SEO Glossary: 200+ Terms Every Marketer Must Know

This glossary covers essential SEO terminology, from foundational concepts to modern AI-driven search technologies. Whether you’re new to SEO or an experienced practitioner, this resource will help you understand the language of search optimization.

A

Above the Fold

The section of a webpage that appears on screen before any scrolling occurs. This area gets the most attention from visitors, making it prime real estate for important content, calls-to-action, and navigation elements. Google’s Page Layout Algorithm considers excessive ads in this space a negative ranking signal.

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

A stripped-down HTML framework developed by Google to create faster-loading mobile pages. While initially important for appearing in mobile search features, AMP has become less critical as Google shifted focus to Core Web Vitals as the primary speed metric.

AI Overview

Google’s AI-powered answer boxes that appear at the top of search results, providing direct responses to user queries. These overviews synthesize information from multiple sources and represent a shift toward conversational search experiences.

AI Search

Search engines powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning that understand context, user intent, and natural language. Examples include Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), Bing Chat, and Perplexity AI, which go beyond keyword matching to provide conversational answers.

Algorithm

The complex set of rules and calculations search engines use to determine which pages appear in search results and in what order. Google’s algorithm considers hundreds of factors including content quality, backlinks, user experience, and technical performance.

Algorithm Update

Changes made to search engine ranking algorithms that can significantly impact website rankings. Major updates like Google Panda, Penguin, and Core Updates often target specific quality issues like thin content or manipulative link practices.

Alt Text (Alternative Text)

Descriptive text attached to images that helps search engines understand image content and assists visually impaired users using screen readers. Well-written alt text improves image SEO and makes websites more accessible.

Anchor Text

The clickable words in a hyperlink that provide context about the destination page. Search engines use anchor text as a relevancy signal, though over-optimization with exact-match keywords can trigger spam filters.

Answer Box

A featured search result that displays a direct answer to a user’s query at the top of search results. These boxes pull information from high-ranking pages and can significantly increase visibility, though they may reduce click-through rates.

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

The practice of optimizing content specifically for AI-powered answer engines and chatbots rather than traditional search engines. AEO focuses on providing clear, concise, factual answers that AI systems can easily extract and cite.

Article Spinning

A black hat technique where content is automatically rewritten using synonyms and sentence restructuring to create multiple “unique” versions. Search engines can detect spun content and may penalize sites using this tactic.

Authority

A measure of how trustworthy and credible a website or webpage is perceived by search engines. Authority builds through quality backlinks, consistent high-value content, positive user signals, and domain age.

Authoritative Content

Content created by recognized experts or well-established sources that demonstrates deep knowledge of a subject. Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines emphasize authoritative content, especially for health, finance, and other sensitive topics.

B

Backlink 

An incoming hyperlink from one website to another. Backlinks serve as votes of confidence and remain one of Google’s most important ranking factors. Quality matters more than quantity, with links from authoritative, relevant sites carrying the most weight.

Backlink Profile 

The complete collection of backlinks pointing to a website, including their sources, anchor text, and quality metrics. A healthy backlink profile shows diversity in linking domains, natural anchor text distribution, and links from reputable sources.

Baidu 

China’s dominant search engine, holding over 70% market share in Chinese search. Baidu requires different optimization strategies than Google, including ICP licensing for hosting in China and content that complies with Chinese regulations.

Bing 

Microsoft’s search engine that powers roughly 3% of global searches but holds a larger share in specific markets. Bing Webmaster Tools provides valuable SEO data, and Bing’s integration with ChatGPT represents a new direction in AI-powered search.

Black Hat SEO 

Tactics that violate search engine guidelines to manipulate rankings. Common black hat techniques include keyword stuffing, hidden text, link schemes, and cloaking. These methods risk severe penalties including complete de-indexing.

Blockchain SEO 

Emerging optimization practices for blockchain-based search engines and decentralized web platforms. This includes optimizing for Web3 technologies, NFT marketplaces, and blockchain-verified content authenticity.

Blog 

A regularly updated website or section featuring articles listed in reverse chronological order. Blogs help websites build authority, target long-tail keywords, and keep content fresh, all of which support SEO goals.

