SEO Glossary of Terms

This SEO terminology glossary helps you find a concise definition, open the practical explanation, and distinguish Google-defined concepts from industry labels and third-party metrics.

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301 Redirect A 301 redirect is a permanent HTTP redirect that sends users and search engines from one URL to another, passing nearly all link equity to the destination. 404 Error A 404 error means the requested page was not found on the server. It tells users and crawlers that the URL exists but has no content assigned to it. Above the Fold The part of a page visible without scrolling. It varies by device; Google’s page experience guidance asks about ads, interstitials and Core Web Vitals, not a fold line. Alt Text Alt text (alternative text) is an HTML attribute added to image tags that describes the image for screen readers, accessibility tools, and search engine crawlers. Anchor Text Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink. It signals to search engines what the linked page is about and plays an important role in both internal linking and link building. Author Authority Author authority is the credibility readers and quality systems attribute to a page’s author, judged from a visible byline, profile and background; Google publishes no such score. Average Position A Search Console metric: the topmost position your link held in Google results, averaged. It is not the rank every visitor saw. Backlink A link from another website to a page on yours. Google uses links as a signal and to discover pages; it gives no “enough” number and treats manipulative links as spam. Backlink Audit Reviewing links to your site for link spam and breakage; most sites need no disavow. Brand SEO Work on brand demand and brand results: how people find you by name. Measured with Search Console’s branded queries filter, not a ranking switch. Breadcrumbs Breadcrumbs are a site navigation element that shows users their current location within a website's hierarchy. Search engines use breadcrumb schema to display structured breadcrumb trails in search results. Broken Link A hyperlink whose target does not load, usually a 404. Google says 404s generally do not affect search performance; fix the ones you control.
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AI Overview SEO Optimising content to be cited or featured within Google's AI-generated overview summaries at the top of search results. AI SEO AI SEO covers the impact of artificial intelligence on search — from Google's AI-powered ranking systems (BERT, MUM, RankBrain) to AI-generated content and optimising for AI Overview results. AI-Generated Content and SEO AI-generated content refers to text produced by artificial intelligence tools (like ChatGPT or Claude). Google's policy permits AI content if it is high-quality and helpful — but penalises low-quality, mass-produced AI content designed to manipulate rankings. AMP Pages Accelerated Mobile Pages — a framework for creating ultra-fast mobile web pages endorsed by Google. Above the Fold The part of a page visible without scrolling. It varies by device; Google’s page experience guidance asks about ads, interstitials and Core Web Vitals, not a fold line. Alt Text Alt text (alternative text) is an HTML attribute added to image tags that describes the image for screen readers, accessibility tools, and search engine crawlers. Anchor Tag The HTML anchor tag (<a href>) creates hyperlinks between web pages. The visible link text (anchor text) is an important on-page signal that tells search engines what the linked page is about. Anchor Text Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink. It signals to search engines what the linked page is about and plays an important role in both internal linking and link building. Anchor Text Diversity The practice of varying the anchor text used in backlinks to create a natural link profile. Author Authority Author authority is the credibility readers and quality systems attribute to a page’s author, judged from a visible byline, profile and background; Google publishes no such score. Average Position A Search Console metric: the topmost position your link held in Google results, averaged. It is not the rank every visitor saw.
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BackRub BackRub was the original name of the research project by Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Stanford University that later became Google. Backlink A link from another website to a page on yours. Google uses links as a signal and to discover pages; it gives no “enough” number and treats manipulative links as spam. Backlink Audit Reviewing links to your site for link spam and breakage; most sites need no disavow. Black Hat SEO Black hat SEO refers to techniques that violate search engine guidelines to manipulate rankings — such as keyword stuffing, cloaking, and private blog networks. These risk manual penalties and deindexing. Bounce Rate Bounce rate is the percentage of sessions where a visitor leaves a site after viewing only one page without any interaction. In GA4, it replaced by engagement rate as the primary metric. Bounce Rate & SEO The relationship between the percentage of single-page sessions and organic search rankings. Brand SEO Work on brand demand and brand results: how people find you by name. Measured with Search Console’s branded queries filter, not a ranking switch. Breadcrumb Navigation Breadcrumb navigation is a secondary navigation scheme showing the user's location in a website hierarchy. It appears in both the page UI and Google search results as SERP breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs Breadcrumbs are a site navigation element that shows users their current location within a website's hierarchy. Search engines use breadcrumb schema to display structured breadcrumb trails in search results. Broken Link A hyperlink whose target does not load, usually a 404. Google says 404s generally do not affect search performance; fix the ones you control.
