Essential SEO terms explained in plain English. No jargon, no confusion—just clear definitions you can actually understand.
The complex system Google uses to rank websites in search results. Google's algorithm considers hundreds of factors like content quality, page speed, backlinks, and user experience to determine which pages show up first.
A brief description of an image added to the HTML code. Alt text helps search engines understand what an image shows
and helps visually impaired users. Example: alt="plumber fixing sink in Los Angeles"
The clickable text in a hyperlink. For example, in "Check out our SEO services", the anchor text is "SEO services". Descriptive anchor text helps search engines understand what the linked page is about.
A link from another website to yours. Backlinks are like votes of confidence—they signal to Google that your content is valuable. Quality matters more than quantity; one link from a reputable site is worth more than 100 from spam sites.
The percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate might indicate that your content isn't relevant to what people searched for, or your site loads too slowly.
Any online mention of your business's name, address, and phone number (NAP). Citations appear on directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific sites. Consistent citations help Google verify your business is real.
Three specific metrics Google uses to measure user experience: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). These metrics measure loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability.
The process search engines use to discover and scan web pages. Google's "crawlers" (also called "spiders" or "bots") follow links from page to page, reading content and indexing it in Google's database.
A score (0-100) that predicts how well a website will rank. Created by Moz, it's based on factors like backlinks and age. Higher DA means more authority. Note: This is a third-party metric, not used directly by Google.
Identical or very similar content appearing on multiple pages or websites. Google may filter out duplicate content from search results, which can hurt your visibility. Always create unique content for each page.
Formerly Google My Business. A free listing that shows your business on Google Maps and in local search results (the "Local Pack"). Essential for local SEO. Includes your address, phone, hours, photos, and reviews.
A free tool from Google that shows how your site performs in search: which keywords you rank for, crawl errors, mobile usability issues, and more. Every website owner should have this set up.
HTML tags that define headings on a web page. H1 is the main title (use one per page), H2 for major sections, H3 for subsections, etc. Proper heading structure helps search engines understand your content hierarchy.
Secure version of HTTP (the protocol websites use). Indicated by a padlock icon in the browser. Google favors secure sites, so having an SSL certificate (which enables HTTPS) is important for SEO.
Google's database of web pages. When Google "indexes" your page, it adds it to this database so it can appear in search results. If a page isn't indexed, it won't show up in searches.
A link from one page on your website to another page on your website. Internal linking helps search engines discover pages, understand your site structure, and pass authority between pages.
A word or phrase people type into search engines. For example, "plumber Los Angeles" or "best pizza near me". SEO involves targeting the right keywords that your potential customers are searching for.
A score (usually 0-100) that estimates how hard it would be to rank for a specific keyword. Higher difficulty means more competition. Start with lower-difficulty keywords that you can actually win.
The map and three business listings that appear at the top of Google for local searches. For example, searching "dentist San Diego" shows a map with three dentists. Getting into the Local Pack significantly increases visibility.
A longer, more specific keyword phrase. Example: "emergency plumber in downtown Los Angeles" vs "plumber". Long-tail keywords have lower search volume but higher conversion rates and are easier to rank for.
The short summary (150-160 characters) that appears under your page title in search results. While not a direct ranking factor, a compelling meta description increases click-through rates. Include keywords and a call-to-action.
Google's practice of using the mobile version of your website for indexing and ranking. If your site doesn't work well on mobile devices, it can hurt your rankings. Make sure your site is mobile-responsive.
Stands for Name, Address, Phone. For local SEO, your NAP must be consistent everywhere it appears online (website, Google Business Profile, directories, social media). Inconsistent NAP confuses Google and hurts rankings.
A link with a rel="nofollow" tag that tells search engines not to pass authority to the linked page. Used for untrusted content, paid links, or user-generated content like blog comments.
The unpaid listings that appear in search results based on relevance to the search query. These are different from paid ads (which appear at the top with an "Ad" label). SEO focuses on improving your organic rankings.
Optimization you do directly on your web pages: titles, headings, content, internal links, images, URL structure. Contrast with off-page SEO (backlinks, citations) and technical SEO (site speed, mobile-friendliness).
How fast your web pages load. Google uses page speed as a ranking factor, especially on mobile. Slow sites frustrate users and have higher bounce rates. Aim for under 3 seconds load time.
Google's original algorithm for measuring the importance of web pages based on backlinks. While the public PageRank score no longer exists, the concept of link-based authority is still fundamental to how Google ranks pages.
Your position in search results for a specific keyword. #1 is the top result, #10 is usually the last result on page 1. The goal of SEO is to improve your rankings for relevant keywords.
A file that tells search engine crawlers which pages they're allowed to access on your site. Located at yoursite.com/robots.txt. Be careful—blocking the wrong pages can prevent them from appearing in search results.
Code you add to your website to help search engines understand your content better. For local businesses, LocalBusiness schema tells Google your address, phone, hours, etc. Can enable rich snippets like star ratings in search results.
The average number of times people search for a specific keyword per month. Higher volume means more potential traffic, but usually more competition. Balance high-volume keywords with lower-volume, easier-to-rank terms.
The page Google shows after you search for something. Includes organic results, ads, the Local Pack, featured snippets, and other elements. Understanding SERPs helps you know what you're competing against.
A file listing all important pages on your website, formatted for search engines. Submit it to Google Search Console to help Google discover and crawl all your pages. Located at yoursite.com/sitemap.xml.
The HTML element that defines your page title. Shows in search results (the blue clickable link), browser tabs, and social media shares. One of the most important on-page SEO factors. Keep under 60 characters, include your main keyword.
The format of your website addresses. Clean, descriptive URLs are better than random strings of numbers. Good: yoursite.com/plumbing-services-los-angeles. Bad: yoursite.com/page?id=12345.
How easy and pleasant it is to use your website. Google increasingly uses UX signals (page speed, mobile-friendliness, ease of navigation) as ranking factors. A site that's frustrating to use will have worse rankings.
Extensible Markup Language. A format used for sitemaps (XML Sitemap) that search engines can easily read. Your XML sitemap lists all your important pages so Google can find and index them.
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