SayNine SEO
Glossary Dash illustration

A glossary of terms for link building and SEO. Each on including a comprehensive article with definitions, strategies, and uses to educate new digital marketing professionals.

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10x Content
10x content is exceptionally compelling content that is ten times better than the best existing content on the same topic.
2xx Status Code
2xx Status Codes indicate successful responses from the server for HTTP requests, covering creation, acceptance, and empty responses.
301 Redirect
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirection from one URL to another.
302 Redirect
A 302 redirect indicates the webpage you're looking for has been moved temporarily, often for maintenance or testing purposes.
403 Code
A 403 code indicates that the server understood the request but denied access to the requested resource.
404 Code
A 404 code, often called a "Page Not Found" error, means the server cannot find the requested webpage.
4xx Status Code
4xx Status Code is an error that happens when a webpage could not be reached, or has restricted access.
5xx Status Code
A 5xx status code indicates a server error, meaning the server encountered an issue while trying to fulfill the request.
A
A-B Link Exchange
A-B link exchange is a process when two websites mutually agree to link with each other.
A-B-C Link Exchange
A-B-C link exchange is a strategy where three websites (A, B, and C) swap links with each other.
Affiliate Link
An affiliate link lets affiliates earn money by promoting products or services and generating sales through it.
Algorithm Updates
Algorithm updates are changes made by Google to improve the quality, relevance, and overall user experience of its search results.
Alt Text
Alt text provides information about an image on a page, helping search engines understand its content.
Anchor Text
Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink which is visible when hovering over a link.
Attributes
Attributes are pieces of information attached to the Title Tag, which give more information on the title.
B
Backlink
Backlink is a hyperlink from one website pointing to another. It increases the authority of a website, leading to higher rankings on SERPs.
Backlink Profile
A backlink profile shows the total number of backlinks directing users to your site along other backlink-related metrics.
Black Hat SEO
Black Hat SEO includes unethical and manipulative techniques that try to boost websites rankings by violating search engine guidelines.
Brand Mentions
Brand mentions are references to a brand or product in reviews or articles, and can boost online reputation.
Branded Keywords
Branded keywords are the types of keywords that have brand names or different versions of them.
Breadcrumbs
The breadcrumbs on a website show the users' current location in the site's hierarchy and help them understand how they arrived there.
Broken Links
A broken link is a web-page that can’t be accessed due to various reasons.
C
Canonical Tag
A canonical tag is an HTML element that helps search engines identify the preferred or primary URL for indexing content and avoids duplicate content issues.
Citation Flow
Citation Flow is a metric developed by the SEO tool Majestic that calculates the authority of a website on a scale from 0 to 100
Click-through Rate
CTR is a metric that measures how many people actually click on a link to your site vs how many times your site appears somewhere.
Cloaking
Cloaking is a black hat SEO strategy when a website displays different content to search engines than it does to visitors trying to boost rankings.
Competitor Analysis
Competitior analysis is the process of researching competitors to collect insights that can help you improve your own SEO strategies.
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a geographically distributed network of servers that speeds up website content delivery.
Content Gap Analysis
Content gap analysis is the process of identifing missing or underperforming content on your website compared to competitors.
Content is King
Content is king is a common phrase that indicates that high-quality, informative content is crucial for online success.
Content Marketing
Content marketing refers to creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain customers.
Contextual Links
Contextual links are backlinks placed within content that fit the context of the linked page.
Conversion Rate
Conversion Rate shows the percentage of a particular action taken by organic website visitors.
Crawl Budget
Crawl budget is the number of pages that search engines can crawl on a website within a certain timeframe.
Crawlability
Crawlability is a search engine’s ability to read and index the content of a website.
Crawling
Crawling in SEO is when search engines use bots to discover and scan your website's content.
CSS
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a tool used for controlling the look and feel of websites, separate from the content itself.
D
Deep Links
Deep links are links leading to specific, relevant pages on your website rather than general ones like the homepage.
Deindexed
Deindexed means to have your website temporarily or permanently taken out from SERPs.
Directory Links
Directory links are backlinks to your website from online directories, which act like categorized listings of websites.
Disavow
Disavowing refers to the process of removing harmful links directing to your site.
DNS
DNS (Domain Name System) translates doman names that can be read by humans into numerical IP addresses readable by machines.
Dofollow Links
Dofollow links are links followed by search engine crawlers, which transfer link equity to the linking site.
DOM
DOM (Document Object Model) is the representation of the website's code built by the browser, that forms the foundation for interactive elements on a webpage.
Domain
A domain is a website's address on the internet, like "google.com".
Domain Authority
Domain authority is a score developed by Moz that ranges from 0 to 100.
