SEO Glossary
The definitive guide to search engine optimization terminology.
Index
The database used by a search engine to store and retrieve information collected by its crawlers.
Indexability
The ability of a search engine to analyze and add a page to its index. If a page is not indexable, it cannot appear in search results.
Information Architecture
The structural design of shared information environments; the art and science of organizing and labeling websites to support usability and findability.
Internal Link
A hyperlink that points to another page on the same website. Helps establish site architecture and spread link equity.
JavaScript SEO
A branch of technical SEO focused on optimizing websites built with JavaScript frameworks (like React, Angular, or Vue) so they can be effectively crawled and indexed by search engines.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives, such as organic traffic or lead conversions.
Keyword Density
The percentage of times a keyword or phrase appears on a web page compared to the total number of words on the page.
Keyword Stuffing
The practice of loading a webpage with keywords or numbers in an attempt to manipulate a site's ranking in Google search results. A Black Hat tactic.
Knowledge Graph
A knowledge base used by Google and its services to enhance its search engine's results with information gathered from a variety of sources.
Landing Page
A standalone web page created specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign, where a visitor "lands" after clicking on a link.
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
A Core Web Vitals metric that measures the time it takes for the largest image or text block visible within the viewport to render.
Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI)
A mathematical method used to determine the relationship between terms and concepts in content. (Note: Google engineers have stated they do not use LSI, but rather more advanced neural matching).
Lead Generation
The initiation of consumer interest or inquiry into products or services of a business.
Link Building
The process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own to improve search engine visibility.
Link Equity (Link Juice)
A search engine ranking factor based on the idea that certain links pass value and authority from one page to another.
Local Pack
A feature in Google Search results that displays a map and a listing of three local businesses related to the user's query.
Local SEO
The process of optimizing a website or online presence to increase visibility for local search queries, particularly in Google Maps and the Local Pack.
Long-Tail Keywords
Specific, highly targeted search phrases that contain three or more words. They often have lower search volume but higher conversion rates.
Manual Action
A penalty applied by a human reviewer at Google when a site is found to be in violation of Google's Webmaster Quality Guidelines.
Meta Description
An HTML attribute that provides a brief summary of a web page. Search engines often display the meta description in search results.
Meta Keyword
A deprecated HTML tag that was once used to tell search engines what keywords a page was targeting. No longer used by major search engines for ranking.
Mobile-First Indexing
Google's practice of predominantly using the mobile version of the content for indexing and ranking.
Mobile-Friendly
A website design that functions well and is easy to use on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
Negative SEO
The malicious practice of using unethical techniques (like pointing spammy links) to sabotage a competitor's rankings in search engines.