Does SEO really work? Is it pointless?

Have your say, vote now!

Personally, I think it is pointless. It's a waste of money.

I think it depends on the seo softwares.
if it is use to pick keywords, optimize a website automatically and automatically submit your website to directories and search engines then it is pointless.
However, if the software will only calculate the density of your page, check proximity, check current inbound links, check links pointing to your site or to your competitors website and find websites related to your site for exchange link purposes then it a very good software to have.

SEO without decent interesting content is pointless.

But if search engines use an algorithm to decide where your site appears in results then it makes sense to optimise your site for search engines.
Other wise you wont be utilising something that could bring a lot of visitors.

But it's most definatly not the most important thing when trying to make a popular website.
By far the most important thing is what your visitors think.

I would rather have a site where each visitor tell one of thier friends more than a high ranking site on google.

SEO software is generally pointless. Although, it depends on what you mean by SEO software.

Are you talking about software that will automatically generate pages based on your content on a set of rules it's previously been fed? Automatically submit to 3 million search engines & link directories? Spam a million people?

Or are you talking about SEO software that gives you possible keyword suggestions, and suggests places you with relevant content that you might want to submit your link to? (software that still requires a HUMAN element).

If the former, then it's all pointless. If the latter, then they can be handy tools, to provide YOU with data, so that YOU can do the actual optimizations yourself.

Couldn't have said it better...

It has pretty much been covered but Content is key, remeber it. Use the tools you can to analyze your content and optimize.

While I do agree about the content, I see the content as part of the SEO. Regardless of what else has been done, if the page has no content, it's not optimized for search engines, cuz there's nothing there for them to look at

I'm saying, everyone is saying to "Get a good SEO programe" yet, when you download it. All it does is help you get good keywords, description and content. This is pritty much pointless, content might have a small role.

To use your own word, "help"... Getting help is pointless?

SEO is like diet supplements only.
CONTENT is King, it rules everything.

Actually, only for Yahoo and MSN. Not for Google. For Google, backlinks are King.

You keep believing that chynathedragon... I'll keep getting my high rankings without soliciting a single backlink

I think it is pointless because using SEO softwares do the job instantly without learning from it. But if you are lazy enough, you can use some.

Most tools SEO software offer can be found on the net for free.

It's easy for some to dismiss SEO techniques based on their own trial and error. Maybe they have a site that ranks high without ever applying SEO, or maybe they have a site that ranks low with many hours of SEO work. Truth is, the algorithms change so often that their is no specific set of rules that will get you to the top. But the few White Hats who stay on top of the new trends, can see measured success time and time again.

I think manual SEO is better then the software.

Because every now and then the formula changes for getting better PR and positions on the search engines.