Basic SEO philosophy
My approach to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is quite simple. I use a fundamental assumption that lays everything out in the open. All one has to do is answer a question raised by Brad Callen of SEO Elite.
What does Google want?
The answer to the question as Brad brilliantly stated is so simple that it is often overlooked. Google wants to keep its visitors. This deserves restating:
Google wants to keep its visitors.
You see, Google is more than just an algo. Often we get so tied up in tiniest details of the ambiguous Algo that we lose sight of the big picture. Google is a website just like yours and mine that will only survive if it provides users with an ample quantity of quality information.
Google does not provide unique content on its own. We all know that Google, by definition of a search engine, finds existing content on the web, rates it, and then displays a condensed version to the searcher. Google must find existing quality content that answers its users questions. If they do not, we all know the user will simply go somewhere else.
Google will find the quality information sites. This must be true. Otherwise Google will ultimately collapse and another search engine will rise to prominence.
The way to get excellent rankings on Google is simple. Build a quality information site. Or sell a quality product on an ecommerce site. Google will find a way to recognize quality websites or will fail its mission. Do not waste time chasing algo tricks while skipping the underlying objective.
Obviously there are certain things you can do to help Google recognize quality. But when you try and utilize these things without first building a quality site, you will be left in the dust the next time Google changes its algo.