Bounce Rate 

The percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page. High bounce rates may indicate poor content relevance, slow loading times, or misleading meta descriptions, though context matters for interpretation.

Branded Keywords 

Search terms that include a company name, product name, or trademark. Ranking for branded keywords is typically easier but represents existing awareness rather than new customer acquisition.

Breadcrumb Navigation 

A secondary navigation system showing users their location within a site’s hierarchy. Breadcrumbs improve user experience and help search engines understand site structure, often appearing in rich snippets.

Broken Link 

A hyperlink pointing to a page that no longer exists or cannot be reached, returning a 404 error. Broken links harm user experience and waste crawl budget, though they don’t directly cause ranking penalties.

C

Cache 

A stored version of a webpage that search engines or browsers save to deliver content faster. Google’s cached pages show how Googlebot last saw a page, useful for diagnosing indexing issues.

Canonical Tag 

An HTML element that specifies the preferred version of a webpage when duplicate or similar content exists across multiple URLs. Proper canonicalization prevents duplicate content issues and consolidates ranking signals.

Chatbot 

An AI-powered conversational interface that can answer questions, provide recommendations, and assist users. Modern chatbots integrate with search data and can impact SEO by affecting user engagement metrics.

Citation 

In local SEO, any mention of a business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) across the web. Consistent citations across directories, social platforms, and websites help improve local search rankings.

Click-Through Rate (CTR) 

The percentage of people who click on a search result after seeing it. CTR depends on title tags, meta descriptions, rich snippets, and SERP position. High CTR can positively influence rankings over time.

Cloaking 

A deceptive practice where different content is shown to search engines versus users. This serious violation of search guidelines can result in manual penalties and de-indexing.

Content Management System (CMS) 

Software that allows users to create, edit, and publish digital content without coding knowledge. Popular CMS platforms like WordPress, Shopify, and Wix each have unique SEO considerations.

Content Cluster 

A topic-based content organization strategy where a pillar page covers a broad topic comprehensively, linking to detailed cluster pages covering specific subtopics. This structure helps search engines understand topical authority.

Content Gap Analysis 

The process of identifying topics and keywords that competitors rank for but your site doesn’t. This research reveals opportunities to create content that fills gaps in your strategy.

Contextual Link 

A hyperlink placed naturally within relevant content rather than in navigation, sidebars, or footers. Contextual links carry more weight because they provide genuine value to readers.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) 

The systematic process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who complete desired actions. While distinct from SEO, CRO often works together with SEO to maximize the value of organic traffic.

Core Update 

Broad changes to Google’s overall search algorithm that happen several times per year. Core updates can cause significant ranking fluctuations and typically focus on improving Google’s assessment of content quality and relevance.

Core Web Vitals 

Three specific page experience metrics Google uses as ranking factors: Largest Contentful Paint (loading speed), Interaction to Next Paint (interactivity), and Cumulative Layout Shift (visual stability). These metrics quantify user experience quality.

Cornerstone Content 

The most important pages on a website that comprehensively cover core topics and target high-value keywords. These pages deserve the best internal linking, regular updates, and promotional efforts.

Crawl Budget 

The number of pages search engine bots will crawl on a site within a given timeframe. Large sites need to optimize crawl budget by fixing errors, using robots.txt strategically, and prioritizing important pages.

Crawl Depth 

How many clicks it takes to reach a page from the homepage. Pages buried deep in site structure may not get crawled regularly or rank well. Important pages should be within three clicks of the homepage.

Crawler 

An automated program (bot) that systematically browses the web to discover and index content. Googlebot is Google’s crawler, while other search engines use their own crawlers like Bingbot.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) 

Code that controls the visual presentation of web pages. While CSS doesn’t directly impact rankings, it affects page speed and user experience, which are ranking factors.

D

Data Structured Markup 

Code added to web pages that helps search engines understand content meaning and context. Structured data enables rich snippets, knowledge panels, and other enhanced search features.

De-indexing 

When search engines remove pages from their index, making them invisible in search results. De-indexing can be voluntary through robots.txt or noindex tags, or involuntary due to penalties.

Deep Learning 

A subset of machine learning using neural networks to process complex data patterns. Google applies deep learning to understand search queries, image content, and user behavior patterns.

