At SiteInSight, we are not interested in manipulating Google. We want to cover the basics, and make sure that your site has a description, and titles, and basic things that indicate to Google what your site is about. Beyond that, good relevant writing about the topic of your business is the best strategy.
Here is a good, snarky article about “the bad guys” in SEO, and why their tactics are silly and, well, dickish.
http://mattgemmell.com/2011/09/20/seo-for-non-dicks/