How to Rank for a Keyword in 2025?

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Pages with more links from well-known sites rank much higher.
Over 60% of Google searches now end without a click because of AI summaries and better search results pages.
Structured data and clear formatting help content show up in Google's AI-made summaries.
What keywords mean and if they fit the user's goal are more important than just how many times people search for them when planning content that works.
Using computer help with human writing makes it possible to create lots of good SEO content that Google likes.

person typing keyword on laptop

Start with the Right Keyword: Look Past Just How Many Search

Just looking at how many people search for a keyword is not the best way anymore. How often a keyword is searched for matters, but it's just one thing to think about. To rank well for a keyword in 2024, since Google understands what content means and if it fits, you should start by finding keywords that matter to your business and fit what you're writing about.

Key Things to Think About for Finding Keywords Now

Does it fit the topic? Make sure the keyword is directly tied to what you offer or what your customers need help with.
Can you write about it? Ask if your business or team has the knowledge to talk about the topic—Google cares about who is writing things.
Different ways people search: Think about all the ways people might look for something. Also think about longer search terms like “how to get real estate leads if you are new” and related words like “guide to buying a home” to cover many ways people search.

Tools to Help You Find Better Keywords

Google Keyword Planner: Good for getting ideas at first and seeing how often terms are searched on average.
Ahrefs/SEMrush: These offer scores for how hard a keyword is to rank for, show you what others are doing, and give you suggestions.
Answer the Public: Find out what questions people are asking using natural words.
AlsoAsked.com: Pulls questions from Google's "People Also Ask" box to help you come up with content ideas.

The main goal is to write for people and make it easy for search engines to find—not the other way around.

business team reviewing keyword chart

Think About If the Keyword is Good for Your Business

Getting visitors is good, but using your time and money on people who are not likely to become customers is a waste. A content plan for SEO that truly works puts keywords first that connect straight to what your business wants to achieve—like getting leads, sign-ups, or building trust in your brand.

Use This Checklist to See if a Keyword is Good for Your Business

Is the user looking for info or ready to do something? Is the person just learning or are they about to take a step?
Can this keyword bring in leads? Will showing up for this keyword bring you real potential customers?
Where does this fit in the buying steps? Is this keyword for someone just starting to look (Top-of-funnel), thinking about options (Mid-funnel), or ready to buy or sign up (Bottom-of-funnel)?
Can you make money from this? Can your business offer something, like a product or service, that people who find this content might want?

Example

“Real estate trends 2024” is for getting info and is early in the buying steps—it's good for getting people to read and showing you know your stuff.
“Real estate CRM tools” is for people thinking about options or ready to act—it's good for getting sign-ups or sales, especially for businesses selling software.

Aim for a good mix, but don’t get tricked by keywords that are searched for often but don’t help your business get customers or look better.

search bar with suggested questions

Figure Out What People Searching Really Want: This Helps You Give Google What it Wants

Google's whole system is built on one main idea: giving people what they want, as quickly and well as possible. That is why knowing what people are looking for and making your content match is a must in your SEO content plan.

The Four Main Kinds of Search Goals

Looking for Info: The person wants to learn something (“What is a CRM?”).
Looking for a Website: Searching for a certain brand or site (“Redfin login”).
Ready to Act: Wants to buy or do something (“best houses for sale in Austin”).
Checking Out Options: Comparing solutions (“best real estate lead gen tools 2024”).

How to Make Your Content Fit

Looking for Info = Blog posts, pages that explain terms, or how-to guides.
Checking Out Options = Guides that compare things, lists of tips from experts, videos that explain.
Ready to Act = Pages about products, pages about services, buttons to sign up or buy.
Looking for a Website = Pages about your brand or pages for Contact or About Us.

Helpful Hint

Check the top 10 results on Google for your keyword right now and see what kind of content is ranking. If Google shows videos for a search term, think about making a video too. Looking at special boxes on the search results page (like Featured Snippets, People Also Ask, Knowledge Panels) is a quick way to see what kind of content people are looking for.

whiteboard with related topic mind map

Find Related Topics to Write About to Add More Detail & Cover More Ground

Google likes sites that show they know a lot about a topic—and you don’t do this with just one post. You need to write about things related to your main keywords in detail, and the best way to do this is by writing about related topics and linking your content together.

How to Find Related Topics

People Also Ask (PAA): Look for questions that come up often.
Google Autocomplete: See what other words Google suggests when you start typing.
What Others Are Writing About: Look at the main and sub-headings in content that ranks high.
SEO Tools: Use tools like Surfer, Frase, or Clearscope to find related words and phrases.

Build with a Goal

If your main keyword is “best real estate CRM,” you could write about related topics like

“Good things about using a real estate CRM”
“How to move your contacts into a CRM”
“Top CRM tools for people new to real estate”

When you link these pages together or put them inside a bigger guide, you show you know a lot about the topic. This helps build what people often call a "content hub."

Create Content with a Unique Idea

The internet is full of content that is just like everything else. To rank and keep people reading, your SEO plan must offer something more than just existing. Content with unique, helpful ideas is truly valuable—and Google notices.

