SEO Glossary – 150+ SEO Terms & Definitions That You Need to Know

1. SEO – Search Engine Optimization – the practice of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

2. SERP – Search Engine Results Page – the page of results a search engine shows in response to a user’s query.

3. Keyword – a word or phrase that a user types into a search engine to find information on a specific topic.

4. Long-Tail Keyword – a specific and detailed keyword phrase that has a low search volume but a high likelihood of conversion.

5. Keyword Density – the percentage of times a keyword appears on a webpage compared to the total number of words on the page.

6. Keyword Stuffing – the practice of overusing keywords in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings.

7. Meta Tags – HTML tags that provide information about a webpage’s content to search engines.

8. Title Tag – an HTML tag that specifies the title of a webpage.

9. Description Tag – an HTML tag that provides a brief description of a webpage’s content.

10. Alt Tag – an HTML attribute used to provide alternative text for an image on a webpage.

11. Header Tag – HTML tags used to define headings and subheadings on a webpage.

12. Backlink – a link from one website to another.

13. Domain – the unique name that identifies a website on the internet.

14. URL – Uniform Resource Locator – the address of a webpage on the internet.

15. Page Authority – a metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a specific page will rank on search engine results pages (SERPs).

16. Link Building – the practice of acquiring links from other websites to improve search engine rankings.

17. Internal Link – a link from one page on a website to another page on the same website.

18. External Link – a link from one website to another website.

19. No-Follow Link – a link that tells search engines not to follow the link to the destination website.

20. Do-Follow Link – a link that tells search engines to follow the link to the destination website.

21. Canonical URL – the preferred URL for a webpage, used to avoid duplicate content issues.

22. Robots.txt – a file that tells search engine crawlers which pages or files they should not crawl on a website.

23. Sitemap – a file that lists all the pages on a website to help search engines understand the website’s structure.

24. Web Crawler – a computer program used by search engines to discover and index webpages.

25. Indexing – the process of adding webpages to a search engine’s database so that they can be retrieved in response to a user’s query.

26. Duplicate Content – content that appears on multiple pages within a website or across multiple websites, which can harm search engine rankings.

26. 301 Redirect – a server-side redirect that informs search engines that a page has permanently moved to a new location.

28. 404 Error – a code returned by a server when a webpage or resource cannot be found.

29. Black Hat SEO – unethical or deceptive SEO practices used to manipulate search engine rankings.

30. White Hat SEO – ethical SEO practices used to improve search engine rankings.

31. Grey Hat SEO – SEO practices that are neither entirely ethical nor unethical, often used to test the boundaries of search engine guidelines.

32. Keyword Research – the process of researching and identifying the keywords and phrases that are relevant to a website or business.

33. Competitor Analysis – the process of analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of competitors to improve a website’s search engine rankings.

34. On-Page Optimization – the process of optimizing a website’s content, structure, and HTML code to improve search engine rankings.

35. Off-Page Optimization – the process of improving a website’s search engine rankings through external factors, such as link building and social media.

36. Anchor Text Optimization – the process of optimizing the text of a hyperlink to improve search engine rankings.

37. Content Marketing – the practice of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.

28. Local SEO – the practice of optimizing a website to rank higher in local search results, such as Google Maps and Yelp.

29. CTR – Click-Through Rate – the ratio of users who click on a link to the number of total users who view a page, email, or advertisement.

40. ROI – Return On Investment – a measure of the profitability of an investment, expressed as a percentage.

41. CMS – Content Management System – a software application used to manage digital content, typically used for websites.

42. HTML – Hypertext Markup Language – a markup language used to create websites and web applications.

43. CSS – Cascading Style Sheets – a style sheet language used to describe the presentation of a document written in HTML or XML.

44. JavaScript – a programming language used to create interactive web pages and other dynamic web applications.

45. Mobile Optimization – the practice of optimizing a website to be mobile-friendly and easily accessible on mobile devices.

46. Voice Search Optimization – the practice of optimizing a website to rank higher in voice search results, such as those produced by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

47. SERP Features – special elements or blocks that appear at the top of search engine results pages, such as featured snippets and knowledge panels.

