I cringe because usually they will be talking about things that come out of what can only be called superstition and they tend to think that's it. Meanwhile, I would be sitting there and knowing a great deal about exactly what goes on when whatever web search engine i was working for at the time actually did, and not being allowed to discuss any of it.

I'd always give the same advice. Don't try to outsmart the search engine, focus on quality and consistency over time. That will always reward you in the long run. Try to game the search engine and you will find yourself in a weapons race you can't sustain over time. If you find exploitable tactics to get better ranking than you deserve, sooner or later you'll probably be pushed down the ranking. And this is really important if you're successful enough to have something to lose.

Some of what people label SEO is just "make good web sites", and that indeed works. But some of it is just pure rubbish. And making a good website isn't just "doing SEO" - it is making a good website. And a lot of people don't.

Which is why I can't take people seriously when they present it as some singular task they have completed.