What's the practical way to write for seo?

don't chase a word count. if the top results are 3000 words it's because the topic needs it, not because google rewards long. say it in as many words as it takes and stop. and put in something the ranking pages don't have - a real example, a screenshot, your own numbers. otherwise you've just written the eleventh version of the same article and there's no reason for google to prefer yours.

Write for the person searching, then tidy it up for search afterwards. Look at what's ranking for your keyword first so you know what format people expect, a list, a guide, a comparison. Answer the main question near the top instead of three paragraphs of intro. Use subheadings that match the follow-up questions people have, keep paragraphs short, and use the keyword where it reads naturally, in the title and once early on is plenty. If you catch yourself forcing it into a sentence, take it out.