[vishenda]

SEO is an exact science, but an ever changing and evolving one. You think you know the rules and then the rules change again.

There are perhaps thousands (yeah, really) of places to find advice on SEO but here is one definitive source from Michael Martinez:

seo theory

It would take starting at the beginning and reading through all the posts to get an idea of what Michael has to offer BUT would be a tremendous learning experience.

Another good resource is High Rankings® Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Services and Search Marketing Tips from Jill Whalen. Sign up for her newsletter, High Rankings Advisor. She is very knowledgable in the field and a lot of people do quote her on what she says.

Be careful taking the blanket advice in forums and groups. Most of it is OH-pinion only. Of course, following threads of discussions can lead to forming your own mindset on any given issue as it regards SEO.

It is also a reason to keep up to date. If you are tempted to buy an ebook on the subject, wait ten minutes and the information will be outdated.

[Sporkman]

...or you can just bribe some influential google engineers for the details of their ranking methodology.

[vishenda]

haha--do you know one of them ?

[Sporkman]

..........

[WEBOSIS]

I would disagree that Search Engine Optimization is an exact science, but I kind of know what you are getting at. I think this line is priceless:

Be careful taking the blanket advice in forums and groups. Most of it is OH-pinion only. Of course, following threads of discussions can lead to forming your own mindset on any given issue as it regards Search Engine Optimization.

The resources you mention are great, but they are only 2 of many great resources. I agree with a lot of what Michael Martinez and Jill Whalen say, but I also disagree with a lot of what they say.

I think one of the biggest mistakes that those new to Search Engine Optimization make is latching onto a single idea or perspective. I always tell beginners to learn as much as they can from various sources, perform tests on their own, and make up their own minds based on what they observe.