SEO Definitions

I have compiled this list of common terms of SEO for beginners. This list also contains links to the best resources explaining that term. I will keep this list update this list with new terms and resources time to time.

TermDefinitionResource
301 redirectA permanent redirect from one URL to another that passes on the link equity and authority of the old URL to the new onehttps://moz.com/learn/seo/redirection
301 redirectA type of redirect that permanently forwards one URL to another URL, typically used to maintain link equity and authority when a page or website is moved or deletedhttps://moz.com/learn/seo/redirection
404 errorA HTTP status code indicating that a server cannot find the requested resource or page on a websitehttps://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Status/404
404 errorAn HTTP status code that indicates a page or resource is not found on a website, typically displayed when a URL is mistyped, broken or has been removedhttps://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Status/404
502 errorAn HTTP status code that indicates a server or gateway error, typically displayed when a server is overloaded or offlinehttps://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Status/502
503 errorAn HTTP status code that indicates a server error, typically displayed when a server is unable to handle a request due to maintenance, overload, or other issueshttps://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Status/503
Above the foldThe top portion of a website visible without scrollinghttps://www.nngroup.com/articles/above-the-fold/
Above the foldThe part of a web page that is visible without scrolling, usually considered the most valuable and attention-grabbing area for contenthttps://www.nngroup.com/articles/scrolling-and-attention/
Above the foldThe portion of a web page that is visible without scrolling, typically used to emphasize important content and calls to actionhttps://www.nngroup.com/articles/scrolling-and-attention/
AdWordsThe former name for Google Ads, a platform for advertising on the Google search engine and its advertising networkhttps://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9057855?hl=en
AdWordsA Google advertising platform that enables businesses to create and display ads on Google search results, YouTube, and other websites, typically using a pay-per-click (PPC) modelhttps://ads.google.com/home/
AlgorithmA set of rules used by search engines to rank websiteshttps://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo
AlgorithmA set of rules or procedures used by search engines to determine the relevance and importance of web pages for specific search querieshttps://www.wordstream.com/algorithm
AlgorithmA set of rules and instructions that search engines use to determine rankings and relevance of web pages, typically based on factors such as keywords, content quality, user experience, and backlinkshttps://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/03/07/what-is-a-search-algorithm
Alt tagText that describes an image on a website for accessibility and SEO purposeshttps://www.hobo-web.co.uk/alt-text-and-alt-tags/
Alt tagAn HTML tag used to describe the content of an image on a website, which helps search engines understand the visual content and improve accessibility for visually impaired usershttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101/image-optimization/
Anchor textThe clickable text in a hyperlink that provides context and relevance to the linked page, and can influence search engine rankings for the linked pagehttps://www.wordstream.com/anchor-text
Anchor textThe visible text and clickable part of a hyperlink, typically used to describe the linked content and influence SEO rankings and relevancehttps://moz.com/learn/seo/anchor-text
AuthorityA measure of a website's reputation, trustworthiness, and expertise in a particular topic or industry, typically based on factors such as backlinks, content quality, and user engagementhttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/authority-seo/254429/
BacklinkA link from one website to another websitehttps://moz.com/learn/seo/backlinks
BacklinkA link from another website to a specific page on a website, which can improve the search engine rankings and authority of the linked pagehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/guide-to-backlinks/
BacklinkA link from one website to another website, typically used to indicate relevance, authority, and popularity of the linked content and websitehttps://ahrefs.com/blog/what-are-backlinks/
Black hat SEOUnethical and manipulative SEO techniques that violate search engine guidelines and focus on exploiting loopholes and shortcuts for quick rankings and traffic, typically resulting in penalties and banshttps://www.wordstream.com/black-hat-seo
Bounce rateThe percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one pagehttps://www.wordstream.com/bounce-rate
Bounce rateThe percentage of website visitors who navigate away from a website after viewing only one pagehttps://www.wordstream.com/bounce-rate
Bounce rateThe percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page, typically used to evaluate the relevance and user experience of a web pagehttps://www.nngroup.com/articles/bounce-rates/
Broken linkA hyperlink that leads to a web page or resource that no longer exists or is unavailable, typically resulting in a 404 error and negative user experiencehttps://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/broken-link-building/
CacheA stored version of a website that is saved for quicker accesshttps://www.cloudflare.com/learning/cdn/glossary/browser-cache/
Call-to-Action (CTA)A prompt that encourages users to take a desired actionhttps://www.hubspot.com/what-is-a-call-to-action
Canonical tagAn HTML tag used to indicate the preferred version of a web page with similar content, which can help avoid duplicate content issues and consolidate link equityhttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/139066?hl=en
