SEO glossary

2xx (Successful)

HTTP response codes in the 2xx range indicate that the client's request was received, understood, and successfully processed by the server. The most common code in this range is 200 OK, which signifies a successful request. Other codes, like 201 Created (indicating successful resource creation) and 204 No Content (indicating a successful request with no additional content to send), fall within this category. These responses reassure the client that their request was fulfilled without errors.

200 (OK)

The HTTP status code 200 OK indicates a successful request. The server has successfully processed the request from the client, and the response typically includes the requested information or resource. This is the standard response for successful HTTP requests.

3xx (Redirection)

HTTP response codes in the 3xx range indicate redirection. These codes inform the client that the requested resource is located elsewhere and provide instructions on how to reach it. For example, 301 Moved Permanently indicates a permanent redirection, while 302 Found (or 307 Temporary Redirect) indicates a temporary redirection. Web developers use these codes when restructuring URLs or directing clients to alternative resources.

301 (Moved Permanently)

A 301 HTTP status code indicates that the requested resource has been permanently moved to a different location. Search engines use this code to understand that the requested URL should no longer be used, and any future requests should be directed to the new URL specified in the response headers. It's crucial for SEO when implementing redirects or changing URL structures.

302 (Found, Moved Temporarily)

The HTTP status code 302 signals a temporary redirection. It indicates that the requested resource has been temporarily moved to another location, and future requests should continue to use the original URL. While 302 redirects are common, search engines treat them differently in terms of indexing and ranking compared to 301 redirects.

307 (Temporary Redirect)

Similar to 302, the 307 HTTP status code represents a temporary redirection. It instructs the client to continue using the original URL for future requests. However, unlike 302, a 307 redirect ensures that the method (GET, POST) used for the original request is retained in subsequent requests.

308 (Permanent Redirect)

Similar to 301, the 308 HTTP status code indicates that the requested resource has been permanently moved to a different location. Search engines use this code to understand that the requested URL should no longer be used, and any future requests should be directed to the new URL specified in the response headers. Unlike 301, a 308 redirect ensures that the method (GET, POST) used for the original request is retained in subsequent requests.

4xx (Client Errors)

HTTP response codes in the 4xx range signify errors that are attributed to the client. These codes indicate that the client's request couldn't be fulfilled due to issues such as mistyped URLs, unauthorized access attempts, or missing resources. Common examples include 403 Forbidden (indicating insufficient permissions) and 404 Not Found (indicating the requested resource could not be located). These responses help clients understand that there was an issue with their request.

403 (Forbidden)

The HTTP status code 403 indicates that the server understood the request, but it refuses to authorize it. This status is returned when the server recognizes the client's identity but determines that the client doesn't have permission to access the requested resource. It's a way for servers to convey that access is denied.

404 (Not Found)

The 404 HTTP status code is one of the most recognizable HTTP responses, signaling that the requested resource is not available on the server. It typically occurs when a URL is mistyped, a page is deleted, or a link is broken. Custom 404 pages are often used to provide a user-friendly experience when encountering this error.

5xx (Server Errors)

HTTP response codes in the 5xx range indicate errors that are attributed to the server. These codes suggest that the server encountered an issue while trying to fulfill the client's request. Examples include 500 Internal Server Error (a generic server error), 502 Bad Gateway (indicating a gateway or proxy issue) and 503 Service Unavailable (indicating temporary unavailability). These responses inform clients that the problem lies with the server, and the request cannot be completed at the moment.

503 (Service Unavailable)

The HTTP status code 503 indicates that the server is temporarily unable to handle the request. This could be due to server maintenance, overloading, or other transient issues. Search engines understand that this is a temporary condition and may retry the request later. Websites often use custom error pages to inform users about the temporary unavailability.

Above the fold

"Above the fold" refers to the portion of a webpage that is visible to users without scrolling, typically when the page first loads. Content placed above the fold is considered more prominent and has a higher chance of grabbing users' attention. In the context of SEO, optimizing above-the-fold content is crucial for engaging visitors and conveying key messages promptly, as search engines may also prioritize this content when assessing page relevance.

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is an open-source initiative designed to improve the performance of mobile web content. By utilizing a simplified version of HTML, AMP aims to deliver faster loading times for web pages on mobile devices.

As of 2021 Google and other major web technology players (Brave Browser, DuckDuckGo browser) have begun removing the support for AMP. Google now puts emphasis on Core Web Vitals to measure website load time.

AJAX

AJAX, or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a web development technique that allows web pages to update content asynchronously without requiring a full page reload. This results in a more dynamic and responsive user experience. From an SEO perspective, implementing AJAX should be done carefully to ensure that search engines can crawl and index the content correctly, as traditional crawling methods may not always capture dynamically loaded content.

Algorithm

An algorithm is a set of rules or instructions used to determine the relevance and ranking of web pages in search results. Search engines like Google use complex algorithms that consider various factors, such as keywords, content quality, user experience, and backlinks, to deliver the most relevant and valuable results to users.

For more information see the Google algorithm update history page.

Algorithm change

An algorithm change refers to updates or modifications made to the algorithms used by search engines. Search engines regularly refine their algorithms to enhance the accuracy and fairness of search results. Changes can be grouped into three categories:

1. Algorithm Update. This involves the modification of specific signals within an existing algorithm by the search engine.
2. Algorithm Refresh. The search engine re-executes a pre-existing algorithm using the same signals as in the previous iteration.
3. New Algorithm. A search engine introduces an entirely new algorithm aimed at enhancing the quality of search results.

For more information see the Google algorithm update history page.

Alphabet Inc.

Alphabet Inc. is the parent company of Google. Established in 2015, Alphabet was created to oversee the various businesses and subsidiaries that Google had acquired. Google, as the primary subsidiary of Alphabet, continues to be a leading player in the tech industry, dominating the search engine market and offering a wide range of products and services beyond search, such as Android, YouTube, and cloud computing.

Alternative

The rel="alternate" attribute in HTML is used to specify alternate versions of a webpage, often targeting different languages or regions (used together with hreflang attribute). From an SEO perspective, it's crucial because it helps search engines understand the relationship between different versions of content, ensuring that the correct regional or language-specific version of a page is presented to users in search results, thereby improving user experience and site visibility in international markets.

<link rel="alternative" hreflang="en-gb" href="https://www.otisar.com/gb/" />

Alt Tag

Also known as: Alt attribute, Alt text.

An Alt Tag, or alternative text, is a descriptive attribute added to an HTML image tag. It provides a textual description of an image, serving as an accessibility feature for users with visual impairments and also providing valuable information to search engines.

<img src="file-name.jpg" alt="Image description.">

Anchor text

Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink. It provides users and search engines with a brief indication of the content that the link leads to. Properly optimized anchor text helps search engines understand the context and relevance of the linked page, influencing the page's ranking for specific keywords.

<a href="https://www.otisar.com">Anchor text<a>

AngularJS

AngularJS is a JavaScript framework developed and maintained by Google. It is used for building dynamic, single-page web applications. While AngularJS can create rich, responsive user interfaces, developers need to ensure that the implementation is search engine-friendly, considering factors such as server-side rendering (SSR) for SEO purposes.

Authority

Authority refers to the perceived credibility and expertise of a website or webpage. Search engines consider factors such as the quality of content, backlinks from reputable sources, and user engagement metrics to determine the authority of a site. High-authority sites are more likely to rank well in search results.

Author authority

Author authority pertains to the credibility and influence of a specific content creator or author. Search engines such as Google consider the author's reputation, expertise, and online presence when evaluating the authority of content. Read more about Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T) and Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) concepts.

Autocomplete

Autocomplete is a feature in search engines and other applications that predicts and suggests possible search queries or input based on the characters entered by the user. This predictive text functionality not only aids users in quickly finding relevant information but also provides valuable insights into popular search queries, which can be useful for keyword research and content optimization in SEO efforts.

Backlink

Also known as: Inbound link.

A backlink, or inbound link, is a hyperlink on one website that points to another. In the context of SEO, backlinks are crucial for search engine rankings. Search engines view backlinks as a vote of confidence in the linked content, considering them as indicators of relevance and authority. High-quality backlinks from reputable sites can positively impact a website's search ranking, while low-quality or spammy backlinks can have negative consequences.

Backlink profile

See: Link profile.

Baidu

Baidu is a leading Chinese search engine, often referred to as the "Google of China." It dominates the search market in China and provides a range of services, including web search, image search, and online encyclopedias. For businesses targeting the Chinese audience, optimizing for Baidu is essential for achieving visibility and success in the Chinese digital landscape.

Barnacle SEO

See: Parasite SEO.

Below the fold

"Below the fold" refers to the portion of a webpage that is not immediately visible when the page first loads and requires scrolling to be seen. Content placed below the fold may receive less initial attention than content above the fold. In web design and SEO, it's important to balance the distribution of key information between above and below the fold to engage users effectively.

Bing

Bing is a search engine owned and operated by Microsoft and depending on the sources commands 3%-12% of global search volume. Originally it was called MSN Search (from 1998), then rebranded as Windows Live Search in 2006, then simply as Live Search in 2007 and then finally in 2009 it was rebranded as Bing. Bing largely powers Yahoo search engine.

Bingbot

Bingbot is the web crawler used by Bing, Microsoft's search engine. Similar to Googlebot for Google, bingbot is responsible for crawling and indexing webpages to facilitate their inclusion in Bing's search results.

Bing Webmaster Tools (BWT)

Bing Webmaster Tools (BWT) is a set of tools and services provided by Bing for website owners and webmasters. Similar to Google Search Console, BWT helps users monitor and manage their website's presence in Bing's search results. It offers insights into how Bing crawls and indexes a website, provides data on search queries, and assists in identifying and resolving potential issues affecting a site's performance in Bing's search results.

Black hat SEO

Black hat SEO refers to unethical and manipulative practices used to deceive search engines and artificially boost a website's rankings. These practices violate search engine guidelines and can result in penalties or even removal from search engine indexes. Black hat techniques include keyword stuffing, cloaking, buying links, and other strategies aimed at exploiting loopholes in search engine algorithms. See also Grey hat SEO and White hat SEO.

