Most people think SEO is about being at the top of Google. It’s not. Rankings alone won’t pay your bills.

Imagine getting 10,000 visitors to your site, but they all leave. Would that help your business? Probably not.

Now imagine only 100 people visit, but they convert into leads or sales. That’s the real power of SEO.

The goal isn’t just traffic—it’s targeted traffic.

One of the core tenets of marketing is putting users first:

“Great marketing isn’t about having the largest audience; it’s about having the right audience.”

Rand Fishkin

Founder of Moz

Here’s how you can make SEO work for your audience and your business.

1. Write for People, Not Algorithms

While Google’s algorithms may evolve, your audience’s needs remain constant.

Speak their language. Solve their problems. Answer their questions.

For example, if you sell running shoes, don’t just write about “best running shoes.” Write about “how to choose the right running shoes for beginners.”

Here’s proof:

The blog Iowa Girl Eats increased traffic by 508% in three months. How? They tailored content to their readers’ interests and used recipe schema markup to secure featured snippets. This approach boosted their visibility and helped them connect with their audience.

When you write for people, you attract readers who need your help. They’re more likely to trust and buy from you.

2. Optimize Your Site for User Experience (UX)

People hate slow and clunky websites. So does Google.

Make your site fast, simple, and easy to navigate.

Consider this:

A clothing store with slow-loading pages and a confusing checkout process frustrates visitors, who leave without buying.
In contrast, another store loads in under three seconds and offers a one-click checkout. Visitors shop more—and return.

Which store wins? The answer is clear.

SEOLeverage demonstrated this in a case study. They optimized website design and navigation, making it easier for visitors to find information. The result? Higher engagement, increased conversions, and improved search rankings.

SEO is not just about keywords. It’s about keeping visitors happy once they arrive.

3. Pick Keywords That Match Intent, Not Just Volume

High search volume looks tempting, but intent matters more.

Let’s break this down:

Keyword 1: “Shoes” (100,000 searches/month)
Keyword 2: “Buy women’s running shoes online” (1,000 searches/month)

Which one would you pick?

The second keyword wins. It attracts people ready to buy, not just those casually browsing.

Here’s a real-world example:
A plywood company I worked with ranked for broad terms like “plywood types.” They got traffic, but it didn’t convert into leads.

We shifted focus to high-intent keywords like “buy waterproof plywood in [city]” and created targeted landing pages.

The results?

79% increase in leads
27% increase in organic clicks—all within four months

Why? Because we focused on solving customer problems, not just ranking high on Google.

Review your keywords today. Are they bringing you browsers or buyers?

SEO Is About Solving Problems

SEO is more than a race to rank #1. It’s about helping your audience.

When you write for people, improve UX, and target intent, you’ll see results.

So, the next time you think about SEO, ask yourself:

Am I solving my audience’s problems?
Is my site easy to use?
Am I attracting visitors who take action?

Chasing rankings alone won’t grow your business. Solving problems will.