Ask Jeeves and Lycos Enter the Search Engine Optimization Field

The smaller search engines feel the need to draw revenues by providing organic search optimization services to clients shows how dominant Google, Yahoo and MSN are on the search landscape. Organic website optimization is an important form of mainstream advertising and like almost every other form of mainstream marketing is about manipulation. The difference between SEOs and mainstream marketers is the audience. Every other form of marketing is about subtle manipulation of consumers, assisting buyers in making product choices. Search engine optimization is about manipulating site content to present information to electronic spiders. When the search firms blur the line between organic and obvious paid-advertising, search engine users have cause for concern. Now that two well known search firms have entered the organic market, that line may become even blurrier, a trend that should worry SEO practitioners.

 Page Rank Does Not Equal Link Popularity

It's important to note that Google PageRank is not the same thing as link popularity. PR is actually a subset of link popularity. Whereas PR focuses strictly on the quantity and popularity of links, link popularity adds a "quality factor" into the equation. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly use the terms "link popularity" and "PageRank " interchangeably, which has served to confuse the issue further.All major search engines place some emphasis on link popularity in their ranking algorithms. There appear to be 2 main types of links that work best to increase your link popularity: links from other sites that focus on the same keyword phrases your site focuses on, and links from relevant categories in major directories and industry-specific portals.

 Content-Based SEO

The principle that the content of your website is what really matters.The theory is that good content will attract attention,

Inbound links and other referrals. Over time the accumulation of good press will give you many of the same benefits as other methods of SEO.Content-based SEO is usually hard work in the initial stages but it is likely to give you the best, most stable long-term results.