Blended search

See: Universal search.

Bootstrap CSS

Bootstrap is a widely used CSS framework developed by Twitter. It includes a set of stylesheets, JavaScript plugins, and a responsive grid system. Bootstrap CSS simplifies the process of creating modern, mobile-friendly websites.

Bot

See: Crawler. Also known as: Robot, Spider.

Bottom of the funnel (BOFU) content

In inbound marketing methodology, one way how the content can be categorized is based on where the prospect is in the acquisition funnel - top, middle or bottom - referring to how informed, engaged and ready is he to buy. The bottom of the funnel stage is the decision stage where companies need to convince the user to become a customer.

See also: Top of the funnel (TOFU) content and Middle of the funnel (MOFU) content.

Bounce rate

Bounce rate is a metric that measures the percentage of visitors to a webpage who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate may indicate that visitors are not finding what they expected or that the webpage lacks engaging content. Analyzing bounce rates is important in web analytics and SEO to assess the effectiveness of landing pages and user engagement.

Branded keyword

A branded keyword is a keyword that includes the name or specific brand terms associated with a particular company or product. For example, if "Otisar" is a brand, a branded keyword could be "Otisar services" or "Otisar SEO services reviews." Branded keywords are important in SEO as they often indicate a user's intent to find information specifically related to a particular brand, and they contribute to a brand's online visibility.

Brand mention

A brand mention occurs when a brand's name or product is referenced or discussed online, regardless of without including a hyperlink. Brand mentions contribute to a brand's online presence and can impact its reputation and visibility in search engine results. Monitoring brand mentions is part of online reputation management.

Breadcrumbs

Also known as: Breadcrumb navigation, Breadcrumb trail.

Breadcrumbs are a navigational aid displayed on a website to show the hierarchical structure of a site and the user's path to the current page. They typically appear near the top of a webpage and provide clickable links to the parent pages. Breadcrumbs help users understand the site's structure and easily navigate back to higher-level pages.

Bridge page

See: Doorway page. Also known as: Gateway page, Jump page, Portal page.

Broken link

A broken link is a hyperlink that leads to a webpage or resource that is no longer available or has been moved. Broken links can negatively impact user experience and SEO. Search engines consider broken links as a sign of poor website maintenance and may reduce the site's ranking as a result. Regularly checking and fixing broken links is essential for maintaining a healthy website.

Browser

A browser, short for web browser, is a software application that allows users to access and navigate the internet. Examples of browsers include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. Browsers interpret and display web content, including text, images, videos, and interactive elements.

Cache

A cache is a temporary storage location that stores copies of frequently accessed data to reduce latency and improve system performance. Caching involves storing copies of web page elements (such as images, stylesheets, and scripts) locally on a user's device. This enables faster loading times for subsequent visits to the same webpage, as the browser can retrieve certain elements from the local cache instead of re-downloading them from the server.

Cached page

A cached page is a snapshot or copy of a web page that is stored in a search engine's or a browser's cache. When a page is crawled by a search engine, a copy of it is stored in the search engine's index. Users can also view a cached version of a page directly from a search engine's results. This can be useful if the live webpage is temporarily unavailable or if there have been recent changes to the page.

Call To Action (CTA)

A Call To Action (CTA) is a prompt or directive designed to encourage a specific response or action from a user. In the context of websites, CTAs are often used to guide visitors toward completing a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting more information. Effective CTAs are typically clear, compelling, and strategically placed to maximize user engagement.

Canonical tag

The canonical tag is an HTML element used to communicate to search engines the preferred version of a webpage when multiple versions with similar content exist. This helps prevent issues related to duplicate content and consolidates the SEO value of various versions into a single canonical URL. Search engines use canonical tags to understand which version of a page to index and display in search results.

<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.otisar.com" />

Canonical URL

A canonical URL is the preferred and authoritative web address for a particular webpage when multiple URLs point to similar or identical content. The canonical URL is specified using the canonical tag in the HTML code of a page. This tag helps search engines understand which URL to prioritize when indexing and ranking content, avoiding confusion with duplicate or similar pages.

<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.otisar.com" />

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

Cascading Style Sheets, or CSS, is a style sheet language used in web development to define the visual presentation and formatting of HTML and XML documents. CSS enables web designers to control the layout, colors, fonts, and spacing of elements on a webpage. By separating the presentation layer from the content, CSS promotes consistency, easier maintenance, and efficient design changes across a website.

ccTLD

ccTLD stands for Country Code Top-Level Domain. It is a two-letter domain extension associated with a specific country or geographical area. Examples include ".us" for the United States, ".uk" for the United Kingdom, and ".jp" for Japan. Businesses or entities targeting a specific country often use ccTLDs for their websites to signal local relevance and enhance visibility in country-specific search engine results.

Citation

In the context of SEO and online content, a citation is a reference to a source of information. This can include mentions of a business's name, address, and phone number (NAP) on external websites, business directories, or social media platforms. Consistent and accurate citations are important for local SEO, as search engines use this information to verify the legitimacy and credibility of a business.

Click bait

Click bait refers to content, typically in the form of headlines or thumbnails, designed to attract attention and encourage users to click on a link. However, the actual content often fails to deliver on the promised value or is sensationalized. Click bait is often used to drive traffic to websites, but it can harm a site's credibility and frustrate users if the content does not live up to the expectations set by the enticing title or image.

Click depth

Click depth, also known as page depth, refers to the number of clicks a user makes to navigate through a website from the homepage. Few clicks indicates that the webpage is important to the creators of the website, whereas many clicks from the homepage indicates that the page is not considered to be important or there are flaws in site structure.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Click-Through Rate (CTR) is a metric that measures the percentage of users who click on a specific link or advertisement out of the total number of users who view the content. A higher CTR indicates that a larger proportion of users are engaging with the content, while a lower CTR may suggest that adjustments are needed to improve the relevance or appeal of the content.

Client-side rendering (CSR)

Client-side rendering (CSR) is a web development approach where the rendering of web pages is primarily handled by the user's browser rather than the server. In CSR, the server sends a minimal HTML document, and the browser then loads JavaScript to dynamically render and populate the content on the client side. While CSR can result in highly interactive and dynamic user experiences, it may pose challenges for SEO, as search engines might have difficulty indexing content that relies heavily on client-side rendering. Learn more about other types of rendering: Server-side rendering (SSR), Static Site Generation (SSG) and Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR).

Cloaking

This black hat SEO technique is used to manipulate search engine rankings by showing content to search engines that is different from what users see. Search engines strongly discourage cloaking, and websites engaging in this practice may face penalties, including being removed from search engine indexes.

Read more about it on Google's official documentation.

Co-citation

Co-citation occurs when two or more websites are mentioned or cited together on other web pages, even if they are not directly linked. Search engines may interpret co-citation as an indication of relatedness or similarity between the mentioned websites. While not as direct as traditional backlinks, co-citation can contribute to a website's perceived authority and relevance in search engine algorithms.

Co-occurrence

Co-occurrence in SEO refers to the frequency with which two words or phrases appear together across various web pages. Search engines use co-occurrence as a signal to understand the relationships between terms and topics. If certain keywords consistently appear together, search engines may infer that there is a semantic relationship between them, potentially impacting the relevance and ranking of web pages.

Commercial keywords

Commercial keywords are search terms that indicate a user's intent to make a purchase or engage in a transaction. These keywords often include terms like "buy," "discount," or specific product names. Optimizing content for commercial keywords is crucial for businesses aiming to attract users who are actively looking for products or services, as it can enhance the likelihood of conversion. Learn about other three types of keywords: informational keywords, navigational keywords, transactional keywords

Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a network of distributed servers strategically placed around the world to deliver web content to users more efficiently. CDNs help improve website performance by reducing load times through the local caching of content. This not only enhances the user experience but can also positively impact SEO, as faster-loading pages are favored by search engines.

Content Hub

A content hub is a central online destination that serves as a focal point for a specific topic or theme. It typically aggregates and organizes a variety of content types, such as articles, videos, and infographics, around the chosen topic. Content hubs can be valuable for SEO by establishing a site as an authority on a particular subject and attracting organic traffic interested in that niche.

Content Management System (CMS)

A Content Management System (CMS) is a software application that allows users to create, manage, and organize digital content on a website without requiring advanced technical skills. Popular CMS platforms include WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.

Conversion

a conversion occurs when a website visitor takes a desired action, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or subscribing to a newsletter. Optimizing for conversions involves aligning website content and user experience with the intended actions, ultimately contributing to the success of an online business.

Conversion rate

Conversion rate refers to the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase, submitting a form, or signing up for a newsletter. It is calculated by dividing the number of conversions by the total number of visitors and multiplying by 100. A higher conversion rate indicates that a higher proportion of visitors are completing the intended goals, reflecting the effectiveness of the website in converting traffic.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the process of improving a website's ability to convert visitors into customers or achieve other desired actions. CRO involves analyzing user behavior, testing variations of elements on a page (such as headlines, buttons, or forms), and implementing changes to enhance the overall conversion rate.

Core update

A core update in SEO refers to a significant and broad update to the search engine's algorithm, impacting how websites are ranked in search results. Core updates are released periodically, and they can lead to notable changes in rankings for many websites. Webmasters and SEO professionals closely monitor core updates to understand how their site's performance may be affected and to make necessary adjustments.

Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are a set of specific metrics related to website performance and user experience. These metrics include Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), First Input Delay (FID), Interaction to Next Paint (INP) and Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Google uses Core Web Vitals as part of its ranking algorithm, emphasizing the importance of providing users with a fast, responsive, and visually stable experience on websites.

Cornerstone Content

Cornerstone content refers to the key, foundational pieces of content on a website that cover the most important topics related to the site's focus. These pieces are typically comprehensive, well-researched, and serve as authoritative resources. Optimizing cornerstone content is a strategic SEO practice, as search engines may prioritize and rank these pages higher due to their depth and relevance.

Crawl budget

Crawl budget is the number of pages on a website that search engines allocate to crawl during a specific time period. Search engines, like Google, have limited resources for crawling and indexing web pages. Understanding and optimizing crawl budget is important for ensuring that search engines focus on crawling and indexing the most important and relevant pages on a website.

