Outranking the giants: How smart SEO strategies can drive long-term success

“A well-executed SEO strategy can outperform even the biggest market leaders,” says Andrius Triponas, Head of SEO at APG Media.

A well-executed SEO strategy isn’t just about following search engine rules blindly—it’s about achieving long-term, ambitious goals tailored to a business’s needs. According to Andrius Triponas, Head of SEO at APG Media, SEO can deliver results that surpass even the industry’s largest players. Triponas shares the key elements of successful SEO implementation, insights from APG Media’s success stories, and why SEO remains essential despite the rapidly evolving search habits influenced by AI.

Keyword analysis: the foundation of SEO success

Triponas emphasizes that every SEO strategy is unique and must be adapted to the client’s specific situation. He recounts a notable success story about a long-term car rental company:

“When we started, the company had no visibility in Google search. Within three months, they were ranking in the top positions. How did we achieve this? By using a focused SEO strategy that revolved entirely around keywords relevant to the client.

The most significant part of the work was identifying these keywords correctly. Before starting, we always ask our clients questions like: What services or products sell best? Which product categories are the most popular? What are customers most likely to associate with your brand? Together, we identify the service or product keywords that matter most.

At the same time, we aim to understand the pain points of their target customers—why might they hesitate to use the service? What questions do they frequently ask? What misconceptions might exist about the service? Based on this analysis, we develop high-quality content that addresses these concerns and target relevant keywords.

For instance, if someone is considering long-term car rental but worries that leasing a car might be cheaper, they’re likely to Google, ‘Why rent instead of lease?’ Our goal is to ensure the search directs them to our client’s website for answers. By addressing customer concerns with contextual keywords, we attract potential clients and improve the client’s position in organic search,” explains Triponas.

Smaller players can win by understanding their audience

According to Triponas from APG Media, smaller companies can still achieve high rankings in organic search, even in competitive industries, by using a contextual keyword strategy.

“For example, if a small online shoe store tries to compete with market giants for a keyword like ‘cheap shoes,’ they likely won’t succeed because competitors can invest far more in optimizing for such a broad keyword. But if the smaller store can identify what their specific customers are searching for and create high-quality content, including text, videos, and visuals, they can improve their SEO results significantly.

It’s crucial for smaller businesses to recognize that the key to SEO success lies in understanding their customers, how they search, and creating valuable content for their website. For example, one of our clients in the home goods sector grew their number of ranking keywords to 1,000 within a few years of launching their domain, resulting in a 98% increase in website traffic.

Another client in the FMCG sector started with just a few dozen ranking keywords. Today, they rank for nearly 2,000, which has led to a more than 25% increase in conversions. This demonstrates the potential of understanding your audience and consistently growing keyword volume to attract more customers.”

SEO: a long-term investment

APG Media expert emphasizes that SEO is a long-term investment, unaffected by changes in consumer behavior or search algorithms.

“SEO is not like traditional advertising. Ads run only as long as you’re paying for them. Once you stop, the visibility disappears. SEO works differently: after an initial investment in optimizing your website and content, minimal maintenance is required, and the organic search positions remain strong over time.

There’s a lot of speculation today about how AI will change the way people search online, with concerns that SEO might become obsolete or that platforms like Google will transform entirely. Yes, changes are happening rapidly, but no matter how people search—whether they use AI tools like ChatGPT or stick with Google—a well-optimized website that meets customer needs will always be essential.

Even if AI pulls information from the web, it will rely on well-structured, content-rich websites. As long as your site is valuable and relevant, it will remain a trusted source regardless of the algorithms or platforms in play. That’s why SEO is timeless—it’s a fundamental business hygiene practice that can adapt to evolving circumstances and technology,” Triponas explains.

Triponas warns against shortcuts and unethical practices in SEO, such as creating low-quality content or fake backlinks:

“Those who follow best practices and maintain well-optimized websites will thrive despite changing search habits and platforms. Only those who try to game the system with artificial tactics and poor-quality content will suffer.

Ultimately, SEO is about creating genuine value for users, and businesses that focus on quality will continue to see success in the long run.”

With these insights, Triponas highlights the enduring relevance of SEO and its ability to deliver results for businesses of all sizes—even in a rapidly changing digital landscape.