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CDN – Content Delivery Network A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a distributed network of servers that delivers web content from locations closest to each user, reducing load times and improving page speed. CLS – Cumulative Layout Shift Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is a Core Web Vital that measures visual stability — how much page elements unexpectedly move during loading. CTR (Click-Through Rate) CTR is the percentage of impressions that result in a click. In SEO, it measures how often users click your result when it appears in Google Search. Canonical Tag The canonical tag (<link rel="canonical">) tells search engines which version of a URL is the "master" copy when duplicate or similar content exists across multiple URLs. Click Depth The smallest number of clicks from the home page to a page; also called crawl depth. Google defines neither and gives no limit, but finds pages mainly through links. Click-Through Rate (CTR) Click-through rate (CTR) in SEO is the percentage of users who click on your search result after seeing it (impressions). A higher CTR means more organic traffic without needing to improve rankings. Clickbait in SEO A title built mainly to provoke the click, often by exaggerating or withholding the point. Google asks titles to be descriptive and to avoid exaggerating or being shocking. Clicks In Search Console, visits that send a person from Google results to a page outside Google. The same link counts once. Competitor Analysis (SEO) Studying which sites appear for your queries and what their pages offer. An industry practice; Search Console shows only your own property, so competitor figures are estimates. Competitor Backlink Analysis Studying which sites link to search competitors and why, to learn what earns links in a niche. Content Audit A content audit is a systematic review of all content on a website to evaluate its quality, performance, and relevance — identifying content to keep, improve, merge, or delete. Content Cluster (Pillar & Cluster Model) A content cluster is a group of interlinked pages covering a broad topic (pillar page) and all its subtopics (cluster pages), building topical authority and improving internal linking. Content Decay A measurable loss of clicks on a page over time. Compare the page with the site trend and split the change into impressions and CTR before you refresh anything. Content Freshness Content freshness is the degree to which a web page's content is up-to-date. Google uses freshness as a ranking factor (Query Deserves Freshness) for time-sensitive queries, favouring recently updated content. Content Gap Analysis Comparing audience needs and competitor coverage with your pages to decide what to create, expand or skip. Content Hub A content hub is a centralised section of a website dedicated to comprehensive coverage of a specific topic, bringing together pillar pages, guides, articles, and resources on that topic in one organised location. Content Marketing Content marketing is the strategic creation and distribution of valuable, relevant content to attract and retain a defined audience — and ultimately drive profitable customer action, with SEO as a key distribution channel. Content Marketing & SEO The integration of content marketing strategy with SEO to attract organic traffic and build brand authority. Content Pillar A content pillar is a comprehensive, long-form piece of content that covers a broad topic in depth and serves as the central hub for a content cluster, internally linking to more specific supporting articles. Content Pruning The process of removing, consolidating, or improving underperforming content to improve overall site quality and SEO. Content Repurposing Adapting existing content into new formats or channels to extend its reach and SEO value. Content Syndication Content syndication is the practice of republishing original content on third-party platforms or websites to reach a wider audience. In SEO, it requires canonical tags to prevent duplicate content issues. Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) CRO (Conversion Rate Optimisation) is the practice of increasing the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action — such as a purchase, signup, or contact form — without increasing traffic. Core Update A significant, broad change Google makes to its ranking systems several times a year. Not a penalty and not aimed at specific sites; Google gives a calm procedure for checking a traffic drop. Core Web Vitals Core Web Vitals are a set of three user-experience metrics Google uses as ranking signals: LCP (loading), INP (interactivity), and CLS (visual stability). They are part of the Page Experience update. Crawl Budget Crawl budget is the number of URLs Googlebot will crawl on your site within a given timeframe. Managing it well ensures important pages are discovered and indexed efficiently. Crawl Budget Optimisation Managing how search engine crawlers spend their crawl allocation on your site to ensure important pages are indexed. Crawl Errors Crawl errors occur when search engine bots attempt to access a URL on your site but encounter a problem — such as a 404 Not Found, 5xx server error, or redirect loop — that prevents them from successfully fetching the page. Crawlability Crawlability is the ability of search engine bots to access and navigate a website's pages. A crawlable site has no critical technical barriers preventing Googlebot from discovering and indexing its content. Crawled – Currently Not Indexed A Search Console status: Google fetched the page but did not add it to the index. It is not an error and names no cause.