Canonical URLThe preferred URL of a web page, typically used to avoid duplicate content issues and consolidate link equity and authority to a single pagehttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/139066?hl=en
CitationA mention of a business's name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websiteshttps://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2015/06/24/local-seo-citations
Citation buildingThe process of creating citations for a business to improve local search rankingshttps://www.hallaminternet.com/what-is-citation-building-and-why-is-it-important-for-local-seo/
Click-through rateThe percentage of users who click on a specific link or ad out of the total number of impressions or views, typically used to evaluate the effectiveness and relevance of a web page or ad campaignhttps://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2615875?hl=en
Click-through rate (CTR)The percentage of users who click on a specific link or ad compared to the total number of impressions or views it receivedhttps://www.wordstream.com/click-through-rate
ClickbaitContent that uses sensationalism to encourage clickshttps://www.impactplus.com/blog/what-is-clickbait-and-why-should-you-avoid-it
ClickbaitContent, such as headlines or ads, that uses sensational or misleading language to entice clicks or views, often resulting in a negative user experiencehttps://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/07/17/clickbait
CloakingA black hat SEO technique that involves showing different content to search engines and users, which can result in penalties or de-indexing from search engineshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/cloaking-in-seo/
CloakingA black hat SEO technique that involves showing different content or URLs to search engines and users to manipulate rankings, typically using IP addresses, user agents, or cookieshttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66357?hl=en
CMSContent Management System, a software application or platform that enables website owners and editors to create, manage, and publish digital content without advanced technical skills or coding knowledgehttps://www.wpbeginner.com/glossary/cms/
Comment spamUnsolicited and irrelevant comments on blog posts or forums, typically posted to generate backlinks and traffic to the spammer's website, and often detected and penalized by search engineshttps://moz.com/learn/seo/comment-spam
Competitive analysisThe process of evaluating a competitor's online presence and performancehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/competitive-analysis-for-seo/210613/
ContentAny information that is published onlinehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-content/356286/
Content auditThe process of reviewing and analyzing a website's existing contenthttps://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-audit
Content calendarA plan for when and what content will be publishedhttps://coschedule.com/blog/content-calendar-template/
Content gapAreas of a website where content is lacking or not optimizedhttps://www.semrush.com/blog/content-gap-analysis/
Content marketingThe process of creating and sharing valuable content to attract and retain a target audiencehttps://www.contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content-marketing
Content marketingThe process of creating and promoting valuable and relevant content to attract and retain a specific target audience and drive profitable customer actionhttps://www.contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content-marketing
Content optimizationThe process of making website content more visible and attractive to search engineshttps://neilpatel.com/blog/seo-content-optimization/
Content siloA structure for organizing website contenthttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/content-silos-seo/281777/
ConversionThe desired action a user takes on a websitehttps://www.wordstream.com/conversion
ConversionThe desired action or behavior that a website or landing page is designed to elicit from visitors, typically measured by the number or percentage of visitors who complete the action, such as a sale, sign-up, download, or form submissionhttps://www.wordstream.com/conversion-rate-optimization
Conversion rateThe percentage of website visitors who complete a desired actionhttps://www.optimizely.com/optimization-glossary/conversion-rate/
Conversion rateThe percentage of website visitors who complete a specific goal or action, such as making a purchase or filling out a formhttps://www.wordstream.com/conversion-rate
Conversion rateThe percentage of visitors who complete a desired action or behavior out of the total number of visitors or sessions, typically used to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of a website or marketing campaignhttps://www.optimizely.com/optimization-glossary/conversion-rate/
CookieA small data file stored on a user's device by a website, typically used to personalize and customize the user experience, remember user preferences and login information, and track user behavior and activityhttps://www.cookiepro.com/knowledge/what-is-a-cookie/
Cost per click (CPC)The amount of money an advertiser pays for each click on an ad in a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaignhttps://www.wordstream.com/cost-per-click
CrawlThe process by which search engine bots or spiders explore and index web pages on a website, gathering data about the content, structure, and linkshttps://moz.com/learn/seo/crawling-indexing-ranking
CrawlerA software program used by search engines to explore and index websiteshttps://www.wordstream.com/crawler
CrawlerA software program or bot that scans and indexes web pages and content for search engines, typically using algorithms and rules to discover and rank relevant resultshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101/what-is-a-crawler/
