17+ Proven Ways to Improve SEO Rankings in 2025

17 Proven ways to boost your SEO rankings

Want to dramatically improve your SEO rankings this year? You’re in the right place. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll reveal 17 actionable strategies you can use to climb the search engine results pages (SERPs) and drive more organic traffic to your website.

As an SEO expert at IncRev, I’ve tested and refined these techniques to help our clients achieve outstanding results. In fact, implementing just a handful of these strategies helped grow our organic traffic by over 28% in the past year alone.

So if you’re looking for proven ways to boost your Google rankings and organic search visibility, you’ll love the actionable tips in this guide. Let’s dive in!

1. Optimize your site speed

Page load time has a direct impact on your search rankings. Google has confirmed that site speed is a ranking factor, especially for mobile searches. According to Google Search Central’s SEO Starter Guide, mobile speed and structured data remain core ranking factors in 2025. Our research shows that pages ranking at the top of the first page tend to load significantly faster than those lower down.

To check your current site speed, use tools like:

• Google PageSpeed Insights
• WebPageTest

Some quick ways to improve site speed include:

• Compressing images
• Upgrading to a faster web host
• Minifying CSS, JavaScript, and HTML
• Leveraging browser caching
• Using a content delivery network (CDN)

Even small improvements in load time can have a big impact on rankings and user experience.

2. Optimize for featured snippets

Featured snippets are the highlighted search results that appear at the top of Google’s organic results. Ranking in the featured snippet can significantly boost your organic click-through rate.

To optimize for featured snippets:

1. Identify keywords you already rank on page 1 for
2. Analyze the current featured snippet
3. Create content specifically designed to match the snippet format (definition, list, table, etc.)

3. Improve dwell time

Dwell time – how long visitors stay on your page before returning to the search results – is an important quality signal for Google. A low dwell time suggests your content isn’t satisfying searchers.

One of the best ways to increase dwell time is by embedding relevant videos in your content. Our testing shows pages with embedded videos have an 11.2% lower bounce rate on average.

Aim to include videos that:

• Further explain key concepts
• Demonstrate processes step-by-step
• Showcase product features

4. Earn sitelinks

Sitelinks are the additional links that sometimes appear under a search result, allowing users to jump directly to specific sections of your site. They can significantly boost your organic click-through rate.

To increase your chances of earning sitelinks:

• Add a clear, logical site structure
• Use descriptive internal anchor text
• Create a detailed XML sitemap
• Add schema markup to key pages

We’ve found adding a table of contents with jump links is particularly effective for earning sitelinks on long-form content.

5. Create linkable assets

Not all content is equally link-worthy. To attract high-quality backlinks naturally, focus on creating linkable assets like:

• Original research and data
• Comprehensive guides and tutorials
• Infographics and other visual content
• Free tools and calculators

For example, our voice search study has earned over 1,200 backlinks from authoritative sites – far more than our typical blog posts.

6. Target high commercial intent keywords

While search volume is important, don’t neglect commercial intent. Keywords with high cost-per-click (CPC) in Google Ads often indicate strong buyer intent.

For example, “link building services” has a much lower search volume than “link building,” but the traffic is far more valuable.

Targeting these buyer-focused keywords can lead to higher conversion rates and ROI from your SEO efforts.

7. Optimize video content

YouTube videos often rank well in Google search results. Creating and optimizing video content gives you another opportunity to appear for your target keywords.

Key video optimization tips:

• Use your target keyword in the video title, description and tags
• Create an engaging custom thumbnail
• Add closed captions and transcripts
• Embed the video on a relevant page on your site

8. Create “Topic + Statistics” pages

Pages that compile key statistics on popular topics tend to attract a lot of backlinks naturally. Journalists and bloggers are constantly looking for credible data sources to cite.

To create link-worthy statistics pages:

• Choose a popular topic in your industry
• Gather statistics from authoritative sources
• Present the data in an easy-to-reference format
• Update the page regularly with fresh stats

9. Align content with search intent

One of the most common reasons for rankings drops is misalignment with search intent. As Google gets better at understanding user intent, it’s crucial that your content matches what searchers are actually looking for.

To optimize for search intent:

• Analyze the current top-ranking pages
• Identify the dominant content types (guides, product pages, etc.)
• Ensure your page matches user expectations
• Address common questions and pain points

10. Pursue content partnerships

Collaborating with other brands and influencers in your industry can significantly amplify your content’s reach and link-earning potential.

Some effective content partnership ideas:

• Co-author research studies
• Create joint webinars
• Develop multi-brand resources
• Cross-promote on social media

11. Repurpose existing content

Don’t let your best content ideas live in only one format. Repurposing allows you to reach new audiences and reinforce your message across channels.

Try repurposing content into:

• Blog posts from videos
• Infographics from statistics
• Podcasts from articles
• Social media posts from key takeaways

12. Use broken link building

Broken link building involves finding broken links on other sites and suggesting your content as a replacement. It’s an effective way to earn contextual backlinks.

