SEO GLOSSARY
SEO and AI-visibility terms, defined.
Plain-language definitions for technical SEO, on-page, performance, structured data, link, and GEO terms — each with a "how we check this" explanation tied to the DeepSEOAnalysis audit engine.
Technical SEO
301 Redirect
A permanent HTTP redirect that passes ~90–99% of link equity from the old URL to the new one — the correct redirect type for permanent URL changes in SEO.
Read definition →AI Overview
Google's AI-generated answer summary displayed at the top of some search results — citing sources from indexed web pages — which can significantly reduce click-through rates to organic results below it.
Read definition →Black Hat SEO
SEO techniques that violate Google's Webmaster Guidelines — including keyword stuffing, cloaking, link schemes, and AI-generated spam — which can result in manual penalties or algorithmic suppression.
Read definition →Breadcrumb Navigation
A secondary navigation trail showing a page's position in the site hierarchy — used for UX, internal linking, and BreadcrumbList schema in SERPs.
Read definition →Canonical URL
The preferred URL for a page, declared via <link rel="canonical"> to prevent duplicate content from splitting ranking signals.
Read definition →Core Update Recovery
The process of diagnosing and addressing the quality or relevance issues that caused a site's rankings to drop during a Google broad core algorithm update — which requires improving content quality, E-E-A-T signals, and overall site health.
Read definition →Crawl Budget
The number of pages Googlebot will crawl on a site within a given timeframe — determined by crawl rate limit and crawl demand.
Read definition →Crawl Depth
The number of clicks (links) a crawler must follow from the homepage to reach a given page — pages deeper than 4 clicks receive less frequent crawling and less internal PageRank.
Read definition →Crawl Error
An HTTP error (4xx or 5xx) returned when a search engine crawler tries to fetch a page — causing it to skip indexing and losing any link equity pointed to that URL.
Read definition →Crawl Frequency
How often Googlebot revisits pages on a site — influenced by crawl budget, update frequency, PageRank, and server response time — determining how quickly new or updated content enters Google's index.
Read definition →Crawl Trap
A URL pattern that generates a near-infinite number of crawlable URLs — such as infinite scroll, recursive calendar links, or session-ID parameters — trapping Googlebot in an endless crawl loop and wasting crawl budget.
Read definition →Crawl-Delay
A robots.txt directive that instructs crawlers to wait a specified number of seconds between requests — used to protect server resources, but not respected by Googlebot, which manages crawl rate through Search Console instead.
Read definition →Crawlability
Whether search engine crawlers can successfully access, fetch, and parse a page — the prerequisite for indexing and ranking.
Read definition →Domain Name
The human-readable address of a website (e.g. example.com) — a minor direct SEO factor but significant for brand trust, CTR from SERPs, link acquisition, and the signals that affect long-term domain authority.
Read definition →Faceted Navigation
Filter-and-sort UI on category pages (color, size, price, brand) that generates a combinatorial explosion of parameter URLs — the most common source of crawl budget waste on e-commerce sites.
Read definition →Geo-Targeting
Configuring a website to serve different content, or to signal relevance, to users in specific geographic locations — via country-code TLDs, hreflang tags, server location, or Search Console property settings.
Read definition →Google Algorithm
The set of systems Google uses to rank search results — including named updates (Panda, Penguin, Helpful Content) that have historically caused significant ranking changes.
Read definition →Google Analytics (GA4)
Google's free web analytics platform — the primary tool for measuring organic traffic, conversion rates, user behaviour, and SEO ROI — now on its fourth version (GA4) with an event-based data model replacing session-based Universal Analytics.
Read definition →Google Core Update
A broad change to Google's main ranking algorithm — released several times per year — that can cause significant ranking shifts across many sites and queries as Google recalibrates what "quality" means.
Read definition →Google Manual Action
A penalty applied by Google reviewers when a site violates its spam policies — reducing rankings or removing pages from the index until the issue is fixed and a reconsideration request is filed.
Read definition →Google Search Console
Google's free tool for monitoring how your site appears in Google Search — showing impressions, clicks, CTR, average position, index coverage, and crawl errors.