CrawlerA software program or bot that automatically and systematically scans and indexes web pages and content on the internet, typically used by search engines to gather and analyze information for ranking and relevance purposeshttps://moz.com/learn/seo/web-crawling
Cross-linkingThe practice of linking between different web pages or domains to improve visibility, authority, and relevance, typically used in a white hat SEO contexthttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101/what-is-crosslinking/
CSSCascading Style Sheets, used to style website contenthttps://www.w3schools.com/css/
CSSCascading Style Sheets, a language used to define the visual style and layout of web pages, separate from the HTML contenthttps://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS
CTRClick-through rate, the percentage of users who click on a specific link or ad out of the total number of impressions or views, typically used to evaluate the effectiveness and relevance of a web page or ad campaignhttps://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2615875?hl=en
Customer journeyThe path a customer takes from first becoming aware of a product or service to making a purchase and becoming a repeat customer
Customer personaA representation of a business's ideal customer, including demographics, interests, and behaviorshttps://www.hubspot.com/marketing-terms
Deep linkA link that points to a specific page on a website, rather than the homepage or main navigation, which can improve user experience and SEOhttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-are-deep-links/
Deep linkingLinking to a specific page or content within a websitehttps://www.mobilemarketer.com/ex/mobilemarketer/cms/news/content/19723.html
Deep linkingThe practice of linking to a specific page or content within a website or app, rather than the homepage or main sections, typically used to improve user experience and engagementhttps://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/deep-linking
Deep linkingA hyperlink that leads to a specific page or resource within a website, rather than the homepage or main page, typically used to improve user experience and facilitate navigation and information accesshttps://www.optimizely.com/optimization-glossary/deep-linking/
DirectoryA website or database that lists and categorizes other websites or businesses, typically used to improve visibility and credibility of a business or websitehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-business-directories/201141/
DirectoryA website or platform that lists and categorizes links and resources on the internet, typically used for SEO and backlinking purposes in the past, but less effective and relevant in modern search algorithmshttps://www.techopedia.com/definition/30060/web-directory
DisavowThe process of telling search engines to ignore or discount certain backlinks to a website or page, typically used to prevent penalties or negative impacts from low-quality or spammy linkshttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487?hl=en
Disavow toolA feature or tool in Google Search Console that enables website owners and administrators to request the removal or disavowal of low-quality, spammy, or irrelevant backlinks to their website, typically used to prevent or recover from penalties and ranking dropshttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487?hl=en
DomainThe unique address or name that identifies a website on the internet, such as example.comhttps://www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/glossary/domain-name/
DomainThe unique name and address that identifies a website or web page, typically used to establish branding, authority, and visibilityhttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101/what-is-a-domain/
Duplicate contentContent that appears on more than one website or URLhttps://www.wordstream.com/duplicate-content
Duplicate contentContent that appears on more than one web page, either within the same website or on different websites, which can harm search engine rankings and user experiencehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/duplicate-content/
Duplicate contentContent that appears in more than one place on the web or within a website, typically used to avoid penalties or negative impacts from search engineshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/duplicate-content/188707
Duplicate contentIdentical or substantially similar content on multiple web pages or websites, typically resulting in confusion, inefficiency, and negative SEO impact, as search engines may penalize or devalue one or more pages for plagiarism or low-quality contenthttps://moz.com/learn/seo/duplicate-content
E-A-TExpertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness, a set of criteria used by Google to evaluate the quality of website contenthttps://yoast.com/eat-update/
E-commerceElectronic commerce, the buying and selling of goods and services online, typically through a websitehttps://www.shopify.com/encyclopedia/e-commerce
Editorial linkA backlink or hyperlink earned by creating high-quality, relevant, and original content that naturally attracts links and references from other websites and sources, without explicit solicitation or manipulationhttps://moz.com/learn/seo/editorial-link
EngagementThe degree and quality of user interaction and participation with a website, typically measured by metrics such as time on page, bounce rate, social shares, comments, and reviews, and used to evaluate and improve user experience and content effectivenesshttps://www.wordstream.com/engagement
Engagement rateThe level of interaction a user has with website contenthttps://www.wordstream.com/engagement-rate
External linkA hyperlink or backlink that points from one website to another website or domain, typically used to signal relevance, authority, and popularity to search engines, but also subject to quality, relevance, and spam criteriahttps://www.woorank.com/en/edu/seo-guides/external-linking
Featured snippetA summary of an answer to a search query, displayed at the top of Google search resultshttps://moz.com/learn/seo/featured-snippets