48. User Experience – the overall experience a user has when interacting with a website, including factors such as page load speed, ease of navigation, and mobile responsiveness.

49. Bounce Rate – the percentage of users who leave a website after viewing only one page.

50. Conversion Rate – the percentage of users who take a desired action on a website, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.

51. A/B Testing – the practice of comparing two versions of a webpage to determine which one performs better in terms of user engagement or conversion rate.

52. Google Analytics – a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic and user behavior.

54. Page Authority – a score developed by Moz that predicts how well a specific page will rank on search engine results pages.

55. Link Building – the process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to a website, with the goal of improving search engine rankings.

56. Backlink – a hyperlink on another website that leads back to a website, which can improve search engine rankings.

57. Nofollow – an HTML attribute that tells search engines not to follow a link from a webpage, which can prevent search engine ranking improvements from backlinks.

58. Dofollow – an HTML attribute that tells search engines to follow a link from a webpage, which can improve search engine ranking improvements from backlinks.

59. Meta Description – a brief description of a webpage’s content, displayed below the page title on search engine results pages.

60. Title Tag – an HTML element that specifies the title of a webpage, displayed at the top of a browser window and on search engine results pages.

61. Header Tags – HTML tags used to create headings on a webpage, which can improve search engine rankings when optimized for relevant keywords.

62. Robots.txt – a file used to give instructions to web robots about which pages and files on a website they can and cannot access.

63. Canonical Tag – an HTML element used to indicate the preferred version of a webpage when multiple versions exist, which can prevent duplicate content issues.

64. Keyword Stuffing – the practice of overusing keywords in a webpage’s content or metadata in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings, which can result in penalties.

65. Link Juice – a term used to describe the authority passed from one website to another through hyperlinks, which can improve search engine rankings.

66. Organic Search – search engine results pages that are generated naturally based on a user’s search query, as opposed to paid search results.

67. Paid Search – search engine results pages that are generated based on paid advertising, such as Google Ads.

68. PPC – pay-per-click advertising, a form of paid advertising in which advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad.

69. Impressions – the number of times an ad is displayed to a user on a search engine results page or website.

71. Bounce Rate – the percentage of users who leave a website after viewing only one page, which can indicate poor website engagement and user experience.

72. Exit Rate – the percentage of users who leave a website after viewing a specific page, which can indicate poor content or website navigation.

73. Conversion Rate – the percentage of users who take a desired action on a website, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.

74. Call-to-Action (CTA) – a statement or button on a webpage that encourages users to take a specific action, such as “Buy Now” or “Sign Up”.

75. A/B Testing – the process of comparing two versions of a webpage or element to determine which performs better in terms of user engagement and conversions.

76. Heatmap – a visual representation of website user activity that shows where users click, scroll, and engage the most on a webpage.

77. Above the Fold – the portion of a webpage that is visible without scrolling, which typically includes the most important content and call-to-actions.

78. Below the Fold – the portion of a webpage that is not visible without scrolling, which typically includes less important content and call-to-actions.

79. SERP – search engine results page, the page that displays the results of a user’s search query.

80. Keyword Research – the process of identifying relevant and high-traffic keywords to optimize a website’s content and metadata for better search engine rankings.

81. Long-Tail Keywords – specific and targeted keyword phrases with low search volume and competition, which can improve search engine rankings for niche topics.

82. Local SEO – the process of optimizing a website and online presence for local search results, such as Google Maps and location-based search queries.

83. Mobile Optimization – the process of optimizing a website for mobile devices, including responsive design and mobile-friendly features.

84. Page Speed – the time it takes for a webpage to fully load and display its content, which can impact user engagement and search engine rankings.

85. Google Analytics – a free tool offered by Google that provides website traffic data and user behavior insights.

86. Conversion Tracking – the process of tracking and analyzing user actions that result in a desired conversion, such as a purchase or form submission.

87. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) – a form of digital marketing that involves paid advertising on search engines, including pay-per-click (PPC) and display ads.

