It took me a while to really get this, but after I tackled most of the on-site SEO for my firm's website, it became much more clear. Content really is king. As we see a greater emphasis on trackbacks and tweets and likes and inbound links, the fastest way to produce a jump in the rankings is to make content that people want and want to share. Mind-blowing, right?

For someone learning SEO on the side, I don't have the time or money (or manpower) to engage in Black Hat tactics. The firm couldn't handle the Google rebuke either. Additionally, the algorithm is constantly changing and I don't think it is wise to chase it. Good content will always rise to the top (albeit slowly). A good website should perform well in the rankings and, get this, be good for business by providing customers with value. WHOA.

Stated differently: The internet was made for sharing information. It is much easier (and smarter) to make something worth sharing than it is to generate the appearance of something being shared.