Can someone please answer this? I’m really tired of wasting money on trying to find this elusive and very simple answer. How can any process/software/company possibly succeed in getting a businesses website ranked on page one with little to no effort? 

I know what I am supposed to do. I know all about description tags, page titles, proper use of keywords actual found on the page, not duplicating content, really good valuable content, only obtaining value-rated links… blah blah blah. Yet, so many services say that if you pay them they can make it magically happen almost overnight, some of them actually GUARANTEE it…

Is this really true?

If so, will someone actually reveal this secret magical thing to me? Am I just completely ignorant? Or is it all just a bunch of hooey. With all the Panda and Penguin changes, how can any company possibly follow through on such claims? I just don’t believe it and I challenge anyone to tell me otherwise. 
Thanks everyone

I agree with you and @kristi-hines 

These days Google’s search results are determined by a much wider range of “signals” and their algorithm has evolved to recognize sites that are using manipulative, or black hat techniques.

A good SEO service can really help, but I don’t think the more reputable ones make guarantee claims.

@ted-uram Now a days for most of the serp there maybe little room for organic results. Google local+ is now dominating page 1 taking up to 7 entries. If you aren’t effectively optimizing your Google local listing along with your website at the same time you’ll have a hard time getting seen on page 1