Crawl error

A crawl error occurs when a search engine's crawler encounters issues while attempting to access and index a specific web page. Common crawl errors include 404 Not Found, 503 Service Unavailable, and 301/302/307 redirects. Identifying and resolving crawl errors is essential for maintaining a healthy and well-optimized website.

Crawler

Also known as: Bot, Robot, Spider.

A crawler is a program used by search engines to systematically browse and index web pages on the internet. Crawlers follow links from one page to another, collecting information about the content and structure of each page. The data collected by crawlers is used to create search engine indexes, enabling search engines to deliver relevant results to users.

Crawling

Crawling is the process by which search engine crawlers systematically navigate the web, visiting web pages and collecting information about their content. Crawling is the first step in the search engine indexing process. During crawling, search engines discover new and updated pages, assess their relevance and quality, and decide how to index them in their databases.

CSS framework

A CSS framework is a pre-prepared library of stylesheets and predefined rules that make it easier and faster to design and style a website consistently. The most popular CSS framework is Bootstrap CSS followed by Tailwind CSS.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is a Core Web Vitals metric that measures the visual stability of a webpage as it loads. It quantifies the unexpected and disruptive shifts in content layout that can occur, especially when elements like images or ads load asynchronously. A lower CLS score indicates a more stable and user-friendly experience. Google uses CLS as a factor in its search ranking algorithm, emphasizing the importance of good user experience in SEO.

Curated content

Curated content refers to a strategic approach where content creators gather, organize, and share selected pieces of content from various sources on a specific topic. This process involves adding value through commentary, context, or additional insights. In SEO, curating content can be a valuable strategy for providing diverse perspectives, establishing expertise, and attracting an audience interested in a particular subject.

Customer Journey

The customer journey in SEO refers to the stages a user goes through from initial awareness to the final conversion or engagement with a product or service. Understanding the customer journey is crucial for optimizing content and user experience at each stage. SEO strategies are often designed to align with the different touchpoints of the customer journey, providing relevant information and guidance.

De-Indexing

De-indexing occurs when a search engine removes a web page or an entire website from its index. This can happen for various reasons, such as a violation of search engine guidelines or intentional removal by the website owner.

Deep Linking

Deep linking involves creating hyperlinks that point to specific pages or content within a website, bypassing the homepage or main landing page. Deep linking is valuable for SEO as it allows users and search engines to access and index specific, relevant content directly. It helps distribute link equity throughout the site and enhances the overall user experience.

Direct answer

See: Featured snippet. Also known as: Position zero.

Disavow

Disavow is a feature provided by search engines, particularly Google, that allows website owners to inform the search engine that they want to disassociate from specific backlinks. The Disavow tool is used when a site has acquired low-quality or spammy backlinks that could potentially harm its search engine rankings. By disavowing these links, webmasters signal to search engines not to consider those particular links when assessing the site's authority.

Disavow file

A disavow file is a text file containing a list of URLs or domains that a website owner wants search engines to ignore or disassociate from their site. This file is submitted through the Google Search Console Disavow tool. The disavow file helps webmasters communicate to search engines that they do not want certain backlinks to be taken into account when determining the site's ranking. It's a precautionary measure against the negative impact of low-quality or harmful backlinks.

DNS Prefetch

The rel="dns-prefetch" attribute is an HTML link attribute used to inform the browser to perform DNS resolution for external domains in advance of when the user navigates to them. This can reduce latency when loading external resources, as the DNS lookup is completed before the resource is requested, resulting in faster page load times. See also: Preconnect, Preload.

<link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://www.otisar.com">

Dofollow Link

A dofollow link is a hyperlink that allows search engines to follow and pass authority from one webpage to another. Dofollow links are crucial in SEO because they contribute to a website's backlink profile, influencing its authority and rankings in search engine results. Unlike nofollow links, which include a rel="nofollow" attribute, dofollow links allow search engines to follow the link and consider it in their ranking algorithms.

<a href="https://www.otisar.com">Anchor text<a>

Domain name

A domain name is the human-readable address used to access a website on the internet. It is the user-friendly version of the website's IP address. For example, "otisar.com" is the domain name. Choosing a relevant and memorable domain name is important for SEO, as it can impact user recall and brand recognition.

Domain Name System (DNS)

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a system that translates human-readable domain names (like www.otisar.com) into IP addresses, allowing computers to locate and connect with each other on the internet.

Doorway page

Also known as: Bridge page, Gateway page, Jump page, Portal page.

A doorway page is a web page created specifically for search engines rather than for users. Doorway pages are designed to rank high in search results for particular keywords and then redirect visitors to another page. This practice is part of black hat SEO practices and is considered a violation of search engine guidelines and can lead to penalties.

Read more about it: Google's official documentation.

DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine that emphasizes user data protection. Unlike some other search engines, DuckDuckGo does not track users' search history or personalize search results based on past behavior. It has gained popularity among users seeking a more private and secure search experience.

Duplicate Content

Duplicate content refers to identical or substantially similar content that appears on multiple web pages or across different websites. Search engines aim to provide diverse and relevant results to users, so duplicate content can present challenges for SEO. It may lead to issues like cannibalization, where multiple pages compete for the same keywords, and can impact a site's search engine rankings.

Dwell time

Dwell time is the total amount of time a user spends on a webpage after clicking on a search result before returning to the search results or navigating to another site. It is considered an engagement metric, and longer dwell times may signal to search engines that users find the content valuable and relevant. Dwell time can influence search rankings, emphasizing the importance of providing high-quality, engaging content

Dynamic URL

A dynamic URL is a web address that includes parameters or variables, often generated dynamically based on user inputs or other factors. Dynamic URLs may include symbols like question marks and equal signs, and they can change based on user interactions with a website. Search engines can handle dynamic URLs, but it's generally recommended to use descriptive and static URLs for better SEO, as they are more user-friendly and easier to understand.

https://www.otisar.com/?q=first-name

Editorial Link

See: Natural link. Also known as: Organic link.

Email outreach

Email outreach involves reaching out to individuals or organizations via email to establish connections, build relationships, and promote content. It is a strategy commonly used for link building, influencer outreach, and content promotion.

Engagement metric

Engagement metrics measure how users interact with a website's content. Common engagement metrics include click-through rate (CTR), bounce rate, dwell time, and social shares. Higher engagement often correlates with improved search rankings, as it indicates that users find the content valuable and engaging.

Entities

Entities refer to distinct and specific elements or concepts that have a unique identity. This can include people, places, organizations, or things. Search engines use entity recognition to understand the context and relationships between entities on web pages. Structured data markup can help search engines better comprehend entities, improving the overall understanding of content.

Entry page

An entry page is the first page a user visits when entering a website. Entry pages are significant because they create the first impression and influence user experience. Optimizing entry pages involves ensuring that they provide relevant information, have clear navigation, and encourage users to explore further.

Evergreen content

Evergreen content is content that remains relevant and valuable over an extended period, avoiding quick obsolescence. Unlike time-sensitive content, evergreen content continues to attract and engage users over time. Creating evergreen content is a strategic SEO approach, as it can drive consistent traffic and maintain relevance in search results.

Exact Match Domain (EMD)

An Exact Match Domain (EMD) is a domain name that precisely matches a keyword or phrase targeted for SEO. In the past, having an EMD was believed to provide a ranking advantage for the targeted keyword. However, search engines have become more sophisticated, and the influence of EMDs on rankings has diminished. Quality content, relevance, and user experience are now more crucial factors in SEO success.

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)

E-E-A-T is a set of principles introduced by Google in its search quality guidelines to assess the quality of content and the credibility of websites. The components of E-E-A-T are:

1. Experience. The level of expertise and knowledge demonstrated in the content.
2. Expertise. The author's or website's proficiency and authority in a specific subject.
3. Authoritativeness. The credibility and reputation of the content creator or website.
4. Trustworthiness. The reliability and integrity of the information presented.

Websites that adhere to high E-A-T standards are more likely to be seen as trustworthy by search engines, leading to better rankings.

Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T)

E-A-T was the old model used by Google. See the updated Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) model.

External link

Also known as: Outbound link.

An external link, also known as an outbound link, is a hyperlink that points from one website to another. External links are valuable in SEO as they provide additional information to users and contribute to the linking site's credibility. When a website includes relevant and high-quality external links, it signals to search engines that the site is well-connected to authoritative sources, which can positively impact its own rankings.

Faceted navigation

Faceted navigation refers to a website's navigation system that allows users to filter and narrow down content based on various attributes or facets, such as categories, filters, or tags. While it enhances user experience by providing more targeted search options, it can present SEO challenges if not implemented properly. Search engines should be able to crawl and index the faceted content without creating duplicate content issues or causing crawling inefficiencies.

Favicon

A favicon is a small icon associated with a website, typically displayed in the browser's address bar, tabs, and bookmarks. Favicons help users quickly identify and locate a specific website among multiple open tabs. While not a direct ranking factor, having a favicon contributes to a professional and cohesive branding experience, potentially influencing user engagement.

Featured snippet

Also known as: Direct answer.

A featured snippet is a concise summary of information displayed at the top of the search engine results page (SERP) in response to a user's query. Google selects content from a webpage that it deems highly relevant to the query and displays it prominently. Appearing in a featured snippet can significantly increase a page's visibility and click-through rate, making it a coveted position in SEO.

Findability

Findability refers to the ease with which users can locate and access relevant information on a website (internally) as well as search engines externally. A website's structure, navigation, and content organization play crucial roles in enhancing findability. Improving findability ensures that users and search engines can quickly locate the information they seek, contributing to a positive user experience and potentially impacting search rankings.

First Input Delay (FID)

First Input Delay is a Core Web Vitals metric that measures the responsiveness of a webpage. It assesses the time between a user's first interaction with a page (such as clicking a button) and the page's response to that interaction. FID is crucial for user experience, and optimizing it can positively influence a site's rankings. Websites with low FID values provide a more responsive and user-friendly experience.

First link priority

First link priority is a concept that suggests search engines prioritizing the anchor text and destination URL of the first link to a page, considering it more significant than subsequent links. While it was once a debated topic, the impact of first link priority is considered relatively minor in modern SEO practices.

