Ever feel like you’re using the same SEO playbook as everyone else? While you’re busy optimizing meta descriptions and building backlinks (important stuff, no doubt), your competitors might be quietly implementing lesser-known techniques that give them the edge.
I’ve spent years in the SEO trenches, and I’ve discovered that sometimes the most powerful strategies are the ones flying under the radar. These aren’t flashy tricks—they’re solid techniques that most marketers simply overlook or undervalue.
Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on five underrated SEO approaches that could transform your search visibility. Whether you’ve been optimizing websites for years or just want your content to climb those Google rankings, these hidden gems deserve your attention.
Let’s dive into these overlooked tactics that might just be the missing pieces in your SEO puzzle.
Entity SEO: Speaking Google’s Language
Keywords / Term frequemcy are still important, but Google has evolved to understand context through entities—specific, identifiable elements like people, places, products, or concepts.
Think about it this way: when you search for “Apple,” Google needs to figure out if you want information about the fruit or the tech giant. That’s where entity SEO comes in.
Many SEO professionals stick to traditional keyword research and miss this opportunity to align with how search engines actually interpret content. By clearly defining the entities in your content, you’re essentially giving Google the context it needs to properly categorize and rank your pages.
Want to implement entity SEO in your content? Try these approaches:
- Use Entity Explorer (it’s free!) to generate relevant entities for your target topics.
- Consider investing in tools like NeuronWriter that analyze top-ranking content and provide NLP terms and related entities to include.
When I started focusing on entities rather than just keywords, I noticed my content began ranking for a wider range of related searches—all without stuffing in more keywords.
Content Pruning: Less Really Can Be More
Most websites are bloated with outdated, underperforming content that’s dragging down their overall SEO performance. Content pruning—the strategic removal or updating of poor-performing pages—can breathe new life into your site.
I’ve seen this firsthand. At our agency, we helped a B2B client gain over 10,000 monthly visitors simply by pruning their content. This quality-over-quantity approach works because Google rewards sites that consistently deliver value.
Ready to start pruning? Follow this process:
- Gather comprehensive data from Google Analytics, Search Console, and tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs
- Create a spreadsheet of your low-traffic, low-engagement pages
- Evaluate each page: Should you delete it, update it, or merge it with another page?
- Set up 301 redirects for any pages you remove to preserve link equity
- Focus especially on content ranking at the bottom of page 1 or top of page 2—these “almost there” pages often need just a little optimization to jump significantly
Content pruning isn’t just about deleting pages—it’s about ensuring every piece of content on your site serves a purpose and delivers value to visitors.
Media Opportunities Through Platforms Like Qwoted
Want backlinks from authoritative publications without spending a fortune? Platforms like Qwoted connect subject matter experts with journalists who need quotes and insights for their stories.
This approach is brilliant because it creates a win-win situation: journalists get expert commentary, and you get valuable exposure and backlinks from reputable sites.
To make this work for your SEO strategy:
- Create a compelling profile that showcases your expertise and credibility
- Check the “Opportunities” section regularly to find journalists looking for insights in your niche
- Craft personalized, value-packed responses that demonstrate your knowledge
- Follow up professionally if you don’t hear back
Beyond Qwoted, platforms like Featured and Help B2B Writer offer similar opportunities. The beauty of this approach is that you can build high-quality backlinks with minimal investment—just your time and expertise.
Social Signals: Building Your Brand Presence
While Google may not directly use social media metrics as ranking factors, the indirect benefits of strong social signals are undeniable.
When your content gets shared widely across social platforms, you not only gain referral traffic but also increase your brand’s visibility. Over time, this translates to more branded searches—people specifically looking for your company or content—which Google absolutely does factor into rankings.
LinkedIn, in particular, has become a powerhouse for building professional brand presence. Here’s how to leverage it effectively:
- Repurpose your website content into engaging posts, carousels, or short videos
- Actively participate in relevant discussions in your industry
- Join and contribute to niche groups where your target audience hangs out
- Collaborate with other creators for increased visibility
The key is consistency—regular, valuable contributions that position you as an authority in your space will gradually build your brand’s search presence.
