Search engine optimization (SEO) in a nutshell (1/2)

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results. The aim of search engine optimization (SEO) is to succeed in being well ranked (i.e. at the top) in the search results following a query made on a search engine (Google, Yahoo! Search, MSN Search,...) Defining an Search engine optimization (SEO) strategy for a website usually implies 3 steps:
1- The Keyword strategy
This step consists of a selection of keywords on which you would like to be well ranked in the search results. These can be considered either as "Head" (generic ones which generate a lot of searches but are quite difficult to be well ranked on) or "Long tail" (specialized, so easier to have some good results on but with a lower number of searches). For instance, for an online travel guide to Australia, "Travel" or "Travel Guide" will belong to the head category, and a new site will have some difficulties in being well ranked for those. On the other hand, the expression "How to travel to Australia" will be in the "long tail" type. This selection can be made through the searches made on the engines, the content of your website, a market analysis or even from you SEM campaigns (if you run any).