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Digital PR Using public relations techniques online to earn high-authority editorial backlinks and brand mentions. Disavow A Search Console tool for asking Google to ignore chosen links or domains. Google calls it advanced and ties it to manual actions for unnatural links; most sites do not need it. Discovered – Currently Not Indexed A Search Console status: Google knows the URL but has not crawled it yet. A queue state, not an error or a verdict. Dofollow Link A dofollow link is a standard hyperlink that instructs search engines to follow it and pass link equity (PageRank) to the linked page. It is the default type for all links unless explicitly specified otherwise. Domain Authority (DA) Domain Authority (DA) is a third-party SEO metric created by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search results, scored from 0 to 100. It is not a Google ranking factor. Domain Rating / Domain Authority Domain Rating (Ahrefs) and Domain Authority (Moz) are third-party metrics that estimate a website's overall link-based authority on a 0–100 scale. Higher scores indicate a stronger backlink profile. Domain vs URL-Prefix Property Two kinds of Search Console property: a domain property covers all subdomains, protocols and paths; a URL-prefix property covers one exact prefix. Duplicate Content The same or very similar content at more than one URL. Google picks a canonical URL; some duplication is normal and not a spam violation, but it splits signals and wastes crawling. Dwell Time An industry term for time between clicking a result and returning to it; only the search engine sees it. Google’s ranking systems guide does not mention it.
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Geo-Targeting Showing each audience the right version of your site for its country or language. Google reads domain, hreflang, server location and local details; the Search Console country setting is retired. Google Algorithm Google’s algorithm is a set of automated ranking systems, not one formula; Google names the systems but publishes no list of factors or weights. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is Google's current web analytics platform, using an event-based data model. It replaced Universal Analytics in July 2023 and provides insights into user behaviour and conversions. Google Business Profile A free Google tool that lets businesses manage their appearance in Google Search and Maps for local SEO. Google Discover Google Discover is a personalised content feed on Android and in the Google app that shows users content based on their interests and search history — without requiring them to search for anything. Google News SEO Optimization techniques to get news articles indexed and featured in Google News and the Discover feed. Google Panda Google Panda is a major algorithm update launched in 2011 that penalises sites with low-quality, thin, or duplicate content. It was incorporated into Google's core algorithm in 2016. Google Penalty A Google penalty is a negative impact on a website's search rankings either from a manual action by a Google reviewer or from an algorithmic update targeting violations of Google's guidelines. Google Penguin Google Penguin is an algorithm update launched in 2012 that targets manipulative link building practices — specifically unnatural backlinks and keyword-stuffed anchor text. Google Sandbox Effect The observed phenomenon where new websites may take several months to rank competitively in Google, regardless of content quality. Google Search Console Google Search Console (GSC) is a free Google tool that shows how your site performs in Google Search — including impressions, clicks, rankings, crawl errors, and indexing status. Google Search Console Insights Google Search Console Insights is a simplified version of GSC designed for content creators and non-technical users, showing how content performs in search and which pieces drive the most traffic. Google Search Quality Raters People who evaluate search results against Google’s public guidelines; they do not control rankings. Grey Hat SEO SEO techniques that fall between fully compliant white hat and clearly prohibited black hat practices. Guest Posting Writing an article for another site. Google does not ban it; optimized-anchor links in guest posts distributed on other sites are listed as link spam.