Featured snippetA highlighted summary or answer to a search query that appears at the top of Google search results, often referred to as position zerohttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-featured-snippets-guide/
Featured snippetA highlighted and expanded answer or result displayed above the organic search results on Google, typically based on the most relevant and useful content that matches the user's query, and often used to increase visibility, traffic, and authority for the website or pagehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101/what-are-featured-snippets/
Fetch and renderA feature or tool in Google Search Console that enables website owners and administrators to simulate and preview how Google crawlers and bots see and access their web pages and content, and identify and fix any crawling or indexing errors or issueshttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/6066468?hl=en
Footer linkA hyperlink or backlink located in the footer section of a web page or website, typically used for navigational, informational, or branding purposes, but also subject to quality, relevance, and spam criteriahttps://www.shivarweb.com/3175/seo-footer-links/
ForumAn online community or discussion board that enables users to post, read, and respond to messages, topics, or threads related to a specific topic or interest, typically used for knowledge sharing, support, or socialization purposes, and also subject to moderation, spam, and quality controlhttps://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/forum.asp
Frequency cappingA feature or setting in online advertising platforms that limits the number of times a specific ad is shown to a user or audience within a certain period of time, typically used to improve ad relevance, efficiency, and user experiencehttps://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/117579?hl=en
GeotargetingDelivering different website content based on a user's geographic locationhttps://www.wordstream.com/geotargeting
GeotargetingA feature or setting in online advertising platforms that targets ads or content to users based on their geographic location, typically determined by IP address, GPS, or device settings, and used to improve ad relevance, efficiency, and user experiencehttps://www.wordstream.com/geotargeting
Google AnalyticsA free tool used to track website traffic and user behaviorhttps://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/
Google AnalyticsA web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic, user behavior, and conversion metricshttps://analytics.google.com/analytics/academy/
Google AnalyticsA free web analytics service offered by Google that enables website owners and administrators to track, analyze, and report on website traffic, user behavior, and marketing performance, using data and metrics such as sessions, pageviews, bounce rate, conversion rate, and goal completionhttps://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/
Google My BusinessA free tool used to manage a business's online presence on Google, including search results and mapshttps://www.google.com/business/
Google My BusinessA free tool offered by Google that allows businesses to manage and optimize their online presence across Google Search and Maps, including business information, reviews, and photoshttps://www.google.com/business/
Google My BusinessA free and essential online listing and profile management tool offered by Google that enables businesses and organizations to create, verify, and update their business information, location, hours, reviews, and photos, and appear in Google Maps and Search resultshttps://www.google.com/intl/en_us/business/
Google Search ConsoleA free tool used to monitor and improve a website's presence in Google search resultshttps://search.google.com/search-console/about
Google Search ConsoleA free web service offered by Google that enables website owners and administrators to monitor, measure, and improve their website's performance, presence, and visibility in Google Search, using data and insights such as search queries, indexing, crawling, links, and errorshttps://search.google.com/search-console/about
GooglebotThe web crawler or spider used by Google to scan, index, and rank web pages and content, using algorithms and signals based on relevance, authority, and user experiencehttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/182072
H1 tagThe main heading tag used on a website pagehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/h1-tag-seo/315569/
Head termA broad, high-traffic keyword used in SEO strategyhttps://www.semrush.com/blog/head-term/
Header tagA HTML tag or element that defines the heading or title of a web page or section, typically used for semantic and hierarchical structure, but also subject to SEO optimization and best practices, such as using relevant keywords and maintaining consistency and clarityhttps://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_hn.asp
Header tagsHTML tags, such as H1, H2, H3, used to define the headings and subheadings of a web page, which can improve readability, structure, and SEOhttps://www.wordstream.com/header-tags-seo
Heat mapA visual representation or analysis of user behavior and interaction with a web page or interface, typically using color-coded areas or elements to highlight clicks, scrolling, attention, and conversion patterns, and used to optimize user experience, design, and contenthttps://www.crazyegg.com/heatmaps/
Hidden textText or content that is not visible or accessible to the user, but included in the source code or markup of a web page, typically used for spam or manipulation purposes, and penalized by search engines as a violation of their guidelines and policieshttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66353
Home pageThe main or index page of a website or domain, typically representing the core and most important content, message, and navigation of the site, and often used to attract and direct traffic and users from search engines and other sourceshttps://www.nngroup.com/articles/homepage-links/
