SEO Glossary
Algorithm
A set of rules that a search engine uses to rank the listings contained within its index, in response to a particular query. No search engine reveals exactly how its own algorithm works, to protect itself from competitors and those who wish to spam the se
Algorithmic Results
see Organic Listings.:
Backlinks
All the links pointing at a particular web page. Also called inbound links. Source: Webmaster World Forums
Banned
When pages are removed from a search engine\’s index specifically because the search engine has deemed them to be spamming or violating some type of guidelines.:
Clickthrough Rate
The percentage of those clicking on a link out of the total number who see the link. For example, imagine 10 people do a web search. In response, they see links to a variety of web pages. Three of the 10 people all choose one particular link. That link t
Cloaking
In terms of search engine marketing, this is the act of getting a search engine to record content for a URL that is different than what a searcher will ultimately see. It can be done in many technical ways. Several search engines have explicit rules agai
Contextual Link Inventory
To supplement their business models, certain text-link advertising networks have expanded their network distribution to include ?contextual inventory?. Most vendors of “search engine traffic” have expanded the definition of Search Engine Marketing to incl
Conversion Rate
The relationship between visitors to a web site and actions consider to be a “conversion,” such as a sale or request to receive more information. Often expressed as a percentage. If a web site has 50 visitors and 10 of them convert, then the site has a 2
Cost Per Click
System where an advertiser pays an agreed amount for each click someone makes on a link leading to their web site. Also known as CPC. Source: Webmaster World Forums
CPC
see Cost Per Click.:
CPM
System where an advertiser pays an agreed amount for the number of times their ad is seen by a consumer, regardless of the consumer\’s subsequent action. Heavily used in print, broadcasting and direct marketing, as well as with online banner ad sales. CP
Crawler
Component of search engine that gather listings by automatically “crawling” the web. A search engine\’s crawler (also called a spider or robot), follows links to web pages. It makes copies of the web pages found and stores these in the search engine\’s i
CTR
see Clickthrough Rate.:
Delisting
When pages are removed from a search engines index. This may happen because they have been banned or for other reasons, such as an accidental glitch on the search engine\’s part. Source: Adventive
Directories
A type of search engine where listings are gathered through human efforts, rather than by automated crawling of the web. In directories, web sites are often reviewed, summarized in about 25 words and placed in a particular category.:
Doorway Page
A web page created expressly in hopes of ranking well for a term in a search engine\’s non-paid listings and which itself does not deliver much information to those viewing it. Instead, visitors will often see only some enticement on the doorway page lea
Gateway Page
see Doorway Page.:
Graphical Search Inventory
Banners, and other types of advertising units which can be synchronized to search keywords. Includes pop-ups, browser toolbars and rich media.
Index
The collection of information a search engine has that searchers can query against. With crawler-based search engines, the index is typically copies of all the web pages they have found from crawling the web. With human-powered directories, the index con
Inbound Link
See Backlinks.:
Keywords
See Search Terms.:
Landing Page
The specific web page that a visitor ultimately reaches after clicking a search engine listing. Marketers attempt to improve conversion rates by testing various landing page creative, which encompasses the entire user experience including navigation, lay
Link Popularity
A raw count of how “popular” a page is based on the number of backlinks it has. It does not factor in link context or link quality, which are also important elements in how search engines make use of links to impact rankings.:
Link Text
The text that is contained within a link. For example, search engine is a link that contains the link text “search engine.”:
Listings
The information that appears on a search engine\’s results page in response to a search.:
Meta Search Engine
A search engine that gets listings from two or more other search engines, rather than through its own efforts.:
Meta Tags
Information placed in a web page not intended for users to see but instead which typically passes information to search engine crawlers, browser software and some other applications.:
Meta Description Tag
Allows page authors to say how they would like their pages described when listed by search engines. Not all search engines use the tag.:
Meta Keywords Tag
Allows page authors to add text to a page to help with the search engine ranking process. Not all search engines use the tag.:
Meta Robots Tag
