The question asked day in and day out is how to optimize for google. Lately I been trying to take in as much Information on SEO as I can and this is a question i have asked my self. In november google released its own Search Engine Optimization Start Guide which after reading on the first few pages I wish I had started with this from the start. http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35291 - Googles Page http://www.google.com/webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf - PDF Guide. This is a great guide for SEO newbies like myself.
I remember when i first started SEO i also read this, its a good stepping stone to learning how SEO works.
It's truly a good guide and resource for SEO beginners. But this line makes me more curious "...this guide won't tell you any secrets that'll automatically rank your site first for queries in Google (sorry!)".... No wonder many opportunists or let's just say smart marketers make money online by trying to teach us that "secret".
This guide by Google is for absolute newbies. Here is another guide that I like better: http://www.seomoz.org/article/beginners-guide-to-search-engine-optimization You can read the entire SEOMoz blog / site too.
It is one of the marketing strategies adopted by Google. Why would Google support SEOs? The answer is simple - Google wants to engage as many users as possible. Although, the guide is helpful for newbies but not useful. Instead the Google's engineer Matt Cutt has good things on his blog for SEO
I can just hear some shady characters saying, "Yeah, sure I can get you the No. 1 spot, my uncle's cousin's best friend works in Google's Search Results Department..."