How I Ranked #1 For My Target Keyword In 30 Days

Oct 6, 2025 | Search Engine Optimization

How I Ranked #1 For My Target Keyword In 30 Days

Most people think SEO takes forever.

They’re not wrong; usually it does.

But sometimes, when you get the fundamentals right, things move way faster than anyone expects.

This post is about one of those times.

In just 30 days, I took a brand new page, optimised it for a competitive, transactional local keyword “SEO Palmerston North” and hit number one in Google.

Why am I sharing this?

Because it’s proof that the “slow game” can have quick wins, and that anyone (not just big agencies with massive budgets) can pull this off if they understand what actually matters.

In this guide, I’ll cover everything from:

- Building domain authority the right way
- Securing backlinks and citations (from sites with over 50,000 monthly visitors)

Creating content that actually ranks (and converts)
And a few small but powerful moves that make all the difference

By the end, you’ll know the exact process I used to rank first for “SEO Palmerston North” and how you can use the same approach to rank in your own city.

Let’s get started.

Step One: Build Domain Authority From Reputable Sources

Domain Authority is important not just for Google’s algorithms or ranking factors for both SEO and local SEO, but for the way Google decides who to trust.

Here’s the thing: Google can’t read your content the way a human can.

It doesn’t “understand” quality the way you or I do. Instead, it looks for signals (little votes of confidence) that say, “This site knows what it’s talking about.”

That’s what a backlink really is: a referral.

If someone you respect refers you to a business, you instantly trust it more, even if you’ve never heard of that business before. The trust transfers.

Google works the same way.

If a reputable site links to you, it’s like saying, “This site is worth checking out.” But if that same link comes from a brand-new domain with no traffic and no authority, it means almost nothing.

For example, let’s say one of the biggest SEO blogs in the world, Backlinko, linked to your agency website.

Google knows Backlinko gets almost a million visitors per month.

It knows Backlinko is an authority in the SEO niche.

So if Backlinko links to you, two things instantly click in Google’s brain:

Backlinko is trusted.
If they trust you enough to link to you, then you must be worth something, too.

That’s the power of authority links. It’s not about the hyperlink itself; it’s about who’s mentioning you.

This is why referrals work so well in business, too. The trust is built-in. You don’t start cold; you start warm. You’re essentially borrowing someone else’s reputation for a moment. You ethically hijack it.

And when you do that with the right links from the right places, your domain’s perceived authority skyrockets.

That’s step one. Before anything else, before the on-page tweaks, before the content, you’ve got to build real authority.

And here’s where it gets fun.

This is how I was able to build domain authority for a brand new website (barely a month old) to a DA of 31 on Ahrefs.

For context, one of my competitors has been in the game for over ten years. Their website sits at a DA of 55.

So in 30 days, I got halfway to where they’ve climbed in ten years.

Why? Because promotion and building domain authority isn’t an afterthought in my SEO and GEO strategy.

It’s the foundation. While most people write a page and hope it ranks, I build the signals that tell Google, “This site deserves to rank.”

Key Takeaway

If you want to show up more in AI overviews, get mentioned in ChatGPT, and rank for competitive keywords on Google, you have to build domain authority and get your business listed in places it matters most.

There’s no way around it.

And the way you build domain authority is simple: you get reputable sources within your niche talking about you. Not random sites. Not spammy links.

Real mentions from places Google already trusts.

When Google sees those signals, it starts to treat your site differently.

You stop looking like “just another website” and start looking like a credible player. That’s when rankings move fast.

Step Two: Build Links and Citations

The concept of domain authority is about getting reputable sources to talk about you.

The mechanism (the actual hands-on way that happens) is links and citations.

A link is a vote of confidence.

It’s someone saying, “Hey, this brand is worth paying attention to.” Citations are mentions of your business details (name, address, phone) in trusted directories.

Together, these signals tell Google you’re real, relevant, and worth showing in search results, local packs, and even AI overviews.

This is the toolset that powers authority.

But not all links are created equal.

Here’s my very, very simple way to identify a high-quality link:

It’s from a website with a high DA (ideally 30+).
It gets decent monthly traffic (the more, the better).
It’s within your niche (or closely related).

If a link ticks all three boxes (and especially if it scores high on each one) Google notices. You get rewarded.

For example, I have multiple links from StoryChief.io. They get 50,000 visitors per month, and they’re a content marketing site; completely relevant to what I do.

That’s one of the reasons I was able to build domain authority so fast.

And now, because that authority is in place, ranking any page on my site is easier.

Link Building And Domain Authority: The Video Game Boss Analogy

If one arm of the boss is super strong but the rest of the body is weak, you’re relying on one area to hold the fight. You’re vulnerable everywhere else.

But when you level up the whole boss, every limb, muscle, and bone structure, the entire thing becomes harder to beat.

That’s what domain authority is. It’s overall strength.

Links are the power-ups you use to build it.

When you get multiple links like the StoryChief one (and others from marketing websites with 10,000+ monthly visitors) you’re not just stacking power.

