Bit of a history lesson here.
The term "Search Engine Optimisation" came about because at the time it was all about making your position in the SERPs "optimal", the Internet was still fairly new to most people and wasn't as well travelled as it is now.
Search engines were new, SE users were not as savvy and "rankings" were stable for at least 3 weeks at a time, and every SE user saw the same results for the search term,
and were more inclined to "click" on the "top" results, because they were (in theory) the "best page" for their question to be answered.
Also back then links, and the anchor text of links was a big part of the SE algo, especially for Google.
So yes, ten to fifteen years ago, links where a large part of making your page position "optimal".
However, since then numerous updates and changes have reduced Google's reliance on links and anchor text, Yahoo! has grown up a little and may even become a "player" some day
None of the SEs offer "stable" ranking any more, query results are different for every SE user. Local variations, personalised results, Savvy SE users no longer click on the #1 result every time.
There is no "optimal" position that guarantees sales or traffic anymore, sure, top 5 first page is a better spot than bottom 5 on page 3.
If all you care about is SE traffic, which, of course is totally the wrong strategy. SEO now is not about simply being #1, you now need to be #1 for the RIGHT phrase(s), #1 with a great title and description, #1 in the RIGHT localised engine and of course you absolutely have to have done your promotion well enough to get over the personalised results filters.
Optimising and marketing for
Search has changed over the last fifteen years, unfortunately the "experts" have not changed or moved with it.
It never has been "difficult", and it is no more difficult now than it was ten years ago. Certainly there is more pages competing and more so-called optimisers.
But the short sighted, thick skulled experts are all occupied trying to
force the SEs to do what they want with their pages instead of simply giving the SEs what they are looking for!
Trying to "bomb" your way to SE success with links is what makes it seem difficult and of course you are only ever bombing
ONE page for
ONE phrase.
LEARN for goodness sake!
Your "home" page is not everything to your website.
Search engines treat every page on every site as individual. Why don't you?
The first directory owner that sees sense and allows people to link to more than the "home" page might even make money.
Sure, comment on blogs that are in your target marketplace with something ontopic or useful to the discussion, but
link to your page that is relevant.
Certainly participate in forums that are related, but at least have signature links that the people are going to be interested in.
Be realistic links to a plastic surgeon in Brazil at a webmaster forum
ISN'T going to generate a great deal of interest!
Join Social Networking sites and again link to
useful pages with the right anchor text.
Intelligent marketing and picking appropriate targets will get you further than "machine gunning" links into the crowd.