Allows page authors to keep their web pages from being indexed by search engines, especially helpful for those who cannot create robots.txt files. The Robots Exclusion page provides official details.:
Organic Listings
Listings that search engines do not sell (unlike paid listings). Instead, sites appear solely because a search engine has deemed it editorially important for them to be included, regardless of payment. Paid inclusion content is also often considered “org
Outbound Links
Links on a particular web page leading to other web pages, whether they are within the same web site or other web sites.:
Paid Inclusion
Advertising program where pages are guaranteed to be included in a search engine\’s index in exchange for payment, though no guarantee of ranking well is typically given. For example, Looksmart is a directory that lists pages and sites, not based on posi
PPC
Stands for pay-per-click and means the same as cost-per-click. See Cost Per Click.:
Paid Listings
Listings that search engines sell to advertisers, usually through paid placement or paid inclusion programs. In contrast, organic listings are not sold.:
Pay-for-Performance
Term popularized by some search engines as a synonym for pay-per-click, stressing to advertisers that they are only paying for ads that “perform” in terms of delivering traffic, as opposed to CPM-based ads, where ads cost money, even if they don\’t gener
Pay-Per-Click
see Cost Per Click.:
Paid Placement
Advertising program where listings are guaranteed to appear in response to particular search terms, with higher ranking typically obtained by paying more than other advertisers. Paid placement listings can be purchased from a portal or a search network.
Position
See Rank.:
Query
See Search Terms.:
Rank
How well a particular web page or web site is listed in a search engine results. For example, a web page about apples may be listed in response to a query for “apples.” However, “rank” indicates where exactly it was listed — be it on the first page of r
Reciprocal Link
A link exchange between two sites. Source: Webmaster World Forums
Registration
See Submission.:
Results Page
After a user enters a search query, the page that is displayed, is call the results page. Sometimes it may be called SERPs, for “search engine results page.” Source: Webmaster World Forums
Robot
see Crawler.:
Robots.txt
A file used to keep web pages from being indexed by search engines. The Robots Exclusion page provides official details.:
ROI
Stands for “Return On Investment” and refers to the percentage of profit or revenue generated from a specific activity. For example, one might measure the ROI of a paid listing campaign by adding up the total amount spent on the campaign (say $200) versu
Search Engine
Any service generally designed to allow users to search the web or a specialized database of information. Web search engines generally have paid listings and organic listings. Organic listings typically come from crawling the web, though often human-powe
Search Engine Marketing
The act of marketing a web site via search engines, whether this be improving rank in organic listings, purchasing paid listings or a combination of these and other search engine-related activities.:
Search Engine Optimization
The act of altering a web site so that it does well in the organic, crawler-based listings of search engines. In the past, has also been used as a term for any type of search engine marketing activity, though now the term search engine marketing itself h
Search Terms
The words (or word) a searcher enters into a search engine\’s search box. Also used to refer to the terms a search engine marketer hopes a particular page will be found for. Also called keywords, query terms or query.:
SEM
Acroymn for search engine marketing and may also be used to refer to a person or company that does search engine marketing (i.e.., “They\’re an SEM firm).:
SEMPO
Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, a non-profit, formed to increase the awareness of and educate people on the value of search engine marketing.:
SEO
Acronym for search engine optimization and often also used to refer to a person or company that does search engine optimization (i.e., “They do SEO”).:
SERPS
see Results Page.:
Shopping Search
Shopping search engines allow shoppers to look for products and prices in a search environment. Premium placement can be purchased on some shopping search indices.:
Spam
Any search engine marketing method that a search engine deems to be detrimental to its efforts to deliver relevant, quality search results. Some search engines have written guidelines about what they consider to be spamming, but ultimately any activity a
Spider
See Crawler.:
Submission
The act to submitting a URL for inclusion into a search engine’s index. Unless done through paid inclusion, submission generally does not guarantee listing. In addition, submission does not help with rank improvement on crawler-based search engines unles
XML Feeds
A form of paid inclusion where a search engine is “fed” information about pages via XML, rather than gathering that information through crawling actual pages.