Read definition →Google Search Operators
Advanced search query syntax that modifies Google search results — used in SEO research to find indexed pages, discover duplicate content, identify competitor link sources, and audit site indexation.
Read definition →Hreflang Tag
An HTML or HTTP header tag that tells search engines which language and region a page targets, enabling proper international SEO.
Read definition →HTML Sitemap
A user-facing page listing links to key pages on a site — helping both users navigate large sites and Googlebot discover pages that may be buried deep in the navigation.
Read definition →HTTPS
The secure version of HTTP using TLS/SSL encryption — a confirmed (minor) Google ranking signal since 2014, and a prerequisite for modern browser security indicators, Core Web Vitals measurement, and user trust.
Read definition →HTTPS Migration
Moving a website from HTTP to HTTPS — a required step for Google's security ranking signal, user trust (the padlock), and accurate Core Web Vitals data.
Read definition →Index Bloat
Having too many low-quality, thin, or duplicate pages indexed by Google — wasting crawl budget, diluting site authority, and potentially triggering Helpful Content penalties.
Read definition →Index Coverage
The count and status of pages Google has discovered, crawled, and indexed from a site — tracked in Google Search Console.
Read definition →International SEO
Optimising a website to rank in multiple countries and/or languages — using hreflang tags, ccTLDs or subdirectories, and geotargeted content to signal which version serves which audience.
Read definition →JavaScript Hydration
The process where a framework (React, Vue, Svelte) takes server-rendered HTML and attaches JavaScript event listeners and state to make it interactive — a gap in this process can leave content visible to users but not readable by crawlers, or cause CLS.
Read definition →JavaScript SEO
The practice of ensuring that JavaScript-rendered content is accessible and indexable by search engine crawlers, which process JS differently from browsers.
Read definition →Log File Analysis
Analysing a web server's access logs to understand exactly which URLs Googlebot crawled, how often, and with what response codes — the most direct way to diagnose crawl budget problems.
Read definition →Meta Refresh
An HTML `<meta http-equiv="refresh">` tag that redirects the browser after a delay — discouraged for SEO because it doesn't reliably pass link equity and is slower than a proper 301 redirect.
Read definition →Mobile SEO
SEO considerations specific to mobile devices — covering mobile-first indexing, responsive design, tap target size, font legibility, Core Web Vitals on mobile, and ensuring no mobile-specific content is hidden from Googlebot.
Read definition →Mobile-First Indexing
Google's approach of crawling and indexing the mobile version of a page as the primary version for ranking purposes.
Read definition →Noindex
A directive that tells search engines not to include a page in their index — implemented via a meta tag or HTTP header.
Read definition →Organic Traffic
Visitors who arrive at a website by clicking an unpaid search result — as opposed to paid ads, direct traffic, social media, referrals, or email.
Read definition →Pagination SEO
The practice of making paginated content (page 2, page 3…) crawlable, indexable, and correctly canonicalized so Google surfaces the right page for each query.
Read definition →Rank Tracking
Monitoring keyword positions in search results over time to measure SEO progress, detect ranking drops, and identify which pages are gaining or losing visibility.
Read definition →Redirect Chain
A series of redirects where URL A → URL B → URL C instead of directly to the final destination — wastes crawl budget and dilutes link equity.
Read definition →Rendering SEO
How search engines process JavaScript-heavy pages — client-side rendering (CSR) delays indexing; server-side rendering (SSR) or static generation (SSG) makes content immediately available to crawlers.
Read definition →Robots Meta Tag
An HTML `<meta name="robots">` tag that tells crawlers whether to index a page, follow its links, or display snippets — more granular than robots.txt.
Read definition →robots.txt
A plain-text file at the root of a domain that tells crawlers which URLs they are allowed or disallowed from fetching — the first thing Googlebot reads when it visits a site.
Read definition →Robots.txt
A text file at the root of a domain that tells crawlers which pages or sections to access or avoid.
Read definition →SEO Audit
A systematic review of a website's technical health, on-page optimisation, link structure, and AI visibility — producing a prioritised list of issues and fixes.
Read definition →SEO Testing
The practice of making controlled changes to pages or groups of pages and measuring the ranking or traffic impact — to validate SEO hypotheses before rolling out changes site-wide.
