A practical guide on how to rank in competitive SERPs

Trying to get your content on the first page of Google for a popular topic can feel like trying to get into a sold-out concert. The top spots are already taken, usually by the same big names who have been there for what feels like forever.

The old SEO trick of just finding a keyword and jamming it into a blog post is no longer effective. Google’s algorithms are much smarter now, and they're focused on rewarding "helpful, reliable, people-first content." Simply put, if your article doesn't actually help someone, it's unlikely to rank well.

To even have a shot today, you need a different game plan. It’s all about understanding what people are actually looking for, building real authority on a topic, and showing that you know your stuff from experience (what the SEO world calls E-E-A-T). Doing this well takes a huge amount of effort, which is where tools like the eesel AI blog writer can make a real difference. They’re built to help you create that high-quality, people-first content at a scale that can actually keep up.

What makes a SERP competitive?

Before you can figure out how to win, you need to know what you're up against. A competitive search engine results page (SERP) isn't just about search volume; it's about who's already there and how much other stuff is competing for attention.

Entrenched competitors

You know the ones. The big-name sites that seem to show up for every search. They have a high Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR), which are basically scores that measure a website's credibility based on how many other sites link to it. These sites have been building trust and collecting links for years, so trying to outrank them with a single new article is a serious uphill battle. They’ve got a massive head start.

The impact of SERP feature saturation

Google search results aren't just a simple list of ten links anymore. A competitive SERP is often packed with AI Overviews, "People Also Ask" sections, video carousels, and image packs. All of these features push the traditional organic results further down the page, meaning even if you do rank, your chances of getting a click go way down. The few organic spots left are more valuable than ever.

The role of high commercial intent

A good way to tell if a keyword is competitive is to look at the ads. If you see a bunch of ads at the top and the Cost-Per-Click (CPC) is high, you know that term is valuable. It’s a huge sign that businesses are willing to pay good money to get in front of those searchers. And you can bet that if they're spending on ads, they're also investing heavily in their organic SEO for the same terms.

A modern playbook for ranking in competitive SERPs

So, things are tough out there. But not impossible. The key to competing today isn't about finding some secret hack; it's about building a sustainable strategy that Google actually likes. Here’s what that looks like.

Pillar 1: Master search intent

It’s easy to get obsessed with keywords, but the real magic is in understanding the why behind the search. This is called search intent, and it usually fits into one of four categories:

• Informational: Someone wants to learn something (e.g., "what is topical authority").
• Navigational: Someone is looking for a specific website (e.g., "eesel AI blog").
• Commercial: Someone is doing research before buying (e.g., "best AI blog writers").
• Transactional: Someone is ready to make a purchase (e.g., "eesel AI pricing").

Take a look at what's already on page one for your target keyword. Is it a bunch of long articles? Listicles? Product pages? Videos? Google is literally showing you what it thinks people want to see. Trying to rank a product page for a search where people want information is just not going to work. Google even says that a big red flag for bad content is when it "leaves readers feeling like they need to search again." If you match the intent, you're on the right track.

Pillar 2: Build topical authority

You can't be an expert in everything and expect to rank in a crowded space. You need to become the known authority on a specific subject. That's topical authority. The team at SurferSEO calls it a signal of your site’s "credibility and trustworthiness."

The best way to do this is with the "pillar and cluster model." Here’s the breakdown:

1. Write a Pillar Page: This is your big, comprehensive guide that covers a broad topic from top to bottom (kind of like this article).
2. Create Cluster Content: These are shorter, more focused articles that go deep on specific sub-topics from your pillar. If your pillar is "content marketing," your clusters might be "content marketing for SaaS" or "how to create a content calendar."
3. Link Them Up: Your cluster articles should all link back to your main pillar page, and the pillar should link out to the clusters. This web of internal links shows search engines that you have a deep, well-organized library of knowledge on the topic.

   

Pillar 3: Demonstrate E-E-A-T

E-E-A-T is the set of guidelines Google's human reviewers use to judge search results. It stands for:

• Experience: Do you have actual, first-hand experience with what you're talking about?
• Expertise: Do you have the skills or knowledge in this area?
• Authoritativeness: Are you a recognized voice in your field?
• Trustworthiness: Is your site secure, reliable, and transparent?

Google recently added that first "E" for Experience, which was a massive hint. They want to see content from people who have actually done the thing they're writing about. As Google puts it, "Trust is the most critical component," and everything else is there to support it.