Direct Traffic 

Website visitors who arrive by typing a URL directly into their browser or clicking a bookmark. Direct traffic also includes visits from unknown sources that analytics tools can’t categorize.

Disavow Tool 

A Google Search Console feature that lets webmasters tell Google to ignore specific backlinks when assessing a site. This tool helps recover from negative SEO attacks or clean up poor legacy link building.

Domain Authority 

A proprietary metric created by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank in search results. While not used by Google, domain authority correlates with ranking potential based on backlink quality and quantity.

Domain Rating 

Ahrefs’ metric measuring the strength of a website’s backlink profile on a 0-100 scale. Like domain authority, this is a third-party metric rather than an official Google ranking factor.

Doorway Page 

Low-quality pages created solely to rank for specific queries and redirect visitors elsewhere. These pages violate search guidelines because they provide no value to users.

Duplicate Content 

Substantially similar content appearing on multiple pages or websites. While not always penalized, duplicate content can confuse search engines about which version to rank and dilute ranking potential.

Dwell Time 

The length of time a visitor spends on a page before returning to search results. Longer dwell times may indicate content quality and relevance, potentially influencing rankings.

Dynamic Rendering 

A technique where a site serves static HTML to search engines while delivering JavaScript-rendered content to users. This helps ensure search engines can crawl and index JavaScript-heavy sites.

E

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) 

Google’s quality framework for evaluating content credibility. Experience was added in 2022, recognizing that first-hand experience adds value beyond credentials. E-E-A-T is especially critical for YMYL content.

Editorial Link 

A naturally earned backlink given freely because the linking site finds your content valuable. Editorial links are the highest quality backlinks because they represent genuine endorsement.

Entity 

A distinct, identifiable thing or concept that search engines can recognize and understand. Entities include people, places, organizations, and abstract concepts. Google’s Knowledge Graph organizes information around entities.

Entity-Based SEO 

Optimization strategies focused on helping search engines understand the entities your content discusses and how they relate to each other. This approach goes beyond keywords to semantic meaning.

Evergreen Content 

Content that remains relevant and valuable over long periods without requiring frequent updates. Evergreen content continues generating traffic and backlinks long after publication.

External Link 

A hyperlink pointing from your website to a different domain. Quality external links to authoritative sources can enhance content credibility, though they pass link equity away from your site.

F

Featured Snippet 

A highlighted search result appearing above regular organic results that directly answers a query. Featured snippets pull content from a ranking page and can dramatically increase visibility.

Findability 

How easily users and search engines can discover content within a website. Good findability requires clear navigation, internal linking, and logical information architecture.

First Contentful Paint (FCP) 

A performance metric measuring how long it takes for the first text or image to appear on screen. FCP is part of Core Web Vitals and impacts user experience quality.

Footer Links 

Hyperlinks placed in a website’s footer section. While footer links can aid navigation, excessive or keyword-stuffed footer links may be viewed as manipulative.

Freshness 

The recency of content publication or updates. For time-sensitive queries like news or current events, Google’s Query Deserves Freshness algorithm prioritizes recently published or updated content.

G

Generative AI 

Artificial intelligence systems that create new content, including text, images, and code. Tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard are changing how content is created and how users interact with search.

Geo-Targeting 

Delivering different content or search results based on a user’s geographic location. Local businesses use geo-targeting to appear in searches from their service area.

Google Analytics 

Free web analytics platform that tracks website traffic, user behavior, conversions, and other metrics. GA4 (Google Analytics 4) is the current version, replacing Universal Analytics.

Google Business Profile 

Free listing on Google that shows business information in local search results and Google Maps. Optimizing your profile is fundamental for local SEO success.

Google Merchant Center 

Platform for uploading product data that appears in Google Shopping results. Proper feed optimization is essential for e-commerce SEO and paid shopping campaigns.

Google My Business 

The former name of Google Business Profile, still commonly used in conversation. The platform allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google services.

Google Search Console 

Free tool providing data about how Google sees and ranks your website. Search Console reports on indexing issues, search performance, mobile usability, and security problems.

Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) 

Google’s experimental AI-powered search interface that provides conversational answers and suggestions. SGE represents a significant shift in how search results may appear in the future.