Read definition →SEO-Friendly URL
A URL that is short, descriptive, uses hyphens between words, contains the target keyword, and avoids dynamic parameters, session IDs, or deep folder hierarchies.
Read definition →SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
The page displayed by a search engine in response to a query — the destination your SEO strategy is trying to rank in.
Read definition →SERP Volatility
The degree to which search result positions fluctuate over time — measured by tools like Semrush Sensor, MozCast, or Accuranker's SERP Flux — often spiking during algorithm updates.
Read definition →Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
Generating the full HTML of a page on the server per request, so browsers and crawlers receive complete content on the first HTTP response — the opposite of client-side rendering (CSR) where a JavaScript bundle builds the DOM after load.
Read definition →Site Migration
Moving a website to a new domain, URL structure, CMS, or HTTPS — one of the highest-risk SEO operations if not executed with a complete redirect map and pre/post-launch monitoring.
Read definition →Soft 404
A page that returns HTTP 200 OK but displays "page not found" or otherwise empty/unhelpful content — Google treats these as wasted crawl budget and may deindex them.
Read definition →Subdomain SEO
The SEO implications of using subdomains (blog.example.com) vs subdirectories (example.com/blog) — a recurring debate with a clear consensus: subdirectories are preferable for SEO in most cases.
Read definition →Technical SEO
The discipline of optimising a website's infrastructure — crawlability, indexability, site speed, structured data, and security — so that search engines can discover, render, and understand pages correctly.
Read definition →URL Parameter
A key-value pair appended to a URL after a `?` character — such as `?sort=price` or `?page=2` — that can create thousands of duplicate-content URLs if not handled correctly.
Read definition →URL Slug
The human-readable segment at the end of a URL that identifies a specific page — ideally containing the target keyword in lowercase, hyphen-separated words, without stop words or special characters.
Read definition →URL Structure
How URLs are organized — including the path hierarchy, use of keywords, and avoidance of parameters — which affects crawlability, user clarity, and ranking.
Read definition →Web Accessibility (a11y)
The practice of building websites usable by people with disabilities — through semantic HTML, alt text, keyboard navigation, colour contrast, and ARIA — which overlaps significantly with SEO best practices.
Read definition →White Hat SEO
SEO practices that comply with Google's Webmaster Guidelines — earning rankings through genuine value: comprehensive content, earned backlinks, fast performance, and valid structured data.
Read definition →XML Sitemap
A file that lists all the indexable URLs on a site so search engines can discover and prioritize crawling them.
Read definition →XML Sitemap Index
A sitemap file that links to multiple individual sitemap files — used when a site exceeds the 50,000 URL limit of a single sitemap, or to organise URLs by content type (posts, pages, products, images) for easier monitoring in GSC.
Read definition →On-Page SEO
Above the Fold
The portion of a webpage visible to a user without scrolling — critical for first impressions, LCP, and avoiding Google's "page layout" penalty for ad-heavy designs.
Read definition →Alt Text (Image Alt Attribute)
A text description of an image, written in the HTML `alt` attribute — required for accessibility and used by search engines to understand image content.
Read definition →Bounce Rate
The percentage of sessions where a user visits a single page and leaves without visiting any other page on the same site.
Read definition →Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The percentage of searchers who click your result after seeing it in the SERP — a direct signal of how compelling your title and meta description are.
Read definition →Competitive SEO Analysis
Researching which keywords competitors rank for, which content gaps they expose, and which backlinks they have — to prioritise your own content and link-building strategy.
Read definition →Content Audit
A systematic review of all published content on a site to identify pages to update, consolidate, or remove — improving overall content quality and crawl efficiency.
Read definition →Content Calendar
A planning document that maps upcoming content pieces to target keywords, publication dates, and authors — ensuring consistent publishing cadence, keyword coverage, and internal link coordination across a content team.
Read definition →Content Decay
The gradual decline in organic traffic, rankings, and engagement that published content experiences over time as it becomes outdated, as competitors publish better content, or as query intent evolves.