Freshness

Freshness refers to the timeliness and relevance of content. Search engines, particularly Google, consider the recency of content as a factor in rankings. Fresh content is often given preference, especially for topics that require up-to-date information. Regularly updating and adding new content to a website can positively impact its search engine visibility and authority.

Gated content

See: Lead magnet.

Gateway page

See: Doorway page. Also known as: Bridge page, Jump page, Portal page.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive data privacy regulation that governs how businesses collect, process, and handle personal data of individuals in the European Union (EU). The GDPR compliance is essential for websites that collect user data, such as through forms or cookies. It requires transparent privacy policies, user consent for data processing, and measures to ensure data security.

Geotargeting

Geotargeting in SEO involves delivering content or search results to users based on their geographic location. This important for brands that have international audience and where there are different parts of the website (or different websites) targeting different international audiences.

Google

Google is a leading search engine that dominates the internet search market. In virtually all countries, Google is the main search engine. The three exceptions are China, where Baidu is the main search engine, Korea with Naver search engine and Russia with Yandex search engine.

Google dance

Up until 2003 Google was updating it's index once a month which then caused virtually all rankings to change on a regular basis. This change of ranking was called Google Dance. Nowadays Google (and all other main search engines) updates their index incrementally.

Google My Business (GMB)

Google My Business is a platform provided by Google that allows businesses to create and manage their online presence, particularly in local search results. Businesses can optimize their GMB profiles by providing accurate information, such as address, phone number, business hours, and customer reviews.

Google penalty

A Google penalty occurs when a website violates Google's guidelines, resulting in a negative impact on its search rankings. Penalties can be manual, applied by Google's human reviewers, or algorithmic, triggered by automated processes. Common reasons for penalties include spammy practices, low-quality content, or unnatural link building. Recovering from a penalty often involves fixing the issues and submitting a reconsideration request.

Google Search Console (GSC)

Google Search Console is a free tool provided by Google that allows webmasters to monitor and optimize their website's performance in Google search results. It provides valuable insights into how Googlebot crawls and indexes a site, identifies issues that may affect rankings, and offers tools for submitting sitemaps and monitoring search analytics.

Googlebot

Googlebot is the web crawler used by Google to discover and index web pages on the internet. It systematically visits websites, follows links, and analyzes content to update Google's search index. Understanding how Googlebot interacts with a website is crucial for SEO, as it influences how well a site is indexed and how its content is presented in search results.

Grey hat SEO

Grey hat SEO refers to practices that fall between white hat (ethical) and black hat (unethical) SEO strategies. These tactics may push the boundaries of search engine guidelines without explicitly violating them. While not inherently malicious, grey hat techniques can lead to penalties and are generally discouraged in ethical SEO practices.

gTLD

A gTLD is a top-level domain that represents a generic or general category rather than a specific country or region. Examples include ".com," ".org," and ".net." gTLDs are part of the domain name system and are often used for various types of websites.

Guest blogging

Also known as: Guest posting.

Guest blogging involves creating and publishing content on another website as a guest author. In SEO, guest blogging is a legitimate strategy for building backlinks, establishing authority, and reaching a wider audience.

Hacked content

One way how bad actors try to earn is through hacking websites, where they would redirect user to a different website or install malware. Often the website owners would be unaware of this, until users report it or they are hit with a Google penalty as Google doesn't want to lead their user to websites that would do them harm.

Read more about it: Google's official documentation.

Header

HTTP headers are a means for a client, server, and any intermediaries to exchange information during the HTTP request-response process. From an SEO perspective, they are crucial as they can influence how search engines crawl and index a website, with directives like redirects (301, 302), content type, caching policies, and security instructions, all playing significant roles in optimizing a site's visibility and user experience.

Head term

A head term in SEO refers to a broad and general keyword that typically has a high search volume. These terms are usually short and represent overarching topics. While head terms can attract a large audience, they are often highly competitive. SEO strategies often involve targeting a mix of head terms and long-tail keywords for a more balanced approach.

Heading tag

A heading tag is an HTML tag used to define headings on a webpage. Heading tags help structure the content by indicating the hierarchy of information. Search engines use heading tags to understand the organization of content and give more weight to text within these tags, contributing to the overall SEO of a page.

<h1>Heading 1<h1>

Headless content management system (CMS)

A headless CMS is a content management system that separates the content (backend) from its presentation (frontend). Unlike traditional CMS platforms, headless CMS allows more flexibility in delivering content to various devices and platforms. While it provides greater control over design, it requires additional development effort to create a user interface.

Hidden text

Hidden text refers to text on a webpage that is not visible to users but is intended to influence search engine rankings. This practice is considered a violation of search engine guidelines and can result in penalties. Common techniques include using the same color as the background, placing text behind images, or using tiny font sizes.

Read more about it: Google's official documentation.

Hreflang

Hreflang is a rel attribute used in HTML together with alternative attribute to indicate the language and regional targeting of a webpage. It helps search engines understand which version of a page to display to users based on their language and location preferences. Hreflang is crucial for international SEO efforts, ensuring that users see the most relevant content in search results.

<link rel="alternative" hreflang="en-gb" href="https://www.otisar.com/gb/" />

Htaccess file

The .htaccess file is a configuration file used on web servers, particularly those running Apache. The .htaccess file can be utilized to set up redirects, handle error pages, and implement various server-level configurations.

HTML

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the standard markup language used to create and structure content on the web. Search engines use HTML to interpret and index the content of web pages.

HTTP

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the foundation of data communication on the World Wide Web. It defines how messages are formatted and transmitted between web browsers and servers. While HTTP is standard, its unencrypted nature can pose security risks which is why most websites have transitioned to HTTPS for a secure and encrypted connection.

HTTPS

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is an extension of HTTP that adds a layer of security through encryption. Websites with HTTPS use SSL/TLS protocols to secure data transmission between the user's browser and the website's server. HTTPS is considered a ranking factor by search engines, and it contributes to a safer and more trustworthy online experience.

Hub page

A hub page, also known as a cornerstone page or pillar page, is a central webpage that serves as a comprehensive resource on a specific topic. Hub pages often link to and provide context for related content, creating a thematic cluster. This internal linking strategy is beneficial for SEO, enhancing the site's structure and signaling to search engines the importance of the hub page.

Hyperlink

A hyperlink, or simply a link, is a clickable element on a webpage that, when clicked, navigates to another document or resource. Hyperlinks are fundamental to SEO as they facilitate navigation between pages and contribute to the overall structure of a website. Search engines use links to discover and index content, and the quality and relevance of inbound links can impact a site's authority and rankings.

<a href="https://www.otisar.com">Anchor text<a>

Inbound link

See: Backlink.

Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR)

Incremental Static Regeneration is an extension of the static site generation approach that allows for partial re-generation of pages when they are requested. It combines the benefits of static site generation with the ability to update specific pages dynamically. ISR is especially useful for content that changes infrequently but still requires occasional updates. Learn more about other types of rendering: Server-side rendering (SSR), Static Site Generation (SSG) and Client-side rendering (CSR).

Index

The search engine index is a massive database that stores the information about websites it has collected and enables quick retrieval of relevant information in response to user queries. Not all pages on the web are indexed; search engines determine which pages to include based on various factors, including content quality and relevance. If a webpage or a website is not in the search engine index, it will not be displayed in search engine result page.

Indexability

Indexability is the measure of how easily a website's pages can be discovered and added to a search engine's index. It depends on factors such as proper HTML markup, accessibility, and the absence of obstacles like "noindex" tags. Ensuring good indexability is essential for making sure that a website's content is included in search engine results.

Indexed pages

Indexed pages are the web pages that have been discovered, crawled, and added to a search engine's index. The number of indexed pages reflects the extent to which a search engine has cataloged a website's content. Monitoring indexed pages is important for understanding the overall visibility of a website in search results.

Indexing

Indexing is the process by which search engines analyze and store information from web pages in their databases. During indexing, search engine crawlers assess content, meta tags, and other on-page elements to determine the relevance and quality of a page. Indexed pages are then used to generate search engine results.

Information architecture

Information architecture involves the organization and structure of content on a website to enhance user experience and search engine discoverability. A well-designed information architecture includes clear navigation, logical categorization of content, and strategic use of internal linking. It contributes to better user engagement and facilitates search engine crawling and indexing.

Information satisfaction

Information satisfaction (IS) refers to how well a system meets the needs of its users. It's a crucial metric for evaluating search quality, indicating whether the results and features provided by the search engine fulfill the searcher's intent and needs. Google uses IS as a key factor in ranking algorithms, constantly updating and fine-tuning its machine-learning models based on IS scores to ensure users have a satisfying experience.

Informational keywords

Informational keywords are search terms used by users looking for information or answers to specific questions. These keywords often indicate a user's intent to learn or understand something rather than make a transaction. Content optimized for informational keywords is valuable for attracting users in the early stages of the customer journey. Learn other three types of keywords: commercial keywords, navigational keywords, transactional keywords.

Interaction to Next Paint (INP)

Interaction to Next Paint is a Core Web Vitals metric that measures the time it takes for a webpage to respond to a user interaction, such as clicking a button, and initiate the next visual change or paint on the page. A low INP indicates a more responsive and user-friendly experience, contributing to better user satisfaction and potential SEO benefits.

Internal link

An internal link is a hyperlink that points from one page on a website to another page within the same site. Internal linking helps establish a hierarchy and relationship between different pages and distributes link equity throughout the site. Well-structured internal linking can improve the overall user experience and contribute to SEO by guiding search engine crawlers to important pages.

International SEO

International SEO involves optimizing a website to target audiences in multiple countries or regions. It includes strategies such as hreflang tags, country code top-level domains (ccTLDs), and content localization to ensure that the website is relevant and visible in different locations.

Interstitial ad

Interstitial ads are typically full-screen pop-ups with that cover the whole interface and thus provide a frustrating user experience. While some might be implemented to adhere to legal requirements (such as GDPR), often they are done for commercial purposes and can lead to lower rankings as search engines consider them to lower the user satisfaction.