Googlebot 

Google’s web crawler that discovers and indexes web pages. Understanding how Googlebot works helps ensure your site is properly crawled and indexed.

Gray Hat SEO 

Tactics that fall into a questionable area between white hat and black hat SEO. Gray hat methods aren’t explicitly prohibited but carry some risk.

Guest Posting 

Creating content for publication on another website, typically including a backlink to your site. Quality guest posts on relevant sites can build authority, though low-quality guest posting is considered spam.

H

H1 Tag 

The HTML heading tag typically used for a page’s main title. Each page should have one clear H1 that describes the page topic and often includes the target keyword.

Heading Tags 

HTML elements (H1 through H6) that structure content hierarchically. Proper heading usage helps search engines understand content organization and improves readability.

Hidden Text 

Text made invisible to users through color matching, small font sizes, or CSS positioning, but still readable by search engines. This black hat tactic can result in penalties.

Homepage 

The main landing page of a website, typically at the root domain. The homepage often has the most authority and should link to important sections of the site.

Hreflang Tag 

HTML annotation that tells search engines which language and regional version of a page to show users. Essential for international SEO on multilingual sites.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) 

The foundation protocol for transferring data on the web. HTTP is being replaced by the more secure HTTPS protocol.

HTTPS (HTTP Secure) 

The encrypted version of HTTP that protects data transmitted between browsers and servers. HTTPS is a confirmed ranking factor and essential for user trust.

I

Inbound Link 

A hyperlink from another website pointing to your site. High-quality inbound links are among the most powerful ranking factors.

Index 

The database where search engines store information about web pages they’ve discovered. Being in the index is necessary for appearing in search results.

Indexability 

Whether search engines can access, crawl, and add a page to their index. Technical issues, robots.txt, or noindex tags can prevent indexability.

Information Architecture 

The structural design of how content is organized and labeled on a website. Good information architecture improves both user experience and search engine understanding.

Intent 

The underlying goal or purpose behind a search query. Understanding search intent (informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial) is crucial for creating content that ranks.

Internal Link 

A hyperlink connecting one page to another page on the same website. Strategic internal linking distributes authority, helps users navigate, and shows search engines which pages are most important.

Internal Link Structure 

The overall pattern of how pages within a website link to each other. A well-planned structure ensures important pages receive adequate internal link equity.

International SEO 

Optimizing websites for users in multiple countries or languages. This includes proper hreflang implementation, cultural considerations, and country-specific search engine optimization.

J

JavaScript 

A programming language that adds interactivity and dynamic features to websites. While modern search engines can process JavaScript, excessive or poorly implemented JS can cause indexing problems.

JavaScript SEO 

The practice of ensuring JavaScript-rendered content is properly crawled, rendered, and indexed by search engines. This includes server-side rendering, dynamic rendering, or progressive enhancement strategies.

K

Keyword 

A word or phrase that users type into search engines and that websites target in their optimization efforts. Keywords represent topics and user intent.

Keyword Cannibalization 

When multiple pages on the same site compete for the same keyword, potentially splitting ranking power and confusing search engines about which page to rank.

Keyword Density 

The percentage of times a keyword appears in content compared to total word count. Modern SEO focuses on natural language rather than hitting specific density percentages.

Keyword Difficulty 

A metric estimating how hard it will be to rank for a specific keyword based on competition level. High-difficulty keywords typically require more authority and better content to rank.

Keyword Research 

The process of discovering what terms people search for related to your business or topic. Good keyword research reveals search volume, competition, and user intent.

Keyword Stuffing 

Excessively repeating keywords in an unnatural way to manipulate rankings. This outdated black hat tactic now triggers spam filters.

Knowledge Graph 

Google’s database of entities and their relationships. The Knowledge Graph powers knowledge panels, rich results, and helps Google understand semantic connections between concepts.

Knowledge Panel 

An information box appearing on search results that displays facts about entities like people, places, organizations, or things. Knowledge panels draw from the Knowledge Graph and various data sources.

L

Landing Page 

The first page a visitor reaches on your site, especially pages designed for specific marketing campaigns. Landing page optimization focuses on conversion rather than just traffic.

