Some of the more common SEO practices that have endured the test of time continue to be the most efficient and effective method of making a website search engine friendly.  While emphasis on things like keyword meta tags have changed in relevancy, the common sense structures remain in place.  

 Keyword Research

Choosing targeted keywords or phrases that are frequently associated with your product is instrumental to unlocking the mysteries of search engine optimization.  Using keywords strategically in your site's content, titles and so forth will strengthen it's position on a search.  

Keywords should be researched, rather than chosen randomly.  A common mistake that occurs while implementing keywords is taking the phrase too literally.  Your content should still have grammatical flow and proper structure.   Search engines identify keywords within the text and even within the word or sentence itself.  

 For example, if the keyword is rubber insole, you can use phrases like rubber shoe insoles, insoles made of rubber or a rubber insole within your content.  You will still be targeting the necessary keyword without stringently sticking to an awkward phrase that doesn't blend well.  Do any search in google and take note of the words in bold type to get the idea.   There's no need to leave out s's and y's in order to target the keyword.  

 Link Building

 While some caution should be taken when it comes to link building, quality links continue to lend weight to the relevance and integrity of a website.   For example, if you have a site about solar energy panels, adding links to relevant news items or pages that offer installation instructions will benefit your site.  

 However, linking to pages that are not in line with your product or service is a sure fire way to doom your SEO efforts.  Search engine optimization requires making your site relevant to the consumer's search.  Focus on quality links that allow the visitor to find more information and the search engines will reward you by promoting your site as an important source of information.