Read definition →Content Freshness
How recently a page was meaningfully updated — a ranking signal for queries where recency matters, such as news, product comparisons, and time-sensitive guides.
Read definition →Content Gap
A topic, subtopic, or query that competitors rank for but your site does not — representing an opportunity to create content and capture search traffic you're currently missing.
Read definition →Content Length
The word count of a page's main content — not a direct ranking factor, but correlated with topical completeness, which is. The right length depends entirely on what's needed to thoroughly answer the search intent.
Read definition →Content Marketing
Creating and publishing useful content — articles, tools, research, guides — to attract organic traffic, earn backlinks, build brand authority, and convert visitors into customers.
Read definition →Content Pruning
The SEO practice of removing, consolidating, or improving low-quality indexed pages to raise the overall quality signal of a site — often recommended as a recovery strategy after a Google Helpful Content or core algorithm update.
Read definition →Content Strategy
The plan for what content to create, for whom, targeting which keywords, and in what format and sequence — translating business goals and keyword research into a prioritised content production roadmap.
Read definition →Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
The practice of improving a website's ability to turn visitors into customers, subscribers, or leads — complementary to SEO but focused on what happens after the click.
Read definition →Cornerstone Content
A flagship page that is the most comprehensive, authoritative treatment of its topic on a site — intended to rank for the topic's primary query and serve as the hub that supporting content links back to.
Read definition →CTR Optimisation (Click-Through Rate)
The practice of improving the percentage of searchers who click on a search result — by optimising title tags, meta descriptions, structured data rich results, and URL display — without changing rankings.
Read definition →Duplicate Content
Identical or substantially similar content appearing at multiple URLs — which forces Google to choose one version to index and can dilute ranking signals across copies.
Read definition →Dwell Time
The time a searcher spends on a page after clicking a search result before returning to the SERP — an indirect engagement signal that reflects content relevance.
Read definition →E-commerce SEO
SEO practices specific to online stores — covering product page optimisation, category page architecture, faceted navigation management, and schema markup for products and reviews.
Read definition →E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Google's quality framework for evaluating content — especially important for YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) topics like health, finance, and legal.
Read definition →Featured Snippet
A special SERP result that displays a direct answer pulled from a webpage above the standard organic listings — also called "position zero."
Read definition →Google Business Profile (GBP)
Google's free local listing platform (formerly Google My Business) that controls how a business appears in Google Maps and local search results — the most important local SEO asset for businesses with a physical location.
Read definition →Google Discover
Google's personalised content recommendation feed — shown in the Google app and Chrome on mobile — that surfaces articles based on a user's search history and interests, without a search query.
Read definition →Heading Tags (H1–H6)
HTML elements that define the hierarchical structure of page content — H1 for the page title, H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections — used by Google to understand content organisation and topic coverage.
Read definition →Image SEO
Optimising images for search — including descriptive alt text, semantic file names, correct dimensions, and next-gen formats — to improve rankings and Core Web Vitals.
Read definition →Keyword Cannibalization
When multiple pages on the same site compete for the same keyword, splitting ranking signals and confusing search engines about which page should rank.
Read definition →Keyword Density
The percentage of times a keyword appears relative to total word count on a page — a historical metric that is no longer a meaningful ranking signal and should not be optimised for.
Read definition →Keyword Difficulty
A metric (0–100) that estimates how hard it is to rank on the first page for a given keyword — based on the strength of the pages currently ranking for it.
Read definition →Keyword Mapping
The process of assigning target keywords to specific pages on a site — ensuring every important query has a dedicated page, no two pages compete for the same intent, and title tags and H1s reflect the target keyword.
Read definition →Keyword Research
The process of identifying the specific queries your target audience uses in search — to guide content creation, page optimisation, and site architecture decisions.
Read definition →Knowledge Panel
A boxed sidebar in Google Search displaying structured information about a person, organisation, place, or thing — drawn from Google's Knowledge Graph and structured data on authoritative sources.
Read definition →Local SEO
SEO optimisation for location-based search queries — ensuring a business appears in Google's local pack and map results for "near me" and city-specific searches.
Read definition →Long-Tail Keyword
A specific, multi-word search query with lower search volume but higher intent and less competition than broad head terms.