Large Language Model (LLM) 

AI models trained on massive text datasets that can understand and generate human-like text. LLMs like GPT-4 and PaLM power modern AI search experiences and content generation tools.

Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) 

A dated concept suggesting search engines use mathematical relationships between terms. Modern search uses more sophisticated natural language processing rather than LSI.

Link Bait 

Content specifically created to attract backlinks through its value, uniqueness, controversy, or entertainment value. Effective link bait earns links naturally without outreach.

Link Building 

The practice of acquiring backlinks from other websites to improve search rankings. Quality link building focuses on earning links through great content and genuine relationships.

Link Equity 

The ranking power passed from one page to another through hyperlinks. Also called “link juice,” though that term is falling out of favor. Link equity flows from high-authority pages to linked pages.

Link Farm 

A network of websites created solely to link to each other and manipulate search rankings. Participating in link farms can result in severe penalties.

Link Profile 

The complete collection of backlinks pointing to a website, including their quality, diversity, and anchor text distribution. A natural link profile shows varied sources and anchor text.

Link Reclamation 

The process of recovering lost backlinks, such as when sites go offline or remove links. This involves finding broken or removed links and requesting restoration.

Link Velocity 

The rate at which a website acquires new backlinks over time. Sudden spikes in link velocity can look suspicious, while steady growth appears more natural.

Local Pack 

The box of local business listings that appears for location-based searches, showing three businesses with map, ratings, and basic information. Ranking in the local pack drives significant traffic for local businesses.

Local SEO 

Optimization strategies for businesses serving specific geographic areas. Local SEO includes Google Business Profile optimization, local citations, and location-specific content.

Log File Analysis 

Examining server logs to understand how search engine bots crawl your site. This reveals crawling patterns, errors, and opportunities to optimize crawl efficiency.

Long-Tail Keyword 

Longer, more specific search phrases with lower search volume but often higher conversion intent. Long-tail keywords face less competition and collectively represent significant traffic opportunity.

M

Machine Learning

Computer systems that improve automatically through experience without explicit programming. Search engines use machine learning to better understand content quality, user intent, and relevance.

Manual Action

A penalty imposed by a human reviewer at Google for violating search quality guidelines. Manual actions are reported in Search Console and require fixing the issue and submitting a reconsideration request.

Meta Description

HTML text that summarizes a page’s content, often appearing in search results below the title. While not a direct ranking factor, compelling meta descriptions improve click-through rates.

Meta Keywords

An obsolete HTML tag once used to indicate page topics. Search engines no longer use meta keywords for ranking due to historical abuse.

Meta Tags

HTML elements providing information about a web page to search engines and browsers. Important meta tags include title tags, meta descriptions, and viewport tags.

Mobile-First Indexing

Google’s approach of primarily using the mobile version of content for indexing and ranking. Sites must perform well on mobile devices to maintain rankings.

Mobile SEO

Optimization practices ensuring websites work well on smartphones and tablets. This includes responsive design, fast loading times, and mobile-friendly navigation.

N

NAP (Name, Address, Phone)

The core business information that must be consistent across all online listings for local SEO. Inconsistent NAP data confuses search engines and users.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

AI technology that helps computers understand, interpret, and generate human language. Search engines use NLP to better understand query meaning and content relevance.

Navigational Query

A search where users look for a specific website or page. For example, searching “facebook login” is navigational intent.

Negative SEO

Malicious attempts to harm a competitor’s rankings through tactics like building spammy backlinks to their site or copying their content. Google’s algorithms typically detect and ignore such attacks.

Nofollow Link

A link with a rel=”nofollow” attribute telling search engines not to pass ranking credit. Originally for untrusted content, nofollow is now treated as a “hint” rather than absolute directive.

Noindex Tag

An HTML directive telling search engines not to include a page in their index. Useful for pages you want accessible but not appearing in search results.

Not Provided

Keywords hidden in analytics data when users search while logged into Google. This encrypted data appears as “not provided” in analytics reports.

O

Off-Page SEO

Optimization activities occurring outside your website that impact rankings. The primary off-page factor is earning quality backlinks, but it also includes brand mentions and social signals.

On-Page SEO

Optimization of elements within your website including content, HTML tags, internal linking, and page structure. On-page SEO ensures pages are relevant and accessible to search engines.

