This time it really happened. Google put the brakes on one of the world's most used SEO software products that was running unauthorized automated ranking reports against its servers. The threat of WebPosition no longer working on Google has been present for years. Now the threat is over and the reality is all too clear. Should we be surprised? Anyone who has read Google's acceptable usage policy saw this coming a mile away. Google has had their guidelines posted for years, which prohibit this kind of thing; even calling out WebPosition by name! You can see it here http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=66357.

So is any SEO software product safe? Definitely! And do they work? Absolutely! Most SEO professionals owe their success to a great tool or software suite. As an SEO trainer I have seen brand new students breaking into Google's top ten with the right tool. And I can tell you; it's an awesome sight!

How can you tell the right tool from a wrong one? It's not always easy but keep this in mind... Any optimization product that is intentionally designed to violate Google's acceptable usage policy is likely to get the boot. You are much better off without it anyway. Or at least better off not using that one function that pounds Google's servers; automated rank reporting.

Checking your ranking is just one aspect of SEO software that most of the product suites include simply because it is expected. Most people drank the "You need to know where you are to know where you are going" Kool-Aid long ago. And it's not their fault. We've all been there. And in truth that's very true for actual optimization efforts. But it makes no sense for simply seeing where your web pages rank. Sure it's nice to see how far you've come, but does it help establish your target? No. You are still shooting for number one! The target never changes, just your focus. So keep your eyes on the prize and stay focused.

As a professional SEO trainer I see people everyday who make the same mistake of focusing more on what's behind them, than in front. Consider this; have you ever seen a horror movie where the soon to be victim keeps looking over her shoulder at the crazed killer, oblivious to the obstacles in front, and you just wanted to scream "Just keep going! Don't look back!"

My advice to you is "Just keep going! Don't look back!"

More easily said than done, right? So how can you focus more on what matters?

Select an SEO software suite that does more than a one trick pony. Many tools built their reputation by making you believe you have to know EXACTLY where you rank, for any given keyword, at any time. Why? I mean, what is your goal? Number one, right? Just enter your keyword or phrase then browse the first few pages of the search engine. If it's not in the first thirty matches nobody is likely to see it. Problem solved. Just keep going with your eye on the prize.

So what exactly should you be looking for in SEO software? There are two biggies. First, try to find a tool that offers good link building capabilities. The ability to find and retain the best link partners (reciprocal linking) is your most important task if you want to do well on Google. Linking alone is responsible for close to 87% of any given Web page's success on Google. Beyond that, try to find a tool that offers unique methods for gaining one way inbound links, such as article marketing. And definitely make sure the tool can spot Google's elusive "authority sites." This is huge! One tool I've used that works very well, and does all 3, can be found at http://www.SE0elite.com ($167.)

Second, try to find an app that will dig into your site just like a search engine and tell you how to best optimize it. Just keep in mind that not all tools are created equal in this regard. I tried it with WebPosition Gold through several versions with no luck. I could consistently optimize my pages faster, and get better results, without using the software's recommendations.

But some tools are very good. One product that does a great job with analyzing your site and recommending changes that will shoot you up the ranking ladder is http://www.iBusinessPR0M0TER.com. It has won more than twenty of the most coveted top editor's pick awards and is the SEO software product of choice for some of the most successful websites in the world, like eBay.com and Network Solutions, Inc (the original domain registrar.) If nothing else, visit their site and check out their client list. It's not the cheapest but it is one of the best. And for the $250 price tag you will have the same SEO secret weapon as many leading Fortune 500 firms.

By the way, this one does a nice job of link building too. You give up a few things the other does, but it's not really worth it to buy both. Save your cash for a celebration when you break into the top 10.

And these are not the only games in town. There are a lot of great products out there. The trick is in finding one that adds value to you in ways that won't upset the search engines. Just remember that SEO software is meant to work WITH the search engines, NOT against them. The linking and optimization analysis features mentioned above provide the fastest, most direct routes to the top of Google, MSN, Yahoo and all other major search engines. And they do not interfere with the search engine or burn up its resources. In short, they are safe to use and can help get you to the top.

Enjoy the view from up there!