Now-a-days SEO is not an easy task. Promoting any website is challenge here, as the competition is increasing at very high speed.
But if don't concentrate on SEO, we can also promote our site in this competitive internet world by just concentrating on quality of our own site in terms of our users or visitors...
If you think that you are just making a brand in google, don't think like that you are doing SEO and promoting your website. SEO is very easy if you follow Google policy and do work with them......
I agreed, but if you target proper keyword, create quality contents and high pr back link, then your website or blog easily getting good traffic. Generate and getting high pr good backlink after submitting off page seo activities dir sub, article sub, press release submission and more. Now-a-day, Social Media promotion is good way to getting good traffic, brand name. Social Media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , Google+. Guest blogging is good way to generate high quality backlinks. Check google updates time to time.
I don't think it's a do or die. You need to do on-page SEO, that's important. But your site won't die if you don't. You do not have to do SEO. You can promote your sites on social media sites, and if you do it right, your site will rank without the help of search engines. My two cents. Have a good day!