SEO Glossary
Clear definitions for SEO, AEO, and digital growth
Understand the terms behind rankings, local visibility, and AI-driven search. This glossary explains the concepts you’ll encounter when optimising for Google and modern answer engines.
A
Algorithm
A set of rules and calculations used by search engines to determine the ranking of web pages in search results. Google's algorithm considers hundreds of factors including content quality, backlinks, and user experience.
Alt Text
Alternative text that describes an image for search engines and screen readers. Proper alt text improves accessibility and helps images rank in Google Image Search.
Anchor Text
The clickable text in a hyperlink. Using descriptive, relevant anchor text helps search engines understand what the linked page is about.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)
The practice of optimising content to appear in AI-powered search results and voice assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews.
B
Backlink
A link from another website pointing to your website. High-quality backlinks from authoritative sites are one of the most important ranking factors in SEO.
Black Hat SEO
Unethical SEO practices that violate search engine guidelines, such as keyword stuffing, cloaking, and buying links. These tactics can result in penalties or being removed from search results.
Bounce Rate
The percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate may indicate poor user experience or irrelevant content.
Breadcrumbs
A navigation aid that shows users their location within a website's hierarchy. Breadcrumbs improve user experience and help search engines understand site structure.
C
Canonical URL
The preferred version of a web page when multiple URLs contain similar or duplicate content. Using canonical tags helps prevent duplicate content issues.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The percentage of people who click on your link after seeing it in search results. Higher CTR indicates your title and meta description are compelling.
Content Marketing
Creating and distributing valuable, relevant content to attract and engage a target audience. Quality content is fundamental to successful SEO.
Core Web Vitals
Google's metrics for measuring user experience: Largest Contentful Paint (loading), First Input Delay (interactivity), and Cumulative Layout Shift (visual stability).
Crawling
The process by which search engine bots discover and scan web pages to index their content. Ensuring your site is crawlable is essential for SEO.
D
Domain Authority (DA)
A score developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search results. Higher DA indicates stronger ranking potential.
Duplicate Content
Identical or very similar content appearing on multiple URLs. Duplicate content can confuse search engines and dilute ranking signals.
Dwell Time
The amount of time a user spends on a page before returning to search results. Longer dwell time suggests the content is valuable and relevant.
E
E-E-A-T
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness - Google's framework for evaluating content quality, especially important for YMYL (Your Money Your Life) topics.
External Link
A link from your website to another domain. Linking to authoritative sources can improve your content's credibility.
F
Featured Snippet
A special search result that appears at the top of Google's organic results, displaying a direct answer to the user's query. Also known as 'Position Zero'.
Footer Links
Links placed in the footer section of a website. While useful for navigation, excessive footer links can be seen as manipulative by search engines.
G
Google Business Profile
A free tool that lets businesses manage their online presence across Google Search and Maps. Essential for local SEO and appearing in local pack results.
Google Penalty
A negative impact on a website's search rankings due to violating Google's guidelines. Penalties can be algorithmic or manual.
Google Search Console
A free tool from Google that helps website owners monitor and maintain their site's presence in search results. Provides data on search performance, indexing, and issues.
H
Header Tags (H1-H6)
HTML tags used to define headings and subheadings on a page. Proper use of header tags helps search engines understand content structure and hierarchy.
HTTPS
A secure version of HTTP that encrypts data between the browser and server. Google considers HTTPS a ranking factor, and it's essential for user trust.
I
Indexing
The process of adding web pages to Google's database so they can appear in search results. A page must be indexed to rank.
Internal Link
A link from one page on your website to another page on the same website. Internal linking helps distribute page authority and improves navigation.
K
Keyword
A word or phrase that users type into search engines. Keywords are fundamental to SEO strategy and content optimisation.
Keyword Cannibalisation
When multiple pages on your site compete for the same keyword, potentially hurting rankings for all of them.
Keyword Density
The percentage of times a keyword appears on a page compared to the total word count. Over-optimisation can lead to keyword stuffing penalties.
Keyword Research
The process of discovering and analysing search terms that people enter into search engines. Essential for understanding what your audience is searching for.