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INP (Interaction to Next Paint) INP (Interaction to Next Paint) is a Core Web Vitals metric that measures a page's overall responsiveness to user interactions, replacing FID in 2024. A good INP score is under 200 milliseconds. Image Optimisation Image optimisation is the process of reducing image file size while maintaining visual quality, and adding SEO metadata (alt text, descriptive filenames) so search engines can index images and pages load faster. Image SEO Image SEO is the practice of optimising images on web pages to improve page performance and enable discovery through Google Image Search, using techniques like alt text, file names, compression, and structured data. Impressions Appearances of a link to your site in Google results that Search Console counts, whether or not the result was scrolled into view. Index Coverage The status of pages on a site as reported by Google Search Console — indexed, excluded, or errored. Indexability Whether a page is eligible to be added to the index: Googlebot not blocked, HTTP 200, indexable content. Meeting these requirements never guarantees indexing. Internal Linking Linking from one page of your site to another. Google follows links with an href, says every important page should be linked from another page, and prefers descriptive anchors. Internal PageRank Distribution How link equity flows through a site's internal link structure, determining which pages receive the most authority. International SEO International SEO is the practice of optimising a website to rank in multiple countries and languages, using technical signals like hreflang, geo-targeting settings, and localised content to serve the right version to the right audience. International SEO Targeting The process of configuring a website to target multiple countries or languages in search engines simultaneously.
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Keyword Cannibalization Several URLs of one site appearing for the same query. An industry label, not a Google term; Google describes no penalty. Check intent and ownership before merging or redirecting. Keyword Clustering Grouping search phrases that ask for the same thing so one page can answer them all. An industry practice; Google publishes no similarity threshold or cluster rule. Keyword Density Keyword density is the percentage of times a target keyword appears on a page relative to total word count. Overuse leads to keyword stuffing penalties; modern SEO focuses on natural usage. Keyword Difficulty Keyword difficulty is a third-party comparative estimate of ranking competition; its formula and scale vary by SEO tool. Keyword Intent What a person wants to achieve with a query: learn, find a site, compare or buy. An industry concept; Google publishes no intent taxonomy, but asks for complete answers that match the question. Keyword Modifiers Keyword modifiers are words added to a seed keyword to specify intent, geography, format, or qualification — such as "best", "free", "near me", "for beginners", "review", or "2025" — creating more specific long-tail keyword variations. Keyword Planner Google Keyword Planner is a free tool within Google Ads that provides search volume data, competition levels, and bid estimates for keywords — widely used for SEO research despite being designed for advertisers. Keyword Position Tracking Keyword position tracking is the ongoing monitoring of where a website ranks in search results for specific target keywords, allowing SEOs to measure progress, identify opportunities, and detect ranking drops. Keyword Research Finding the words your audience searches with, the intent behind them and the pages that can answer them. Keyword Research Tools Software and data sources for finding search phrases and estimating demand. Only Search Console measures your real results; Keyword Planner, Trends and third-party tools give estimates or samples. Keyword Stuffing Keyword stuffing is a black hat SEO tactic of loading a page with an excessive number of keywords in an attempt to manipulate search rankings, often making text unreadable. Knowledge Graph Google’s database of billions of facts about people, places and things. Panels are created automatically; you can claim one but not request or force it.
