SEO Dictionary

Discover the meanings to all the technical terms tossed around on this site and others to help make sure you fully understand the context to the words.

# | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

#'s

301 Redirect

A 301 Redirect is a permanent redirection from one URL to another, telling search engines and browsers that the original URL has permanently moved to a new location. When implemented, a 301 redirect transfers the SEO value (often called "link equity") of the original page to the new URL, ensuring minimal impact on search rankings.

Key Features of a 301 Redirect:

Common Use Cases of a 301 Redirect:

301 redirects are crucial for maintaining SEO performance during site migrations, rebranding, or restructuring, and are a best practice in web development to ensure smooth transitions and prevent loss of traffic.

302 Redirect

A 302 Redirect is a temporary redirection from one URL to another, signaling to search engines and browsers that the original URL may be restored in the future. Unlike a 301 redirect, a 302 redirect does not pass full SEO value (link equity) to the new URL, since it's meant for temporary changes.

Key Features of a 302 Redirect:

Common Use Cases of a 302 Redirect:

A 302 redirect is ideal for short-term changes where you expect to revert to the original URL, but it should be used cautiously if long-term SEO is a priority, as it doesn’t pass full ranking power.

307 Redirect

A 307 Redirect is a temporary redirection that preserves the original HTTP method (GET or POST) when forwarding a request to a new URL. It tells browsers and search engines that the requested resource has been temporarily moved but will return to the original location. Unlike a 302 redirect, a 307 redirect explicitly maintains the original request method, making it more predictable in certain situations.

Key Features of a 307 Redirect:

Common Use Cases of a 307 Redirect:

A 307 redirect is particularly useful when you need the redirect to behave predictably in situations where the HTTP request method is important, such as with form submissions or API interactions.

403 Forbidden

A 403 Forbidden error is an HTTP status code indicating that the server understands the client’s request but refuses to authorize it. This occurs when the server’s permissions or security settings prevent access to the requested resource, even if the URL is valid and the resource exists.

Key Features of a 403 Forbidden Error:

Common Use Cases of a 403 Forbidden Error:

The 403 Forbidden error is a security feature that ensures only authorized users can view or interact with sensitive or restricted content. It's often resolved by adjusting file permissions or server settings.

404 Not Found

A 404 Not Found error is an HTTP status code that indicates the server could not find the requested resource. This error occurs when a client (such as a web browser) requests a page or resource that either doesn’t exist, has been deleted, or has been moved without a proper redirect. It’s one of the most common errors encountered on the web.

Key Features of a 404 Not Found Error:

Common Causes of a 404 Not Found Error:

Common Use Cases of a 404 Not Found Error:

Best Practices for Handling 404 Errors:

A 404 Not Found error is generally a user experience issue and should be addressed to maintain smooth navigation on websites, as frequent 404 errors can negatively impact SEO and user retention.

500 Internal Server Error

A 500 Internal Server Error is a generic HTTP status code indicating that the server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request. Unlike client-side errors (like a 404 Not Found), a 500 error indicates a problem on the server side, though the exact cause is typically unknown.

Key Features of a 500 Internal Server Error:

Common Causes of a 500 Internal Server Error:

Common Use Cases of a 500 Internal Server Error:

Best Practices for Handling 500 Errors:

A 500 Internal Server Error signals a technical issue that should be addressed by a developer or server administrator to restore normal website functionality.

502 Bad Gateway

A

A/B Testing

Above the Fold

Ads

Adsense

Aged Domain

Affiliate

Affiliate Post

AI

Ahrefs

Algorithm Update

Changes made by search engines to their ranking algorithms.

Alt Attribute (AKA Alt Text)

Attribute providing alternative text for images, crucial for accessibility and image SEO.

AMP

Analytics

Anchor Text

Authority

API

Archive Page

Autocomplete

B

B2B

B2C

BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers)

A natural language processing algorithm by Google used to better understand search intent.

Black Hat SEO

Block Editor

Blog

Bounce Rate

Bot

Branded Keyword

C

Cache

Calculator

Captcha

Category

CDN

Cloaking

CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)

Click Bait

Click Depth

CMS

Collab Posts

Competitor Analysis

Content Freshness

Content Gap

Content Optimizer

Core Update

Cornerstone Content

CPanel

CPM

CPC

Crawl

Crawl Budget

CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization)

Improving the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action.

CTA

CTR

CTR Manipulation

Techniques to increase click-through rate artificially (be careful, as this can be black hat)

CSS

Customer Avatar

CWV (Core Web Vitals)

D

DA

DR

Deep Linking

Direct Traffic

Disavow

Display Ads (See Ads)

Domain

Domain Age

Duplicate Content

E

Ecommerce

EEAT

Embed

Engagement Time

Entity SEO

Optimizing for entities in Google's Knowledge Graph, going beyond just keywords.

