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“What’s one unconventional SEO strategy that has worked surprisingly well for you? How did it impact your website’s performance and what advice would you give to others considering this approach?”
Here is what thought leaders had to say.
Quote Experts, Build Relationships, Earn Natural Backlinks
One unconventional SEO strategy that worked incredibly well was embedding expert quotes into blog content, then notifying those experts with a personalized message and link. It wasn’t outreach for backlinks—it was relationship-building wrapped in SEO. We’d publish articles like “How Tech Startups Handle Remote Work” and include 2 to 3 quotes from founders or ops leads we found on LinkedIn or in niche communities. After publishing, we sent a quick DM or email just saying, “Hey, we mentioned your insight here—thought you’d want to see it.”
Half the time, those people shared the article or linked to it from their own sites or newsletters. One piece landed a surprise backlink from a VC firm’s blog, and that alone helped push the article into a top-three spot within a few weeks. It worked because it felt personal and relevant—not transactional. If you try this, focus on genuine relevance. Don’t stuff in names just for reach—highlight voices that truly add value.
Julian Knox, Marketing & PR Coordinator, Web Search Optimisation
Forum Responses Drive 30,000 Monthly Sessions
One unconventional SEO strategy that worked well was combining programmatic SEO with high-ranking Reddit and Quora threads. Instead of waiting for new pages to gain traction, I found existing discussions already ranking on page one for bottom-of-funnel SaaS keywords. So I added thoughtful, non-promotional responses that linked back to relevant content. I made sure the tone matched the platform because it needed to feel casual and helpful, not like an ad.
This drove around 30,000 organic sessions per month in about four months. Most of it came from commercial-intent keywords. Bounce rates dropped and time on page went up because people were landing on pages that solved their problem right away.
It worked because it didn’t rely on traditional link building or technical SEO. It focused on intent by showing up where people were already searching for answers. I used tools like AlsoAsked and SearchResponse to map out question-based queries. Then I built content clusters that hit those questions directly.
For anyone trying this, don’t just throw links into forums. Read the thread and actually contribute something useful. Only link if it fits naturally. It’s not super scalable, but the results build over time. Google seems more interested in relevance and engagement than where the link comes from. Even though traffic from Reddit or Quora can be hard to track, the boost in branded search and conversions made it worth doing.
Josiah Roche, Fractional CMO, JRR Marketing
Local Programmatic SEO Boosts Sales 180%
One unconventional SEO strategy that has worked surprisingly well for me is Programmatic SEO using local service page generation, especially in niches or regions where keyword competition is relatively low. A great example of this was a project involving RUF briquettes — a type of eco-friendly fuel — in an Eastern European market.
After conducting keyword research using tools like Semrush and Google Keyword Planner, I discovered that while national-level keywords like “buy RUF briquettes” were moderately competitive, there were hundreds of long-tail, location-specific queries with very low competition. For instance:
“RUF briquettes CITY “
“RUF briquettes CITY cheap delivery”
“RUF briquettes with transport in CITY “
These terms had low monthly search volumes individually but high intent — users were ready to buy and just looking for local availability. Rather than building one generic product page, we decided to create a dynamic template for service pages using programmatic SEO. Each city or region had a dedicated page that included:
City-specific H1 and meta tags
Dynamic location-based content (e.g., delivery info, stock availability)
Structured data for local business schema
A unique URL structure: /ruf-briquettes-CITY/
These pages weren’t just spammy duplicates — we added unique FAQs for each city, customer testimonials, and images labeled with geo-tags to give the content local relevance.
The results:
Within just 6 weeks of indexing, these pages started ranking on page 1 for many local queries. Bounce rates were low, conversion rates were high, and we were able to generate organic leads without spending a cent on paid ads in those regions. Traffic increased by over 180% in 3 months, and sales volume followed.
Advice for others considering this approach:
Start with deep keyword research. Look for low-competition, high-intent local terms.
Use automation tools or CMS frameworks to scale page creation efficiently — just be sure each page adds real value and isn’t a thin copy.
Integrate analytics and track leads or calls per location to see where your best ROI is coming from.
Don’t forget about internal linking, schema markup, and unique metadata — Google still needs to know these are legitimate, useful pages.
In the right context, programmatic local SEO can be a growth engine—especially for small businesses or niche products looking to dominate geographically without the budget to compete nationally.
Maksym Zakharko, CMO, maksymzakharko.com
Niche Long-Form Content Outperforms Broad Keywords
One unconventional SEO strategy that worked surprisingly well for me was focusing on creating long-form, highly detailed content that directly addressed niche, specific queries. Instead of just targeting broad, competitive keywords, I identified long-tail keywords related to very specific problems or needs within my industry. I then created in-depth guides, case studies, and FAQ pages that thoroughly covered these topics, even if they weren’t immediately popular or widely searched.
The impact on performance was significant—my website saw a boost in organic traffic because the content was more likely to rank for niche queries that larger competitors weren’t targeting. Additionally, the content often answered multiple user questions in one go, leading to better engagement and more time spent on the site. My advice to others considering this approach is to research long-tail keywords that reflect actual user intent, and don’t shy away from creating content that may seem overly specific—depth and quality matter just as much as search volume.
Georgi Petrov, CMO, Entrepreneur, and Content Creator, AIG MARKETER
Competitor Keyword Gaps Yield 65% Traffic Growth
One unconventional SEO strategy that has worked surprisingly well for us is investing in competitor keyword gaps instead of chasing high-volume keywords. Instead of targeting what everyone else in our industry was pursuing, we identified valuable keywords our competitors were missing and built comprehensive content around those topics.
