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.edu Link

Definition A “.edu” link, also referred to as an educational backlink, is a hyperlink originating from a website that has a .edu domain extension. This extension indicates that the website belongs to an accredited educational institution. In the context of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), these types of backlinks are highly valuable because they come from […]

.gov Links

Definition A “.gov” link is a backlink from a website domain that ends in .gov, which stands for “government”. These websites are usually owned by local, state, or federal government entities across the world. Governamental links are highly prized because they are seen as trustworthy sources that hold high authority on search engines like Google […]

10 Blue Links

“10 Blue Links” refers to the conventional setup of search engines, displaying ten organized, clickable, and organic search results.

306 HTTP Status Code

The deprecated 306 HTTP Status Code previously directed clients to change protocols for subsequent requests in HTTP/1.0.

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Above-The-Fold

Definition “Above-The-Fold” is a term derived from newspaper design and adapted for web design. It refers to the part of a webpage that is visible on your screen when you first land on a website, without having to scroll down. This is often the first impression a user gets of your website and includes all […]

Accessibility

Accessibility in SEO is ensuring websites are easily navigated by search engines and users, including those with disabilities or assistive technologies.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a versatile SEO tool suite for keyword analysis, backlink tracking, content research, and competitiveness, focusing on hyperlink examination.

AJAX

AJAX: Definition AJAX, an acronym for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a set of web development techniques used on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications. In simple words, AJAX allows web pages to update and fetch data from the server without requiring to reload the page. This leads to faster and more interactive web […]

Algorithm Change

Definition Algorithm changes refer to updates made by search engines, primarily Google, to the systems and formulas used to rank web pages in search results. These changes aim to improve search quality and relevance for users. Algorithm Change Relevance For SEO Algorithm changes directly impact search engine optimization (SEO) strategies and website rankings. When Google updates its algorithm, some sites may gain visibility while others lose rankings or traffic. Understanding the motivation behind algorithm changes allows SEO professionals to optimize sites appropriately. Adapting […]

Alt Tag

Definition An “Alt Tag”, also known as the “Alt Attribute” or “Alt Description,” is a brief text description that can be added to an image’s HTML code to describe the appearance and function of that image on a webpage. This tag acts as a replacement for the image if it cannot be displayed or rendered, […]

Anchor Text

Definition Anchor Text refers to the clickable words used to link one web page to another, usually highlighted or underlined to stand out from the rest of the text. In HTML, the anchor text is enclosed by anchor tags (<a> and </a>) which defines the start and end of the hyperlink, while the ‘href’ attribute […]

API

API, short for Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules enabling software applications to interact and share data.

Asymmetrical SEO

Definition Asymmetrical SEO is a concept in the SEO field that refers to an optimization approach where smaller websites with lower budgets aim to compete with larger, more authoritative companies. Rather than relying on standard broad SEO tactics, an asymmetrical SEO strategy employs more targeted, nimble techniques to find openings in the competitive landscape. Asymmetrical […]

Audience Behavior

Definition Audience Behavior refers to the patterns, habits, or actions exhibited by your website’s visitors. This encompasses various elements including the time they spend on your site, the pages they visit, their geographical location, the device they use, as well as their engagement with your content. Audience Behavior is instrumental in understanding your users, their […]

Authority

Definition Authority refers to the importance or influence a website/page has in relation to a given search query. Websites and pages seen as authoritative, trustworthy and relevant by search engines are more likely to rank higher in search results. Authority Relevance For SEO Authority is a core ranking factor for SEO. It signals to search […]

Average Session Duration

“Average Session Duration is the average time a user spends on a website in a single visit, reflecting user engagement.”

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Black Hat SEO

Definition Black hat SEO refers to unethical and manipulative practices used to deceive search engines and artificially improve a website’s search engine rankings. Black Hat SEO Relevance For SEO Black hat SEO aims to exploit loopholes in search engine algorithms to push webpages higher in search results. While these tactics may briefly improve rankings, they […]

Book Actions Schema

Book Actions Schema is a structured data markup that gives search engines detailed information about a book’s availability and related actions.

Branded Keyword

A branded keyword is a search term that includes the specific name or variation of a company, business, or brand.

Broken Link Building

Definition Broken Link Building is an SEO strategy where marketers find links on a website that no longer work — typically because the page they linked to has moved or been deleted — and offer a replacement link that usually points back to their own content. The goal is to add value to other websites […]

Browser Console

The browser console is an in-built tool in web browsers that assists developers in debugging, testing JavaScript code, and viewing errors.

Browser Developer Tools

Browser Developer Tools are built-in web browser instruments for assessing and adjusting website performance, layout, and code.

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Cached Page

Definition A cached page is a snapshot of a webpage that is stored on a server for faster delivery to users. Search engines like Google create cached versions of webpages when they crawl the internet to be able to quickly serve pages to searchers. Cached Page Relevance For SEO Cached pages play an important role […]

Click Depth

Definition Click Depth, also known as Link Depth, refers to the number of clicks required to reach a particular page from the home page or a root domain in a website structure. In simpler terms, it defines the depth of a page on your website. A high click depth means a page is hard to […]

Click Potential

Click Potential is the estimated number of clicks a webpage can get from search engine results, based on ranking, click-through rate, and search volume.

