Two simple tips, first, create high quality content and theme-related content on your site. Second, build many backlinks to your site on high PR pages, especially on these theme-related sites.
i thinka fter reading about seo and building up the popularity of a tube site, im going to have to push real hard for quality backlinks/trades and ive started a blog on a different domain with a similar theme where i can post actual informative content and try to link between the two sites.
Trying to link between the two sites of same niche is a good idea but you also need to focus more on content.
You need good unique content BUT you also need SEO. Good content will be shared by your visitors and natural backlinks will be created for your site but unless you've already got a huge following from elsewhere it'll take a long time to build your visitor numbers up and get the required number of links you need to rank. You still need to make backlinks and carry out SEO, you just need to be smart about it and make it look natural. Sure if it's just a hobby maybe you can wait around for years until it all happens naturally but most of want to make some money, right? You need to backlink.
LOL, I was scrambling looking for the like button somewhere near your post. I could have not said it better myself. As long as you have rich content on your website & strategic keywords you will do great. But this does not apply to all websites.
Like others have already said, content is key. Second would probably be patience, it often takes time for Google to recognise quality content amongst all the duplicate sites.
Content is King and good quality and related links will be helpful to you. Submit your site in Niche directory and good On-Page.
In the duration of updating algorithms the best tatic is that use quality content and ignore anchor text as more as possible will help you to build strong seo.
After the latest penguin update the best advice is to write more words in your sites/articles (1000 or more)