L
Landing Page
A standalone web page designed specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign. Optimised landing pages improve conversion rates.
Link Building
The process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own. Quality link building is one of the most effective SEO strategies.
Local Pack
The section of Google search results that displays local business listings with a map. Appearing in the local pack is crucial for local businesses.
Local SEO
Optimisation strategies focused on improving visibility for location-based searches. Essential for businesses serving specific geographic areas.
Long-Tail Keyword
A longer, more specific keyword phrase that typically has lower search volume but higher conversion intent. Example: 'best aesthetic clinic in London' vs 'aesthetic clinic'.
M
Meta Description
An HTML attribute that provides a brief summary of a web page. While not a direct ranking factor, compelling meta descriptions improve click-through rates.
Meta Title
The HTML title tag that appears in search results and browser tabs. One of the most important on-page SEO elements.
Mobile-First Indexing
Google's approach of using the mobile version of a website for indexing and ranking. Mobile optimisation is now essential for SEO.
N
NAP
Name, Address, Phone number - the core business information that must be consistent across all online listings for local SEO success.
Nofollow
An HTML attribute that tells search engines not to pass link equity to the linked page. Used for paid links, user-generated content, and untrusted sources.
Noindex
A directive that tells search engines not to include a page in their index. Used for pages you don't want appearing in search results.
O
Off-Page SEO
SEO activities performed outside your website to improve rankings, primarily link building and brand mentions.
On-Page SEO
Optimisation of individual web pages to rank higher, including content, HTML source code, meta tags, and internal links.
Organic Traffic
Visitors who arrive at your website through unpaid search results, as opposed to paid advertising.
P
Page Authority
A score that predicts how well a specific page will rank in search results. Similar to Domain Authority but for individual pages.
Page Speed
How quickly a web page loads. Page speed is a confirmed Google ranking factor and crucial for user experience.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click)
An advertising model where advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad. Often used alongside SEO for comprehensive search marketing.
R
Ranking Factor
Any element that search engines use to determine where a page should rank in search results. Google uses hundreds of ranking factors.
Redirect (301/302)
A way to send users and search engines to a different URL than the one they requested. 301 is permanent, 302 is temporary.
Rich Snippet
Enhanced search results that display additional information like ratings, prices, or availability. Achieved through structured data markup.
Robots.txt
A file that tells search engine crawlers which pages or sections of your site should not be crawled.
S
Schema Markup
Structured data code that helps search engines understand your content and display rich results. Types include FAQ, LocalBusiness, Product, and more.
Search Intent
The purpose behind a user's search query - informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial. Matching content to search intent is crucial for rankings.
Search Volume
The number of times a keyword is searched in a given time period. Higher search volume means more potential traffic but often more competition.
SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
Marketing strategies to increase visibility in search engines, including both SEO and paid advertising.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
The practice of improving a website to increase its visibility in organic search results. Encompasses technical, on-page, and off-page strategies.
SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
The page displayed by search engines in response to a query. Includes organic results, paid ads, featured snippets, and other elements.
Site Structure
How a website's pages are organised and linked together. Good site structure helps both users and search engines navigate your content.
Sitemap
A file that lists all important pages on your website, helping search engines discover and crawl your content efficiently.
T
Technical SEO
Optimising the technical aspects of a website to improve crawling, indexing, and rendering by search engines.
Title Tag
An HTML element that specifies the title of a web page. Appears in search results and browser tabs. Critical for SEO and CTR.
U
URL Structure
The format and organisation of web page addresses. Clean, descriptive URLs improve user experience and SEO.
User Experience (UX)
How users interact with and experience your website. Good UX signals like low bounce rate and high dwell time can positively impact rankings.
V
Voice Search
Searching the internet using spoken commands through devices like smartphones and smart speakers. Voice search optimisation focuses on conversational, question-based queries.
W
White Hat SEO
Ethical SEO practices that follow search engine guidelines. Focuses on providing value to users rather than manipulating algorithms.
Y
YMYL (Your Money Your Life)
Content that could impact a person's health, finances, safety, or well-being. Google holds YMYL content to higher E-E-A-T standards.
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