Clickbait

Definition Clickbait is a term used to describe a type of online content designed to entice users to click on a hyperlink. This is typically achieved by using a provocative, intriguing, or over-exaggerated headline or thumb image. While not always the case, clickbait content often under-delivers on its promise once clicked, as its primary purpose […]

Clickstream Data

Definition Clickstream data refers to the record of web pages and content that users click on as they browse the internet. It tracks the path or “stream” of clicks that users make. This includes things like: So in essence, clickstream data provides insights into user behavior and journeys across websites. Clickstream Data Relevance For SEO […]

Cloaking

Definition Cloaking is a black hat SEO technique where a website shows one version of content to search engines, while showing different content to users. The goal is to manipulate search engine rankings. Cloaking Relevance For SEO Cloaking aims to trick search engines into ranking webpages higher than they deserve. By showing search engines content […]

Co-Citation

Definition Co-citation in SEO refers to the common phenomenon where two different websites are cited together by a third website during the structuring of its relevant content. Essentially, when Website A and Website B are both mentioned and linked in a post on Website C, that act creates a connection between A and B, known […]

Code Coverage

Definition Code coverage refers to how much of a website’s code is actually being used to render pages that users see. It measures the percentage of code that is executed when pages load. It is specially important for JavaScript and CSS files. Code Coverage Relevance For SEO Having higher code coverage is better for SEO because: Code Coverage Best Practices for SEO Some best […]

Code to Text Ratio

Definition The code to text ratio refers to the amount of visible text content compared to HTML and other code elements on a web page. It is calculated by dividing the text content by the total bytes of HTML, CSS, JavaScript etc. Code to Text Ratio Relevance For SEO While the code to text ratio […]

Commercial Investigation Search Intent

Definition Commercial investigation search intent refers to search queries where the user is researching a product or service with the intent to potentially make a purchase. These users are very likely to convert into customers, as they’re already in the buying process, past the awareness stage and into the consideration stage. They typically use search queries that involve comparisons, reviews, or specific product-related keywords. […]

Competitive Analysis

Competitive Analysis in SEO is studying your competitors’ SEO strategies like keywords, backlinks, content quality, and site structure.

Content Audit

A content audit is a thorough review and analysis of a website’s content to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

Content Freshness

Definition Content Freshness refers to the frequency at which new content is added or existing content is updated on a webpage, blog, or website. It can also concern the currentness or modernity of the information presented. This SEO factor is imperative to improve a website’s relevance, visibility, and rank in search engine results. Content Freshness […]

Content Gap

A Content Gap refers to the missing or inadequate content on your site that your target audience seeks and competitors provide.

Content is King

Definition “Content is king” is a phrase coined by Bill Gates in 1996 stating that quality and relevant content is the most important factor for success on the internet. In SEO, it means that content is the primary driver of organic search traffic and rankings. Content is King Relevance For SEO The idea behind “content […]

Content Management System (CMS)

Definition A content management system (CMS) is a software application that allows users to create, edit, organize, and publish content on websites without needing to write code or have technical expertise. CMSs provide templates and plugins to easily add and manage content. Content Management System (CMS) Relevance For SEO Content management systems are highly relevant […]

Content Marketing

“Content Marketing is a strategic practice of creating engaging, valuable content to attract, educate, and convert a target audience.”

Content Prompt

Definition A Content Prompt is a statement or question designed to inspire and guide the creation of valuable, audience-specific content. These prompts help writers maintain focus and produce content that effectively addresses a particular topic or satisfies a user’s search intent. Content Prompt Relevance For SEO In SEO, a Content Prompt is essential in shaping […]

Content Pruning

Content Pruning is an SEO strategy for enhancing website performance by assessing and optimizing or eliminating underperforming content.

Content Strategy

‘Content Strategy’ is a comprehensive plan for creating, delivering, and managing content that resonates with the target audience, aiding in effective SEO.

Conversion Rate (CR)

Conversion Rate (CR) is the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action like buying, signing up, or filling forms.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the method of improving your webpage to increase the likelihood of visitors performing desired actions.

Cookies

A “Cookie” is a small data saved by websites on your browser to remember your actions or preferences for personalized experiences.

Cost Per Action (CPA)

Definition Cost Per Action (CPA) refers to the average cost incurred by an advertiser/business to acquire a conversion or desired action from a customer. In SEO, common actions include form submissions, purchases, signups, downloads etc. CPA is calculated as: Total Cost of Campaign / Total Number of Conversions For example, if an SEO campaign cost […]

Cost Per Click (CPC)

Cost Per Click (CPC) is the price you pay each time a user clicks on your pay-per-click (PPC) digital advertising campaign.

Crawl Depth

Crawl depth is the number of clicks from the homepage a search engine spider will go to index subpages of a website.

Crawl Error

Definition Crawl errors occur when a search engine crawler cannot access or render a web page while crawling a website. This prevents the page from being indexed and appearing in search results. Crawl Error Relevance For SEO Crawl errors negatively impact a website’s SEO performance. When crawl errors exist, search engines cannot fully explore and understand a site’s content and structure. As a result, pages […]

Crawl Map

Definition A crawl map is a visual representation of a website’s architecture that shows how search engine crawlers traverse the pages on a site. Crawl maps display website pages as nodes or dots, with the links between pages shown as connecting lines or edges. Crawl Map Relevance For SEO Crawl maps can be very useful for SEO in a few key ways: Overall, crawl maps provide a unique […]

Crawling

Definition Crawling is the process by which search engine bots systematically discover and scan website pages to understand their content and structure. Crawling Relevance For SEO Crawling is fundamental for SEO as the discovery, understanding and indexing of your website by search engine bots will largely determine how it is ranked in search engine results […]

Critical Rendering Path Optimization

Critical Rendering Path Optimization improves website loading efficiency by optimizing the sequence of translating HTML, CSS, and JavaScript into screen pixels.

CSS

Definition CSS, or Cascading Style Sheets, is a language used in web development to describe the look and formatting of a document written in HTML or XML. Essentially, CSS is the makeup of the web – it styles and beautifies the underlying HTML structure. It controls elements such as layouts, colors, fonts and transition effects, […]

CSS Class

A CSS class is a CSS selector that assigns styles to a group of elements, enhancing code modulation and reusability.

CSS ID

A CSS ID is a unique identifier for a specific HTML element, used to apply unique style rules in CSS.