IP address

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network. The domain name then points to an IP address that is associated with the server hosting of a web resource. Search engines may consider the server's location when determining local search relevance. Additionally, shared hosting with multiple sites on the same IP address can potentially impact SEO, especially if one of the sites engages in spammy practices.

JavaScript (JS)

JavaScript is a programming language commonly used to create dynamic and interactive elements on websites. In SEO, understanding JavaScript is crucial as search engines, particularly Google, can now crawl and index JavaScript-rendered content. Proper implementation of JavaScript is essential to ensure that search engines can access and understand the content on a webpage.

JavaScript framework

A JavaScript framework is a pre-written, standardized set of code and tools designed to simplify the development of web applications and websites. The most popular ones are React, Vue.js and AngularJS with frameworks built on top of them such as Next.js and Nuxt.

JSON

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data interchange format. It is often used to structure and exchange data between a server and a web application. Read more about it in JSON-LD for use in SEO.

JSON-LD

JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is utilized for structured data markup, providing additional context to search engines about the content on a page.

Jump-page

See: Doorway page. Also known as: Bridge page, Gateway page, Portal page.

Keyword

A keyword refers to a specific word or phrase that users enter into search engines when looking for information. Identifying and optimizing for relevant keywords is fundamental to SEO strategies, helping websites appear in search results when users search for those specific terms.

Keyword cannibalization

Keyword cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on a website target the same or very similar keywords. This can lead to competition between the pages, confusing search engines and potentially diluting the authority of the content. To avoid keyword cannibalization, it's essential to strategically assign and optimize pages for specific, distinct keywords.

Keyword categorization

Keyword categorization involves organizing keywords into logical groups or categories based on common themes or topics. This practice helps in creating a more structured and targeted approach to content creation and optimization. Categorizing keywords assists in developing a content strategy that aligns with user intent and improves the overall relevance of a website.

Keyword clustering

Keyword clustering is the process of grouping related keywords together to create content that covers a broader topic comprehensively. This approach helps improve the semantic relevance of content and signals to search engines the depth of coverage on a particular subject. Keyword clustering is effective for creating authoritative and comprehensive content.

Keyword density

Keyword density is the percentage of times a target keyword appears within a piece of content relative to the total number of words. While it was once a more critical factor in SEO, modern search engines focus more on natural language and user intent. Keyword stuffing (excessive use of keywords) is discouraged, and content should prioritize readability and user experience.

Keyword difficulty

Keyword difficulty is a metric that indicates how challenging it is to rank for a specific keyword in search engine results. Factors influencing keyword difficulty include competition, the number of existing pages targeting the keyword, and the authority of competing sites. Higher keyword difficulty values suggest a more competitive landscape.

Keyword prominence

Keyword prominence refers to the placement and visibility of a keyword within a piece of content. Important keywords should be strategically placed in prominent positions, such as headings, titles, and the beginning of paragraphs. This practice signals to search engines the relevance and significance of the keyword within the content.

Keyword ranking

Keyword ranking refers to the position at which a webpage appears in search engine results for a specific keyword. SEO efforts aim to improve keyword rankings, as higher rankings generally lead to increased visibility and organic traffic. Regular monitoring of keyword rankings helps assess the effectiveness of optimization strategies and make necessary adjustments.

Keyword stemming

Keyword stemming is a technique in SEO where variations of a base keyword are targeted to capture a broader range of search queries. For example, stemming might involve optimizing for "run" to also rank for "running" or "runner."

Keyword stuffing

Keyword stuffing is the practice of excessively using keywords in a webpage's content or meta tags in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings. This practice is discouraged by search engines as it leads to poor user experience and may result in penalties.

Read more about it: Google's official documentation.

Knowledge graph

Also known as: Knowledge panel.

The Knowledge Graph is a knowledge base used by search engines, particularly Google, to enhance search results with information gathered from various sources. It provides users with direct answers to queries, displays related information, and establishes connections between entities (people, places, things). The Knowledge Graph contributes to more informative and user-friendly search results.

Landing page

A landing page is a specific webpage designed with the goal of converting visitors into leads or customers. Landing pages are often optimized for particular keywords or target audiences. They play a crucial role in marketing campaigns, providing a focused destination for users who click on search results, ads, or other promotional links.

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

Largest Contentful Paint is a Core Web Vitals metric that measures the loading performance of a webpage. LCP specifically evaluates the time it takes for the largest content element (such as an image or block of text) to become visible to the user. Optimizing for a fast LCP contributes to a positive user experience and can positively impact search rankings.

Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI)

Latent Semantic Indexing is a method used to understand the relationships between words and concepts within a piece of content, however Google has states that it doesn't use it and it's not a ranking factor.

Lazy loading

Lazy loading is a web development technique that defers the loading of non-essential elements (such as images or scripts) until they are about to become visible on the user's screen. This helps improve webpage loading times and user experience.

<img src="file-name.jpg" loading="lazy">

Lead magnet

Also known as: Gated content.

A lead magnet is a valuable incentive offered by a website to attract and capture the contact information of potential leads. Lead magnets can be content pieces such as ebooks, guides, or webinars that encourage users to provide their email addresses. This can be helpful for getting backlinks.

Link bait

Link bait is content created with the primary goal of attracting links from other websites. It is typically informative, entertaining, or controversial content that naturally encourages others to link to it. Link bait can contribute to link building efforts by earning organic backlinks, boosting a website's authority and visibility in search results.

Link building

Link building is the process of acquiring backlinks from external websites to improve a site's authority and search engine rankings.

There are two main approaches to this:

1. White hat SEO approach. It involves various strategies, such as outreach, content creation, and networking, to earn links that enhance a site's overall link profile.
2. Black hat SEO approach. This approach, although many times successful (at least short-term), goes against search engine guidelines and involves the practice of buying links and creating Private Blog Networks. Once search engines identify this website can face heavy penalties.

Link equity

Also known as: Link juice.

Link equity is the value or authority passed from one webpage to another through a hyperlink. When a reputable and relevant site links to another site, it passes some of its authority, positively impacting the linked-to site's SEO. Link equity plays a crucial role in determining a website's overall authority in search engines.

Link exchange

Link exchange involves two websites mutually agreeing to link to each other. While link exchanges were more common in the past, they are now considered a potential violation of search engine guidelines. Search engines prefer natural and organic links that are earned based on content quality and relevance.

Link farm

See: Private Blog Network (PBN).

Link juice

See: Link equity.

Link profile

Also known as: Backlink profile.

A link profile is a collection of all the backlinks pointing to a specific website. A healthy link profile consists of high-quality, relevant, and diverse backlinks. SEO professionals analyze and optimize link profiles to ensure they contribute positively to a website's authority and search rankings.

Link reclamation

Link reclamation is the process of identifying a instances where a website was mentioned but not linked, or where links to the site are broken. Reclaiming such links helps maintain a strong link profile and ensures that the website receives due credit for its mentions.

Link relevancy

Link relevancy refers to the degree of alignment between the content of the linking page and the content of the linked-to page. Search engines value links more when they come from pages with content related to the linked-to page. Relevant links contribute to a more natural and contextually appropriate link profile.

Link rot

Link rot, or link decay, occurs when hyperlinks on the internet become broken or lead to pages that no longer exist. In SEO, link rot can negatively impact user experience and a website's authority. Regularly checking and updating links is essential to prevent link rot.

Link schemes

Link schemes are manipulative tactics designed to artificially inflate a website's backlink profile. These practices violate search engine guidelines and can lead to penalties. Examples include buying or selling links, participating in Private Blog Networks, and excessive reciprocal linking.

Link velocity

Link velocity refers to the speed at which a website acquires new backlinks over time. Sudden spikes or drops in link velocity can be indicators of unnatural link building practices or changes in a site's popularity. A steady and natural link velocity is generally preferred in SEO.

Local pack

Also known as: Map pack.

The local pack is a section of the search engine results page (SERP) that displays a map along with a list of local businesses related to a user's search query. It typically appears for location-based searches and includes information such as business names, addresses, phone numbers, and reviews.

Local SEO

Local SEO focuses on optimizing a website to appear in local search results. This involves strategies to improve visibility in local pack listings, online directories, and location-based searches. Local SEO is crucial for businesses targeting a local audience, and it includes optimizing Google My Business profiles, acquiring local citations, and managing online reviews.

Log file

A log file is a record of server activity, capturing details about requests made to a web server. Log files include information such as IP addresses, requested URLs, response codes, and user-agents. In SEO, log files can be analyzed to gain insights into how search engine bots crawl a website and how users interact with it.

Log file analysis

Log file analysis is the process of examining server log files to understand how search engine bots and users access and interact with a website. It provides valuable data on crawl patterns, user-agent information, and response codes. Log file analysis can help identify crawl issues, assess server performance, and optimize website structure.

Long-tail keywords

Long tail keywords are specific and often longer search phrases that target niche or specific topics. While they may have lower search volumes individually, collectively, they can attract a highly targeted audience. Long tail keywords are valuable in content optimization and can be effective for capturing users at different stages of the buyer's journey.

Malware

Malware is a software that gets installed on users device and makes changes on it - all without the users consent. While some sites are specifically created to do that, many website get hacked and business often don't know about it, until they get a penalty (drop in rankings or complete de-indexation of the site) as Google wants to provide good user experience and doesn't want to lead users to websites that can cause harm to them.

Read more about it: Google's official documentation.

Manual action

Also known as: Manual sanction.

A manual action occurs when a human reviewer at a search engine, such as Google, determines that a website violates the search engine's guidelines. This can result in a penalty, causing a decrease in search rankings. Manual actions are usually issued for practices like spammy link building, keyword stuffing, or other manipulative tactics.

Meta description

A meta description is a brief summary or snippet of text that describes the content of a webpage. It appears in the search engine results page (SERP) below the page title. While not a direct ranking factor, a well-crafted meta description can influence click-through rates by providing users with information about the page's content.

<meta name="description" content="Meta description text." />

Meta keywords

Meta keywords are an HTML meta tag that was historically used to indicate the primary keywords for a webpage. However, search engines no longer consider the meta keywords tag for ranking purposes due to abuse and manipulation. Modern SEO focuses on other on-page factors and content relevance.