Domain Rating
Domain rating is a metric developed by Ahrefs, which shows the strength and authority of a website's backlink profile compared to competitors.
Duplicate Content
Duplicate content refers to several pieces of content on your site that are identical or very similar.
Dwell Time
Dwell time is the amount of time someone spends on your webpage before returning to the search results.
E
E-A-T
E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness and it's a concept from Google's guidelines for high-quality content.
Editorial Links
Editorial links are backlinks to your website that other websites include naturally because they find your content valuable and informative.
Email Bounce Rate
Bounce rate is an important metric that calculates the number of email that didn’t reach email recipients’ inboxes and have bounced back
Email Open Rate
An email open rate is a metric that shows the percentage of opened emails for a particular email marketing campaign.
Email Templates
Email templates are pre-written drafts for common email types, like welcome emails, order confirmations, or customer support inquiries.
Evergreen Content
Evergreen content is content that stays relevant and useful over time.
Exact Match Anchor Text
Exact match anchor text includes a keyword that reflects the page that is being linked to.
External Link
An external link is a hyperlink leading to a page outside a certain website.
F
Featured Snippets
Featured snippets are short summaries that appear at the top of search results, trying to answer your question directly.
Footer Links
Footer links are links that you can find at the bottom of almost all websites in the footer section.
G
Gated Сontent
Gated content is valuable information that requires users to provide their contact details in exchange for access.
Google Algorithm
Google Algorithm is a complex set of rules that determines how websites rank in search results.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a web analytics service that provides basic analytical tools for marketing campaigns.
Google Penalty
Google Penalty is a punishment a website receives if it violates Google's webmaster quality guidelines.
Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a set of tools and reports that allows you to measure your website’s search performance and technical SEO health.
Google Tag Manager
Google Tag Manager is a system for easily updating measurement codes and tags on your website or mobile app.
Google Webmaster Guidelines
Webmaster guidelines are rules set by Google to help create website that are discoverable and indexable.
Googlebot
Googlebot collects web documents to build a searchable index for the Google Search engine.
Grey Hat SEO
Gray hat SEO is the combination of SEO methods that align with Google Webmaster Guidelines (white hat SEO) and those that violate them (black hat methods).
Guest Post
Guest posts are content pieces a person writes for someone else's blog.
H
Header Tags
Header tags or heading tags are HTML elements used to separate headings from subheadings on a website.
Hidden Links
Hidden links are hyperlinks that have been formatted in a way so they are invisible to website users.
Holistic SEO
Holistic SEO aims to create websites that meet user needs comprehensively, providing timely information and ensuring ease of use and safety.
Href
The href attribute value refers to the link destination, which can be a webpage, part of a webpage, a file, an email address, or a phone number.
Hreflang
Hreflang is an HTML attribute that specifies language and geographical targeting for webpages.
htaccess File
Htaccess, short for Hypertext Access, is a configuration file used by Apache web servers to manage server settings.
HTTPS
HTTPS is the encrypted, secure version of HTTP, used to safely transfer data between a web browser and a website.
Hyperlink
A hyperlink is a clickable link that directs users from one web page to another.
I
Image Sitemap
An image sitemap lists all website images and provides details to search engines.
Impression
An impression means a user has seen a link to your site in Search, Discover, or News.
Inbound Link
An inbound link is a link from another website pointing to your website.
Indexability
Indexability is the capability of a website to be crawled or indexed by search engines.
Indexation
Indexation refers to the process when Google crawlers store and categorize information and content they find on websites.
Infographics
An infographic is a visual representation of information or data in the form of charts, diagrams, graphs, or mind maps.
Internal Links
An internal link is a link from one page on your website pointing to another page on your website.
IP Address
An IP stands for Internet Protocol, which is a unique address assigned to every device connected to the Internet.
K
Keyword
Keywords are words or phrases added strategically to content in order to improve its search engine rankings.
Keyword Cannibalization
Keyword cannibalization is an SEO issue where multiple pages on a site target the same keyword, harming each other's search engine rankings.
Keyword Clustering
Keyword clustering is the practice of organizing and grouping related keywords based on the searcher's intent.
Keyword Density
Keyword density shows the frequency of a keyword appearing on a web page compared to the total word count.
Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty measures how competitive a keyword is and predicts the challenge of ranking for it.
Keyword Research
Keyword research is the process of finding targeted keywords based on metrics like keyword difficulty and global volume.
Keyword Stuffing
Keyword stuffing is the excessive use of a target keyword in content to manipulate website rankings in search engines.
KPI
SEO KPIs are metrics used to measure and evaluate the performance of an SEO campaign.