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De-Index

Definition De-indexing refers to the procedure of removing a webpage or an entire website from the search engine index. This means the de-indexed pages won’t appear in search result listings, regardless of the search queries or the corresponding content that possesses potential relevancy. It’s important to note that de-indexing doesn’t involve deleting the website or […]

Deep Linking

Definition Deep Linking refers to the practice of linking directly to a specific page or content within a website, as opposed to the landing or home page. These links do not necessarily point to the home page or the top-level navigation, but direct users to more in-depth information contained within subsections of a website. It […]

Demand Generation

Definition Demand generation is a multi-step, data-driven strategic marketing process aimed at creating awareness and interest in a company’s products or services. It involves a broad range of targeted promotional activities such as content marketing, email marketing, social media advertising, and SEO, to anticipate and influence the customer’s purchasing decision. Demand Generation Relevance For SEO […]

Direct Traffic

Definition Direct traffic refers to visits to a website that don’t have a defined source or referring site. It includes visitors typing the URL directly, using bookmarks, clicking links in emails, and organic search visits that are incorrectly categorized. Direct Traffic Relevance For SEO Direct Traffic Best Practices for SEO

Directory Listing

Definition A Directory Listing, in the context of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), refers to the listing of a website or its specific page(s) in a web directory. Unlike Search Engines that automatically crawl and index websites, web directories are organized by categories and subcategories, and entries are commonly managed manually by human editors. These listings […]

Disavow File

A “Disavow File” is a tool used in SEO to tell search engines to ignore certain harmful or low-quality links to a website.

Disavow Link

Definition A disavow link is a request to search engines like Google to ignore certain inbound links pointing to a website. It tells Google not to use those links when evaluating the website for search engine rankings. Disavow Link Relevance For SEO Disavowing links can be useful for managing a website’s backlink profile and protecting it from spammy or low-quality links. Here are some key points about disavow […]

DMOZ

Definition DMOZ, short for Directory Mozilla, was an open directory project developed to catalogue and organize the myriad of websites on the internet. It was a multilingual open-content directory of web links curated by a community of volunteer editors. It was also known as “Open Directory Project (ODP)” and was available to the public free […]

Document Object Model (DOM)

The Document Object Model (DOM) is a coding interface that simplifies interaction with webpage content by representing it in an organized structure.

Domain Authority (DA)

Definition Domain Authority (DA) is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). It scores from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater ability to rank. It evaluates multiple factors, such as linking root domains and the total number of links, into […]

Domain History

Definition Domain History refers to the historical data associated with a particular website URL or domain name. This includes purchase details, registration and expiry dates, changes in ownership, past site architectures, and any penalties or blacklists the domain may have been subjected to. The domain history provides a comprehensive backstory of how the domain has […]

Domain Rating (DR)

Domain Rating (DR) is an SEO metric by Ahrefs, rating a website’s backlink trust and authority on a 0-100 scale.

Doorway Page

Definition A Doorway Page, often referred to as a gateway page, jump page or bridge page, is a webpage specifically optimized for a unique keyword or phrase to serve as an entry point for visitors. This page often lacks substantial content and is designed primarily to allure search engine crawlers and rank highly in search […]

Duplicate Content

Definition Duplicate content refers to substantial blocks of content within or across domains which either completely match or are appreciably similar. It’s not always deceptive, and can occur unintentionally on a website for various reasons. This includes instances where similar or identical content appears on multiple URLs, or when two different websites publish the same […]

Dynamic Rendering

Definition Dynamic rendering refers to a technical process employed in the field of SEO, where websites display a different version of its content to users and search engine robots. This is often achieved by leveraging user-agents, scripts that determine if the user is a human or a search engine bot. These scripts adapt the display […]

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Edge SEO

Edge SEO involves using edge computing technologies to apply quick and location-specific SEO changes, leading to minimized latency.

Editorial Link

Definition An ‘Editorial Link’ is a type of inbound link that is included within the body of content and is directly relevant to the subject matter. It is a link that is freely given by other websites, content managers, or bloggers because they believe your content will provide value to their readers, thus enhancing their […]

Engagement Metrics

Definition Engagement Metrics refer to a set of data collected from user interactions on your website. These measures include but are not limited to: bounce rate, average session duration, pages per session, click-through rate, and for search engines, dwell time. Essentially, they provide a gauge on how users are interacting with your website and its […]

Enterprise SEO

Enterprise SEO is a large-scale, strategic optimization approach, designed for large websites to maintain high search engine rankings.

Entities

Definition Entities refer to unique, well-defined concepts or objects that search engines can understand and differentiate, such as people, places, organizations, products, etc. Entities are represented in search engine knowledge graphs and have unique identifiers. Entities Relevance For SEO Entities Best Practices for SEO Applying entities in your SEO plan can be beneficial. For best […]

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GDPR

GDPR is a 2018 EU law enhancing EU citizens’ privacy protection by requiring businesses to safeguard their personal data.

Google Sandbox

Definition Google Sandbox refers to the observation that new websites, even if well-optimized and having backlinks, tend to rank lower or not at all on Google Search compared to other search engines like Bing or Yahoo. This is hypothesized to be due to Google using algorithms that “sandbox” new websites to evaluate their quality and trustworthiness before ranking them highly. Google Sandbox Relevance For SEO The Google Sandbox is relevant for SEO because it impacts […]

Google Search Quality Raters Guidelines

Definition The Search Quality Rater Guidelines is a 175-page document published by Google that outlines the criteria human raters should use to evaluate the quality of websites and web pages. These raters assess pages on dimensions like expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness, and ability to meet the user’s needs. Their job helps Google refine its algorithms by […]

Google Trends

Definition Google Trends is a free, online tool provided by Google that shows data depicting how the volume of Google search queries has changed over time. It displays search interest of a certain keyword or topic geographically or worldwide. The data can be dissected by date range, geographical location, and category, providing insight into the […]

