Search Engine Optimization and the small business

The acronym 'SEO' still doesnt mean a lot here to small businesses in Israel.
But i believe this is going to change. Why? A new anti-spam law just came into effect on 1.12
declaring that from now on, every spam mailer could be sued without the need to prove damages.

Talkbacks were furious from both sides:
Pro-Spam: people from small business "talkbacked" with frustration about the loss of customers, about how the state is killing the small business and leaving spcae only for the giants.
they also promised that phonecalls will replace the mails making this law regretable.
Anti-Spam: aside from "you can shove your spam mails where the sun dont shine..", arguments were raised that small businesses are actually the casualties of the spam, because they either waste money on expensive anti-spam software, ot waste their employees' time.

But what about targeted adword campaigns (SEM) and Optimizing your site for search engines (SEO)? it seems like most SMB's do not yet fully comprehend what they can get for their money.
I believe that this new anti-spam law coupled with the global economic crisis can be a turning point driving SMB's to the web to advertise.

Can Google and the rest of thesearch engines benefit from this situation? Oh yes.
But will they? it remains to be seen.