SEO or Search Engine optimisation is a strange and elusive beast, driven by a thirst for knowledge an un-silencing need to be competitive. With us we have the Black Hat defenders who challenge the seemingly good intentions of the search engine giants and the While hat wizards who are there to carve a path to search engine nirvana. So its all black and white then is it! Well I have got to say it, I don’t think so!

As any enthusiastic SEO will know there is always some one, or some company out there who will claim to be The Best. We are The Best because we are number 1 or because we have the most search engine traffic or the broadest range of key phrases. Fine I say, but how is it that you got to be the best, what was your strategy? This is the question that all budding seo’s are searching to answer, constantly researching, scouring and dare I say scanning web sites for new ideas, ways to be the best, looking to beat their competition, looking for that competitive edge!

So is it just who works hardest, who gets the most links or who stays up latest. Certainly it is not! The quest to being the best, taking that number 1 spot comes from 1) Intellectually assessing the different factors that make a site rank 2) prioritising them 3) Implementing them but most importantly 4) Creating that hook, that competitive edge that gives you that bit more importance over your competition.

Wither your quest is for page rank, trust rank, focus, quality, link profile or one of the myriad other possible factors which influence the SERPS what you must always consider is how can I do this creatively, how can I be a pioneer and make my site 1 step ahead of the competition.

White hat / black hat; who cares. Both parties can learn a great deal from the other. Perhaps the time has come when the grey hat seo will be king!