Google Webmaster Guidelines

Definition The Google Webmaster Guidelines are a set of recommended practices provided by Google, designed to help webmasters make their sites more accessible and understandable to the search engine’s crawlers. The guidelines cover a variety of concepts, including useful design consideration, technical recommendations, quality content creation and more. These rules are not mandatory, but Google […]

Gray Hat SEO

Definition Gray Hat SEO refers to SEO tactics and techniques that fall into an ethical gray area between completely acceptable White Hat SEO and clearly unethical Black Hat SEO. Gray Hat SEO tactics may violate search engine guidelines to some degree while attempting to provide value to users. Gray Hat SEO Relevance For SEO Gray Hat SEO is relevant because it can be effective in helping a website gain visibility and […]

Guest Post

Definition A Guest Post is an article or blog post written and published on a website by an author who is not a regular contributor. The goal is often to contribute valuable content to another blog in exchange for exposure and backlinks, which direct readers back to the guest poster’s website. Guest Post Relevance for […]

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Heading Tags

Definition Heading tags, often referred to as HTML header tags or simply as H1 through H6 tags, are pieces of HTML code used to identify the headings and subheadings within your content from other types of text such as paragraph text. They range from H1 to H6, with H1 being the main title or most […]

Headless Website

A headless website is one where the front-end user interface is separated from the back-end data management, offering developers flexibility.

Health Score

“Health Score” in SEO refers to a metric evaluating website performance based on factors like page speed, crawlability, and mobile-friendliness.

Hreflang Tag

The hreflang tag is an HTML attribute indicating the language and geographical targeting of a webpage, improving the site’s SEO.

HSTS

HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) is a server guideline that directs browsers to safely connect only with HTTPS, not HTTP.

HTML

Definition HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language and is the standard markup language used in creating web pages. It forms the structure of a webpage and helps display content on the internet. HTML uses different tags to define the layout and elements of a webpage such as text, images, videos, and hyperlinks. HTML Relevance For […]

HTML5

Definition HTML5 is the latest major version of the HTML standard that is used to structure and present content on websites. It was first released in 2014 and has since been widely adopted. HTML5 brings with it new tags and attributes that allow for greater interactivity and multimedia integration, including video, audio, and canvas elements. […]

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Indexed Pages

“Indexed Pages” are web pages recognized and stored by search engines, thus being considered during search-result retrieval and ranking.

Infographic

Definition An infographic is a visual presentation of information or data designed to be easily understandable at a glance. Infographics are often composed of charts, diagrams, images, and brief text descriptions to educate, inform, or enhance understanding of a topic. Infographic Relevance For SEO Infographics are relevant for SEO for several reasons, here they are: […]

Information Retrieval

Definition Information retrieval refers to the process search engines use to extract and return relevant information from their databases or indexes to match a user’s search query. It involves analyzing the user’s search terms, matching those terms to web pages indexed by the search engine, ranking those web pages based on relevance, and then displaying the most relevant results on the search engine results pages (SERPs). Information Retrieval Relevance For SEO Information retrieval is highly relevant […]

Informational Search Intent

Definition Informational search intent means that the user wants to learn something when conducting a search. These searches are often phrased as questions and use words like who, what, where, why, and how to find information on a topic. Typically, users with informational intent are in the early phase of understanding a topic and are […]

Inline Linking

Definition Inline linking, also known as contextual linking, is a process where certain words or phrases within the content are linked to related pages on the same or different website. These hyperlinks provide readers additional reference or further reading options on the same subject matter. They differ from navigation or menu links as they are […]

IP Address

Definition An IP Address, short for Internet Protocol Address, is a unique identifier allocated to every device connected to the internet. It plays a crucial role in allowing the transmission and receipt of data, essentially serving as the ‘address’ of a device on the digital network. It usually appears as a set of numbers, divided […]

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Keyword Cannibalization

Definition Keyword cannibalization refers to a situation where multiple pages on a website target the same or very similar keywords. This results in the website’s own pages competing against each other in search engine results pages (SERPs). This situation may dilute your SEO efforts because search engines, like Google, may not be able to identify which page is more relevant for the targeted keyword, resulting in lower rankings […]

Keyword Density

Definition Keyword density refers to how often a target keyword appears on a web page relative to the total number of words on that page. It is calculated as: (Number of times the keyword appears / Total number of words on the page) x 100 Expressed as a percentage. For example, if a page has 300 words and the term “shoes” appears 6 times, the keyword density for “shoes” on that page is 2%. Keyword Density Relevance […]

Keyword Difficulty

Keyword Difficulty (KD) is a numeric index (0-100) indicating the competitiveness of achieving high search engine rankings for a specific keyword.

Keyword Research

Definition Keyword Research refers to a fundamental practice in the field of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It involves identifying popular words and phrases that individuals enter into search engines with the objective of understanding what kind of content users are actively searching for. These insights enable SEO professionals, marketers, and content creators to craft content […]

Keyword Stuffing

Definition Keyword stuffing is an outdated and discouraged SEO technique that involves overloading a webpage with target keywords in an unnatural way. The purpose of this practice is to manipulate a site’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). Keyword stuffing can occur within the page content, meta tags, alt attributes, or even as hidden […]

Keyword Volume

Keyword volume refers to the average number of times a specific keyword is searched by users within a set timeframe.

