If your SEO efforts do not work & not provide the proper result as per your need, you must focus on On-page SEO and do it properly according to Google guidelines and you need to update your site content as well at a regular interval.
May be you are implementing Black Hat SEO technique that's why your techniques are not working well. Make sure that you follow the guidelines of search engine while implementing the SEO techniques (White Hat SEO).
I only suggest you to check your website On Page SEO properly according to Google guidelines and also start link wheel SEO strategy after checking all the previously created links.
If you focus only on search engine then your techniques will not be as effective. I suggest that your priority and focus should be on your target audience and not just search engine alone. Whether you are doing onpage or offpage optimization on your site.