You’re multiplying it.

This is how links and domain authority work together.

The more reputable sites you have talking about you, the faster you build authority. And the faster you build authority, the easier everything else in SEO becomes.

But here’s something most people miss.

In most cases, these people will only link to a site (or a piece of content on your site) that actually gives value to them.

In a perfect world, they’d just link straight to your money pages. You’d ask, they’d say yes, and boom, your service page gets a powerful backlink.

But that’s not how link building works.

You need content that makes them look good, too. Content that serves:

The page they’re linking from
Their readers
Their own brand and reputation

Linking to a service page like “SEO Palmerston North”? That doesn’t do anything for their audience. It’s not shareable. It’s not helpful. It’s just a sales page.

But a guide like “How to Do SEO for YouTube”? That’s value.

That’s something they want to point their readers to, because it helps their audience and positions them as a trusted source for finding great content.

That’s why it’s important to have more than just money pages on your website.

You need what I call link bait: valuable, informational blog posts designed to attract links.

These posts don’t just sit there collecting dust; they’re the assets you use to get people talking about your site, which in turn boosts the authority of every other page you care about.

Key Takeaway

If you want powerful links, don’t just think about what helps you.

Think about what helps them. The more value your content provides to other site owners, their brands, and their audiences, the more likely they’ll link to you and those links are what push everything else higher in Google, local packs, and even AI overviews.

Step Three: Optimise Your Money Page

All the authority in the world will help get people to click on your site, but it won’t automatically make them stay or convert.

To actually rank and dominate a keyword like “SEO Palmerston North,” your page itself needs to answer the right questions and beat the competition.

Here’s the starting point: search intent.

Ask yourself: why is someone typing this keyword into Google? What are they really looking for? In this case, business owners in Palmerston North want to know:

What New Zealand SEO services are available locally?
How much will it cost?
Why should they choose one agency over another?

Once you understand intent, you need to do competitor analysis. Look at the pages already ranking for “SEO Palmerston North” and break them down:

Are they listing prices?
Do they explain why local search engine optimization matters for that business?
Are there gaps or missing details that you can cover better?

Your goal is to find competitive advantages; things that your page can do better than the others.

Maybe your competitors are vague about pricing. Maybe they don’t explain the process clearly. Maybe they overlook certain benefits that resonate with local business owners.

Once you identify these advantages, leverage them in your content.

Be comprehensive. Be clear. Be the page that answers every question someone might have and does it in a way that’s easy to read and trust.

Think of it this way: your money page is the final boss.

Links and domain authority have given you the strength to show up in search, but now the page itself has to deliver a knockout performance.

Cover intent, outshine competitors, and answer the questions your audience actually cares about.

Why This Works

Here’s my take on why all of this actually works.

Some of it is confirmed through Google’s updates and studies, some of it comes from my own experience reverse engineering the system.

At its core, Google’s goal is simple: to provide the number one solution to the searcher’s problem.

All those algorithms, updates, and signals (helpful content, links, user experience, local SEO signals, AI overviews) they’re just tools Google uses to figure out which pages are most likely to solve the problem someone typed in.

If you always ask yourself:

“Am I providing the absolute best solution to this person’s problem?”

…then you’re already thinking like Google.

Of course, you still have to play the game: build links, optimize content, promote your pages, and follow SEO and GEO best practices.

But the principle remains the same.

Everything else (whether it’s local SEO, large language models, AI features, or the next Google update) is secondary to that one question.

Focus on providing the best solution possible. Couple that with solid SEO fundamentals like link building, content promotion, and on-page optimization.

Do that, and you won’t have to worry about tricks, hacks, or algorithm changes. You’re aligned with Google’s number one principle and that’s why this strategy works.

Conclusion

Ranking number one for “SEO Palmerston North” in 30 days wasn’t magic.

It was methodical.

Every step from building domain authority, securing high-quality links and citations, creating content that adds real value, to optimizing the money page and understanding search intent worked together to push this page to the top.

The big takeaway? SEO isn’t about shortcuts.

It’s about aligning everything you do with one principle: provide the best solution to the searcher’s problem.

When you combine that philosophy with the fundamentals, the results follow. Authority grows, rankings rise, and your site starts performing for keywords that matter.

If there’s one thing to remember: focus on quality, focus on value, and play the long game with smart, strategic steps. Do that, and you can achieve fast, meaningful results just like hitting number one in 30 days.

More from this author:

How to Rank Higher on Google: Advice Straight from Google’s Own blog and Experts

How I Create Content That Ranks on Google and YouTube (Without a Big Team)

How to Write Content That Ranks #1 on Google

How to Rank Higher on Google: Advice Straight from Google’s Own Blog and Experts

Sep 28, 2025 | Search Engine Optimization

How to Rank Higher on Google: Advice Straight from Google’s Own Blog and Experts

Everyone wants to rank higher on Google. But with all the talk about AI, LLMs, GEO, and “new SEO hacks,” it’s easy to get distracted by the noise.