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Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI)

Definition Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) refers to the use of semantically related words and phrases, known as LSI keywords, to help search engines better understand the topic and meaning of content on a webpage. Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) Relevance for SEO While Google has stated that it does not use latent semantic indexing specifically, semantic analysis and the use of related terms is […]

Lead Magnet

Definition A ‘Lead Magnet’ is a marketing strategy tool used to generate customer leads by offering a value-added service or commodity in exchange for visitors’ contact information, usually their email addresses. Such coveted rewards may include free eBooks, guides, whitepapers, subscriptions, templates, exclusive content, or discounts. This strategy is primarily leveraged to create a subscriber […]

Link Bait

Definition Link bait is a strategy used by content creators, whereby they create valuable, unique, and highly engaging or useful content with the main objective of naturally attracting backlinks from other websites. This strategy leverages content that is designed to go viral, promote social sharing, or is newsworthy, to naturally attract backlinks. Link Bait Relevance […]

Link Decay

Definition Link decay refers to the gradual loss of value and relevance of a backlink over time. As backlinks age, they tend to carry less weight in search engine ranking algorithms. Link Decay Relevance For SEO Link Decay Best Practices for SEO

Link Equity

Definition Link equity, also known as “link juice,” is a search engine ranking factor based on the idea that certain links can pass value and authority from one page to another. This value, which is shared through the links, is used by search engines to help determine a webpage’s rank in search results. Factors such […]

Link Farm

A link farm is a group of websites created to artificially increase another site’s link popularity, a disapproved SEO strategy.

Link Intersect

“Link Intersect” is an SEO strategy of identifying websites that link to competitors but not to you, to uncover potential backlink opportunities.

Link Magnet

Definition A “Link Magnet” refers to a piece of web content created with the aim of attracting the highest possible number of valuable backlinks from other websites. This includes high-quality articles, infographics, studies, tutorials, free resources, interactive and innovative tools or valuable information that naturally encourages users and site owners to link to them. Link […]

Listicle Link Building

Definition Listicle Link Building is a unique SEO strategy that revolves around creating and publishing list-based articles (listicles) that contain actionable items with the goal of ranking and attracting organic backlinks to it. A listicle could rank anything from “The Top 10 Digital Marketing Strategies” to “7 Most Delicious Pizza Recipes”. This strategy might help […]

LLM (Large Language Model)

Large Language Models (LLMs) use deep learning to comprehend and generate human language, enabling text generation, translation, and sentiment analysis.

Long-Form Article

Definition Long-form content refers to in-depth articles, blog posts, or other pieces of content that are typically over 1,500 words or more in length. In some instances, long-form content may even extend to several thousand words. These in-depth articles go into substantial detail about specific subjects, offering extensive information and providing significant value to the […]

Long-Tail Keyword

Definition A ‘Long-Tail Keyword’ is a highly specific search phrase that generally contains three or more words. It’s more targeted than short, broad keywords and tends to bring in less traffic, but the traffic it does bring is typically more qualified. These keywords are called ‘long-tail’ because, if you plot the frequency of keywords on […]

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Meta Keywords

Definition Meta Keywords are a subset of meta tags that exist in HTML code and allow designers to include additional text that does not appear on the website’s page when viewed in a browser. They were created as a method of including keywords in a webpage that would be spidered by search engines but not […]

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Native Advertising

Definition Native Advertising refers to a type of online advertising that matches the form and function of the platform on which it appears. Essentially, these are ads that blend seamlessly with the content, look, and feel of the non-advertisement content presented. The key idea is to create ads that don’t disrupt the user’s browsing experience. […]

Navigational Search Intent

Definition Navigational search intent refers to search queries where the user intends to navigate to a particular website or webpage that they already have in mind. The intent is to find that specific site rather than find information or make a purchase. Navigational Search Intent Relevance For SEO Optimizing for navigational search intent is important for SEO because it helps ensure that your site appears prominently when users search for your brand name or specific pages on your […]

Negative Keywords

Definition Negative keywords are a type of keyword in Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, particularly in Google Ads, that prevent your ad from being triggered by a certain word or phrase. They work as filters to make sure that your ads don’t show up for irrelevant search queries. When you add negative keywords to your PPC campaigns, […]

Negative SEO

Definition Negative SEO refers to malicious practices aimed at damaging a website’s search engine rankings. It typically involves using ‘black hat’ SEO tactics, such as building spammy, unnatural links to a website, content scraping, or even hacking a site. While it’s a less-common occurrence, it’s crucial to understand its implications and safeguard against it. Negative […]

Next-Gen Image

Next-Gen Images are optimized web image formats like WebP, JPEG 2000, faster and smaller, improving load times and user experience.

NLU (Natural Language Understanding)

Natural Language Understanding (NLU) is an AI subfield focused on interpreting context, nuances, and intentions in human language.

Noarchive Attribute

Definition The “Noarchive” attribute is a value that can be included in the meta robots tag of a web page to instruct search engines to not save a cached copy of the page. Essentially, it’s a tool for site owners to exert more control over how their content is displayed and accessed. Noarchive Attribute Relevance […]

Nosnippet Attribute

Definition The “nosnippet” attribute is a meta tag used in the HTML code of a webpage to instruct search engines not to show a snippet or preview of the content in search results. When the nosnippet tag is applied to a page, search engines will display only the page’s title, URL, and meta description in […]

Not-Provided

‘Not-Provided’ in Google Analytics signifies the withholding of search query data due to privacy concerns, commonly during encrypted Google searches.

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Open Graph

Definition Open Graph is a technology first introduced by Facebook in 2010 that enhances the way a website page will appear when shared on social media platforms. The Open Graph protocol enables any webpage to become a rich object in a social graph. Essentially, it controls how URLs are represented when they are shared within […]

Organic Link

Definition An organic link, also known as a natural link, is a link that comes to your website naturally without you taking any action. Think of it as people in the online world acknowledging your content as valuable and worthy of citation. Unlike paid or promotional links that are placed proactively, organic links are earned […]

Organic Search Results

Organic Search Results are unpaid listings on a SERP, determined by search engine algorithms based on relevance, quality, and backlinks.

Orphan Page

An ‘Orphan Page’ is a webpage not linked to any part of a website, making it tough to find for users and search engine bots.