Organic Search

Unpaid search results that appear based on relevance rather than advertising. Organic rankings are earned through SEO rather than bought through ads.

Orphan Page

A page with no internal links pointing to it from other pages on the same site. Orphan pages are difficult for users and search engines to discover.

Outbound Link

A hyperlink pointing from your site to an external website. Quality outbound links to authoritative sources can enhance content credibility.

P

Page Authority

Moz’s metric predicting how well a specific page will rank. Similar to domain authority but focused on individual page ranking potential.

Page Experience

Google’s assessment of user experience quality based on Core Web Vitals, mobile-friendliness, HTTPS security, and intrusive interstitial guidelines. Page experience is a confirmed ranking factor.

Page Speed

How quickly a page loads and becomes interactive. Page speed affects both user experience and rankings, measured through metrics like Core Web Vitals.

PageRank

Google’s original algorithm for measuring page importance based on the quantity and quality of links pointing to it. While the public PageRank score is gone, the underlying concept still influences rankings.

Pagination

Breaking content across multiple pages, common in blogs and e-commerce. Proper pagination implementation uses rel=”next” and rel=”prev” tags or view-all pages.

Passage Ranking

Google’s ability to rank specific passages within a page, not just entire pages. This allows longer pages to rank for multiple topics covered in different sections.

Penalty

A ranking demotion or removal from search results due to violating search engine guidelines. Penalties can be algorithmic (automatic) or manual (imposed by human reviewers).

Pillar Page

A comprehensive page covering a broad topic that links to more detailed cluster pages on subtopics. Pillar pages anchor topic cluster strategies.

Pogo-Sticking

When users quickly bounce from a search result back to the results page and click a different listing. High pogo-sticking rates may indicate poor content relevance.

Position Zero

Another term for featured snippets, which appear above the first organic result. Earning position zero provides maximum visibility.

Primary Keyword

The main keyword a page targets for ranking. Each page should have one clear primary keyword focus.

Private Blog Network (PBN)

A collection of websites built specifically to create backlinks for manipulating rankings. PBNs violate search guidelines and risk severe penalties.

Q

Query

The words or phrases users enter into search engines. Understanding different query types helps create content matching user intent.

Query Deserves Freshness (QDF)

Google’s algorithm component that determines when recent content should be prioritized. QDF triggers for trending topics, breaking news, and recurring events.

Quality Content

Content that provides genuine value to users by being accurate, comprehensive, original, and well-presented. Quality content earns rankings and backlinks naturally.

Quality Rater Guidelines

Google’s manual provided to human quality raters who evaluate search results. These guidelines reveal Google’s priorities around content quality and E-E-A-T.

R

Ranking

The position where a page appears in search results for a specific query. Higher rankings generally drive more traffic.

Ranking Factor

Any element search engines consider when determining where pages should rank. Google uses hundreds of ranking factors with varying weights.

RankBrain

Google’s machine learning system that helps process search queries, particularly understanding new or ambiguous queries. RankBrain is a core part of Google’s algorithm.

Reciprocal Link

When two websites link to each other. While natural reciprocal linking is fine, excessive link exchanges purely for SEO purposes can look manipulative.

Redirect

Sending users and search engines from one URL to another. 301 redirects are permanent and pass link equity, while 302 redirects are temporary.

Referral Traffic

Visitors arriving at your site from links on other websites. Referral traffic from quality sources often converts well and may indicate good backlink opportunities.

Relevance

How closely a page’s content matches a search query’s intent and topic. Relevance is fundamental to rankings and determined through content analysis, links, and user signals.

Responsive Design

Web design that automatically adapts to different screen sizes and devices. Responsive sites provide good user experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile.

Rich Results

Enhanced search listings with extra visual or interactive features like ratings, images, or structured information. Rich results come from structured data markup.

Rich Snippet

A type of rich result displaying additional information beyond the standard title, URL, and description. Examples include star ratings, recipe details, or event information.

Robots.txt

A text file instructing search engine crawlers which parts of a site to crawl or avoid. Robots.txt is the first place crawlers check when visiting a site.

S

Schema Markup

Structured data vocabulary that helps search engines understand content meaning. Schema.org provides standardized markup for various content types.

