The recently released Google’s guide to SEO provides some highlights to what Google views as important:

1. Always focus on User Experience with the current SEO focus being on reducing bounce rate.
2. Always have unique page titles and Meta descriptions, this is easy to track with Google Webmaster tools.  Also, avoid using generic page names like page1.html.
3. Use short concise URL strings, preferably with descriptive words.  We recommend dashes, not underscores.
4. Make your site navigation as flat as possible.  Both in number of directories and clicks from home page.
5. Be consistent in your internal linking (caps versus no caps, www versus no www).
6. One URL to each document, avoid duplicate URL paths to the same content.
7. Have an xml and html sitemap with no errors.
8. Make sure the link text of all internal links is keyword focused.
9. Create content silos using breadcrumb navigational structure properly.

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