HTMLHypertext Markup Language, used to create website contenthttps://www.w3schools.com/html/
HTMLHypertext Markup Language, a standard language used to create and structure web pages, consisting of tags and attributeshttps://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/Getting_started_with_the_web/HTML_basics
HTMLHypertext Markup Language, a coding language and format used to create and design web pages and content, based on tags, elements, and attributes that define the structure, style, and functionality of the page, and also subject to SEO optimization and accessibility best practiceshttps://www.w3schools.com/html/
HTTPSHypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, a protocol and standard used to encrypt and secure the communication and data exchange between a web server and a web browser, typically using SSL or TLS certificates, and used to protect privacy, security, and trust onlinehttps://developers.google.com/web/fundamentals/security/encrypt-in-transit/https
HyperlinkA clickable or interactive element or text that directs the user to another web page, document, or resource, typically underlined and highlighted, and used
HyperlinkA clickable or interactive element or text that directs the user to another web page, document, or resource, typically underlined and highlighted, and used to establish connections, relationships, and authority between content and websiteshttps://www.w3schools.com/html/html_links.asp
Image optimizationThe process of optimizing images and visual content on a web page or site, using techniques such as compression, resizing, formatting, alt tags, and loading speed, to enhance user experience, accessibility, and SEO performancehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/image-optimization/237233/
ImpressionsThe number of times a website page or content is viewedhttps://www.wordstream.com/impressions
Inbound linkA link from another website to a websitehttps://www.wordstream.com/inbound-link
Inbound linkA link from another website to a specific page on a website, which can improve the search engine rankings and authority of the linked pagehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/guide-to-backlinks/
Inbound linkA link or hyperlink from another website or domain that points to a web page or content on the target website or domain, and used as a signal or factor of relevance, authority, and popularity in SEO ranking and analysishttps://ahrefs.com/blog/inbound-links/
IndexThe process by which search engines store and organize web pages in their databases, making them available to display in search results for specific querieshttps://moz.com/learn/seo/crawling-indexing-ranking
IndexThe process of adding or cataloguing web pages and content into a search engine's database or directory, typically based on crawling, indexing, and ranking algorithms, and used to enable search and retrieval of relevant results for user queries and intenthttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/70897
Internal linkA link or hyperlink from one web page or content to another page or content within the same website or domain, typically used for navigation, structure, and relevance, and also subject to SEO optimization and best practices, such as using descriptive anchor text and avoiding broken linkshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/internal-linking-strategy/316427/
Internal linkingLinking to other pages or content within a websitehttps://www.wordstream.com/internal-linking
Internal linkingThe practice of linking to other pages or content within the same website, which can improve navigation, user experience, and SEOhttps://www.wordstream.com/internal-linking
IP addressInternet Protocol address, a unique numerical label or identifier assigned to each device or host connected to the internet or a network, used to enable communication and data exchange between different devices and networks, and also used in SEO analysis and geolocation targetinghttps://www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/what-is-an-ip-address/
JavaScriptA programming language used to create dynamic website contenthttps://www.w3schools.com/js/
JavaScriptA scripting language and programming technology used to create dynamic and interactive web content and applications, typically embedded in HTML and executed by web browsers, and also subject to SEO optimization and best practices, such as using proper syntax, compression, and asynchronous loadinghttps://www.w3schools.com/js/
KeywordA word or phrase used in SEO strategy to improve website search ranking and attract organic traffichttps://www.wordstream.com/keyword
KeywordA specific word or phrase that users enter into search engines to find relevant content, and which can be used in SEO to optimize web pages and
KeywordA word or phrase that describes or represents the main topic, content, or intent of a web page or site, and also used as a search term or query by users in search engines, and subject to SEO optimization and best practices, such as relevance, competition, and user intenthttps://www.wordstream.com/keyword
Keyword densityThe percentage of times a keyword appears on a website page compared to the total number of words on the pagehttps://www.semrush.com/blog/what-is-keyword-density-seo-basics/
Keyword densityThe percentage of times a keyword or phrase appears on a web page, relative to the total number of words, which can impact SEO rankings and user experiencehttps://www.wordstream.com/keyword-density
Keyword densityThe ratio or percentage of the number of times a keyword or phrase appears on a web page or content, compared to the total number of words or characters on the page, and used as a factor or signal in SEO ranking and analysis, and also subject to best practices and avoid keyword stuffing or spamminghttps://www.semrush.com/blog/keyword-density-in-seo/
Keyword researchThe process of identifying and analyzing keywords for SEO strategyhttps://ahrefs.com/blog/keyword-research/
