sugarrae - 8:02 pm on Feb 16, 2006 (gmt 0)

>>>SEO, in my mind, has one core goal: ranking high for targeted keywords/phrases, period! That is not the same as writing good articles, creating a useful blog, being an active and helpful member in a forum, or buying links based on only the traffic generated from them (which is really just a media buy/PPC if you calculate the cost/clicks), or any of the various "New" methods mentioned.

I can say it until I'm blue in the face, but it won't matter. Ranking IS, IS, IS a direct correlation of having a good site with good traffic *idependent* of the search engines. Good content is what gets you the good links which is what gets you the good ranks. A smart search engine is not ranking *new* sites on crap exchanges and directory listings for competitive terms. As someone else here previously mentioned in another thread [webmasterworld.com] - thinking in the little metal box of SEO=same old tired links=ranks is not the wave of *today*.

Everyone is entitled to their views, so I'll agree to disagree.