Scraping

Automated extraction of content from websites. Content scraping can create duplicate content issues and may violate copyright.

Search Console

Google’s free tool for monitoring and maintaining site presence in search results. Provides data on indexing, performance, and technical issues.

Search Engine

A system that searches the web and presents relevant results to user queries. Major search engines include Google, Bing, Baidu, and Yandex.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

The broader umbrella term covering both SEO and paid search advertising. SEM aims to increase visibility in search results through any means.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

The practice of improving website visibility in organic search results. SEO involves technical optimization, content creation, and link building.

Search Engine Results Page (SERP)

The page search engines display after a query. SERPs include organic results, ads, and various features like knowledge panels and featured snippets.

Search Intent

The goal behind a user’s search query. Common intent types are informational (learning), navigational (finding a site), transactional (buying), and commercial (researching purchases).

Search Quality Rater

Human evaluators who assess search result quality for Google. Raters don’t directly influence rankings but their feedback helps improve algorithms.

Search Volume

The average number of times a keyword is searched per month. Search volume helps prioritize keyword opportunities.

Secondary Keywords

Related keywords that support the primary keyword and help search engines understand content breadth. Secondary keywords add semantic depth.

Semantic Search

Search technology that understands the meaning and context of queries rather than just matching keywords. Semantic search considers user intent, query context, and content relationships.

SEO Audit

A comprehensive analysis of how well a website is optimized for search engines. Audits identify technical issues, content gaps, and opportunities for improvement.

SERP Features

Special result types beyond standard organic listings, including featured snippets, knowledge panels, local packs, image results, and more. Different queries trigger different features.

Server-Side Rendering (SSR)

Generating HTML on the server before sending it to browsers. SSR helps ensure JavaScript content is accessible to search engines.

Session Duration

The total time a user spends on a website during a single visit. Longer sessions generally indicate engaged users finding value.

Silo Structure

A website architecture method organizing content into distinct topic groups with limited cross-linking between silos. This approach aims to build topical authority.

Sitemap

A file listing all important pages on a website to help search engines discover content. XML sitemaps are for search engines, while HTML sitemaps help users.

Sitewide Link

A link appearing on every page of a website, typically in headers or footers. While useful for navigation, excessive sitewide links may carry less individual weight.

Social Signal

Engagement metrics from social media platforms like shares, likes, and comments. While not confirmed ranking factors, social signals correlate with content quality.

Spam Score

Third-party metrics estimating the likelihood of a website engaging in spammy tactics. Spam scores help evaluate backlink quality.

Spider

Another term for search engine crawlers that “crawl” across the web following links to discover content.

SSL Certificate

Digital certificate that enables HTTPS encryption. SSL certificates are necessary for secure connections and are a ranking factor.

Structured Data

Standardized format for providing information about a page and its content. Structured data enables rich results and helps search engines understand content.

Subdomain

A prefix added to a domain name creating a separate section. For example, blog.example.com is a subdomain of example.com.

T

Technical SEO

The optimization of website infrastructure and foundation to help search engines crawl, index, and understand content. Technical SEO covers site speed, mobile-friendliness, indexability, and site architecture.

Thin Content

Pages with little substantive content or value to users. Thin content includes low word count, duplicate content, or pages created solely for ranking rather than serving users.

Title Tag

The HTML element specifying a page’s title, appearing in browser tabs and search results. Title tags are critical for SEO as they communicate page topics to search engines and users.

Topic Authority

Demonstrated expertise and comprehensive coverage of a particular subject area. Building topic authority involves creating thorough content across related keywords.

Topic Cluster

A content organization strategy where related articles link between a central pillar page and supporting cluster pages, showing topic expertise.

Topical Relevance

How closely content relates to a specific subject area. Pages with strong topical relevance tend to rank better for related queries.

Traffic

The visitors coming to a website from various sources including organic search, paid ads, social media, and direct visits.

Transactional Query

A search where users intend to complete an action, typically making a purchase. Commercial pages should target transactional keywords.

TrustRank

An algorithm concept measuring website trustworthiness based on links from known trusted sources. Sites linked by authoritative sources inherit some trust.