The process:

1. Find relevant broken links using tools like Ahrefs
2. Create or identify a suitable replacement resource
3. Reach out to the site owner with your suggestion

13. Analyze competitor backlinks

Use tools like Semrush’s Backlink Gap to identify sites that link to multiple competitors but not to you. These represent prime link building opportunities.

14. Target emerging keywords

New topics and trends often have lower competition. By targeting emerging keywords early, you can often rank more easily and establish topical authority.

Use tools like Google Trends and BuzzSumo to identify rising topics in your industry.

15. Create concept visuals

Original diagrams, charts and other visual aids that explain complex concepts are highly shareable and link-worthy. Create custom visuals to illustrate key ideas in your content.

16. Leverage industry glossaries

Industry-specific glossaries can be goldmines for keyword ideas. Use them to:

• Identify niche-specific terms
• Find related concepts to cover
• Generate long-tail keyword variations

17. Connect with content curators

Build relationships with industry curators who compile “best of” content roundups. Getting featured in these curated lists can drive traffic and earn valuable backlinks.

Best ways to improve SEO in 2025: emerging strategies

If you’re wondering how to improve SEO rankings in today’s evolving landscape, understanding 2025’s key trends is essential. Many searchers look to increase SEO through tactics that align with Google’s latest algorithm updates and user expectations.

Leverage AI and content upgrades to enhance SEO

According to WordStream’s 8 SEO Trends for 2025, AI Overviews and zero-click searches now influence modern SEO strategies, requiring holistic E-E-A-T integration. These innovative rank SEO strategies focus on demonstrating expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

For those asking about ways to increase SEO performance, content maintenance delivers remarkable results. Backlinko’s 2025 SEO Strategy Guide shows that content upgrades can deliver 70%+ organic traffic boosts by refreshing statistics and adding new sections.

To improve rank SEO through content upgrades:

• Update outdated statistics with current data
• Add new sections covering emerging subtopics
• Enhance existing content with multimedia elements
• Optimize for featured snippets and AI Overviews
• Improve internal linking to newer resources

Effective ways to repurpose existing content for long-tail keywords

What are some effective ways to repurpose existing content for long-tail keywords? This question represents a powerful strategy to improve content ranking without creating everything from scratch.

Step-by-step guide to increase SEO through repurposing

Repurposing isn’t just about reformatting—it’s about strategically targeting different search queries and user intents. Here’s how IncRev helps clients maximize existing assets:

To improve serp ranking through strategic content repurposing:

1. Audit existing high-performing content for untapped keyword opportunities
2. Identify question-based and long-tail variations using tools like AnswerThePublic
3. Extract specific sections to create standalone resources targeting niche queries
4. Optimize each repurposed piece for its unique search intent
5. Create internal links between original and repurposed content
6. Update metadata and structured data for each new page

According to OptinMonster’s Top 10 Google Ranking Factors, content quality and relevance remain paramount. When you repurpose strategically, you create multiple entry points for users at different stages of their search journey—which improves seo across your entire site.

Brand-safe tactics to improve rank and visibility

For companies with something to lose, brand-safe link building isn’t optional—it’s essential. At IncRev, we’ve built our reputation on compliance-first strategies that enhance SEO without risking penalties or brand damage.

How to improve your seo ranking with compliant link strategies

The best ways to improve SEO in 2025 emphasize quality over quantity. Many tactics that worked years ago now carry significant risks. Here’s how to increase your SEO safely:

• Content-led digital PR: Create newsworthy content that naturally attracts editorial links from premium publishers
• Strategic partnerships: Collaborate with authoritative sites in your niche for mutual benefit
• Expert commentary: Contribute genuine expertise to industry publications
• Original research: Publish data-driven studies that journalists and bloggers want to reference

IncRev’s approach to brand-safe link building includes pre-vetted publisher networks spanning 40+ countries, legal and compliance reviews, and transparent reporting that connects links to business outcomes. This systematic process helps improve rank seo results while maintaining full compliance with Google’s guidelines.

Bonus tips

Find question keywords

Use tools like AnswerThePublic and QuestionDB to identify common questions in your niche. These make great topics for FAQ pages and blog posts.

Target brand keywords

Creating content around popular brand names in your industry can tap into high-volume searches with relatively low competition.

Conclusion

Implementing even a few of these proven SEO strategies can have a significant impact on your organic search visibility. Remember that SEO is an ongoing process – continually test, refine and adapt your approach based on results.

The strategies outlined above represent the best ways to improve SEO without shortcuts or risky tactics. Whether you’re looking to enhance seo through content optimization, increase seo performance with strategic link building, or improve rankings through technical improvements, the key is consistent execution aligned with Google’s quality guidelines.

Need help executing these tactics? The SEO experts at IncRev can develop a customized strategy to boost your rankings and drive more qualified organic traffic. Contact us today for a free consultation.