Internal Linking: The SEO Secret Weapon
If I had to pick the most underutilized yet powerful SEO technique, internal linking would win hands down. It’s like having a network of highways connecting all parts of your website, guiding both visitors and search engines to your most important content.
Internal linking does several critical things:
- Passes “link juice” or authority between pages
- Helps search engines understand your site structure and content hierarchy
- Keeps visitors engaged by leading them to related information
- Improves crawling efficiency, ensuring Google finds and indexes all your pages
To maximize the impact of your internal linking strategy:
- Use descriptive anchor text that includes relevant keywords
- Link to genuinely related content that adds value for the reader
- Maintain a natural flow that doesn’t feel forced or spammy
- Consider tools like LinkWhisper (for WordPress) to identify internal linking opportunities you might miss
I’ve seen sites dramatically improve their rankings simply by implementing a thoughtful internal linking strategy—often with no additional content or backlinks needed.
Your Next Steps
These five underrated SEO techniques might not be as flashy as the latest algorithm update news, but they deliver real results:
- Incorporate relevant entities into your content for better contextual understanding
- Prune low-performing content to strengthen your site’s overall quality
- Use platforms like Qwoted to secure media mentions and backlinks
- Build brand presence through strategic social signals
- Implement a comprehensive internal linking strategy
The best part? Most of your competitors aren’t fully utilizing these approaches, giving you a prime opportunity to gain ground in search rankings.
Which of these techniques will you implement first? Sometimes the most significant SEO gains come not from chasing the newest trend, but from mastering the fundamentals that others overlook.
Want more personalized SEO guidance for your specific situation? Feel free to reach out at woracious@gmail.com
This article on underrated SEO techniques offers a refreshing departure from the typical optimization advice that dominates the industry. The author skillfully highlights five often-neglected strategies that could significantly impact search rankings, presenting them with both clarity and practical insight.
The piece opens with a compelling hook that immediately acknowledges the reader’s potential frustration with standard SEO tactics. By positioning these techniques as “hidden gems,” the author creates intrigue while establishing credibility through a conversational yet authoritative tone.
Entity SEO stands out as perhaps the most forward-thinking concept presented. As search engines increasingly prioritize contextual understanding over keyword density, this approach aligns perfectly with Google’s evolving algorithms. The explanation of entities as identifiable elements (people, places, products, concepts) effectively illustrates how modern SEO requires thinking beyond traditional keyword targeting. The recommendation of specific tools like Entity Explorer provides actionable next steps for readers.
The section on content pruning addresses a common blind spot in SEO strategy. Many businesses continuously create new content without evaluating the performance of existing materials. The case study mentioning a B2B client gaining 10,000 monthly visitors through pruning adds persuasive evidence of this technique’s effectiveness. The step-by-step process outlined makes implementation accessible to readers at various expertise levels.
Leveraging platforms like Qwoted for media opportunities represents an innovative approach to link building that many SEO professionals overlook. This strategy is particularly valuable as it focuses on earning high-quality backlinks through expertise rather than outreach campaigns or paid placements. The win-win framing of providing value to journalists while gaining exposure demonstrates the author’s understanding of sustainable SEO practices.
The discussion of social signals shows nuanced thinking about indirect ranking factors. Rather than making outdated claims about direct correlations between social engagement and rankings, the author correctly positions social platforms as tools for building brand presence and generating referral traffic. The specific LinkedIn strategies suggested are practical and aligned with current platform capabilities.
Internal linking emerges as the article’s “secret weapon,” and rightfully so. This fundamental yet often underutilized technique receives the emphasis it deserves. The highway metaphor effectively communicates the concept to readers who might be less familiar with technical SEO principles. The recommendation of tools like LinkWhisper adds practical value.
The conclusion effectively summarizes the key points while creating a sense of opportunity and urgency. By noting that “most of your competitors aren’t fully utilizing these approaches,” the author motivates readers to take action while the closing question encourages engagement.
Overall, this article successfully balances technical SEO knowledge with accessible explanations, making it valuable for both experienced professionals looking to refine their strategies and newcomers seeking substantive advice beyond SEO basics. The conversational tone, practical examples, and actionable recommendations create a resource that’s both informative and engaging.