Read definition →Meta Description
An HTML tag that describes a page's content; used by search engines to generate SERP snippets when relevant to the query.
Read definition →Meta Keywords
A defunct HTML meta tag listing comma-separated keywords for a page — ignored by Google since 2009 and by all major search engines, but still incorrectly included on many sites as a wasted effort.
Read definition →NAP Consistency
Ensuring a business's Name, Address, and Phone number are identical across the website, Google Business Profile, and all online directories — a foundational local SEO signal.
Read definition →Niche SEO
SEO strategy for specialised, narrow-topic sites — where low-competition long-tail keywords, deep topical authority, and audience-specific content enable smaller sites to outrank generalist competitors in targeted verticals.
Read definition →On-Page SEO
Optimising the content and HTML elements of an individual page — title tag, meta description, headings, body copy, images, and internal links — to rank for its target query.
Read definition →Open Graph
A set of `<meta>` tags in the `<head>` that control how a page appears when shared on social media and in chat apps — title, description, image, and URL.
Read definition →Open Graph Tags
Meta tags that control how a page appears when shared on Facebook, LinkedIn, Slack, and other platforms that read OG metadata.
Read definition →People Also Ask (PAA)
A SERP feature showing a collapsible box of related questions — appearing on most informational queries — that represents high-value keyword and content opportunities for SEO.
Read definition →Programmatic SEO
Creating large volumes of SEO-targeted pages at scale using templates and structured data — where each page targets a specific keyword combination — typically for location pages, comparison pages, or niche aggregators.
Read definition →Search Intent
The underlying goal a searcher has when typing a query — informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional — which determines what content type and format will rank.
Read definition →Search Quality Rater
A human evaluator hired by Google to assess search result quality using the Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines — providing training data and quality signals that indirectly influence Google's ranking algorithms.
Read definition →Search Volume
The average number of times a keyword is searched per month — used to estimate a keyword's traffic potential and prioritise which queries to target.
Read definition →Semantic SEO
Optimising content for meaning and context rather than exact keyword matches — covering related terms, entities, and subtopics that a comprehensive treatment of a subject naturally includes.
Read definition →SEO Copywriting
Writing page content that satisfies both search engine ranking signals (keyword relevance, structure, depth) and human readers (clarity, persuasion, and genuine usefulness).
Read definition →SEO Plugin
A CMS extension (primarily for WordPress) that automates SEO tasks: generating title tags and meta descriptions, creating XML sitemaps, adding structured data, and managing robots meta directives — without requiring template code changes.
Read definition →SEO ROI
The return on investment from SEO effort — calculated by comparing the value of organic traffic gained to the cost of producing that traffic — typically expressed as revenue attributed to organic sessions or cost-per-acquisition compared to paid channels.
Read definition →SERP Features
Non-standard Google SERP elements beyond blue links — including featured snippets, People Also Ask, Knowledge Panels, image packs, video carousels, and local packs.
Read definition →Silo Structure
A content organisation approach that groups thematically related pages into isolated sections with strong internal linking within each silo — building topical authority within each theme and preventing dilution from cross-topic linking.
Read definition →Thin Content
Pages with little or no unique value — low word count, duplicated from other sources, or auto-generated — that Google may ignore or penalize.
Read definition →Title Tag
The HTML <title> element that names a page in browser tabs, SERP snippets, and social shares — the single most important on-page SEO element.
Read definition →Topic Cluster
A content architecture model where a broad pillar page links to multiple cluster pages covering specific subtopics — building topical authority by demonstrating comprehensive coverage of a subject.
Read definition →Video SEO
Optimising video content so it appears in Google Video search results, the video carousel in web SERPs, and YouTube search — through structured data, transcripts, thumbnails, and hosting decisions.
Read definition →Voice Search SEO
Optimising content to appear as the spoken answer to voice queries — which tend to be longer, more conversational, and question-phrased than typed searches.
Read definition →Zero-Click Search
A search where Google answers the query directly in the SERP — via a featured snippet, knowledge panel, or AI Overview — so the user never clicks to any website.