Keyword researchThe process of identifying relevant keywords and phrases to target in SEO, based on factors such as search volume, competition, and relevancehttps://ahrefs.com/blog/keyword-research/
Keyword researchThe process of discovering, selecting, and analyzing keywords and phrases relevant to a web page or site, using various methods and tools such as search engine autosuggest, competitor analysis, and keyword planner, and used to inform content creation, optimization, and targetinghttps://backlinko.com/keyword-research
Keyword stuffingThe practice of overusing or repeating keywords unnaturally on a web page, in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings, which can harm SEO and user experiencehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-keyword-stuffing/
Keyword stuffingThe practice of overusing or abusing keywords or phrases on a web page or content, in an attempt to manipulate or deceive search engines and improve SEO ranking, often resulting in poor user experience and penalties from search engineshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-keyword-stuffing-seo/382486/
Knowledge graphA knowledge base and graph database used by Google to enhance search results with rich and relevant information and data about entities, topics, and relationships, based on sources such as Wikipedia, structured data, and user feedbackhttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-knowledge-graph/264507/
Landing pageA website page specifically designed to convert visitors into leads or customershttps://www.wordstream.com/landing-page
Landing pageA web page designed to receive traffic from a specific source, such as a search engine or advertising campaign, with the goal of converting visitors into leads or customershttps://www.wordstream.com/landing-page
Landing pageA web page or destination that users arrive at after clicking on an ad, link, or search result, and typically designed to fulfill a specific goal or conversion, such as sign-up, purchase, or download, and subject to optimization and best practices in terms of relevance, design, and user experiencehttps://www.wordstream.com/landing-page
Latent semantic indexing (LSI)A technique and algorithm used by search engines to identify and analyze the relationship between words and concepts on a web page or content, in order to better understand and rank the relevance, quality, and authority of the content, and also used in SEO optimization and keyword research
Link buildingThe process of acquiring inbound links to a website to improve search ranking and domain authorityhttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-link-building/323130/
Link buildingThe process of acquiring inbound links from other websites to a specific page or website, which can improve SEO rankings and authorityhttps://ahrefs.com/blog/link-building/
Link buildingThe process of acquiring and creating links or hyperlinks from other websites or domains that point to a web page or content on the target website or domain, typically used to increase visibility, authority, and traffic, and also subject to SEO best practices and ethics, such as relevance, diversity, and qualityhttps://ahrefs.com/blog/link-building/
Link farmA group or network of websites or domains that artificially and manipulatively link to each other, with the intention of boosting SEO ranking, often using spammy or low-quality tactics and practices, and subject to penalties and demotions from search engineshttps://www.wordstream.com/link-farm
Local searchA type of search query and result that focuses on geographic location and proximity, typically used by users to find and discover businesses, services, and resources in their area, and also subject to optimization and best practices in terms of local citations, reviews, and mapshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-seo/the-ultimate-guide-to-local-seo/
Local SEOSEO strategy focused on improving a business's presence in local search resultshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-seo/
Local SEOThe practice of optimizing a website and online presence to appear in local search results for specific geographic locations, such as cities or regionshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-seo/
Log fileA record or document that captures and stores data and information about the activity and behavior of users, bots, and servers on a web server or site, typically used for analytics, troubleshooting, and security purposes, and also subject to SEO analysis and optimization, such as detecting and resolving crawl errors and page speed issueshttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7366579?hl=en
Long-tail keywordA specific, low-traffic keyword used in SEO strategyhttps://www.wordstream.com/long-tail-keywords
Long-tail keywordA specific and highly targeted keyword or phrase that typically contains three or more words, and which can be used to target niche audiences and improve conversion rateshttps://ahrefs.com/blog/long-tail-keywords/
Long-tail keywordA specific and detailed keyword or phrase that consists of multiple words and modifiers, typically used by users in search queries and intent with lower search volume, competition, and CPC, but higher relevance and conversion rate, and also subject to SEO optimization and targetinghttps://neilpatel.com/blog/long-tail-keywords-seo/
Meta descriptionA brief summary of a website page's content displayed in search resultshttps://www.wordstream.com/meta-description
Meta descriptionA brief summary or description of a web page that appears in search engine results, intended to entice users to click through to the pagehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/meta-description/
Meta tagsHTML tags used to provide information about a web page to search engines, such as the title, description, and keywords, which can impact SEO rankings and user experiencehttps://www.wordstream.com/meta-tags
