A 21-Hour #1 Google Ranking (Plus a Quick Indexing Move)

Something interesting happened this week, and I want to share it with you.

What I did

I used Jaaxy to research SEO titles around this phrase:

best niche selection atomic habits

On the Niche tab, I selected:

Best Niche Selection Atomic Habits for Digital Nomads

Then I wrote the article using my usual website structure, added personal reflections, and aimed it directly at my digital nomad audience.

One extra step I took (indexing)

After publishing, I also pushed it a bit in Google Search Console:

I inspected the URL, then clicked Request Indexing.

What happened next

About 21 hours after publishing, the post ranked #1 on Page 1 of Google for that long-tail phrase.

I even tested it by removing some words when searching, just to see if it only ranked when I typed the whole phrase. It still held position.

21-hours search results (Google)

Why this matters to me

This reminded me of something that happened earlier.

Back in February 2025, I published this post:

Atomic Habits & Beyond: Top Books to Master Self-Discipline
https://johnshalom.com/atomic-habits-beyond-top-books-to-master-self-discipline/

That article went viral a few days after publishing and pushed my AdSense earnings from €0 to about €5/day for 3 days. Not huge money, but a strong signal that the right topic and structure can unlock reach fast.

See my previous update on this here: https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/johnmaluth/blog/the-plans-is-producing-results-how-i-made-my-first-1-day-in-a-row

Now, this new post has increased my visibility by 116% in Google Search Console over the last few days, or is it?

What I think is going on

I don’t think this is luck.

I think it’s a repeatable combination of:

• A strong anchor topic (Atomic Habits is a known book people search for)
• A specific audience angle (digital nomads, not everyone)
• A clear article structure (easy to read, easy to scan)
• Fast execution (publish, then refine)
• Plus that extra indexing request to help Google discover it sooner

What I’m planning next

Instead of chasing random topics, I’m considering building a focused content cluster around:

• Habits
• Systems
• Self-discipline
• Digital nomad builders

Because one ranking post is interesting.
But ten related ranking posts becomes a system.

Quick question for you

Have you ever used the Request Indexing step and seen faster results? And have you had a post rank quickly like this?