While the run-of-the-mill yet essential to-do list of SEO is long, there are a few tweaks and experiments out there that deliver surprisingly effective results.
These tactics and strategies are not so common, even rarer to those just beginning to try their hand at all things SEO.
But for those who believe experimentation to be key to visibility and traffic, these ideas come naturally, and once proven, remain a part of their secret stash of SEO hacks.
Thankfully, these experts and leaders do not hesitate in sharing their ideas with us common folk either, so with this belief in mind, the BoostMyDomain team reached out to our community to see if they could share some hack with us. As expected, we were not disappointed, and what we have for you is a lineup of tactics and strategies that can help you level up your SEO game.
Read on!
Leverage User-Generated Content for SEO
One of my biggest SEO wins came from leveraging user-generated content (UGC) in an unconventional way. Instead of focusing solely on creating high-quality, long-form blog posts (which is the typical route), I decided to create a community-driven Q&A section on a niche website we managed. The idea was to allow users to ask questions about a specific topic and enable the community, along with our experts, to provide detailed answers.
Here’s what made it unconventional:
Targeting Long-Tail Keywords Through Questions: The user-generated questions naturally included long-tail keywords and conversational phrases that people were searching for. This aligned perfectly with voice search trends and Google’s shift towards natural language processing.
Dynamic Content Growth: As users posted questions and answers, the site essentially grew “organically” without the need for constant manual content updates. This created a dynamic ecosystem that Google found valuable, as it continuously indexed fresh content.
Structured Data Implementation: We added FAQ schema markup to these pages, which not only helped Google better understand the content but also allowed us to secure rich snippets in the search results, boosting CTR.
Encouraging Engagement and Backlinks: The interactive nature of the platform kept users engaged for longer sessions, which improved dwell time. Interestingly, some well-known industry blogs and websites linked to the Q&A pages as authoritative sources, boosting our domain authority.
The unexpected result? Within six months, the traffic to these pages outperformed our static blog posts by 200%, and the site ranked for over 500+ new long-tail keywords that we hadn’t even targeted explicitly. Additionally, the organic backlink profile improved significantly without any dedicated link-building efforts.
This experiment showed me the power of crowdsourcing content and how blending user engagement with SEO techniques can deliver exceptional results in a cost-effective way.
Vishal Shah
Sr. Technical Consultant, WPWeb Infotech
Optimize for Voice Search Queries
One of my most unexpected wins came from focusing on voice search optimization for a niche client. Instead of targeting traditional keywords, we experimented with full-sentence queries and conversational phrases, anticipating how users might phrase questions to voice assistants like Siri or Alexa. For example, instead of optimizing for “best gardening tools,” we focused on “What are the best tools for beginner gardeners?” We also structured the content with FAQ schema to give search engines context for these queries.
The result? The site experienced a 60% increase in organic traffic within six months and captured multiple featured snippets. This unconventional approach taught me that thinking beyond traditional keyword research and embracing emerging user behaviors, like voice search, can lead to big wins. It’s all about adapting to how people interact with technology in real-time.
Greg Walters
Co-Founder, SEO Modify
Focus on Hyper-Local Keywords
My biggest SEO win came from flipping the script on a common approach. A real estate client was struggling to rank in a highly competitive market, where most agents focused on optimizing for broad terms like “luxury homes.” Instead of going head-to-head, I encouraged the client to double down on hyper-local, long-tail keywords tied to specific neighborhoods and amenities. For example, we optimized for terms like “modern homes near Red Rock Park” and “Colorado Springs homes with mountain views.”
To make it more unconventional, we paired the keywords with in-depth, interactive neighborhood guides and community spotlights. Not only did this drive significant organic traffic, but it also positioned my client as a local expert. Within six months, their site saw a 45% traffic boost and a steady stream of qualified leads-all from focusing on the road less traveled in SEO strategy. Sometimes, thinking smaller can lead to bigger results.
Dillon Loomis
SEO Consultant, Pinnacle Pursuit SEO
Target Audience-Specific Trends
One of my biggest SEO wins came from flipping a common industry practice on its head. Typically, when launching an event, many businesses rely on industry trends for validation, using them to guide content creation and target keywords. But industry trends often lead to oversaturated topics or untapped potential.
