SEO Basics--How to rank highly in search engines

This question is simple enough: how do I get free visitors?
The answer is also simple enough: Search Engines.

Q: How do I get into the SE's?
A: Get a blog, write a post (w/ a link to your site), and submit
it to Yahoo! (see related post Blog and Ping)

Q: How do I get higher in the search results (rank higher)?
A: Search Engine Optimization, or SEO.

Alright, so here are the "secrets" of how to rank highly (forget
those SEO softwares, "courses," and e-books)--what almost
every White Hat SEO expert will tell you, what nearly every SEO
e-book mentions, what the SEO courses teach: 1) put the right keywords in your site, and 2) get people to link to your site.

Stop here, let me tell you what you're thinking:
Sure, I can do 1), but 2)?? It's easy enough for you to say-

Before you start buying links on high-traffic, super-ranked website, or banging your head in despair, let me tell you the number one source for obtaining 100% free, legal, links to your site.

Do a quick search on Google for "Web Directory."
Web directories plead with you, 'please, please, add your link here.'
Get it? Look for the directories which are listed on the top 20 to 30 in the results. Submit to them for free.

One directory that stands out from the gazillions is DMOZ, the Open Directory. Google, MSN, Netscape, and other search engines include sites from DMOZ into their index, and seem to rank sites that are in DMOZ higher. Go to DMOZ now>>

Thats basically the basics to ranking highly. More SEO tips will follow.