Perhaps the single most important thing that affects your web sites ranking is incoming links. However, it isn’t as simple as just getting incoming links pointing to your site, the links need to come from credible sources To boost relevancy, links surrounding text need to contain industry phrases and the link itself can give you a boost if the linked text contains a key phrase that you would like your site to be known for. See: URLs and Linking for SEO

Before I start working on directory listings I use Google’s Webmaster tools (look under >Statistics >What Google Sees to see what phases the site is known by and then under >Statistics >Index Stats (more…)

I mention on my SEO page that having a descriptive URL is a good thing. In the example I say that www.huntsville-bike-parts.com is better than having www.bobsbikes.com. Why?? — You know that incoming links (sites linking to yours) are very important, perhaps equally important is the phrase that links the URL. When you have a descriptive URL, this link and phrase association are one and the same. 

For example, here I have linked the phrase Search Engine Marketing to www.marketing-ontheweb.com.