Mobile optimizationThe practice of optimizing a website and online presence to provide an optimal experience on mobile devices, including responsive design, fast loading times, and intuitive navigationhttps://developers.google.com/search/mobile-sites/get-started/mobile-seo
NofollowAn HTML attribute used to tell search engines not to follow or crawl a linkhttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/96569?hl=en
NofollowAn HTML attribute used to tell search engines not to follow or crawl a specific link on a web page, which can be used to control link equity and prevent spamhttps://www.wordstream.com/nofollow
Off-page SEOSEO strategy focused on improving a website's authority and search ranking through external factors such as backlinkshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/off-page-seo/
On-page optimizationThe practice of optimizing a web page and its content to improve SEO rankings and user experience, including factors such as content quality, keyword usage, and HTML tagshttps://ahrefs.com/blog/on-page-seo/
On-page SEOSEO strategy focused on optimizing website content and structure to improve search ranking and user experiencehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/on-page-seo/
Organic searchThe process of finding and clicking on search results that are not paid advertisements, based on the relevance and authority of the content and websitehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/organic-search/
Organic trafficWebsite traffic that comes from search engine results rather than paid advertisinghttps://www.wordstream.com/organic-traffic
Outbound linkA link from a specific page on a website to another page or content on a different website, which can improve user experience and provide context or sources for the contenthttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/outbound-links-seo/
Page authorityA metric developed by Moz to predict how well a website page will rank on search engine results pages (SERPs)https://moz.com/learn/seo/page-authority
PageRankAn algorithm used by Google to assign a score to web pages based on the quantity and quality of inbound links, which can impact SEO rankings and authorityhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PageRank
Pay-per-click (PPC)An advertising model in which advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked, typically used in search engine advertising and social media advertisinghttps://www.wordstream.com/pay-per-click-advertising
PenguinA Google algorithm update released in 2012 that targeted websites using manipulative link building tactics, which can harm SEO rankings and authorityhttps://searchengineland.com/library/google/google-penguin-update
PPCPay-per-click advertising, a model of online advertising in which advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their adhttps://www.wordstream.com/ppc
Quality scoreA metric used by Google to evaluate the relevance and quality of keywords and ads in AdWords campaigns, which can impact ad position and cost-per-clickhttps://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/140351?hl=en
RankBrainAn artificial intelligence system developed by Google to interpret search queries and improve search resultshttps://neilpatel.com/blog/rankbrain-guide/
RankBrainA machine learning algorithm used by Google to process search queries and improve search results, which can impact SEO rankings and user experiencehttps://www.wordstream.com/rankbrain
RedirectA method of forwarding one URL to another URL, typically used to maintain link equity and user experience when a page or website is moved or deletedhttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/redirects-for-seo/
Responsive designWebsite design that adjusts to the size of the user's screen, providing an optimal user experience on any devicehttps://www.wordstream.com/responsive-design
Responsive designA design approach that enables a website to adapt to different screen sizes and devices, which can improve user experience and mobile optimization for SEOhttps://developers.google.com/search/mobile-sites/mobile-seo/responsive-design
Rich snippetA type of featured snippet that displays additional information beyond the summary of an answer to a search queryhttps://ahrefs.com/blog/rich-snippets/
Robots.txtA file used to instruct search engine crawlers which pages of a website to crawl or avoid crawlinghttps://www.wordstream.com/
Robots.txtA file that tells search engine bots which pages or sections of a website to crawl or ignore, which can be used to control indexation and prevent duplicate content issueshttps://www.wordstream.com/robots-txt
Schema markupA type of code that website owners can add to their pages to provide more information to search engines and improve search result appearancehttps://schema.org/
Schema markupA code markup language that helps search engines understand the content and structure of a web page, which can improve SEO rankings and visibility in search resultshttps://schema.org/
Search engineA program that searches for and identifies items in a database that correspond to keywords or characters specified by the userhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/search-engine
Search engineA software system that enables users to search for information on the internet, typically by entering keywords or phrases, and which generates results based on relevance and authorityhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_engine
Search engine results page (SERP)The page that appears after a user enters a search query and displays a list of results from a search engine databasehttps://www.wordstream.com/serp
Search engine results page (SERP)The page of search results generated by a search engine, typically including paid and organic results, featured snippets, and other types of contenthttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-a-serp/
SEOSearch engine optimization, the process of improving a website's visibility and traffic in organic search engine resultshttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo/