88. User Experience (UX) – the overall experience a user has while interacting with a website, including ease of navigation, content quality, and engagement.

90. Duplicate Content – content that appears on more than one webpage, which can result in search engine penalties and lower search engine rankings.

91. Content Marketing – the process of creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to attract and engage a target audience, with the goal of driving profitable customer action.

92. Evergreen Content – content that remains relevant and valuable over time, as opposed to time-sensitive or seasonal content.

93. Keyword Density – the percentage of times a keyword appears in a webpage’s content or metadata, which can impact search engine rankings and should be optimized for readability and user experience.

94. Site Architecture – the organization and structure of a website’s content, pages, and links, which can impact user engagement and search engine rankings.

95. Information Architecture – the organization and structure of a website’s information, including navigation, categorization, and labeling, which can improve user experience and search engine rankings.

96. Inbound Marketing – a form of digital marketing that involves attracting potential customers through content, social media, and search engine optimization, as opposed to traditional outbound marketing techniques like cold calling and direct mail.

97. Outbound Links – hyperlinks that lead from a webpage to other external websites, which can provide additional information and context to users and improve search engine rankings.

98. Internal Links – hyperlinks that lead from one page on a website to another page on the same website, which can improve user engagement and search engine rankings by providing a clear website hierarchy and navigation.

99. Google My Business – a free tool offered by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence and appear in Google Maps and local search results.

100. Local Pack – a SERP feature that displays a set of local business listings for a specific geographic area and search query.

101. Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) – a technology developed by Google that creates fast and lightweight mobile webpages for better mobile search engine rankings and user experience.

102. Google Panda – a search engine algorithm update launched in 2011 that penalized low-quality and duplicate content and rewarded high-quality and original content.

103. Google Penguin – a search engine algorithm update launched in 2012 that penalized websites with spammy and manipulative backlinks and rewarded natural and high-quality backlinks.

104. Google Hummingbird – a search engine algorithm update launched in 2013 that improved Google’s ability to understand natural language queries and provide more relevant search results.

105. Google RankBrain – a machine learning system launched by Google in 2015 that helps to interpret and process complex and ambiguous search queries, and provides more relevant search results.

106. Google Medic Update – a search engine algorithm update launched in 2018 that penalized low-quality and irrelevant content in the medical and health industry, and rewarded high-quality and trustworthy content.

107. Google E-A-T – an acronym for expertise, authority, and trustworthiness, which are key factors considered by Google in determining the quality and relevance of a website and its content.

108. User Intent – the underlying motivation or goal of a user’s search query, which should be considered when optimizing a website’s content and metadata for better search engine rankings and user engagement.

110. Page Authority (PA) – a score developed by Moz that predicts how well a specific page on a website will rank on search engine results pages based on various factors like backlinks and content quality.

111. Trust Flow – a metric developed by Majestic that measures the quality and trustworthiness of a website based on the quality of its backlinks.

112. Citation Flow – a metric developed by Majestic that measures the quantity and popularity of the backlinks to a website or webpage.

113. Search Console – a free tool offered by Google that helps website owners monitor and maintain their website’s presence in Google search results.

114. Crawling – the process by which search engines like Google use software programs called crawlers or spiders to discover and index webpages on the internet.

115. Indexing – the process by which search engines store and organize the information they discover while crawling webpages, in order to provide relevant search results to users.

116. Canonicalization – the process of selecting and indicating the preferred URL of a webpage to avoid duplicate content issues and improve search engine rankings.

117. Redirect – a technique used to send website visitors from one URL to another, which can help to consolidate link equity and avoid broken links and 404 errors.

118. Rich Snippet – a feature that enhances search engine results pages by providing additional information about a webpage, such as ratings, reviews, and event dates.

119. Schema Markup – a code that can be added to a website to help search engines better understand and interpret its content, and display rich snippets in search results.

120. Meta Description – a brief summary of a webpage’s content that appears in search engine results pages, and can influence user click-through rates and search engine rankings.