<meta name="keywords" content="keyword #1, keyword #2, keyword #3" />

Meta redirect

A meta redirect, also known as a meta refresh, is an HTML tag that automatically redirects a user from one webpage to another after a specified time interval. In SEO, the use of meta redirects for immediate page redirection is discouraged as it can disrupt the user experience and may be perceived as manipulative.

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; url=https://www.otisar.com" />

Meta robots tag

The meta robots tag is an HTML meta tag used to provide instructions to search engine crawlers regarding how they should index or follow links on a particular page. Common directives include "index" to allow indexing, "noindex" to prevent indexing, "follow" to allow crawling of links, and "nofollow" to prevent the crawling of links.

<meta name="robots" content="noindex" />

Meta tags

Meta tags are HTML tags that provide metadata about a webpage. Common meta tags for SEO include the meta title, meta description, and meta robots. These tags help search engines understand the content and context of a page, influencing how it appears in search engine results.

Middle of the funnel (MOFU) content

In inbound marketing methodology, one way how the content can be categorized is based on where the prospect is in the acquisition funnel - top, middle or bottom - referring to how informed, engaged and ready is he to buy. The middle of the funnel stage is the awareness stage where companies need to engage and inform the user the benefits that the products / services will bring to the user.

See also: Top of the funnel (TOFU) content and Bottom of the funnel (BOFU) content.

Minification

Minification is the process of reducing the size of files, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, by removing unnecessary characters like whitespace and comments. Minification improves page load times, contributing to a better user experience and potentially positively impacting search engine rankings.

Microdata

Microdata is a markup language that allows webmasters to embed structured data about a webpage's content directly into HTML. This structured data helps search engines understand and interpret the content more accurately. Commonly used formats for microdata include Schema.org, which provides a vocabulary for describing entities on the web.

Mirror site

A mirror site is a duplicate copy of a website hosted on a different server or domain. In SEO, mirror sites can present duplicate content issues and potentially lead to SEO challenges. Search engines aim to display diverse and relevant content, so having identical copies may impact the visibility of both versions.

Natural link

Also known as: Editorial link, Organic link.

A natural link is a link that is earned naturally without any manipulation or coercion. Natural links are considered high-quality in the eyes of search engines because they are typically given based on the merit of the content and the website's authority.

Name, Address and Phone number (NAP)

NAP refers to the consistent listing of a business's name, address, and phone number across online platforms, directories, and the company's website. Consistent NAP information is crucial for local SEO, helping search engines accurately associate business information and improving local search rankings.

Naver

Naver is the most popular search engine in South Korea. For businesses targeting a Korean audience, optimizing for Naver is essential for visibility in the local search market. Naver's algorithms and user behavior may differ from global search engines, requiring specific SEO strategies.

Navigational keywords

Navigational keywords are search terms used by users intending to navigate directly to a specific website or webpage. These keywords often include brand names or specific domain names. Optimizing for navigational keywords is important for ensuring that users can easily find a website when searching for a particular brand or entity. Learn about other three keyword categories: commercial keywords, informational keywords, transactional keywords

Negative SEO

Negative SEO involves malicious tactics aimed at harming a competitor's website's search engine rankings. This can include tactics like creating spammy backlinks, content scraping, or other actions that violate search engine guidelines. Protecting against negative SEO involves monitoring backlinks and promptly addressing any suspicious activity.

Next

The rel="next" attribute is used in HTML to indicate the next page in a series or a paginated set, working in conjunction with rel="prev" to link multipart content. From an SEO perspective, these attributes help search engines understand the sequence of paginated content, enabling them to index and serve pages in the correct order, which can enhance user navigation and improve the content's visibility and ranking in search results. See also: Prev.

<a rel="next" href="https://www.otisar.com/blog?page=2">Next page</a>

Next.js

Next.js is a React-based JavaScript framework for building web applications. It supports server-side rendering (SSR), which can enhance SEO by providing pre-rendered HTML for search engines. Next.js simplifies the creation of React applications and offers features like automatic code splitting for optimized performance.

Nofollow

Nofollow is an attribute added to a hyperlink that instructs search engines not to pass authority to the linked page. It is commonly used for links in user-generated content, paid links, or links that the website owner does not endorse. If this attribute is used, one has to ask why the website is linking to websites that it doesn't endorse.

<a href="https://www.otisar.com" rel="nofollow">Anchor text<a>

Noindex tag

The noindex tag is an HTML meta tag used to instruct search engines not to index a specific page. When applied, the noindex tag tells search engine crawlers not to include that particular page in their index. This can be useful for pages like thank-you pages, login pages, or duplicate content that doesn't need to appear in search results.

<meta name="robots" content="noindex">

Noopener

The rel="noopener" attribute used in HTML links. It prevents the newly opened page from having access to the window.opener object of the originating page, enhancing security. While not directly related to SEO, using noopener is a good practice for web security.

<a href="https://www.otisar.com" rel="noopener">Anchor text<a>

Noreferrer

The rel="noreferrer" attribute is used in HTML and added to links. When added, it prevents the browser from sending the HTTP referrer header when the link is followed. This can be used for privacy reasons, and similar to noopener, it is not directly related to SEO but can impact how link data is passed.

<a href="https://www.otisar.com" rel="noreferrer">Anchor text<a>

Not provided

"Not provided" refers to a situation in which search engines, particularly Google, withhold specific keyword data from analytics tools. This reason for search engines withholding this information has been indicated to protect the privacy of the users. As a result, website owners may have limited insight into the specific search queries leading to their sites.

Nuxt

Nuxt is a JavaScript framework built on top of Vue.js, providing a higher-level structure for Vue applications. Nuxt.js supports server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG), making it beneficial for SEO. It allows developers to create universal applications that perform well both on the client and server sides.

Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO refers to optimization efforts that occur outside of a website but still impact its search engine rankings. This includes building high-quality backlinks, social media marketing, influencer outreach, and online reputation management (ORM). Off-page SEO activities aim to enhance a website's authority and relevance in the eyes of search engines.

On-page SEO

On-page SEO involves optimizing elements within a website to improve its visibility in search engine results. This includes optimizing content, meta tags, headers, images, and other on-page elements. On-page SEO is crucial for ensuring that search engines understand the relevance and quality of a webpage's content.

Online Reputation Management (ORM)

Online Reputation Management is a strategy focused on shaping and influencing the online perception of a person, brand, or business. It's about creating and deploying content, and working with partners to ensure that the target audience is presented with accurate and favorable information.

Organic search

Organic search refers to the unpaid, natural listings in search engine results pages (SERPs). When users enter a query into a search engine and receive results based on relevance and quality, the non-paid results are considered organic. SEO efforts aim to improve a website's visibility and ranking in organic search results.

Orphaned pages

Orphaned pages are web pages that are not linked to from any other pages within a website. They lack internal links, making it challenging for search engine crawlers to discover and index them. Orphaned pages may not receive proper attention from search engines and can be detrimental to a site's overall visibility.

Outbound link

See: External link.

Outreach

Outreach refers to the proactive process of reaching out to other websites or influencers for various purposes. This can include building backlinks, establishing partnerships, guest posting, or promoting content. Outreach is a crucial component of off-page SEO strategies to enhance a website's authority and reach.

Page speed

Page speed refers to the time it takes for a webpage to load completely. It is a crucial factor in user experience and SEO. Search engines, like Google, consider page speed as a ranking factor, and faster-loading pages generally provide a better user experience, leading to higher user satisfaction and potentially improved search rankings.

Page title

The page title, also known as the title tag, is an HTML element that specifies the title of a webpage. It is displayed on the browser tab and is often the main clickable link in search engine results. Crafting a compelling and relevant page title is essential for SEO, as it influences click-through rates and communicates the page's content to both users and search engines

<title>Otisar SEO services</title>

Pagination

Pagination refers to the organization of content across multiple pages, often indicated by page numbers or navigation links. In SEO, proper implementation of pagination, such as using rel="prev" and rel="next" tags, helps search engines understand the structure of paginated content, preventing duplicate content issues and ensuring proper indexation.

PageRank

PageRank is a link analysis algorithm used by Google to assign a numerical value (PageRank score) to each webpage. It measures the importance of webpages based on the quantity and quality of links pointing to them.

Parasite SEO

Also known as: Barnacle SEO.

Parasite SEO involves leveraging the high domain authority of established platforms or websites to rank higher in search engine results quickly. By creating or placing content on these third-party sites, individuals or businesses can piggyback on their established trust and ranking power to gain visibility for their own content or links, often in a manner that can be manipulative or against the guidelines of search engines.

People Also Ask (PAA)

"People Also Ask" (PAA) is a feature in Google's search results that displays a box of related questions beneath a search query. These questions are often semantically related to the original query, providing users with additional information. In SEO, understanding and optimizing for PAA can help capture more visibility and answer user queries effectively.

Penalty

See: Manual action. Also known as: Manual sanction.

Pogo-Sticking

Pogo-sticking refers to the behavior where a user clicks on a search result, quickly returns to the search results page, and clicks on another result. It can indicate that the initial result did not meet the user's expectations or needs. Pogo-sticking can be a signal to search engines about the relevance and quality of a webpage's content.

Portal page

See: Doorway page. Also known as: Bridge page, Gateway page, Jump page.

Position zero

See: Featured snippet. Also known as: Direct answer

Preconnect

Preconnect is an HTML tag attribute that allows the browser to initiate a connection to a specified domain before the browser requests resources from that domain. This can help reduce latency and speed up page loading times by establishing early connections to essential domains. See also: DNS Prefetch, Prefetch, Preload.

<link rel="preconnect" href="https://www.otisar.com">

Prefetch

Prefetch is a browser mechanism that allows the browser to download and cache resources (such as images or scripts) in advance, before they are actually needed. Prefetching can be used strategically to improve page speed and user experience. See also: DNS Prefetch, Preconnect, Preload.

<link rel="prefetch" href="/main.js">

Preload

Preload is similar to prefetch but is a broader term. It involves instructing the browser to load specified resources ahead of time, including critical assets like fonts, scripts, or stylesheets. See also: Preconnect, DNS Prefetch, Prefetch.