Outbound Link

Definition An outbound link, also referred to as an external link, is a hyperlink that points from your website to another site on the internet. Essentially, if another website is linked from your webpage, you are providing an outbound link. These can be found scattered throughout a site’s content or used in references at the […]

Outreach

“Outreach” in SEO is the strategic process of connecting with relevant websites, influencers, for backlinks and brand visibility.

Overlinking

Definition Overlinking refers to using an excessive number of internal links on a web page. It involves linking words or phrases on a page to other pages on the same website. Overlinking Relevance For SEO Overlinking can negatively impact a website’s SEO in several ways. First, it can make a page difficult for users to read and navigate if there are links […]

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PageRank

Definition PageRank is a link analysis algorithm developed by Google’s founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin that assigns a numerical score to webpages to measure their relative importance within a set of webpages. PageRank Relevance For SEO PageRank was instrumental in Google’s early success as a search engine because it helped Google return more relevant search results compared to other search engines at the time. […]

Pageview

Definition A ‘Pageview’ is a metric in web analytics that represents an instance where a user visits and loads a specific page on a website. It quantifies the total number of times a particular webpage is viewed or refreshed. Multiple pageviews can be generated by the same user during the same session if they navigate […]

Pay-Per-Click (PPC)

Definition Pay-Per-Click (PPC) refers to an internet advertising model where advertisers pay a fee each time a user clicks on their ad. PPC ads allow advertisers to target users based on specific keywords and demographics. The cost per click is determined through bidding, where advertisers set the maximum they are willing to pay for a […]

People Also Ask (PAA)

Definition ‘People Also Ask’ (PAA) is a feature displayed by Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). These are the dynamic boxes that appear when users make a search query. Each PAA box contains a collection of related questions that people often ask concerning the searched topic. They serve to offer quick insights without requiring the […]

PHP

Definition PHP, an acronym for “Hypertext Preprocessor,” is a widely-used open source scripting language. It’s especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML. PHP is a server-side language, which means it runs on the server before it reaches the user’s browser. It’s responsible for creating dynamic web pages, performing operations on databases, […]

Pogo-Sticking

Definition Pogo-Sticking refers to the user behavior of rapidly clicking in and out of search results and returning to the search engine results page (SERP). This action typically happens when users do not find what they’re looking for on the initial webpage, so they ‘bounce back’ to the SERP and try another link. Pogo-Sticking Relevance […]

Private Blog Network (PBN)

Definition A Private Blog Network (PBN) is an interconnected network of blogs or websites used for link building to increase the search engine ranking of a target or “money” website. The individual blogs in the network are usually high-domain authority sites that SEO experts have acquired and repurposed specifically to link to the target site. […]

Programmatic SEO

Programmatic SEO leverages automation and AI to optimize large-scale websites for organic search, making SEO tasks efficient and data-driven.

Progressive Web App (PWA)

A Progressive Web App (PWA) merges traditional webpage with mobile app features, including offline work, push notifications, and hardware access.

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Query

Definition A “Query” in the realm of SEO is a statement or question inputted by a user into the search bar of a search engine, like Google or Bing. These inputted words, phrases, or sentences are what set the algorithm of the search engine in motion to deliver relevant results. A query could be anything […]

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Rank Transition

Definition Rank Transition is an algorithmic concept used by search engines like Google. It represents the fluctuation of a website’s ranking during a certain period after making changes to the website’s SEO. The purpose is to confuse SEO spammers who attempt to manipulate search results by frequently altering their site’s SEO parameters. The principle is […]

Ranking Factor

Definition A “Ranking Factor” is a criteria that search engines, like Google, use to determine the placement of a webpage in search engine results. This includes factors such as a site’s loading speed, mobile-friendliness, keyword relevance, and quality of content. It’s an aspect of a webpage that a search engine algorithm considers important for determining […]

Readability Score

The Readability Score measures ease of understanding content, influenced by sentence length and word complexity, and impacts SEO performance.

Referral Traffic

Definition Referral Traffic, in the SEO context, refers to the visitors to your website that come from direct links on other websites, rather than directly or from searches. When a user clicks on a hyperlink on a different website and lands on your site, the visit is accounted as referral traffic. This hyperlink can be […]

Referrer

In SEO, a “Referrer” is the previous web page a user was on before they clicked a link leading to your website.

Referring Domain

A referring domain in SEO is a website that directs traffic to another website through backlinks.

Referring IP

Definition A referring IP is the IP address of a website that links to another website. When website links to another, it generates a backlink. The IP address associated with that backlink is considered a referring IP. Referring IP Relevance For SEO Referring IPs matter for SEO because they provide insights into a website backlink […]

Regex

“Regex, short for Regular Expression, is a sequence of characters used to search or manipulate text in data or programming.”

Relevance

Definition In the context of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), ‘Relevance’ refers to how well a website’s content corresponds to the search terms used by web users. When a user inputs a search query, the search engine strives to provide the most relevant results based on both the keywords and the intent behind the user’s query. […]

Reputation Management

Definition Reputation Management is an essential practice related to monitoring a brand’s identity and its reputation in the digital world. It involves tracking what is being said or written about a brand or business online, responding to negative reviews or comments, and leveraging positive ones to enhance the brand’s image. It can be seen as […]

Resource Page Link Building

Definition Resource Page Link Building is a strategic practice within Search Engine Optimization (SEO), involving getting your website listed on another website’s resources page. A resource page is a webpage that provides valuable links and resources to its readers, typically on a specific topic. This practice involves identifying relevant resource pages in your website’s niche, […]

Responsive Design

Definition Responsive design is an approach in web design aimed at creating sites that provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience across a wide range of devices, from desktop computer monitors to mobile devices. It leverages flexible layouts, fluid grids, and CSS media queries to adapt the layout of a website to the viewing environment. […]

Root Domain

The Root Domain refers to the core of your website address like ‘example.com’, excluding prefixes (www) or suffixes (page URLs).