121. Title Tag – an HTML element that appears in the head section of a webpage, and provides a concise and descriptive title for the webpage that appears in search engine results pages.

122. Heading Tag – HTML elements used to organize and structure content on a webpage, and provide hierarchical and semantic context to search engines.

123. Alt Text – a text description that is added to an image to provide context and accessibility for visually impaired users, and can also provide additional information to search engines.

124. Sitemap – a file that provides a list of all the webpages on a website, and helps search engines discover and index them more efficiently.

125. Robots.txt – a file that instructs search engine crawlers which pages or sections of a website to crawl or avoid crawling.

126. Backlink – a link from another website that points to a specific webpage on your website, which can improve search engine rankings and traffic if the link is from a high-quality and relevant website.

127. Link Building – the process of acquiring backlinks from other websites, which can improve search engine rankings and traffic, and should be done ethically and naturally to avoid search engine penalties.

128. Anchor Text – the visible and clickable text in a hyperlink, which provides contextual information to search engines about the content of the webpage being linked to.

129. Nofollow – an attribute added to a hyperlink that tells search engines not to follow the link or pass link equity to the linked webpage, and is often used for sponsored or low-quality links to avoid search engine penalties.

130. Dofollow – a default attribute for hyperlinks that tells search engines to follow the link and pass link equity to the linked webpage, and is used for high-quality and relevant links to improve search engine rankings and traffic.

131. Link Juice – the value and authority passed from one webpage to another through backlinks, which can improve search engine rankings

132. Canonical URL – the preferred version of a webpage that search engines should index and display in search results, which can help to avoid duplicate content issues.

133. Hreflang – a HTML attribute that specifies the language and geographical targeting of a webpage, which can help to improve visibility and relevance for international search results.

134. 404 Error – a status code that indicates a webpage or resource cannot be found, which can negatively impact search engine rankings and user experience if not addressed.

135. Alt Text – a description of an image that is displayed if the image cannot be loaded or seen by the user, and can also improve accessibility and search engine optimization.

136. SSL Certificate – a security certificate that encrypts data between a user’s browser and a website’s server, which can improve user trust and search engine rankings.

137. Backlink Profile – the collection of backlinks pointing to a website, which can affect search engine rankings and authority.

138. Broken Link – a link that leads to a webpage or resource that is no longer available, which can negatively impact user experience and search engine rankings if not addressed.

139. Keyword Difficulty – a metric that measures the level of competition for a specific keyword or phrase, which can inform keyword targeting and strategy.

140. Crawl Budget – the amount of time and resources that a search engine’s crawler or spider allocates to crawling and indexing a website’s pages, which can affect search engine visibility and indexing.

141. Domain Name – the name or address that identifies a website on the internet, which can affect search engine rankings and branding.

142. Query – the word or phrase that a user types into a search engine to find information or resources related to a specific topic.

143. Algorithm – the set of rules and processes that search engines

144. Content Audit – a process of evaluating and analyzing the quality and performance of existing website content to identify opportunities for improvement and optimization.

145. Content Gap Analysis – a process of identifying topics or keywords that a website’s content is missing or underperforming for, in order to inform content creation and optimization strategies.

146. Duplicate Content – content that appears in more than one location on the internet, which can negatively impact search engine rankings and user experience if not addressed.

147. Knowledge Graph – a feature of Google search results that displays information and content related to a specific topic or entity, which can help to improve search relevance and user experience.

148. Featured Snippet – a type of search result that displays a brief summary or answer to a user’s query at the top of the search results, which can increase visibility and traffic to a webpage.

149. Googlebot – the name of Google’s web crawling robot or spider that scans and indexes webpages and resources for inclusion in Google’s search results.

150. Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) – a technique used by search engines to analyze and understand the meaning and context of words and phrases in order to provide more relevant search results.

151. Core Web Vitals – a set of metrics used by Google to measure and evaluate the user experience of a webpage, including loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability.

152. User-generated Content (UGC) – content created by users, such as comments, reviews, and social media posts, which can help to improve engagement and search engine rankings.