SEO tickles

Hi,

Few years ago i discovered SEO.
I had until then never thought anyone was “cleaning” the Internet, I had never even wondered where the URL are coming from.
I am an idiot, yes maybe, but do not think being an exception. I actually think most people using Internet had never considered for 2 sec the questions “how Google works”.

At first, I got a little “shocked”. Intuitively (but wrongly) i thought the top of the pile most be the most trustful answer. I was wrong.
Then, I thought about the algorithm and how a software could be quite right most of the time… I got fascinated about the maths!

Well, in a perfect word, the top of the pile is trustful and this is what Google aims for.
But, today reading more and more about the SEO tweaks, i am back to desillusion.
I realize that it does not require to be the best to be to the top but to have a wallet big enough to hire some guys who can pamper websites to make them references…
Working on a site sounds like the good thing to do. Talking about a website via keywords on various websites is not worse than any marketing practice but how to qualify back linking?

I do understand the beginning of the concept - give credit to people and referring websites. Today however, it does look like a giant joke. All the back linking companies seem to sell spots on fake websites they own - websites are bad most of the time, and i still wonder how some can really get a PR… Is there a real way to get real referrals by talking to real people?

Thanks for any input…

I would suggest you take a look at the sticky thread: http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?182915-FAQ-Search-Engine-Optimization