Evergreen Content

Expired Domain

Ezoic

F

Favicon

FAQ

FCP

Forum

Forum Keyword

G

GA

GDPR

Ghost CMS

Golden Ratio Keyword

Google Discover

Google My Business (GMB)

Google News

Google Penalty

Google Sandbox

GSC

Guest Post

H

HARO

Head Term

A broad keyword phrase, typically high in search volume but more competitive.

Heatmap

High Volume Keyword

Hreflang

HTML

HCU

Host

Hook Element

Hyperlocal SEO

SEO targeting a very specific local area, usually a neighborhood or street.

I

Image SEO

Indexing

Informational Post

Interstitial

IP

J

Javascript (JS)

K

Keysearch

Keysearch is a keyword research tool that is the most affordable and best bang for your buck. Learn more about how to use it to find keywords and get 20% off here (code “KSDISC”).

Keyword

Keyword Cannibalization

Keyword Cluster

Keyword Density (KD)

Keyword Difficulty

Keyword Golden Ratio

Keyword Research Tool

Keyword Stuffing

Knowledge Graph

KPI

L

Landing Page

Lazy Loading

LCP

Lead Magnet

Listicle

Local Pack

Local SEO

Long Tail Keyword

LLM

LSI Keyword

M

Mediavine

Media Kit

Meta Description

Minify

Mine Keywords

Mobile Optimization

Monumetric

N

Name Generator

Nameserver

Niche

Niche Down

Negative Keyword

NLP

O

Off Page SEO

On Page SEO

Organic Search Results

Organic Traffic

Orphan Page / Post

P

Page Authority (PA)

Page Speed

PageSpeed Insights

Pageviews / Views

Pagination

Panda

Parasite SEO

Parked Domain

Parsing

PBN

Penguin

People Also Ask

Pillar

Pillar Page

Pixel

Plugin

PPC

Programmatic SEO

Q

Query

R

Rank / Ranking

RankBrain

Google’s machine learning algorithm that helps to process search results.

Raptive

Readability

Reciprocal Linking

Redirect

Referral Traffic

Repurpose

Responsive Design

Review Post

Review Update

Rich Media

Rich Snippet

Robots.txt

ROI

Roundup

RPM

RSS

S

Schema Markup

Search Engine

A search engine is an online tool designed to help users find information across the web by providing relevant results to their queries. Think of it as a digital library—users input a question or keyword, and the search engine scans its vast index of websites and content to instantly deliver the most relevant answers.

Search engines work by crawling and indexing billions of web pages, then using algorithms to rank these pages based on factors like relevance, authority, and user experience. Their goal is to present the most useful and accurate information at the top of the results page.

The most common search engines include:

While these are the most recognizable, there are many other search engines tailored to different markets and needs.

Search Intent

Seasonal

Secondary Keyword

Semantic SEO

SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, encompasses a broad range of methods and strategies used to improve the visibility and ranking of websites and web pages in search engine results, with the ultimate goal of attracting more organic traffic. While this often refers to appearing on the first page of search results, SEO is about more than just rankings—it's about ensuring that the content provided is high quality, relevant, and easy for search engines to understand and categorize.

Though SEO is a general term applicable to all search engines, it is most commonly associated with Google, given its dominance in the market and higher RPMs (Revenue Per Mille) for advertisements.

SEO has also become shorthand for professionals who specialize in this field. Unlike bloggers or influencers, SEO practitioners are often simply referred to as "SEOs" rather than using a "-er" suffix.

It’s worth noting that phrases like "SEO optimized" are technically redundant (since it translates to "Search Engine Optimization optimized"). However, because SEO is an abbreviation for "optimization" rather than "optimized," this redundancy is generally accepted in everyday usage.

SEO Audit

SEO Content

Content specifically created to rank highly in search engines by satisfying search intent.

SERP

SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. This is the page that appears after you’ve entered a query or search term into a search engine, displaying a list of results relevant to your search.

The SERP includes a variety of elements, such as organic results (web pages that rank based on SEO efforts), paid ads, featured snippets, knowledge panels, and more, depending on the query.

In the context of SEO, professionals often refer to "SERPs" when discussing rankings, specifically the goal of appearing on the first page of Google (or the top 10 results in a continuous scroll layout). Results beyond page 1 are typically overlooked in most SEO strategies, as users rarely venture past the first few results.

Here’s a basic visual reference of what a SERP looks like:

[Insert SERP example image]

When SEOs mention "SERPs," it’s generally understood that they’re referring to the top 10 results on a search engine, unless otherwise specified.

Session

Session Duration

SGE

SheMedia

Short Code

Silo

Silo Page

Sitestripe

Skyscraper Technique

Slug

Social Proof

Social Traffic

Spam Score

SPEAR Framework

SSL

Staging Site

Structured Data

Subdirectory

Subdomain

Syndication

T

Tag

Technical SEO

Theme

Title Tag

Topical Authority

Topic Cluster

Topical Map

Traffic

U

UGC

URL

User Intent

USP

UX

V

VA

Vlog

Volume

W

Waterfall Test / Chart

A Waterfall Test or Waterfall Chart is a data visualization tool used primarily in project management, finance, and analytics to illustrate the cumulative effect of sequentially introduced positive or negative values. This chart effectively breaks down the progression of a value from a starting point to an endpoint, highlighting how various factors contribute to the overall result.