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Scholarship Link Building

Definition Scholarship link building involves creating a scholarship program, setting up a webpage to promote it, and reaching out to educational institutions to get links back to the scholarship page. The goal is to obtain high-quality .edu backlinks which can help with search engine optimization (SEO). Scholarship Link Building Relevance For SEO In the sphere […]

Scrape

“Scrape” in SEO refers to the extraction of data from a website using a software tool, known as a “web scraper”.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a digital strategy using paid ads on platforms like Google, Bing, and Yahoo to increase website visibility.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

“SEO is the art of optimizing websites to rank higher on search engine results, increasing organic traffic via keywords, backlinks, and enhanced site performance.”

Search History

Definition Search history refers to the record of searches a user has performed in the past while logged into their Google account. Google stores search history data for up to 180 days. Search History Relevance For SEO Search History Best Practices for SEO

Search Intent

Definition Search Intent, also referred to as ‘User Intent’, is the fundamental objective a user has when entering a query into a search engine. The four main types of search intent are informational (seeking knowledge), navigational (seeking a specific website), transactional (intention to purchase), and commercial investigation (seeking product reviews). Understanding search intent is crucial […]

Search Patent

A “Search Patent” is proprietary technology developed by search engines to rank websites. It’s legally protected and crucial for SEO strategies.

Semantic Equity

Definition Semantic equity refers to the meaning, context, and relationships between words, phrases, and concepts on a web page. It describes how well the content represents the subject matter and meets the informational needs of searchers. This holistic validity improves an entity’s ability to better comprehend a subject matter, enhancing its value and reputation online. Semantic Equity Relevance For SEO Semantic equity is highly relevant for SEO […]

Semantic SEO

Semantic SEO is the strategy of creating meaningful, relevant, and in-depth content, emphasizing on context and related keyword synonyms.

SEO A/B Test

Definition SEO A/B testing refers to comparing two versions of a web page to determine which one performs better for search engine optimization (SEO). The goal is to test changes to on-page elements like titles, meta descriptions, content, etc. to see the impact on organic search traffic and rankings. SEO A/B Test Relevance For SEO […]

SEO Audit

Definition An SEO Audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a website’s visibility within search engines. It assesses the website’s technical infrastructure, on-page and off-page elements to identify any shortcomings that could affect its search engine performance. Mainly, it includes an analysis of website architecture, user experience, content relevancy and link portfolio. SEO Audit Relevance For […]

SEO Causation

SEO Causation is the process of identifying a direct correlation between an SEO strategy and its effect on website ranking.

SEO Correlation

Definition SEO correlation refers to the relationship between certain on-page elements or website characteristics and higher search engine rankings. It examines if pages that rank higher tend to have more of a particular feature compared to pages that rank lower. SEO Correlation Relevance For SEO SEO correlation data can reveal valuable insights into factors that […]

SERP Personalization

Definition SERP Personalization is a process by which Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are tailored to the individual needs and preferences of every user. It involves presenting the most relevant and personalized search results based on a user’s search history, previous browsing behavior, location, and device type among other factors. SERP Personalization Relevance For SEO […]

Server Access Log

Definition A ‘Server Access Log’ is a file, automatically generated by the server, that maintains a history of page requests. The log includes useful details such as: client IP address, request date/time, page requested, HTTP code, bytes served, user agent, and referring URL. Understanding these server access logs can yield vital insights into the behavior […]

Server Log Analysis

Definition Server Log Analysis refers to the process of analyzing the server log files — records kept by the server that contain information about each webpage view within a website. These records typically include data about the source of requests, timestamps, status codes, user agents, and more. This information is crucial in identifying and diagnosing […]

Server Stack

Definition A server stack, also referred to as “web stack,” is a compilation of software applications needed to build and run a web server. A server stack usually consists of four essential components, each serving a specific purpose: an operating system (like Windows, Linux), a database server (like MySQL), a web server (like Apache, Nginx), […]

Server-Side Rendering (SSR)

Server-Side Rendering (SSR) is when a server generates a full, ready-to-view HTML webpage upon user request.

Share of Voice

Definition Share of Voice (SoV) refers to the proportion of online visibility a brand possesses within its specific market, measured against its competitors. It is often represented in percentage form and encompasses areas such as organic search result rankings, paid advertisements, social media discussion, and other mediums. In simple terms, if 100 conversations occur about […]

Short-Tail Keyword

Definition Short-tail keywords are broad search terms usually composed of one or two words. They are often very generic and highly competitive due to their broad search potential. Common examples of short-tail keywords might be “shoes,” “restaurants,” or “phones.” Short-Tail Keyword Relevance for SEO Short-tail keywords correlates directly to high search volume due to their […]

Sitewide Link

Definition A sitewide link is a hyperlink that is present on every page of a website. Typically, they are found in website elements that are consistent across all pages, such as footers, headers, or sidebars. Examples of sitewide links include navigation buttons, such as ‘Home’, ‘About Us’, ‘Contact’, and common resources such as ‘Privacy Policy’ […]

Skyscraper Content

Definition “Skyscraper Content” is a concept in SEO strategy referring to the creation and promotion of content that improves and expands upon existing popular content. The idea behind it is to provide more comprehensive, value-added information to what already exists to attract more backlinks. The term, coined by renowned SEO expert Brian Dean in 2015, […]

Social Signal

Definition ‘Social Signal’ refers to the collective interactions and engagements that occur on social media platforms. This includes likes, shares, comments, follows, pins, views, and votes. These interactions serve as indicators or ‘signals’ to search engines about the popularity, relevance, and credibility of your content or brand on social platforms. Social Signal Relevance For SEO […]

Source Code

Source Code is the programming language used to create, maintain and build a website, involving HTML, CSS, and other languages.

