Search Engine Optimization or SEO is not a complicated topic in fact Google tells you everything you need to know here -> Webmaster Guidelines
The first and most important rule of SEO is knowing that the secret lies in how other websites link to you.
This is important to know as you maybe editing your own website text in hopes of better rankings, when really your time is best spent evaluating how other people/businesses are linking to you.
There are two important tools to help you see whom is linking to you.
- typing in link: domainname.com in yahoo site explorer
- Using Google Webmaster Tools to see you is linking to you.
Remember first priority optimize how other websites are linking to yours and try to build a website that offers something of value so you can easily generate links.