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LCP – Largest Contentful Paint Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is a Core Web Vital that measures loading performance — specifically when the largest visible element on the page finishes rendering. LLM SEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) LLM SEO (also called GEO — Generative Engine Optimisation) is the emerging practice of optimising content to be cited or recommended by AI chatbots and generative search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. LSI Keywords LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords are terms semantically related to a primary keyword. Including them helps search engines understand the full context of a page's topic, though modern NLP has made strict LSI largely obsolete. Link Building Link building is the work of earning relevant editorial links and mentions that help people discover a useful resource. Link Building Outreach Contacting editors with something worth citing so they may link on their own judgment, never for payment or swaps. Link Building Strategy A planned, systematic approach to acquiring authoritative backlinks to improve a site's domain authority and rankings. Link Equity (Link Juice) Link equity (link juice) is the value or authority passed from one page to another through hyperlinks. High-authority pages pass more link equity; links from relevant, trusted sites are most valuable. Link Profile The complete collection of backlinks pointing to a website, analysed for quality, diversity, and risk. Link Reclamation Recovering links you already earned: redirecting dead URLs that others link to and asking for links where you are only mentioned. Never by buying or trading. Link Velocity The rate at which a website acquires new backlinks over time, with unnatural spikes potentially signalling manipulation. Local Citations Local citations are online mentions of a business's name, address, and phone number (NAP) on directories, review sites, and other websites, serving as a key ranking factor for local SEO. Local Content Place-specific information that helps a customer choose, visit or use a business, supported by real local facts rather than a swapped city name. Local Keyword Research The process of finding search queries that include geographic modifiers or local intent relevant to a specific area. Local Pack (Map Pack) The local pack (map pack) is a Google SERP feature that shows a map with three local business listings for location-based queries, above organic results. It is driven by Google Business Profile data and local SEO signals. Local SEO Local SEO is the practice of optimising a business's online presence to rank in geographically-targeted searches — especially Google's local pack and map results for queries like "near me" or "[service] in [city]". Log File Analysis Studying server access logs to see which URLs crawlers requested, when and with what response. Long-Form Content Long-form content is any piece of content typically over 2,000 words that comprehensively covers a topic. It tends to earn more backlinks, rank for more keyword variations, and generate more shares than shorter content. Long-Tail Keyword A specific, usually longer search phrase that few people type. An industry term: Google does not define it or publish a length or volume threshold.
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PPC – Pay-Per-Click Advertising PPC (Pay-Per-Click) is a digital advertising model where advertisers pay each time someone clicks their ad. Google Ads (search ads) appear at the top of SERPs and complement organic SEO efforts. Page Experience How a visit to a page feels: loading, security, mobile display, ads and pop-ups. Google says there is no single page experience signal; Core Web Vitals are the part its ranking systems use. Page Speed Page speed describes how quickly a page responds, renders useful content and becomes responsive for real users. PageRank PageRank is Google's original algorithm for measuring a page's importance based on the quantity and quality of links pointing to it. It remains a core (though non-public) ranking signal. Pagination SEO Pagination SEO addresses how to handle multi-page content series (page 1, 2, 3...) so search engines properly crawl, index, and attribute link equity across paginated pages without treating them as duplicate content. Passage Indexing (Passage Ranking) Passage indexing (officially "passage ranking") is a Google feature that allows specific passages within a long page to rank in search results independently — so a page can rank for a specific query even if the query only matches one small section. Passage Ranking Google's ability to rank individual passages within a long page to answer specific queries, even if the full page isn't primarily about that topic. Penalty Recovery Restoring visibility after a manual action or an algorithmic drop. The cases differ: manual actions have a review request, algorithmic drops do not. People Also Ask (PAA) People Also Ask is a Google SERP feature showing a box of related questions and expandable answers, often appearing in the top positions and increasing brand visibility. Performance Report The Search Console report showing how your site appears in Google results: clicks, impressions, CTR and average position by dimension. Pillar Page A comprehensive, authoritative page that covers a broad topic and links to detailed cluster content. Podcast SEO Optimizing podcast content and show notes to rank in podcast directories and search engines. Pogo-Sticking Pogo-sticking occurs when a user clicks a search result, quickly returns to the SERP, and clicks a different result — signalling that the first page didn't satisfy their query. Position Zero The featured snippet spot that appears above the #1 organic result, offering maximum SERP visibility. Product Schema Product schema is structured data markup that tells search engines detailed information about a product page — including name, price, availability, reviews, and ratings — enabling rich snippets in search results. Progressive Web App (PWA) A web application that uses modern browser features to deliver app-like experiences, improving mobile SEO performance.