Here are a few ways to show off your E-E-A-T:

• Experience: Share your own research, case studies, personal anecdotes, or screenshots. Prove that you’ve "actually used a product."
• Expertise: Include author bios that list credentials. Link out to an author page or relevant social media.
• Authoritativeness: Get mentions and links from other well-respected sites in your industry.
• Trustworthiness: Make sure your site uses HTTPS, has clear contact information, and cites its sources.

  

Actionable strategies for exploiting ranking gaps

Even in the most crowded search results, there are always opportunities. Big companies can be slow to adapt, which leaves room for smaller, quicker teams to find an opening. Here are a few ways to find those gaps.

Focus on long-tail keywords

Instead of going after a huge, competitive term like "CRM software," focus on longer, more specific phrases. These are called long-tail keywords. They get fewer searches, but the competition is much lower, and the people searching for them usually know exactly what they want, which means they're more likely to convert.

These keywords are perfect for your "cluster" articles. By writing content that answers very specific questions, you start building the topical authority that will eventually help you rank for the bigger, broader terms.

Niche	Broad (High Competition) Keyword	Long-Tail (Lower Competition) Alternatives
Marketing	"content marketing"	"content marketing strategy for financial advisors"
SaaS	"CRM software"	"CRM for small law firms with document management"
Fitness	"protein powder"	"best plant-based protein powder for sensitive stomachs"

Refresh "striking distance" content

Jump into your Google Search Console and look for keywords where you're already ranking on the second or third page (positions 11-30). These are your "striking distance" pages. Google already sees them as having some authority; they just need a little boost to get to page one.

Give these articles an update. Refresh any old stats, add new sections to make them more comprehensive, embed a relevant video, or add more internal links. Sometimes, a few small tweaks are all it takes to jump from position 15 to position 5.

Pursue quality backlinks

Backlinks are still a huge deal for ranking, but it's all about quality over quantity. Don't waste your time with spammy guest posts on random websites. Instead, focus on creating "linkable assets": pieces of content so good that other people in your industry will naturally want to link to them. Think original data studies, free tools, or the most complete guide on a topic.

Digital PR is another great strategy. Offer your expert take on trending topics to journalists and bloggers. If they quote you, they'll often give you a high-quality backlink to your site.

Understanding the competitive landscape is half the battle. For a deeper dive into how to assess whether a keyword is worth targeting, this video offers a practical walkthrough of analyzing SERP difficulty.

A video from John Reinesch explaining his process for checking keyword difficulty, a key step in learning how to rank in competitive SERPs. ## How eesel AI helps you scale content creation

Let's be real. Everything I just described is a massive amount of work. Building topic clusters, doing in-depth research, and creating content that truly shows E-E-A-T takes a ton of time and people. For most marketing teams, that's the biggest roadblock.

This is the exact problem we built the eesel AI blog writer to solve. It's a platform designed to help you run this modern SEO playbook without needing a giant team. It's the same tool we used to take our own blog "from 700 to 750,000 daily impressions" in just three months.

Build topic clusters and long-tail content automatically

You can give the tool a list of long-tail keywords, and it will generate an entire cluster of well-researched articles to support your main pillar page. Its research feature is context-aware, so it goes beyond generic AI-generated text. It automatically finds relevant data, like pricing for comparison articles or technical details for reviews, making the content genuinely useful.

Generate content with E-E-A-T signals built in

Showing first-hand experience is a big part of E-E-A-T now. Google has even mentioned that "social media posts and forum discussions are often High quality" because they show what real people think.

This is where the eesel AI blog writer offers a useful feature. It can automatically find and pull relevant quotes from Reddit discussions right into your blog posts. This adds authentic voices and different perspectives, which is exactly what Google is looking for with its new focus on "Experience." It also generates other assets like tables, charts, and AI images to make your content look more polished and credible.

Outsmart, don't outspend

Ranking in competitive SERPs in 2026 isn't about who has the biggest budget. It's about who has the smarter strategy and can execute it day in and day out. The game has changed, and the winners will be the ones who create content that is genuinely helpful for real people.

By focusing on search intent, building deep topical authority, and proving your E-E-A-T with real-world experience, you can find your spot. With the right strategy and the right tools, even smaller brands can outplay the giants and get the organic traffic they're after.

Next steps

Ready to give this playbook a try? Instead of spending weeks on manual research and writing, you can generate a complete, SEO-optimized blog post that uses these advanced strategies in just a few minutes.

Try the eesel AI blog writer for free and see how fast you can build a content machine that actually competes.