How to Effectively SEO a Website to Rank at the Top of Google Search?

Hi everyone, I'm looking for expert insights on how to effectively optimize a website to rank at the top of Google search results. Specifically, I'm interested in:

Proven SEO strategies or tips that can help a site rank higher smoothly and sustainably

Common mistakes or overlooked factors that might prevent a site from reaching the top

Whether there are specific reasons Google might hold a site back from ranking well (e.g., penalties, technical issues, content quality, etc.)

I've noticed that many people struggle to get their websites to rank well, and sometimes they don’t even know why. I'd really appreciate any advice, resources, or personal experiences you can share to help clarify what truly works and what to watch out for.

Thanks in advance!