Search engine optimization is a very critical task in the success 
of any website. In recent times search engines seem to have 
complicated this task further by their frequent changes in rules. 
This has caused lots of anxiety as some of these changes have 
seen some sites lose virtually all their regular traffic 
instantly as their rankings have tumbled.

This has further added to the confusion amongst webmasters about 
search engines and their motivations. But no matter how mad one 
gets at the search engines, there is little that they can do to 
change the statistics which clearly indicate that well over 75 
per cent of the traffic that most sites receive comes directly 
from search engines.

However, there is a secret that an increasing number of 
webmasters have discovered and are putting to good use. Whatever 
regular changes search engines instigate, their motivation 
remains the same. Most webmasters forget that there is currently 
very stiff competition between the leading search engines. More 
so because it has become abundantly clear that none of the top 
search engines are interested in the runners up position.


The Search Engine Motivation 

This stiff competition between search engines is focused on the 
customer, that is the person who uses search engines to find 
information online. The preferred search engine and therefore the 
top one will always be the one that most satisfies the needs of 
that customer.

So whatever changes search engines make they will always be 
focused on improving the search engine experience for surfers. 
It is not too difficult to figure out what those who use search 
engines want, or even more important, what they do not want. 
Anybody using a search engine wants to be able to find what they 
are looking for quickly. Most will be looking for the most 
detailed quality content on the subject or information that they 
seek.

This simply means that any website that places its' focus on the 
end consumer using search engines, rather than on the search 
engines themselves is guaranteed to retain their high ranking 
whatever changes search engines keep on making.


Can You Dare Assume That Search Engines Do Not Exist? 

So the most effective way to ensure that a website owner focuses 
on the surfers is for them to direct their focus on them, just 
like search engines are. It would help tremendously for them to 
start operating as if search engines did not exist and fully 
concentrate on ensuring that their sites have quality detailed 
content.

The dangers and harmful effects of webmasters focusing on search 
engines are very evident. We have sites that use keywords so 
heavily that it affects the quality of writing on their sites. 
Some sites have even done worse, leaving their quality content 
intact but creating keywords that are hidden to the human eye 
but visible to search engines.

In fact there are a whole lot of schemes on the net created to 
fool search engines, which have no regard for the surfer or what 
information they are looking for. For instance there is plenty of 
software on sale online whose promoters bluntly state is designed 
to fool search engines.

These are the sort of schemes that are causing so many constant 
changes in the rules of leading search engines as they seek for 
ways to combat any tricks that would favor undeserving sites in 
their rankings.


Content Will Always Be King 

What all this means is that content remains the most important 
search engine optimization tool. Just take a closer look at all 
the leading google websites and try and trace a common thread 
running through them all. You will quickly discover that the 
quality of writing and content in these sites is extremely high.

This means that any webmaster that makes an effort to provide 
quality, relevant and detailed content on their site with the 
experience of the surfer as their central focus will be using 
an extremely powerful search engine optimization tool.

If your content is good, then you can post it at other websites 
complete with a detailed resource box that directs traffic to 
your website. Quality articles will usually end up being re-
posted all over the net in an endless viral effect that will 
create quality links back to your site. Search engines still rank 
websites based on the links from other sites leading to it so 
quality content has a double advantage.

You will of course need to do a thorough job of posting your 
articles to various article directories, ezine publishers and 
announcement lists. 

Article By David Callan. David is an Internet Marketing 
professional and webmaster of http://www.akamarketing.com
Visit his website for articles and tutorials on Internet 
Marketing and Search Engine Optimization.