Instead, I focused on trends happening in my client’s audience’s lives. My client, a career coach, was launching a free event, and instead of targeting generic keywords like ‘career tips’ or ‘job advice,’ I dug into the specific seasons and struggles her dream clients were experiencing, like finding alignment between their careers and life purpose or breaking out of non-traditional career paths.
We created an event page tailored to these untapped needs, and within 24 hours of being indexed by Google, it brought in over 1,000 organic visits. This approach didn’t just leverage existing trends-it created one, proving that focusing on your audience’s reality is far more impactful than chasing industry noise.
Sonia Urquilla
SEO Coach, SEO by Sonia
Use Internal Search Data
One of my biggest SEO wins came from experimenting with leveraging internal site search data to identify content gaps and create hyper-targeted pages. While most people focus on external keyword research tools, I decided to analyse what users were searching for on a client’s e-commerce site. Surprisingly, we found a recurring search for a niche product category that wasn’t prominently featured or optimised on the site.
We created a dedicated landing page targeting that product category, optimised it with long-tail keywords from the search queries, and structured it to provide detailed product descriptions, FAQs, and internal links to related items. Within a few weeks, the page started ranking for several high-intent, low-competition keywords, leading to a 40% increase in organic traffic and a significant boost in sales for that product line.
The unconventional part was treating internal search data as a goldmine for SEO opportunities. My advice is to think creatively about untapped data sources within your business-they might hold the key to discovering what your audience is actively looking for but not yet finding.
Alexander Hill
Founder & Director, AH Web SEO
Create Hyper-Niche Topic Clusters
My biggest SEO win came from creating hyper-niche topic clusters tailored to overlooked audience segments. Instead of targeting broad, competitive keywords, I focused on ultra-specific queries and unique pain points within a niche. By producing detailed, actionable content and interlinking related articles, I built a web of authority on niche topics. This unconventional approach not only attracted highly qualified traffic but also boosted rankings for related broader terms over time. The strategy surprised me by driving significant organic growth and establishing authority in a space competitors hadn’t explored deeply, proving that smaller, focused efforts can lead to outsized results.
Brenton Thomas
Founder, Twibi
Automate Blog Commenting for Backlinks
In the early days of SEO, I used tools like Scrapebox to automate blog commenting and generate thousands of backlinks. Google’s algorithms at the time prioritised link volume over quality, making this strategy incredibly effective. By overwhelming the web with backlinks, I could push websites into the top five rankings for competitive international keywords. However, as Google introduced updates like Penguin, this tactic became obsolete. Today, Google values high-quality, relevant links, making the search ecosystem better for users and ethical marketers.
Another method I employed was creating geo-targeted landing pages using spinnable syntax. By generating hundreds of unique pages tailored to specific locations, like “SEO Manchester,” I dominated local search results. This strategy worked well because Google prioritised local results without detecting the templated nature of the content. But with updates like Panda, Google began penalising spun or low-quality content, rendering this tactic ineffective.
While these methods achieved excellent results at the time, I’m glad they no longer work. Google’s improvements now reward high-quality, relevant content that genuinely serves users. Modern SEO is more challenging but far more rewarding, focusing on authenticity and user value rather than exploiting system weaknesses.
Peter Wootton
SEO Consultant, The SEO Consultant Agency
Utilize Google Business Profile Updates
One of my most surprising SEO wins came from using Google Business Profile updates. I started sharing articles there, not expecting much. But to my surprise, this unconventional approach quickly paid off.
Articles that weren’t even indexed before suddenly started appearing on the first or second page of Google within days. It really opened my eyes to the power of trying different tools and methods, even those you might not consider at first.
Marco Genaro Palma
Freelance CMO & SEO Consultant, GenaroPalma.com
Optimize for Non-Traditional Search Engines
One of my biggest SEO wins has come from focusing on non-traditional search engines. As a photographer and photography trainer I have been optimising content on Pinterest and even Reddit for Reddit for niche queries. Examples include how to photograph families around the Christmas tree, how to take the best images in bluebells and what to wear on family photoshoots. I then drive these readers to full blogs on my website.
The BoostMyDomain team thanks these experts and leaders for taking the time to share some impactful tried and tested SEO hacks.
BoostMyDomain invites you to share your insights and contribute to our authoritative publication. Reach a wider audience, build your credibility, and establish yourself as a thought leader in an industry that caters to every business with an online presence!
