift our focus—away from individual keywords and toward user intent.
We built a “knowledge hub”—a puppet algorithm that worked the SEO algorithm—vast internal linking system that guided users naturally through related content. Instead of optimizing for single keywords, we created a seamless, interactive experience that mimicked how people explore topics.
We had to rethink how users navigate, how we structured content, and how we connected it all.
SEO is about creating real value that resonates with your audience, not just playing by the rules of search engines.
The Power of UGC
SEO feels a lot like chasing a moving target. Every time you think you’ve found the trick, the rules change. For us, the most unexpected breakthrough didn’t come from the typical strategy—no big keyword overhauls, no mass link-building campaigns.
After analysing what content worked with us, we found the answer-UGC(USER GENERATED CONTENT). We encouraged our customers to share their personal experiences: their unboxing stories, the first night sleeping on our mattresses, their honest thoughts—raw, unpolished, and real. This wasn’t the kind of content you could manufacture with any SEO tool.
Here’s the catch—UGC didn’t just happen on its own, It took some time, but once that momentum kicked in, the results spoke for themselves.
My advice for anyone in the SEO game: Look beyond the traditional tactics. The true power of SEO lies in genuine, authentic content that connects with your audience. It’s not about gaming the system; it’s about meeting the system where it already is.
Optimizing Images with Long-Tail Keywords
We tried something unconventional by optimizing image file names and alt texts to include long-tail keywords. Instead of generic names like “image1.jpg,” we renamed files to reflect specific searches, such as “traditional-Yemeni-dishes.jpg.” This wasn’t a standard focus for us, but the results were surprising.
Within weeks, we noticed a jump in organic traffic coming from Google Image Search, with visitors spending more time on pages connected to these optimized images. It also helped us rank for niche keywords that weren’t as competitive. The takeaway? Sometimes overlooked elements, like image optimization, can make a big difference when done thoughtfully. It’s a small step that had a lasting impact on both traffic and engagement.
Dionne Ricafort
Marketing Manager, CSO Yemen
Hyper-Specific Micro Guides
One unconventional SEO technique we experimented with was creating “hyper-specific micro-guides” tailored to niche customer pain points. Instead of going after broad, highly competitive keywords like “hair extensions,” we developed content targeting long-tail keywords like “best clip in hair extensions” or “best hairstyles for weddings with thin hair.”
Here’s the kicker: we didn’t just write these guides – we made them super visual with infographics, quick explainer videos, and interactive elements like quizzes. These micro-guides were shared on Pinterest and embedded into our email campaigns, driving organic backlinks and engagement we hadn’t anticipated.
The result? A noticeable boost in traffic, ranking for these long-tail queries, and a halo effect on broader keywords as Google rewarded the site’s relevance. It reminded us that value-packed, hyper-relevant content often beats traditional SEO tactics.
Kate Ross
SEO Specialist, Irresistible Me
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