Ways to Make Your Content Stand Out

Fill the Gaps: If the top pages don’t have pictures showing how something works or examples of real results, you have a chance to add them.
Use Your Own Information: Do a quick survey or look at your own data to show new ideas.
Give Clear Steps: Don’t just tell people things—show them how to do something with clear steps.
Share Your Own Stories: Tell the story of how your business started, share what a customer did, or show how something is used in a specific situation.

If your post sounds like any other business could have written it, it won't rank well for long. Make sure your voice—and what makes you special—is clear.

writer editing article on computer

Write and Make the Content Better (Writers Working with Computers)

AI tools have made writing content much faster—but just letting them write everything leads to writing that doesn't say much. To create a lot of SEO content that works, human writers should work with computer tools. This helps them write clear, good content that ranks and gets people to do things.

Make Content That Does Well

Plan First: Start with a detailed plan based on what shows up in searches, the content that is already ranking, and what people are looking for.
Use AI Tools Smartly: Tools like Jasper, Copy.ai, or ChatGPT can help you find ideas and do research faster.
Have a Person Edit: The final check should make sure the writing sounds right, is correct, shows who wrote it and why they know the topic, and fits your brand.
Make it Better as You Write: Use tools like Surfer, Clearscope, or Yoast right in your writing program.

Important Things to Include on Your Page

A strong start that tells people why they should read it.
Titles and subheadings that show related topics and searches.
Lists, pictures, and buttons to break up the text.
A clear main point or ending that tells people what to do next.

Your goal should be content that is very helpful, easy to read with pictures and lists, and planned well for both people and search engines.

developer checking site performance

Add On-Page SEO Help: How it Looks, How Fast it Is, and Special Code

Even the most helpful article can be hard to find if it doesn't meet the basic rules for how web pages should work. On-page SEO might seem simple, but it still has a big effect on where you show up in Google search results.

Your Simple On-Page SEO Guide

Headings: Use one main title (H1), then put sub-titles (H2s) and smaller sub-titles (H3s) under it in a clear order.
Page Title and Short Description: These help people decide to click and can make more people click—keep the title under 60 letters and the description under 160 letters.
Words for Pictures: Helps search engines "see" pictures, makes your site easier for people with disabilities to use, and can help you get visitors from picture searches.
Links Inside Your Site: Guide people from one page to another; link to related pages about your services or other blog posts.
Special Code (Schema Markup): Helps Google understand your content and show special results like rating stars; use the JSON-LD way of writing this code.
How Fast the Page Loads & If it Works on Phones: Use tools like PageSpeed Insights and make sure your site looks good on phones and tablets.

Also, many AI SEO tools can now spot problems on your page automatically, but you and your experience should make the final decisions.

handshake between digital marketers

Get Smart Backlinks: Links from Other Sites Still Matter

Links from other sites pointing to yours are still one of the most important things Google looks at (Dean, 2022). But getting links has changed—it’s not just about having many links, it’s about having good links from sites that fit your topic.

Good Ways to Get Links in 2024

Writing Posts for Other Sites: Still works well if you write for blogs that are about the same things you are, and are well-known.
Getting Stories Written About You: Run campaigns about things happening now or popular topics to get news sites and blogs to link to you.
Creating Your Own Tools or Info: Tools, templates, calculators, and original research you create can get other sites to link to them naturally.
Working with Others: Join in on summaries of online talks, lists of industry tips, or content written together with someone else.
Using Your Content in New Ways: Turn blog posts into presentations, videos, or pictures with info that others can put on their sites.

Always think about if the site linking to you makes sense—one link from a respected site about your topic is better than many links from sites that have nothing to do with what you do.

Extra Tip: What About Google’s AI Summaries?

Google's summaries made by AI, which are part of the new way search works (SGE), have changed how people see search results. These summaries answer questions right on the search page without people needing to click—this means you need to be even better to be seen.

How to Get Ready

Be Clear and Short at the Start: Put the answer in the first one or two sentences. You can make it bold or use bullet points.
Use Special Code (Schema Markup): Help Google find different parts of your content or answers to questions using structured data.
Group Related Content: Writing a lot about a topic in connected pieces makes it more likely Google will use you as a trusted source.
Show You Know What You're Talking About: Use author bios, list where you got your facts, and update old information often.

Businesses that publish content written by people with real knowledge—and put that content together clearly—have the best chance of showing up in these result previews.

Final Ideas: Making an SEO Plan You Can Grow with Computer Help

Creating content that ranks in 2024 means doing less, but being smarter about it. You don’t need to write more than everyone else—you need to rank higher by being more planned out.

Use This Simple 8-Step SEO Content Plan You Can Grow

Pick keywords that matter a lot based on what people want to do, not just how often they search.
Make sure it fits your business so it helps you get real results.
Find related topics to show you know your stuff and cover the topic well.
Come up with a clear idea for your content that makes you different.
Use both AI and people to make a lot of content without losing your voice.
Make every piece of content better, looking at both what's on the page and the technical stuff behind it.
Get good links from other sites that are about your topic and are well-known.
Change your plan for searches that use AI like SGE and results where people don't need to click.

SEO isn’t gone—it’s just changing. Use tools, think about what people want, and organize your content well. These are your tools to do better than others. Get our free checklist for SEO content today and take the first step toward being seen steadily, showing you are an expert, and getting more organic growth over time.