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SEM (Search Engine Marketing) SEM is the practice of gaining traffic from search engines through both paid advertising (PPC) and organic search optimisation (SEO). It is the umbrella term covering both channels. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) SEO is the practice of improving a website's visibility in organic (unpaid) search engine results through technical, on-page, and off-page optimisation. SEO A/B Testing Controlled experiments on website elements to measure the impact on organic search traffic and rankings. SEO Audit A comprehensive review of a website's technical, on-page, and off-page SEO health to identify issues and opportunities. SEO Automation SEO automation runs repeatable checks and reports with scripts and APIs; people still decide what to change, and some automation breaks Google’s rules. SEO Content Brief An SEO content brief is a structured document that guides writers on how to create content that will rank — including target keywords, required headings, word count, search intent, competitors to outperform, and key topics to cover. SEO Content Calendar A planning document that schedules content creation and publication aligned with SEO goals and seasonal search trends. SEO Content Types Different content types — blog posts, landing pages, product pages, comparison pages, and tools — serve different search intents and SEO goals. Choosing the right format for each keyword is essential for ranking success. SEO Copywriting SEO copywriting is the practice of writing content that satisfies both search engine ranking requirements (keyword relevance, search intent alignment) and user needs (clarity, engagement, persuasion). SEO Forecasting SEO forecasting is the process of predicting future organic traffic, rankings, and revenue from SEO investments using historical data, keyword search volumes, and conversion rates. SEO KPIs SEO KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are measurable metrics used to evaluate the success of SEO efforts — including organic traffic, keyword rankings, conversions, Core Web Vitals, and backlink growth. SEO Mindset The strategic thinking framework that guides effective SEO decision-making, prioritising user value and long-term growth. SEO Myths Commonly held misconceptions about how search engine optimisation works that can lead to wasted effort or penalties. SEO Quick Wins Small, cheap, checkable fixes you can make in hours. The label is a practice, not a Google term; Google publishes no timeline for any change. SEO ROI SEO ROI (Return on Investment) measures the financial return from SEO efforts relative to the cost of those efforts. Calculating it helps justify SEO budgets and prioritise the highest-value activities. SEO Reporting The process of tracking, analysing, and communicating SEO performance data to stakeholders. SEO Site Migration An SEO site migration is any significant change to a website's domain, URL structure, platform, or protocol that can impact organic search visibility. Poor migrations can cause massive, long-lasting ranking drops. SEO Site Structure The logical organisation of a website's pages and URL hierarchy to maximise crawlability and topical authority. SEO Split Testing SEO split testing (A/B testing for SEO) is the practice of making controlled changes to a subset of pages and measuring whether those changes improve rankings, traffic, or click-through rates compared to unchanged control pages. SEO Strategy An SEO strategy is a comprehensive, prioritised plan for improving organic search visibility that aligns with business goals, covering keyword targeting, content, technical optimisation, and link building over a defined time horizon. SEO Tools SEO tools are software platforms that assist with keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis, technical audits, and competitor research — helping SEO professionals make data-driven decisions. SEO Tools Overview A survey of the major software categories used by SEO professionals for research, auditing, tracking, and reporting. SEO Workflow A structured, repeatable process for planning, executing, and measuring SEO tasks efficiently. SEO for Startups SEO for startups focuses on building organic search visibility with limited resources by targeting low-competition keywords, creating high-quality content, and building early domain authority. SERP SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page — the page shown by a search engine after a query, containing organic results, ads, featured snippets, and other SERP features. SERP Click Distribution The percentage of clicks each organic position receives on a search results page. SERP Features SERP features are non-standard results that appear in Google's search results beyond the traditional blue links — including featured snippets, knowledge panels, image carousels, and local packs. SERP Features Overview SERP features are non-standard elements in Google's search results beyond the traditional blue links — including featured snippets, knowledge panels, image packs, video carousels, and more, each with specific optimisation opportunities. SERP Real Estate SERP real estate refers to the total amount of visible space a website occupies on a search results page — through organic listings, featured snippets, sitelinks, knowledge panels, and other SERP features. SERP Volatility How much search results change over time, measured by third-party trackers on a sample of queries. Google publishes no index; it shows movement, not its cause. SaaS SEO SEO strategies tailored to software-as-a-service companies, focused on capturing demand at every