For example, we noticed many website design companies were focusing on generic terms like “web design services” but ignoring longer-tail keywords related to specific business challenges like “website design for immigration consultants” or “real estate agent website conversion optimization.” These keywords had less competition but incredibly high intent.
The impact was remarkable. Our organic traffic grew by 65% in just four months, and more importantly, our conversion rate from these visitors was nearly triple our site average. The leads coming through these pages were already educated on their specific needs, making the sales process much smoother.
My advice to others considering this approach: Don’t get caught in the trap of chasing the same keywords as everyone else. Dig deeper into your niche, focus on the specific problems your ideal clients are trying to solve, and create content that actually answers those questions. It’s like finding hidden pathways to your customers while everyone else is stuck in traffic on the main highway.
Harmanjit Singh, Founder and CEO, Origin Web Studios
Podcast Interviews Transform Into High-Ranking Blog Posts
One unconventional SEO strategy that worked surprisingly well for me was turning podcast interviews into SEO-optimized blog posts using natural storytelling, keyword clustering, and NLP techniques. Instead of transcribing word-for-word, I would distill the core insights into engaging, conversational content using subheadings, quotes, and listicles. I did this with several guest appearances and noticed a 40% increase in organic traffic within six weeks for long-tail keywords that weren’t even the primary focus.
The key was repurposing audio content in a way that feels fresh and human-written—avoiding robotic tone or exact transcripts. One post even earned backlinks from niche newsletters because it read like an expert column rather than a typical podcast summary. If you’re considering this approach, focus on structuring your blog post like a helpful guide or narrative, not a transcript. It not only boosts SEO but gives your audience something genuinely valuable to read and share.
Brandon Leibowitz, Owner, SEO Optimizers
Embedded FAQs Win Featured Snippets, Boost Engagement
One unconventional SEO strategy that worked surprisingly well was embedding keyword-rich FAQs into product and service pages instead of isolating them in a separate help section. In addition to answering real user queries, this structured content helped us win featured snippets and boost time on page. We used data from Search Console and customer support logs to choose relevant questions. Furthermore, internal linking within FAQs guided users to deeper content and improved crawl paths. The result was a noticeable lift in long-tail traffic and higher engagement. My advice: think beyond blog posts—embed SEO where it naturally serves user intent.
Brenton Thomas, Founder, Twibi
User-Generated Videos With Natural Keywords Reduce Bounce
Posting UGC videos with keyword-rich captions on product pages worked better than I expected. Not reviews, not ads—actual user clips talking like they’re texting a friend. We tagged natural phrases buyers would type, like “how it works” or “unboxing” plus the product name. Traffic started shifting from social to search, and bounce rates dropped fast.
Google seemed to love the mix of video and real language. Stop writing copy like a marketer. Listen to what buyers say in comments or DMs. That’s your keyword list. Then, plug that into real content—not AI blurbs—just raw, helpful clips. It builds trust and rankings.
Natalia Lavrenenko, UGC manager/Marketing manager, Rathly
Parallel Experience Content Quadruples Destination Traffic
My most successful unconventional SEO strategy? It’s been creating “parallel experience” content—basically, I document how travelers with different needs experience the same destination.
Last year, I published a series comparing how solo female travelers, families with toddlers, and mobility-limited seniors tackled the same three-day Yosemite itinerary. I focused on different accommodations, trail choices, and safety tips for each group, but kept the basic route the same.
This parallel content approach quadrupled my organic traffic to Yosemite pages. People were just tired of those generic “top 10” lists—they wanted content that actually spoke to their situation.
Google really seemed to love it, too. These guides naturally included super-specific long-tail keywords like “wheelchair accessible viewing points in Yosemite Valley” or “toddler-friendly short hikes with bathroom access,” but I didn’t have to stuff keywords in awkwardly.
Comparing different traveler experiences kept visitors on the page way longer than my usual destination guides. I mean, who doesn’t want to see if their unique needs are actually being considered?
If you want to try this, start by picking your most popular content and reworking it from the perspective of three or four different user types with specific needs. Keep the structure, but tailor the details for each audience.
Honestly, the most effective SEO isn’t about gaming algorithms with technical tricks. It’s about genuinely solving problems for real people—especially the ones nobody else seems to notice.
Joe Hawtin, Owner, Marin County Visitor
Question-Based Photo Names Drive Quote Requests
One unconventional strategy that worked for me was naming product photos with full customer questions. Instead of naming a file “custom_kitchen_1.jpg,” I started labeling them with actual phrases clients used in emails and calls—like “Can you build a white kitchen with gold handles.jpg.” It looked a little strange in the back end, but those long-tail terms started picking up traffic from people typing those exact questions into search. Our quote requests jumped by 18 percent in three months, and most of them came from people who said they found us through a photo. That told me the engine was pulling weight in the background.
What made the difference was that those visitors already had a clear intent. They were not just browsing—they were already halfway to a decision. My advice to anyone thinking of trying this is simple: listen before you label. Take ten questions your customers ask most often and drop them into your photo file names, word for word. Forget being clever. Just be real. That one tweak turned passive photos into silent salesmen working 24 hours a day.
John Washer, Owner, Cabinets Plus
Repurposed UGC Content Ranks for Product Queries
One thing that worked surprisingly well for us: republishing UGC content on our website with light SEO tweaks.
We take content creators post (with permission), repurpose it into blog-style format, and optimize for niche keywords + relevance. Even if it’s shortform or testimonial style—Google loves real human signals now.
Impact? Got passive backlinks, improved dwell time, and even ranked for low-competition product queries.
Advice? Don’t over-edit UGC. Keep it raw, add value, and use internal linking to guide traffic.
Victor Hsi, Founder & Community Manager, PRpackages.io – PR Package & PR Lists Database