So I went straight to the source: Google itself.

Between talks from Danny Sullivan, blog posts on AI experiences, and their repeated guidance on helpful content, the message is clear:

Ranking well isn’t about chasing every shiny new trend.

In this post, I’ll break down Google’s own advice and add my own insights from years of experience building sites from zero to thousands of daily visitors.

You’ll learn what actually works, what matters most, and the underlying principle that drives Google’s ranking decisions, which, spoiler, is simpler than most people think.

Tip #1: Good SEO is Good GEO

Danny Sullivan, Google’s public search liaison, made something very clear at WordCamp US:

“Good SEO is good GEO.”

He addressed many of the misconceptions surrounding new trends.

Things like LLM text, GEO optimizations, and “secret formulas” people claim will get you ranking instantly.

His message?

You don’t need to do anything drastically different from what already works with standard SEO.

As long as you’re creating unique, helpful content for real people and following the fundamentals like proper keyword targeting, on-page SEO, and solid site structure, you don’t have to worry about all the flashy trends.

This makes SEO a lot simpler.

Instead of chasing every new shiny tactic, focus on providing the best content possible. Understand your audience, answer their questions, and follow the SEO basics.

That’s enough to succeed in any industry, whether it’s the top business directory in New Zealand, or you’re selling the best shiny disco slippers.

And here’s an important note: in every industry, there will always be trends, goldmine opportunities, and people trying to position themselves as experts in the “next big thing.”

They’ll claim to know a formula that guarantees rankings.

But the fundamentals will always outlast trends.

Focus on the fundamentals, create genuinely helpful content, and you’ll consistently win no matter what new SEO gimmick is being promoted.

Point 2: Google’s Guidance on AI Experiences Confirms SEO Fundamentals

Google recently published a blog post titled Top Ways to Ensure Your Content Performs Well in Google’s AI Experiences on Search.

Their advice? It’s remarkably familiar:

Focus on unique, valuable content for people
Provide a great page experience

Sound familiar? That’s because it’s the same as traditional SEO fundamentals.

Some marketers try to position themselves as GEO or AI experts, claiming secret formulas to rank.

But these technologies and acronyms have only been around for a year or so. There’s simply not enough data yet to confidently say what works and what doesn’t.

The best approach is to rely on what we do know (what’s already working) and follow Google’s own instructions.

So, what does “great page experience” mean in practice?

Make your content easy to navigate
Use clear H1, H2, H3 headings
Follow technical SEO best practices
Include photos, videos, and other helpful media that enhance the page

Google’s goal with every update (traditional algorithm or AI-driven) remains the same: deliver unique, valuable content that serves the user.

In other words, if you stick to creating helpful content and optimizing the user experience, you’re already aligned with what Google wants. You don’t need to chase every new acronym or trend.

Point 3: My Philosophy — Provide the Best Solution at Scale

Here’s how I see it, based on years of experience and some pretty extreme examples:

Ranking a brand new domain (one month old) for competitive SEO keywords
Beating competitors with 10+ year-old websites
Building sites that get 1,000+ daily visitors
Helping others grow sites to 50,000+ visitors per month

It all comes down to one principle: put yourself in the shoes of the searcher.

If you reverse engineer the search intent (figure out what someone typing a keyword is actually trying to accomplish) you can create content that matches that intent perfectly.

Keywords aren’t just for SEO; they’re feedback on what people want.

When you create content that:

Fully satisfies that intent
Is comprehensive and easy to use
Provides the best solution to the searcher’s problem

…then you’re aligned with Google’s core goal.

Their “secret” has already been told in their own words: provide unique, helpful content for people.

Here’s the kicker: do this at scale. Produce consistently, across multiple keywords, and couple it with solid search engine optimization services (link building, content promotion, technical optimization) and you never have to worry about whether you’re chasing the latest SEO, GEO, or AI trend.

It doesn’t matter what niche you’re in.

Recipes, fat-loss guides, YouTube Search Engine Optimization tutorials — the formula is the same:

Take the keyword
Analyze search intent
Study the top competitors
Create content that blows them out of the water — head and shoulders above everything else

Do that, and you’ll win. Every time.

Conclusion

Ranking higher on Google doesn’t have to be complicated. If you follow Google’s own advice and focus on the fundamentals, you’ll consistently get results.

The key takeaways are simple:

Good SEO is good GEO — stick to creating unique, helpful content and the basics of SEO. Don’t chase every shiny trend.
Focus on people, not algorithms — provide valuable, user-friendly content and optimize the page experience. Google’s AI updates and blog posts confirm this is what matters most.
Provide the best solution at scale — reverse engineer search intent, create content that outperforms competitors, and do it consistently while following solid SEO fundamentals.

Everything else (LLMs, AI, GEO hype) is secondary. Align your strategy with Google’s core principle: deliver the best solution to the searcher’s problem, and you’ll win, no matter the update, trend, or tool.

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