Search Engine Optimization
Search Engines play an important role in letting users find your web site. The
search engines are constantly changing how they get their results to keep shady
and disreputable search engine optimizers from improperly profiting from the "black
hat" ways.
You need someone who can analyze your site and provide the best results possible. You need someone who can tell you what needs to change both within your pages, and outside of your site.
Adding keywords and meta tags will not get you high rankings. Neither will using some special software. In face search engines like Google regularly recommend not using certain, but common, search engine optimization, tools. Proper HTML coding, internal linking, and value shown not only between your pages, but also from external sources matter. With time and effort one can usually rank well.
Consider these specific clients of mine
One client, Any Occasion Photography, has her company name listed 2nd or 3rd (it varies based upon on-going factors) in Google for her company name. While that may not seem like much, the company name without quotes returns 1.4 million pages.
Another client of mine, Showcases To Go, has Google returning 4.08 million pages for their company name, and they are currently listed second. Compared to before the Search Engine Optimization efforts, where they were not listed on the top three pages for their own name. Now they are also listed on the first three pages for 9 other phrases, all with the effort of on-page optimization. No external fees, advertising, or directory services were needed to generate those results.