The official Wikipedia definition from their webpage is:

Search engine optimization SEO is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" "organic" or "algorithmic" search results for targeted keywords.

Information directly from Wikipedia.

So what is Search engine optimization SEO?

What is a Search Engine Optimization SEO and what does it do, and do the top search engines recommend working with SEOs or do they recommend you doing it your self? I contacted Google and asked that question myself. What costumer support says is you can do the same things that the big SEO companies are doing for 100's of dollars, for just a little time on the computer by doing the same thing they are doing. They are putting your information, via a bot, and submitting the information for you. Companies that offer the optimization say they are making your site Google - friendly? They are also saying that they can guarantee a top 10 listing and that is so far from true. No one can guarantee a number 1 ranking on Google or any other major search engine. Several of the SEO companies, agencies, and consultants do provide great services for website owners. They will give you advice on how your site should be set up and help you find good and the right directories that your site should or can be submitted to. However, some of the few unethical SEOs have given the SEO and internet optimization industry a really bad black eye. Some of these SEO companies are very aggressive with most of their marketing strategies. That is why they are in the business to sell you more. If you do not know how to do the service your self then they have you by the nose. They will try anything to get you to spend more money on another portion of their business all for the great dollar. They may offer you other items that may or may not help your site at all. If you are not careful they will have you believe you have a lot better listing by manipulating search engine results, by sending you to a false page.

Does Google work with SEO'S?

Google does not have working relationships with SEO's and does not offer any recommendations. I do have a few tips that may help you decide or determine for your self between a SEO that will help you improve your page or site and one that will only make your chances of being taken out of the listings from most of the major search engine results altogether. Wow now that would not be good would it. You had better beware of SEOs that claim they can get you a guaranteed ranking. There are some that allege that they have a "special relationship" with Google, Yahoo, or any other major search engine, or will show you or tell you they have a "priority submit" to Google. There is absolutely no priority submitting for Google. The only way you can submit a webpage or site whatever you want to call it is to go to Google directly and use their add url page or submit page and do it manually, or you can go through the webmaster tools in the settings page and you can do this yourself at no cost at all. You can purchase software all over the internet and use the same bot they use and do it a little faster.

Make sure that you are protected financially and legally bound.

Do not be scared or afraid to ask to get your money back if you are not satisfied with your Search Engine Optimizations SEO performance. Be sure to have all of the information in writing that will include the price they are charging you and what they are going to do for you. Make sure the contract also requires the SEO to stay within your guidelines in which you and the company have discussed for your site or sites to be included in the major search engines nation wide or even world wide which ever you prefer. If in doubt be sure to say no thanks and walk away or hit the X in the top right corner and do not hit send on your credit card information.

Do some of your own investigating on the SEO you are looking into using if that is what you decide to do. Her are a few things to check on:

Do they own any shadow domains? Do they offer their links to other listings or door pages? Do they try to sell you keywords to put in your address bar? That they do not distinguish between search results and ads? Do they operate with different aliases? Do they get traffic from spy ware, ad ware, scum ware, or any other kind of malicious acts? Have they had domains taken out of the Google, Yahoo, or other major search engines?

Her are some facts that will help you do the optimization your self.

#1: Having a TITLE and having correct META Tags is one of the most basic starting places for you to work on for basic steps toward SEO or search engine optimization. This will help, but it is usually not enough to help with your web site rankings in Google, Yahoo, or other search engines. You can get the software the professionals use for accuracy.

#2: It is a fact that if you are not on the first page of any search page then 62of the traffic will not even find your listing.

#3: It is your choice, you can optimize your site your self or you can pay 100's of dollars and have the professionals do it for you.

#4: If you want maximum search engine exposure for your all Web sites and pages you need a Scrub the Web SEO Membership. These are the tools the pro's use!