Key Features of Waterfall Charts:

By leveraging Waterfall Charts, stakeholders can gain insights into complex data and make informed decisions based on the cumulative effects of various factors.

Web Stories

Web Stories are a visually engaging and interactive content format designed for the web, similar to the stories feature popularized by social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. Developed by Google, Web Stories allow creators to present information in a full-screen, swipeable format, making it ideal for storytelling, news, tutorials, and more.

Key features of Web Stories include:

Web Stories are created using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and can be integrated seamlessly into existing websites. They offer a unique way for publishers, brands, and marketers to connect with audiences through interactive content that encourages exploration and engagement.

By leveraging Web Stories, creators can enhance their content strategy, reach a broader audience, and provide a richer user experience.

WebP

WebP is an image format developed by Google that provides superior compression techniques, allowing for smaller file sizes without significantly sacrificing image quality. This modern image format supports both lossy and lossless compression, making it versatile for various types of images, from photographs to graphics.

Key features of WebP include:

WebP is widely supported by modern web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, although some older browsers may not support it. Implementing WebP on websites can improve loading speeds, enhance user experience, and contribute positively to SEO, as page speed is a ranking factor.

Web developers can convert existing images to WebP format using various tools and libraries, making it a valuable option for optimizing web content.

White Hat SEO

White Hat SEO refers to ethical, search engine-approved optimization techniques aimed at improving a website’s ranking in search results without violating search engine guidelines. Unlike black hat tactics that attempt to manipulate search algorithms through shortcuts and unethical methods, white hat SEO focuses on building long-term, sustainable results through high-quality practices.

Key principles of White Hat SEO include:

White Hat SEO aligns with Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) principles, ensuring that websites build credibility and trust over time. It is a slower, more consistent approach to SEO, focusing on long-term gains rather than quick, risky wins.

WordPress

WordPress is a highly popular content management system (CMS) that allows users to easily create, manage, and publish websites without needing extensive coding knowledge. It is open-source software, meaning it’s free to use and supported by a large global community of developers who continuously improve and extend its functionality.

There are two versions of WordPress:

Key reasons for WordPress’s popularity include:

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced web developer, WordPress is versatile enough to handle simple blogs or sophisticated, large-scale websites.

X

XML Sitemap

An XML Sitemap is a file that lists all the important pages on a website to help search engines like Google, Bing, and others crawl and index the site more effectively. Written in XML (eXtensible Markup Language), this sitemap acts as a roadmap for search engine bots, guiding them through the structure of your site and ensuring they don’t miss critical content.

Key benefits of an XML Sitemap include:

An XML Sitemap is particularly useful for:

Submitting an XML Sitemap to Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools is a best practice in SEO, ensuring search engines can efficiently navigate your website and keep its content up-to-date in their index.

Y

YMYL

YMYL stands for Your Money or Your Life, a term used by Google to categorize web content that can significantly impact a person’s health, financial stability, safety, or overall well-being. Because of the potential consequences of inaccurate or misleading information, YMYL content is held to much higher standards of trustworthiness, accuracy, and expertise.

Examples of YMYL content include:

For websites that produce YMYL content, Google applies stricter algorithmic scrutiny through its E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines, ensuring that only the most credible and reliable sources rank highly in search results. This means that ranking well in YMYL categories requires demonstrating authority, providing evidence-based information, and often involving recognized experts in the field.

⚠️
YMYL content is critical because mistakes or misleading information in these areas could have serious, real-world consequences for users, making it a focal point in Google’s mission to deliver high-quality, trustworthy search results.

Z

A Zero Click Search occurs when a user’s query is answered directly on the search engine results page (SERP), without needing to click on any of the links. This can happen through features like featured snippets, knowledge panels, instant answers, or other SERP elements that provide the information upfront.

Examples of Zero Click Search results include:

These searches have become more prevalent, especially on Google, as the search engine aims to provide users with immediate answers, often reducing the need for users to visit individual websites. While this benefits the user by offering quick information, it can reduce organic traffic to websites since fewer users are clicking through to visit the actual pages.

For SEOs and content creators, Zero Click Searches present a challenge: optimizing content to not only appear in these SERP features but also encouraging clicks when possible by providing deeper value beyond the immediate answer.

Zero Volume Keyword

A zero volume keyword isn’t actually a keyword with no search volume. Instead, it typically refers to a zero competition keyword—a keyword that keyword research tools underreport in terms of search volume, often showing "0" or very low numbers. However, these keywords can still drive significant traffic because the tools haven’t yet caught up with their true importance.

Zero volume keywords are often undiscovered opportunities that can be found through various strategies, such as:

One of the major advantages of zero volume keywords is that they often require fewer backlinks and lower SEO effort to rank, making them ideal for quickly driving traffic, especially in niche areas.

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