Typically, getting a high position isn't that easy. You try a couple of techniques, but they don't seem to work. So you try something else, and maybe you achieve a little success. Then you try another technique. Search Engine Optimization can often be very labor intensive, and you may not see results for weeks, and likely,months.

The degree of work required depends on the competitiveness of the keywords you're going after. Some keywords are incredibly competitive: mortgage, insurance, attorney, real estate, SEO service, and so on, are highly competitive, with millions of people wanting a piece of the action. Other Keyword phrases are very easy such, as "Search Engine Optimization Techniques in Miami", for instance. If you're in the rodent-racing business, you're in luck because you can probably rank right at the top very easily.

Although how search engines function is based on science, search engine optimization is more art than science. Why? Because search engines don't want outside parties to know exactly how they rank sites. You have to just experiment. Ranking a site can be very difficult, and tremendously laborious. After all, why should it be easy? There is huge competition, so it can't  always be easy. If it were easy for your site, then it would be easy for your competitors' sites, wouldn't it? And, after all there can only ever be one number one.