SEO and Taking Down the Final Boss

I’ve noticed many companies struggling with a particular issue, and I want to address it today. I have been approached with requests such as “We want to rank no.1 for these keywords” or “You must be able to guarantee top rankings for these keywords”.
I am sure that most SEO experts have received similar requests to rank globally competitive terms right at the top of the search engine results page. These are not niche, long tail terms, but rather fat head terms that competitors are fighting tooth and nail over.
Reaching the top for these keywords will be a significant challenge. We’re up against sophisticated competitors with substantial resources who have already invested heavily in optimization. They’re the “final bosses” of this SEO game, and overcoming them will require a strategic and well-funded approach.
My response to these requests would be “Can you afford the fight for these keywords?”
A Fight Too Costly

The reason these companies dominate search results is simple: massive investment. I’ve worked with them, and I know they spend over RM1 million a month just on digital campaigns. Add another million for content and hundreds of thousands more for influencer marketing. This translates to constant content creation, backlinks, and online buzz, which fuels their high rankings. For a startup or SME to compete without a similar level of investment is extremely difficult, if not impossible.
With the right budget, anything is possible. But be aware of the true scale of the situation and realizing that some fights are simply too costly. The returns simply do not justify the cost of getting there.
Organic SEO Results is Just One Marketing Channel
SEO’s role should be viewed in the context of your overall digital marketing strategy. Although it can be a high-converting channel, the limited number of top search results means that large companies are willing to spend big to capture them. Competitive keyword analysis tools can help estimate the resources needed to outrank a competitor, but the dynamic nature of the web and the everchanging ranking signals will allow just that, an estimate at best.
Competitive SEO Strategy #1 – Go for Subsegment Targeting
Instead of eyeing for “Best Credit Cards in Malaysia”, aim instead for “cash rebate credit card malaysia” or “credit card free luggage malaysia”.
Search Terms | Matching Sites with Terms in Title | Monthly Search Volume |
best credit cards in malaysia | 58 | 25000 |
cash rebate credit card malaysia | 6 | 740 |
credit card free luggage malaysia | 1 | 90 |
It is easier to rank for searches with lower search volume, as the number of competitors are significantly lower.
Competitive SEO Strategy #2 – Go for Peripheral SEO Traffic
There’s a wealth of highly relevant content out there that attracts an audience similar to your target market. Leverage this content by strategically promoting your products or services to these engaged users.
As an example for the credit card search terms above, you can instead target:
- credit card balance transfer malaysia
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credit card interest rate malaysia
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credit card low interest malaysia
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credit card lounge access malaysia
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malaysia credit card with priority pass
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credit card for foreigners in malaysia
I categorize these keywords as Peripheral SEO Traffic. They’re related to your core terms but not the primary focus, and they help generate leads by capturing traffic from a broader range of searches.
Competitive Digital Marketing Strategy #3 – Run Conversion Ads on Other Channels
If the cost of ranking organically for your target keywords is too high, explore other marketing channels to reach your audience. Organic search is valuable, but it’s just one option. Analyze keyword competition carefully and don’t be afraid to walk away if the ROI isn’t justified. Too many companies fixate on SEO at the expense of other potentially more profitable channels.
SEO Competition Analysis and Keyword Strategy

SEO domination is a game of strategy with huge consequences. If you do it right, the rewards will be glittering and yours to reap. If your opening move is wrong, it could lead you down a costly path.
During my eight years with Celcom, CelcomDigi, and RinggitPlus, I achieved substantial results in organic SEO and paid marketing within competitive sectors such as finance, credit cards, mobile plans, and enterprise solutions. The experience of overseeing more than RM30 million in SEO and SEM investment has been invaluable.
Do reach out to me if you’re looking to implement a comprehensive digital marketing strategy from nurturing to leads & sales conversion.