<link rel="preload" as="image" href="otisar-logo.svg">

Prev

The rel="prev" attribute is used in HTML to indicate the previous page in a series or a paginated set, working in conjunction with rel="next" to link multipart content. From an SEO perspective, these attributes help search engines understand the sequence of paginated content, enabling them to index and serve pages in the correct order, which can enhance user navigation and improve the content's visibility and ranking in search results. See also: Next.

<a rel="prev" href="https://www.otisar.com/blog?page=1">Previous page</a>

Private Blog Network (PBN)

Also known as: Link farm.

A Private Blog Network is a group of websites owned by the same individual or entity with the purpose of manipulating search engine rankings. PBNs typically interlink their sites to artificially boost the link authority of the main target site. Using PBNs is considered a violation of search engine guidelines and can result in penalties, including loss of search rankings.

Programmatic SEO

Programmatic SEO refers to the automated creation of web pages using data and templates to target a large number of keywords or phrases, particularly in niches or industries with vast amounts of searchable data. This approach aims to scale SEO efforts efficiently, allowing websites to cover more topics and rank for a broader set of search queries by generating content and pages in a systematic, data-driven manner.

Query

A query is the term used to describe the search terms or questions that users enter into a search engine. Understanding user queries is fundamental to SEO, as optimizing for relevant keywords helps ensure that a website appears in search results when users search for specific terms.

Query Deserves Freshness (QDF)

Query Deserves Freshness is a concept used by search engines to identify search queries that are likely to be seeking the latest or most up-to-date information. When a query is deemed to deserve freshness, search engines may prioritize displaying recent and relevant content in search results.

RankBrain

RankBrain is a machine learning component of Google's search algorithm. It helps Google understand and interpret the meaning of complex search queries, particularly those with ambiguous or unfamiliar terms. RankBrain contributes to providing more relevant search results based on user intent.

Ranking factor

A ranking factor is a specific element or characteristic that search engines use to evaluate and determine the position of a webpage in search results. Examples of ranking factors include content quality, backlinks, page speed, mobile-friendliness, and user experience.

React

React, developed by Facebook, is a popular JavaScript framework for building user interfaces, especially for single-page applications. React allows for efficient rendering of components and virtual DOM manipulation. For SEO, server-side rendering (SSR) or static site generation (SSG) is often employed to ensure that search engines can crawl and index React-based content effectively.

Readability Score

Readability score assesses how easy it is for users to understand and comprehend written content. Tools like the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test are used to measure the readability of content based on factors like sentence length and word complexity.

Reciprocal linking

Reciprocal linking, also known as link exchange, occurs when two websites agree to link to each other. While link building is an essential SEO strategy, excessive reciprocal linking, especially between unrelated or low-quality sites, can be perceived as manipulative and may not provide significant SEO benefits.

Reconsideration request

A reconsideration request is a communication submitted to search engines, typically Google, by website owners or SEO professionals after addressing issues that led to a manual penalty. The request asks the search engine to review the changes made to the website and reconsider its ranking or indexing status.

Redirection

Redirection is the process of forwarding one URL to another. It is often used when a webpage is moved, deleted, or renamed. Common types of redirects include 301 redirects (permanent) and 302, 307 redirects (temporary). Proper redirection is crucial for maintaining SEO value and ensuring a seamless user experience during website changes.

Rel

The rel attribute in HTML specifies the relationship between the current document and the linked resource. For SEO purposes one should know alternative, canonical, nofollow, ugc, sponsored, prev and next attributes, but also should be familiar with performance related attributes dns-prefetch, prefetch, preload and preconnect, and security related attributes noopener and noreferrer.

Relevance

Relevance in SEO refers to how closely the content on a webpage aligns with a user's search query. Search engines aim to provide the most relevant results to users. Optimizing content for relevance involves using appropriate keywords, providing valuable information, and meeting user intent.

Reputation management

See: Online Reputation Management (ORM).

Responsive design

Responsive design refers to the approach in web development where a website is crafted to provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience across all types of screens - from desktop computer monitors to mobile phones. It matters in SEO because it improves user experience, which is a factor search engines consider when ranking websites.

Before mobile devices, websites were developed only to be viewed on desktop devices. Then more and more websites started to be accessed via mobile devices so a 2nd version of the website - only for mobile - was created. This presented a challenge as two sets of code base and content had to be maintained. Technology evolved and now virtually all websites have responsive design implemented.

Rich result

Also known as: Rich card, Rich snippet.

Rich results are enhanced search results that go beyond the standard snippet of text. They may include additional information like images, reviews, ratings, and other structured data. Rich results aim to provide users with more visually appealing and informative search results.

Robot

See: Crawler. Also known as: Bot, Spider.

Robots Meta Tag

See: Meta robots tag.

Robots.txt

Robots.txt is a text file placed on a website's server to provide instructions to web crawlers about which pages or sections of the site should not be crawled or indexed. While it doesn't guarantee that pages will not be indexed, it is a tool for guiding search engine bots on which content to prioritize or exclude.

User-agent: *
Allow: /

Root domain

The root domain is the main or top-level domain of a website, excluding any subdomains or specific page addresses. For example, in the URL "https://www.otisar.com/resources/seo-glossary" the root domain is "otisar.com."

Scaled content abuse

Similar to scraped content abuse, this refers to the practice of content being created on scale, typically programmatically and / or using tools powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the intent to rank for the target terms, while providing little to no value to the user. This practice can lead to a penalty from Google.

Read more about it: Google's official documentation.

Schema.org

Schema.org is a collaborative project supported by major search engines, including Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Yandex. It provides a standardized vocabulary (markup) that webmasters can use to mark up their content with structured data. This helps search engines better understand the content and context of webpages, leading to more informative search results.

Scraped content abuse

Similar to scaled content abuse, this refers to the practice where content is taken from other websites and published either verbatim or stiched together with other sources of content without little to no oversight. Aside from this constituting a copyright infringement, this is adds no value to the users and this practice can lead to a penalty from Google.

Read more about it: Google's official documentation.

Scraping

Also known as: Web Scraping, Screen Scraping, Web Data Extraction, Web Harvesting.

Scraping refers to the automated process of extracting information from websites using bots or scripts.

Search engine guidelines

Search engine guidelines (Google guidelines and Bing guidelines) are published by search engines and are rules and recommendations to help webmasters optimize their websites ethically. Guidelines often cover aspects like content quality, linking practices, and technical considerations. It's a good place to start when in doubt whether the activities carried out abide the rules of the search engines.

Search Engine Results Page (SERP)

The Search Engine Results Page is the page displayed by a search engine in response to a user's query. It includes a list of organic and paid search results. SEO efforts aim to optimize a website's visibility and ranking on the SERP to increase the likelihood of attracting organic traffic.

Search volume

Search volume represents the number of times a specific search term or keyword is entered into a search engine over a given period. Understanding search volume helps SEO professionals identify relevant and high-traffic keywords to target in their optimization efforts.

This information can be acquired from tools such as Google Ads' Keyword Planner as well as specialized 3rd party keyword research and all-in-one SEO tools.

Server-side rendering (SSR)

Server-side rendering is a technique where the server generates the HTML content for a webpage and sends a fully-rendered page to the client's browser. This contrasts with client-side rendering, where the browser takes on a more significant role in rendering content. SSR can benefit SEO by providing search engines with a fully formed HTML page that is easier to crawl and index. Learn more about other types of rendering: Client-side rendering (CSR), Static Site Generation (SSG) and Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR).

Search Generative Experience (SGE)

The Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) refers to a new way how Google's search engine provided information to users. First announced in May 2023, it utilizes generative AI technology to provide a detailed, conversational, and context-aware responses to user queries.

Single Page Application (SPA)

A Single Page Application (SPA) is a type of web application that functions on a single HTML page, dynamically updating content as users interact with it. Typically SPAs leverage JavaScript frameworks (React, Vue, AngularJS) to manage content rendering on the client side. SPAs pose challenges for SEO as search engine crawlers either can't correctly find and index content or it takes longer time to do so.

Sitelinks

Sitelinks are additional links that appear beneath the main result for a website on the SERP. They provide users with direct access to specific pages within the site. Sitelinks are often generated automatically by search engines, but webmasters can influence them through proper site structure and internal linking.

Sitemap.xml

See: XML Sitemap.

Site reputation abuse

This happens when established domains host on their domain third party content with little to no oversight. This is a response to many highly established and trusted domain created partnerships where they would rent out their sub-domains to host content that targets high value keywords typically related to coupons, payday loans and gambling that would have affiliate links.

Read more about it: Google's official documentation.

Spam

In SEO, spam refers to various manipulative (black hat) tactics designed to improve a website's search engine rankings unethically or artificially. These tactics can include keyword stuffing, cloaking, using hidden text, link schemes, and creating low-quality content, all of which are intended to deceive search engines and can result in penalties or a drop in rankings if/when detected.

Within SEO community there's a joke that there's also another kind of S.P.A.M. - Site Positioning Above Mine.

Spider

See: Crawler. Also known as: Bot, Robot.

Split testing

Split testing, or A/B testing, involves comparing two versions of a webpage to determine which performs better in terms of user engagement or conversion metrics.

Sponsored

The rel="sponsored" attribute is used in HTML to specify that a hyperlink is part of an advertisement or sponsored content. It's important in SEO because it helps search engines understand the nature of links, ensuring that paid links do not manipulate search engine rankings, thereby maintaining the integrity and relevance of search results.

<a href="https://www.otisar.com" rel="sponsored">Anchor text<a>

SSL certificate

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a security protocol that ensures data encryption between a user's browser and a website's server. Websites with SSL certificates are accessible via "https://" and provide a secure connection.

Static Site Generation (SSG)

Static Site Generation involves pre-rendering the content of a website at build time. The server generates static HTML files for each page, and these files are then served to users. SSG offers the advantage of fast-loading pages and improved SEO, as search engines can easily index the static HTML content. Learn more about other types of rendering: Server-side rendering (SSR), Client-side rendering (CSR) and Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR).

Status code

Also known as: Response code, Server response code.