U

Unnatural Link

A backlink that violates search engine guidelines, typically created to manipulate rankings. Examples include purchased links, excessive link exchanges, and links from private blog networks.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

The web address of a page or resource. Clean, descriptive URLs help users and search engines understand page content.

URL Parameter

Additional information added to URLs, typically for tracking or filtering. Parameters can create duplicate content issues if not handled properly.

URL Rating

Ahrefs’ metric measuring the strength of a specific page’s backlink profile. Similar to domain rating but page-specific.

URL Slug

The final part of a URL identifying a specific page. For example, in example.com/seo-guide, “seo-guide” is the slug.

URL Structure

The format and hierarchy of URLs on a website. Good URL structure is logical, consistent, and includes relevant keywords.

User Agent

Identification information browsers and crawlers send to servers. User agent detection helps deliver appropriate content to different devices and bots.

User Experience (UX)

The overall experience someone has interacting with a website. Good UX keeps visitors engaged and helps SEO through improved engagement metrics.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

Content created by users rather than site owners, including comments, reviews, and forum posts. UGC can add value but requires moderation for quality and spam.

V

Vector Search

A search method using mathematical representations of content meaning rather than keyword matching. Vector embeddings enable semantic search and AI-powered retrieval.

Vertical Search

Search engines focused on specific content types or industries. Examples include YouTube for videos, Amazon for products, and Indeed for jobs.

Video SEO

Optimization strategies for video content to appear in search results. Includes optimizing video titles, descriptions, transcripts, and thumbnails.

Voice Search

Using spoken queries rather than typed text to search. Voice searches tend to be longer, more conversational, and question-based.

Voice Search Optimization

Adapting content and SEO strategies for voice queries, which are typically natural language questions. This includes targeting question keywords and providing concise answers.

W

Web 2.0

The evolution of the web toward user-generated content, social media, and interactive experiences. Web 2.0 sites enable collaboration and information sharing.

Web 3.0

The emerging internet generation focusing on decentralization, blockchain, semantic web, and AI. Web 3.0 concepts are beginning to influence search and content discovery.

Webmaster

A person responsible for maintaining and optimizing a website. Modern webmasters handle technical SEO, content strategy, and analytics.

Webmaster Guidelines

Rules and recommendations from search engines about acceptable optimization practices. Following guidelines prevents penalties and ensures sustainable rankings.

Website Architecture

The structural organization of how pages and content are arranged on a site. Good architecture facilitates crawling, distributes authority, and improves user navigation.

Website Navigation

The system of menus, links, and paths enabling users to move through a site. Clear navigation helps both users and search engines find content.

White Hat SEO

Ethical optimization tactics that follow search engine guidelines and focus on providing user value. White hat methods are sustainable and low-risk.

Word Count

The total number of words in a piece of content. While not a ranking factor itself, comprehensive content naturally requires sufficient word count to cover topics thoroughly.

X

XML (Extensible Markup Language)

A markup language for encoding documents in a format readable by both humans and machines. XML sitemaps help search engines discover pages.

XML Sitemap

A file listing all pages you want search engines to index, including metadata like update frequency and priority. XML sitemaps help ensure complete indexing.

Y

Yahoo

A web services provider that was once a major search engine. Yahoo search results are now powered by Bing.

Yandex

Russia’s leading search engine with significant market share in Russian-speaking countries. Yandex requires different optimization approaches than Google.

YMYL (Your Money or Your Life)

Content that could impact someone’s health, financial stability, safety, or happiness. Google holds YMYL content to higher E-E-A-T standards.

YouTube SEO

Optimization practices for video content on YouTube, the world’s second-largest search engine. Includes optimizing titles, descriptions, tags, thumbnails, and engagement metrics.

Z

Zero-Click Search

When users find answers directly on search results pages without clicking through to websites. Featured snippets and knowledge panels often create zero-click scenarios.

Zero-Position

Another term for featured snippets appearing above position one in search results. Achieving zero-position maximizes visibility despite potential click reduction.

This glossary represents the current state of SEO terminology, from foundational concepts to emerging AI-driven trends. As search technology continues advancing, new terms will emerge while others fade into history. Regular updates to your SEO knowledge ensure you stay competitive in the changing landscape of search optimization.