Read definition →Performance
CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)
A Core Web Vital that measures unexpected visual shifts in page layout during load. Should be 0.1 or lower.
Read definition →Core Web Vitals
Three Google metrics — LCP, INP, and CLS — that measure real-user loading, interactivity, and visual stability.
Read definition →Core Web Vitals
Google's three user-experience performance metrics — LCP, INP, and CLS — measured from real Chrome users and used as a ranking signal since 2021.
Read definition →First Contentful Paint (FCP)
A performance metric measuring the time from page navigation start until the browser renders the first piece of content — text, image, or SVG — on screen. FCP is not a Core Web Vital but is a useful early-load diagnostic.
Read definition →Google Tag Manager (GTM)
Google's tag management system for deploying analytics and marketing scripts without editing code — but each additional GTM tag adds JavaScript execution time that can hurt INP, LCP, and CLS if not managed carefully.
Read definition →Image Lazy Loading
A browser technique that defers loading off-screen images until the user scrolls near them — reducing initial page load time — but misapplied to above-the-fold images it directly causes poor LCP by delaying the hero image.
Read definition →INP (Interaction to Next Paint)
The Core Web Vital that measures a page's responsiveness to user interactions — replacing FID in March 2024 as a Google ranking signal. Good INP is under 200ms.
Read definition →LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
The time from page load start until the largest visible content element finishes rendering. Should be under 2.5 seconds.
Read definition →Lighthouse
Google's open-source automated auditing tool that measures web performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO in a simulated lab environment — built into Chrome DevTools and used by PageSpeed Insights.
Read definition →Page Experience
Google's umbrella ranking signal combining Core Web Vitals, mobile-friendliness, HTTPS, and absence of intrusive interstitials.
Read definition →Page Speed
The time it takes for a page to load and become usable — measured by multiple metrics including TTFB, FCP, and Core Web Vitals.
Read definition →PageSpeed Insights (PSI)
Google's free page performance tool that combines Lighthouse lab scores with real CrUX field data for a URL — showing both simulated performance and actual user experience in one report.
Read definition →PageSpeed Score
Lighthouse's 0–100 lab score measuring page performance under synthetic conditions — useful for diagnosis but not the same as Google's field-data ranking signals.
Read definition →Time to First Byte (TTFB)
The time between a browser sending an HTTP request and receiving the first byte of the server's response — a measure of server response speed that influences crawl rate and LCP.
Read definition →Total Blocking Time (TBT)
A Lighthouse lab metric measuring the total time the main thread is blocked by long tasks between First Contentful Paint and Time to Interactive — a proxy for interactivity that correlates with INP in the field.
Read definition →Structured Data
FAQPage Schema
JSON-LD structured data that marks Q&A pairs on a page so search engines and AI systems can display and cite them directly.
Read definition →HowTo Schema
JSON-LD structured data that marks step-by-step instructional content so search engines and AI systems can identify and cite procedural answers.
Read definition →Review Schema (AggregateRating)
JSON-LD structured data using the Review and AggregateRating schema types to communicate star ratings and review counts to search engines — enabling star rich results in SERPs.
Read definition →Rich Result
An enhanced SERP listing that shows additional content — star ratings, FAQ dropdowns, sitelinks, How-To steps — generated from valid structured data on the page.
Read definition →Schema Markup
A shared vocabulary of types and properties from Schema.org used to annotate web content in machine-readable format — enabling search engines to understand what content means, not just what it says, and to generate rich results.
Read definition →Schema Validation
The process of checking that structured data (JSON-LD) on a page is correctly formatted and contains all required properties for its schema type.
Read definition →Sitelinks
The sub-links that appear below a brand's main SERP result for navigational queries — generated automatically by Google and influenced by site structure and internal linking.
Read definition →Structured Data
Machine-readable annotations added to HTML — usually JSON-LD — that explicitly describe what a page is about to search engines and AI systems.
Read definition →Links
Anchor Text
The visible, clickable text of a hyperlink — a relevance signal that tells search engines what the linked page is about.
Read definition →Backlink
A link from an external website to a page on your site — the primary off-page ranking signal in Google's algorithm.
