Are you new to Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? Our Digital Marketing Specialists do their best to explain the setup and status of your services as simply as possible. But there might be a few (or many!) terms that you’re hearing for the first time. Or maybe you just need a quick reminder about the key elements of an SEO campaign.
Either way, we’re always here to help. To start, here’s a glossary of terms:
A/B Test
When two different versions of the same webpage, landing page, etc. are used to track user engagement before selecting the most effective design.
AdWords
Google’s auction platform for ads and links.
Algorithm
The method by which a search engine chooses websites to display in search results. Hint: It’s complicated!
Back Link
A link to a webpage from another webpage (or website).
Black Hat
SEO tactics that do not adhere to best practices and may negatively affect your efforts (a.k.a. risky business).
Bounce Rate
Percentage of website visitors that leave without going to any other pages.
Bot (or Robot or Crawler)
A program that searches through websites and gathers information for search engines.
Conversion Rate
Percentage of website visitors that take the intended action.
Inbound Link
A link to a webpage from a completely different website meant to drive traffic and improve appearances in search engine results.
Infographic
An image that provides information with graphics. Think pie charts, bar graphs, flow charts, etc.
Internal Link
A link from a webpage to another webpage on the same site.
Keyword
A word or phrase entered by the search engine user into the search bar to pull relevant website results.
Keyword Stuffing
A black hat tactic that entails using the same keyword too many times (unnaturally) to boost appearances in search results.
Landing Page
The first page a visitor is directed towards after taking an intended action.
Link Building
Including links to other websites on a webpage to drive traffic and improve appearances in search engine results.
Local Search Result
Search results based on location for the provided search terms.
Meta Description
The few sentences used to describe the content of a webpage in search results.
Organic Search Results
Search results and listings that appear without the use of paid advertising.
Query
Keyword(s) entered into the search bar.
SERP (Search Engine Ranking Page)
The page with the list of results after a search engine user enters a query.
Sitemap
The page that provides the information for a search engine to navigate a website.
Traffic
Website visitors.
White Hat
SEO tactics that adhere to best practices and positively affect your efforts.
Widget
An installed application used to serve a specific purpose for a website.