Spider

A “Spider” is a software used by search engines to crawl, index, and update website content, improving search results relevancy.

Sponsored Link

Definition A ‘Sponsored Link’ is a type of link used as advertisement that businesses pay for to in the hopes of increasing their referral traffic. As per Google guidelines, these links should be tagged with the rel=”sponsored” link attribute that indicates they are paid placements. Sponsored Link Relevance For SEO Sponsored links are irrelevant for […]

SSL Certificate

Definition An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certificate is a standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a server and a client, for instance a web server (a website) and a browser, or a mail server and a mail client. It is a small data file that digitally binds a cryptographic key to an […]

Static Assets

‘Static assets’ are unchanging website components, including HTML files, CSS sheets, JavaScript files, and multimedia, delivered without server-side processing.

Stop Word

Stop Word in SEO is a common word, like “a” or “and,” often ignored by search engines when analyzing webpage content.

Subdomain

A subdomain is a unique division of your main website, like sub.domain.com, which functions independently while remaining under the primary domain.

Subfolder

A subfolder is a specific directory under the main root or within another directory of a website server, crucial for URL structuring.

Subresource Integrity (SRI)

Subresource Integrity (SRI) is a security measure ensuring files fetched by browsers, like from CDNs, are unaltered using cryptographic hashes.

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Target Persona

Definition A target persona, also known as a buyer persona, is a detailed description of your ideal customer, formed by combining data and research. It includes demographic information, behavior patterns, motivations, and goals. Target Persona Relevance For SEO For SEO purposes, understanding your target persona is vital. SEO isn’t just about attracting any traffic—it’s about […]

Taxonomy

Taxonomy in SEO is the classification system for website content, enhancing navigability, user-friendliness, and organizational layout.

TF*IDF

TF*IDF is a numerical statistic that measures the importance of a word in a document, considering its frequency and document relevance.

Thought Leadership

Thought Leadership is a marketing strategy in which individuals or firms use their expert knowledge to lead industry conversations.

Time on Page

“Time on Page” is the length of time a visitor spends on a specific webpage, indicating its quality and relevance.

Top-level Domain (TLD)

Definition A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of a domain name. It follows the final dot in a URL and often specifies the purpose or geographic location of a website. Examples include .com, .org, .net, .gov, or .edu, as well as country-specific TLDs like .uk, .ca, or .ae. Top-level Domain (TLD) Relevance For […]

Topic Coverage

“Topic Coverage in SEO refers to the thoroughness of content presented about a specific subject on a webpage or website.”

Topical Authority

“Topical Authority is a website’s or webpage’s proficiency on a specific subject, influenced by content quality and relevance, affecting SEO effectiveness.”

Traffic Value

Traffic Value is the estimated monetary worth of organic search traffic, calculated from the potential cost if acquired via paid methods.

Transactional Search Intent

Definition Transactional Search Intent refers to the user’s goal to complete a transaction, such as making a purchase, booking a flight, signing up for a service, or downloading software. This intent is revealed when a user performs a search with terms such as “buy,” “deal,” and “sale,” or any queries that imply a desire to […]

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Unlinked Mention

Definition An unlinked mention, commonly referred to in the digital marketing and SEO industry, is a point where a brand, product, or company is mentioned on a web page but not linked back to their respective websites. While this falls short of the optimal case of having a backlink, it still offers the mentioned entity […]

URI

A URI, or Uniform Resource Identifier, is a unique string of characters used to identify and locate a web resource.

URL

A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is a distinct address that leads to a specific internet web page, comprised of a protocol, domain name, and path.

URL Parameter

A URL Parameter, or query string, is a component after a question mark (?) in a URL, specifying a page, content, or tracking.

URL Rating (UR)

Definition URL Rating (UR) is a metric developed by Ahrefs, a major SEO tool, which measures the strength of a webpage’s backlink profile on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 100. It is calculated by evaluating both the number and the strength of backlinks to a specific URL. A higher UR indicates that a webpage […]

User Agent

Definition A user agent is a string of text sent by a browser to identify itself and provide information about its capabilities to web servers. The user agent string typically includes the browser type and version, operating system, and device type. Web servers use the user agent to determine how to serve content appropriately for […]

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Web Analytics

Definition Web Analytics is a data-driven process of measuring, collecting, analyzing, and reporting internet data for understanding and optimizing web usage. It’s not solely limited to measuring website traffic but it also includes analysis regarding the behavior of site visitors, source of visitors, which pages are engaging users the most, tracking click paths, and much […]

Web Font

Web fonts are specific formats of fonts (TrueType, OpenType, WOFF) used online for website design and typographical enhancement (self-hosted or hosted services).

Webpage

A webpage is a unique, standalone online document, designed with HTML or similar languages, accessed via a URL through a browser.

Website Navigation

Website Navigation refers to the system that guides users from one page to another within a single website.

Webspam

Webspam, or spamdexing, is deceitful tactics violating search engine guidelines to falsely enhance a website’s organic search rankings.

White Hat SEO

Definition White Hat SEO refers to the ethical techniques and strategies that align with search engine guidelines designed to improve a website’s search engine rankings. Unlike “Black Hat SEO,” white hat tactics focus more on providing value for users, rather than just maximizing rankings. It heavily emphasizes on quality content, website optimization, keyword research and […]

WordPress

WordPress is a user-friendly, free, open-source CMS, enabling creation of websites or blogs using PHP, MySQL with customizable themes and plugins.

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XML

Definition XML stands for Extensible Markup Language. It is a format that allows easy storage and transmission of structured data between different systems. XML Relevance For SEO In SEO, XML is used to create sitemaps that provide search engines with information about the pages on a website. This includes URLs, last updated dates, change frequencies, […]

Xpath

XPath is a query language for selecting nodes in an XML document, enabling navigation through elements and attributes.