SEO auditA comprehensive analysis of a website's SEO health and opportunities for improvementhttps://www.wordstream.com/seo-audit
SEO auditA process of analyzing a website and online presence for SEO factors such as on-page optimization, backlinks, and technical issues, with the goal of improving rankings and traffichttps://ahrefs.com/blog/seo-audit/
SEO contentWebsite content created specifically to improve search engine rankings and attract organic traffichttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-content/
SEO pluginA software add-on for a website that provides SEO tools and functionalityhttps://www.wpbeginner.com/glossary/seo/
SEO strategyA comprehensive plan for improving a website's search engine visibility and traffichttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-strategy/
SEO strategyA comprehensive plan for optimizing a website and online presence for search engines, including keyword research, content creation, link building, and technical optimizationhttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-strategy/
Site mapA file that provides an overview of a website's structure and organization, typically used by search engine bots to crawl and index pageshttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/156184?hl=en
SitemapA file that lists all of the pages on a website to help search engines crawl and index themhttps://www.wordstream.com/sitemap
Social media marketingThe process of promoting a brand or product on social media platforms to increase visibility and engagementhttps://www.wordstream.com/social-media-marketing
Social media marketingThe practice of promoting a brand or product on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, typically through organic and paid strategieshttps://www.wordstream.com/social-media-marketing
SSLSecure Sockets Layer, a protocol for establishing secure communications between a web server and a user's browserhttps://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/what-is-ssl/
SSL certificateA digital certificate that enables secure communication between a website and its visitors, typically indicated by the HTTPS protocol and a lock icon in the browserhttps://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/what-is-an-ssl-certificate/
Structured dataA code markup language that helps search engines understand the content and context of a web page, typically used for rich snippets, knowledge panels, and other types of enhanced search resultshttps://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/intro-structured-data
Title tagAn HTML tag used to specify the title of a website page, which appears in search engine results and browser tabshttps://www.wordstream.com/title-tag
Title tagA HTML tag that specifies the title of a web page, typically displayed in the search engine results and browser tabs, and which can impact SEO rankings and click-through rateshttps://moz.com/learn/seo/title-tag
Top of funnel (TOFU)A marketing term that refers to the first stage of the customer journey, typically focused on generating awareness and interest in a brand or producthttps://www.hubspot.com/marketing-dictionary/top-of-funnel
TrafficThe amount of visitors or views a website receives from various sources, such as organic search, social media, or paid advertisinghttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/guide-to-traffic/
User experience (UX)The overall experience a user has when interacting with a website, including design, navigation, and functionalityhttps://www.nngroup.com/articles/definition-user-experience/
User experience (UX)The overall experience and satisfaction of a user when interacting with a website or product, typically evaluated based on factors such as usability, design, and contenthttps://www.nngroup.com/articles/definition-user-experience/
Vertical searchA type of search engine that focuses on a specific topic or niche, such as images, news, or local businesses, typically offering specialized search features and resultshttps://www.searchenginewatch.com/2019/01/28/what-is-a-vertical-search-engine/
Voice searchA type of search query that uses spoken language or voice commands, typically used on mobile devices and voice assistants such as Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistanthttps://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2018/04/10/voice-search
White hat SEOSEO tactics and strategies that follow search engine guidelines and best practices to improve website search rankings and visibilityhttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/white-hat-seo/
White hat SEOEthical and legitimate SEO techniques that focus on improving a website's rankings and authority through quality content, user experience, and link building, without violating search engine guidelineshttps://www.wordstream.com/white-hat-seo
XML sitemapA sitemap file in XML format that lists all of the pages on a website to help search engines crawl and index themhttps://www.xml-sitemaps.com/
XML sitemapA file that provides an overview of a website's pages and their relationships, typically used to help search engine bots crawl and index content more efficientlyhttps://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/183668?hl=en
Yoast SEOA popular SEO plugin for WordPress websites that provides tools and functionality to improve search engine visibility and traffichttps://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/
Yoast SEOA popular SEO plugin for WordPress websites that provides tools and guidance for on-page optimization, content analysis, and other SEO factorshttps://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/
YouTube SEOThe process of optimizing YouTube videos and channels to improve visibility and engagement on the platform
Zero-click searchA search engine result that provides information directly on the search results page, typically without requiring a click to a website, such as featured snippets, knowledge panels, and other types of rich resultshttps://www.searchengineland.com/what-is-a-zero-click-search-result-321826