stage of the buyer journey. Schema Markup Schema markup (Schema.org vocabulary) is code added to HTML that labels content so search engines can understand what it means — enabling rich results like star ratings, FAQs, recipes, and events in the SERP. Search Intent Alignment Ensuring your page content and format precisely match what users expect to find when they search for a given query. Search Query The text a person types into Google. In Search Console the Queries dimension groups your data by it; it is not your keyword list. Search Volume Search volume is the average number of times a specific keyword is searched per month in a given search engine and country. It is a primary metric in keyword research for estimating potential traffic from a keyword. Semantic SEO Semantic SEO is the practice of optimising content for meaning and context rather than just keywords, using related entities, synonyms, and comprehensive topic coverage to match how Google's AI understands language. Server-Side Rendering (SSR) A technique where HTML is generated on the server and sent to the browser, making content immediately crawlable. Session ID An identifier a site gives a visitor for one visit. In URLs it creates a new address per visitor for the same page; Google advises avoiding session IDs in URLs and using cookies instead. Share of Voice Your share of the estimated visibility or clicks for a chosen query set. An industry metric built on tool estimates; Google does not publish it. Site Architecture How a site’s pages are grouped and linked: sections, URLs, navigation, breadcrumbs and internal links. Site Speed Site speed refers to how quickly web pages load for users. It is a confirmed Google ranking factor for both desktop and mobile search, and directly impacts user experience, bounce rates, and conversion rates. Sitemap A file listing the URLs you want Google to know about. A hint for discovery, not a guarantee of crawling or indexing; XML, RSS, Atom and text all work. Skyscraper Technique The Skyscraper Technique is a link building strategy by Brian Dean (Backlinko): find top-linked content in your niche, create a superior version, then outreach to the same sites that linked to the original. Social Proof in SEO Social proof in SEO refers to reviews, testimonials, ratings, and user-generated content that build trust with users and can influence click-through rates, dwell time, and conversions — indirectly supporting search performance. Social Signals Social signals are engagement metrics from social media platforms (shares, likes, comments) that some SEOs believe correlate with search rankings, though Google has stated they are not direct ranking factors. Soft 404 A page that returns a success code but looks like an error or an empty page. Google does not index it. Striking Distance Keywords Queries where a site already shows just below the top results, usually positions 4–20. An SEO label, not a Google metric. Structured Data Structured data is code added to web pages (typically JSON-LD) that helps search engines understand the content and can enable rich results like star ratings, FAQs, and prices in the SERP. Structured Snippet A type of Google Ads extension that highlights specific aspects of products or services — also refers to the organic SERP feature showing categorised lists.
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TTFB – Time to First Byte Time to First Byte (TTFB) measures the time between a browser requesting a page and receiving the first byte of the server response — a key indicator of server performance. Technical SEO Technical SEO refers to optimisations that make a website easier for search engine crawlers to access, crawl, interpret, and index — covering speed, mobile-friendliness, structured data, and crawlability. Thin Affiliate Content Thin affiliate content refers to affiliate websites that add little or no original value — typically just aggregating product information from retailers with copied descriptions — which Google actively penalises. Thin Content Thin content refers to web pages with little or no added value — low word count, duplicate text, auto-generated pages, or doorway pages. Google penalises thin content via the Panda algorithm. Time to First Byte (TTFB) The time between a browser requesting a page and receiving the first byte of data from the server. Title Tag The title tag is an HTML element that specifies the title of a web page. It appears in browser tabs, search results, and social shares — and is one of the most important on-page SEO elements. Topic Cluster A topic cluster is a content strategy model where a single pillar page about a broad topic links to and receives links from multiple supporting cluster pages, each covering a specific subtopic in depth. Topical Authority Topical authority is the perceived expertise of a website on a specific subject, built by comprehensively covering all aspects of a topic. Sites with high topical authority rank more easily for related keywords. Topical Map A topical map is a strategic content planning document that outlines all the subtopics, queries, and content pieces needed to achieve comprehensive topical authority in a niche. Toxic Backlinks Toxic backlinks are low-quality or manipulative links that can harm a website's search rankings. They typically come from spammy directories, link farms, hacked sites, or irrelevant sites with no real traffic. Types of Backlinks Backlinks vary in quality and value based on whether they are followed or nofollowed, editorial or paid, from relevant or irrelevant sources, and from high-authority or low-authority domains.
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