Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be an effective form of website marketing within natural search engine listings; but, if you're new to the industry, knowing where to begin can be a daunting task. So, to help out those of you who are new to SEO, I've created a list of 10 simple, yet effective tips and strategies that serve as an excellent starting point for improving your search engine ranking.

1. Define Measurable Goals

2. Conduct Keyword Research

3. Incorporate Keywords into Content

4. Write Unique, Keyword Rich Title Tags

5. Create a Sitemap

6. Avoid Flash navigation or an all-Flash website

7. Avoid graphical headers

8. Engage in Link Building

9. Submit to Directories

10. Write Articles for Article Directories

1. Define Measurable Goals

Before optimizing your website, define your goals and make sure they are measurable. Goals are the foundation of your optimization efforts.

2. Conduct Keyword Research

Use various keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Tool, Keyword Discovery and/or Wordtracker to get an idea of popularly used search terms related to your products/services.

3. Incorporate Keywords into Content

Write each individual page around the keywords you chose to target. Write for human visitors, not search engines. Avoid keyword stuffing, instead incorporate keywords so that your content reads naturally.

4. Write Unique, Keyword Rich Title Tags

Give unique title tags to each page of your website rather than applying one default title tag to all pages or giving no title tags at all. This will help drive traffic to internal web pages and return more specific results within Search Engine Results Pages.

5. Create a Sitemap

Create a textual link to a Sitemap from every page of your website. This ensures visitors and Search Engines access to all of the pages on your website.

6. Avoid an all-Flash website

Use Flash in smaller doses such as Flash highlights within an HTML based site. Search engines cannot quite yet fully interpret Flash, thus limiting your search optimization potential for entirely Flash based websites.

7. Avoid graphical headers

Replace graphical headers with keyword rich text that's placed in an h1 or h2 tag. Search engines give more weight or value to keywords in headings and sub headings (h1 and h2 tags) than they do to images.

8. Engage in Link Building

Create a network of quality, relevant links that point to your website. Do this by engaging in such things as reciprocal linking, directory submission, article submission and social networking. The more quality links you have pointing to your website, the better your chances are of improving your search engine ranking.

9. Submit to Directories

Submit your website to a few online directories (free or paid). Avoid auto submission services, instead hand select reputable directories and submit to them manually.

10. Write Articles for Article Directories

Write informative articles related to your area of expertise and submit them to free Article Directories for others to use on their websites.

Examples of Article websites include: EzineArticles.com, Web-Articles.com, ArticleAlley.com and Goarticles.com