Status codes are three-digit numbers returned by a server to indicate the status of a client's request. Commonly encountered status codes include 200 (OK, successful request), 301 (Moved Permanently, indicating a permanent URL redirect) and 404 (Not Found, page not available).

Structured data

Structured data involves organizing and marking up information on a webpage in a way that search engines can easily interpret. Schema.org is commonly used for structured data. Implementing structured data can lead to rich snippets in search results, providing more context and information to users.

Subdomain

A subdomain is a subset of a larger domain. For example, in "www.otisar.com," "www" is a subdomain of "otisar.com." Subdomains are treated as separate entities by search engines and can be used for specific purposes, but their SEO impact can vary.

https://www.otisar.com

Subfolder

A subfolder is a directory or folder within the main domain. For example, in "otisar.com/resources," "resources" is a subfolder. Subfolders are part of the main domain's structure, and the content within them is typically considered more closely related to the main domain than content on a subdomain.

https://www.otisar.com/resources/seo-glossary

Tailwind CSS

Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework that provides low-level utility classes to build designs directly in your markup. It allows for highly customizable designs without writing custom CSS. It's the second most popular CSS framework after Bootstrap CSS.

Taxonomy

Taxonomy refers to the classification or categorization of content on a website. It involves organizing content into hierarchical structures or categories. A well-defined taxonomy can improve the user experience and help search engines understand the relationships between different pieces of content.

Technical SEO

Technical SEO involves optimizing the technical aspects of a website to enhance its visibility and performance in search engines. This includes tasks such as optimizing site speed, improving crawlability, implementing structured data, and ensuring proper use of tags and headers.

Term Frequency - Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF)

TF-IDF is a numerical statistic that reflects the importance of a term within a document relative to its frequency across a collection of documents. TF-IDF analysis helps identify terms that are uniquely relevant to specific pages, aiding in keyword optimization and content creation.

Time on page

See: Dwell time

Title tag

See: Page title.

Thin content

Thin content refers to pages with minimal or low-quality content that may not provide significant value to users. Search engines favor pages with substantial, informative content. Identifying and improving thin content is essential for maintaining a high-quality website and achieving better search rankings.

Top Level Domain (TLD)

The Top-Level Domain is the highest level in the domain hierarchy. Examples include ".com," ".org," and ".net." TLDs can influence the perceived authority and purpose of a website. While TLDs are not a major ranking factor, they contribute to the overall domain identity.

Top of the funnel (TOFU) content

In inbound marketing methodology, one way how the content can be categorized is based on where the prospect is in the acquisition funnel - top, middle or bottom - referring to how informed, engaged and ready is he to buy. The top of the funnel stage is the awareness stage where companies need to attract and educate the user.

See also: Middle of the funnel (MOFU) content and Bottom of the funnel (BOFU) content.

Tracking Code

A tracking code is a piece of code, often implemented using tools like Google Analytics, that collects data about user interactions on a website.

Transactional keywords

Transactional keywords are search terms indicating a user's intent to perform a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service. These keywords often include terms like "buy," "order," or "subscribe." Optimizing for transactional keywords is crucial for e-commerce and conversion-focused websites. Learn more about types of keyword categories: commercial keywords, informational keywords, navigational keywords.

TrustRank

TrustRank is an algorithmic concept used by search engines to assess the trustworthiness of a webpage based on its links. Pages with links from reputable and trusted sources are considered more trustworthy. Earning high-quality backlinks and avoiding link schemes contribute to building TrustRank.

Twitter cards

Twitter Cards are meta tags that enable the display of rich media, such as images and summaries, when a link is shared on Twitter. They enhance the visual appeal of webpage and can potentially increase engagement on the Twitter and other platforms.

UGC

The rel="ugc" attribute is used in HTML link elements to indicate that the link is pointing to user-generated content. The UGC attribute helps search engines understand that the linked content is created by users, and it influences how search engines treat the link for ranking purposes.

<a href="https://www.otisar.com" rel="ugc">Anchor text<a>

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

A Uniform Resource Locator, commonly known as a URL, is the address used to access resources on the internet. URLs are composed of different components, including the protocol (e.g., "https://"), domain name (e.g., "otisar.com"), and path to the specific resource (e.g., "/contact").

https://www.otisar.com/contact

Universal search

Also known as: Blended search.

Universal Search refers to the integration of various types of content, such as images, videos, news, and maps, into traditional search engine results. Search engines aim to provide a diverse range of content types to cater to user preferences and enhance the overall search experience.

Unnatural link

An unnatural link is a backlink that is acquired through manipulative or spammy practices, violating search engine guidelines. Unnatural links can result in penalties and negatively impact a website's search rankings.

URL parameter

URL parameters are additional values appended to a URL, often used to pass information between web pages. For example, in "otisar.com/?q=12345," the "?q=12345" part is a URL parameter. Proper handling of URL parameters is crucial for SEO to avoid duplicate content issues.

https://www.otisar.com/?q=12345

URL slug

The URL slug is the part of a URL that identifies a specific page or resource on a website. It usually comes after the domain and is typically a human-readable string that describes the content of the page. For example, in "otisar.com/contact", "contact" is the URL slug.

https://www.otisar.com/contact

User agent

The user-agent is a string of text sent by a browser or a bot to identify itself when making a request to a server. Search engine bots, like Googlebot or Bingbot, have specific user-agent strings that enables SEOs to analyze search engine behavior in log file analysis.

User-generated content (UGC)

User-generated content refers to content created by users rather than the website's owner or content creators. Examples include comments, reviews, forum posts, and social media contributions. UGC can be valuable for SEO as it adds depth to a website's content and engages users.

User Experience (UX)

User Experience is a broad term that encompasses the overall experience a user has when interacting with a website or application. In the context of SEO, a positive user experience is crucial for retaining visitors, reducing bounce rates, and ultimately influencing search engine rankings.

User Interface (UI)

User Interface refers to the visual elements and design of a website or application that users interact with. While not a direct ranking factor, a well-designed UI contributes to a positive user experience, which, in turn, can impact engagement and indirectly influence SEO.

Vertical search

Vertical search, also known as specialized or niche search, refers to search engines that focus on specific content types or industries. Examples include image search engines, video search engines, or news search engines.

Voice search

Voice search involves using spoken commands to perform searches on devices equipped with voice recognition technology, such as smartphones or smart speakers. SEO for voice search involves optimizing content for natural language queries and considering conversational language patterns to align with user behavior.

Visibility

Visibility in SEO refers to how prominently a website or webpage appears in search engine results for relevant queries. High visibility means that a site is more likely to attract organic traffic. SEO strategies aim to enhance visibility through optimizing content, improving site structure, and earning authoritative backlinks.

Vue.js

Vue.js is a progressive JavaScript framework for building user interfaces. It is designed to be incrementally adaptable, making it easy to integrate with existing projects. Vue.js supports server-side rendering (SSR), which can enhance SEO by providing search engines with pre-rendered HTML for content.

Webpage

A webpage is a single document on the World Wide Web, accessible through a web browser. Webpages can contain various types of content, including text, images, videos, and interactive elements. SEO involves optimizing individual webpages to improve their visibility and relevance in search engine results.

Website

A website is a collection of related webpages that are typically identified by a common domain name. It represents a digital presence for an individual, business, or organization. SEO strategies encompass optimizing the overall structure, content, and performance of a website to improve its search engine rankings.

Website Navigation

Website navigation refers to the system or menu structure that allows users to move between different pages or sections of a website. Effective navigation enhances the user experience, facilitating easy access to information. SEO-friendly navigation ensures that search engines can crawl and index all relevant pages.

Webspam

Webspam refers to deceptive or manipulative practices intended to trick search engines or deceive users. This includes tactics like keyword stuffing, cloaking, and acquiring low-quality backlinks. Search engines penalize websites engaging in webspam to maintain the integrity and quality of their search results.

White hat SEO

White hat SEO refers to ethical and legitimate optimization practices that align with search engine guidelines. These practices focus on providing value to users, creating high-quality content, and building genuine, authoritative backlinks. White hat SEO aims for long-term success and avoids shortcuts that could lead to penalties. Learn about other SEO types: Black hat SEO, Grey hat SEO.

WolframAlpha

WolframAlpha is a computational search engine that provides answers to factual queries by computing and analyzing data. While not a traditional search engine like Google, WolframAlpha is a valuable resource for specific types of information.

WordPress

WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that allows users to create and manage websites easily. It is known for its user-friendly interface, customizable themes, and extensive plugin ecosystem.

XML

XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language used to store and transport data. In the context of SEO, XML is often used for creating sitemaps, which help search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of a website's content.

XML sitemap

An XML sitemap is a file that lists the URLs of a website along with additional information such as the last modified date and priority of each page. XML sitemaps help search engines crawl and index a website more efficiently, ensuring that all relevant pages are discovered.

X-Robots-Tag

The X-Robots-Tag is an HTTP header that allows webmasters to control how search engines index and crawl specific pages or resources. It provides instructions similar to those found in the robots meta tag but can be implemented at the server level for greater control.

Yahoo

Yahoo is a search engine and web services provider. While it is not as dominant in search as Google, it is still used by a significant number of users. Bing largely powers Yahoo search engine.

Yandex

Yandex is a Russian multinational search engine and technology company. It is the most prominent search engine in Russia, works similarly and offers similar products to Google.

YMYL pages

YMYL stands for "Your Money or Your Life." YMYL pages are webpages that provide information that could significantly impact a person's health, financial situation, safety, or overall well-being. Examples include pages on medical advice, financial planning, or legal information. Such pages are held to higher content and expertise standards by search engines.

YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing platform owned by Google. While YouTube itself is not a traditional search engine, it is one of the most popular search engine globally, and videos often appear in Google's search results. SEO for YouTube involves optimizing video titles, descriptions, and tags for visibility in both YouTube and Google search results.

Zero click

Zero click refers to a search result that provides the information directly on the search engine results page (SERP), eliminating the need for the user to click through to a website. Featured snippets, knowledge panels, and other rich results contribute to zero-click searches. SEO strategies may involve optimizing for these features to increase visibility even without a click.