Read definition →Disavow Tool
Google's mechanism for telling Google to ignore specific backlinks to your site — used when toxic or manipulative links are harming rankings or triggering a manual penalty.
Read definition →Dofollow Link
A standard hyperlink that passes PageRank (link equity) to the destination page — the default link type; the opposite of a `rel="nofollow"` link, which does not pass equity.
Read definition →Domain Authority (DA)
Moz's proprietary 1–100 metric predicting how likely a domain is to rank in SERPs, based on backlink quality and quantity. Not a Google metric.
Read definition →Internal Linking
Links between pages on the same domain that distribute PageRank, establish site hierarchy, and guide crawlers to important content.
Read definition →Link Building
The practice of acquiring inbound backlinks from other websites to increase a page's PageRank and improve its ranking potential for target queries.
Read definition →Link Juice
A colloquial term for the PageRank (ranking authority) passed from one page to another through a followed hyperlink.
Read definition →Link Profile
The complete set of backlinks pointing to a website — including referring domains, anchor text distribution, link quality, and dofollow/nofollow ratio — evaluated as a whole for authority and naturalness.
Read definition →Link Reclamation
Finding and recovering lost inbound link equity — by fixing broken pages that receive external links, converting unlinked brand mentions into links, and reclaiming redirected link targets.
Read definition →Link Velocity
The rate at which a domain or page acquires new backlinks over time — used by search engines as a signal of organic growth vs. artificial link building.
Read definition →Local Citation
Any online mention of a business's name, address, and phone number (NAP) — on directories, review sites, or local publications — used by Google to validate and rank local businesses in map-pack and local search results.
Read definition →Nofollow
A `rel="nofollow"` link attribute that instructs Google not to pass PageRank through a link — used for user-generated content, paid links, and links you don't editorially endorse.
Read definition →Off-Page SEO
SEO work done outside your own website — primarily building backlinks, brand mentions, and authority signals that tell search engines your site is trustworthy and credible.
Read definition →Orphan Page
A page with no inbound internal links from other pages on the same site — making it invisible to both crawlers and users navigating through internal links.
Read definition →Outbound Link
A link from your site to an external site — also called an external link. Outbound links to authoritative, relevant sources can add E-E-A-T signals; excessive outbound links to low-quality sites risk association effects.
Read definition →Page Authority
A third-party score (Moz's DA/PA, Ahrefs's UR) predicting a page's ranking strength based on its link profile — useful for comparison but not a Google ranking signal.
Read definition →PageRank
Google's original algorithm that scores pages by the quantity and quality of links pointing to them — still a core (now internal) ranking factor.
Read definition →Pillar Page
A comprehensive hub page on a broad topic that links to and receives links from cluster pages covering specific subtopics — the foundation of a content cluster strategy.
Read definition →Site Architecture
How a website's pages are organised and linked together — affects crawl efficiency, PageRank distribution, and how clearly topical clusters signal to search engines.
Read definition →Social Signals
Engagement metrics from social media (shares, likes, comments) — not a direct Google ranking factor, but a correlated indicator of content quality and an indirect driver of links and traffic.
Read definition →Topical Authority
A site's perceived depth of expertise in a subject area, built by covering a topic comprehensively rather than by accumulating generic backlinks.
Read definition →Toxic Backlink
A backlink from a low-quality, spammy, or manipulative source that may harm a site's rankings by associating it with link schemes — though modern Google is generally better at ignoring these than penalising them.
Read definition →AI Visibility / GEO
Entity SEO
SEO focused on establishing and reinforcing a brand or person as a recognised entity in Google's Knowledge Graph — influencing AI citations and semantic search results.
Read definition →Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
The practice of structuring content so that AI-powered answer engines can retrieve, understand, and cite it in generated responses.
Read definition →Knowledge Graph
Google's structured database of entities (people, places, organisations, concepts) and their relationships — which informs SERP features and AI-generated summaries.
Read definition →llms.txt
A plain-text file at the root of a domain that guides AI systems to a site's most useful and citeable pages.
Read definition →Passage Indexing
Google's ability to index and rank individual passages within a long page, meaning a single section can rank for a query even if the overall page topic is different.
Read definition →