L
Landing Page
A landing page is a page where visitors “land on” after following a link from a social media post, email, or search engine results page.
Lazy Loading
Lazy loading is a web page optimization technique that shows parts of the content only when the users need them, unlike eager loading or bulk loading, which shows the page content at once.
Link Bait
Link bait is the content created to gain attention and drive backlinks to the website.
Link Building
Link building is the process of getting links from other websites to your own.
Link Building Outreach
Link building outreach is connecting with websites, blogs, or other prospects through different platforms to find linking opportunities for your website.
Link Exchange
Link exchange is a common SEO practice where two websites link to each other's content on a mutual agreement.
Link Farm
A link farm is a group of websites linking to each other to increase the search rankings artificially.
Link Juice
Link juice or “link equity” is a level of authority or value passed from a linking page to the page being linked to.
Link Reclamation
Link reclamation is the process of finding, fixing, or replacing broken or lost backlinks pointing to your site.
Link Schemes
Link schemes are any attempts to manipulate search engines and website ranking by using unnatural links.
Link Velocity
Link velocity is the measure of speed at which the website of a page gains backlinks over a given time period.
Linking Domains
Linking domains, also known as referring domains, are unique websites that have one or more links pointing to your website.
Listicle
A listicle is a published article written in list format.
Local SEO
Local SEO is a search engine optimization strategy for increasing website visibility for local search queries.
Long Tail Keywords
Long tail keywords are keywords that usually contain three to five words and have relatively low search volume and competition levels.
LSI Keywords
LSI Keywords are the thematic words and terms that relate to the main keyword.
M
Manual Penalty
A manual penalty is imposed manually by search engine reviewers when a website violates a search engine’s webmaster guidelines.
Meta Robots Tag
Meta Robots Tag is the name of the HTML code, telling search engines how they should crawl the page and what content to display.
Metadata
Metadata is a series of information meta tags, labels, descriptions, etc., that provide the search engine information about the web page.
Mobile Optimization
Mobile optimization is adjusting the website content for mobile devices and tablets.
Mobile SEO
Mobile SEO is the optimization of websites to rank higher in search engines on mobile devices.
Mobile-First Indexing
Mobile-first indexing means that Google mainly uses the mobile version of your website for indexing and ranking.
N
Niche
Niche is the specific segment of the market a website specializes in.
No Follow Links
No follow links are links with a rel=”nofollow” HTML tag, which don’t pass authority on to the website they are linking to.
NoIndex Tag
NoIndex Tag is a piece of code used to tell the search engine which page not to show in their search results.
Noise Anchors
Noise or generic anchors don’t contain keywords but use generic text, such as “click here” and “see this example.”
Noopener
Noopener is a security attribute for HTML that helps to stop suspicious links from accessing the user's device.
Noreferrer
Noreferrer is an HTML security attribute hiding where the users came from when they clicked the link.
O
Off Page SEO
Off-page is a type of SEO that involves doing activities outside your website, such as link building, to improve its search engine rankings.
On Page SEO
On-page is a type of SEO that involves doing activities, like optimizing your content, on the page itself to improve its rankings.
Organic Search
Organic search is the unpaid listing position that appears in search engines after a search query.
Orphan Page
An orphan page is a webpage that lacks any internal links from other pages on the same website, making it difficult for search engines to discover and index it.
Outbound Link
Outbound link refers to a hyperlink on a website that directs users to a different, external website.
P
Page Authority
Page authority is a metric developed by Moz, which shows how likely a page is to rank on SERPs.
Page Load Speed
Page Load Speed refers to the time it takes for a web page to fully display its content to a user after a request is made.
Page Not Found
"Page not found" is an HTTP status code, which means that the requested page cannot be found on the website server.
Page Speed
Page Speed is how quickly a webpage loads and displays its content to users.
PageRank
PageRank is an algorithm used by Google that measures the importance of web pages based on the quality and quantity of links pointing to them.
Pagination
Pagination is the practice of organizing content across multiple pages to enhance user experience and ensure search engines can effectively crawl and index it.
Paid Link
A paid link is a backlink acquired by giving money, which is considered a practice against search engine guidelines because of its manipulative approach.
PBNs
PBNs (Private Blog Networks) are a set of websites built to manipulate search engine rankings through link building.
People Also Ask
"People Also Ask" is a feature on search engine results pages that displays questions related to the user's query, aiming to provide additional information.
Pillar Page
Pillar page is a comprehensive, authoritative web page that covers a broad topic in-depth and links to more detailed articles on related subtopics.
Position Tracking
Position tracking, also known as rank and SERP tracking, allows you to track a particular site’s daily rankings for a custom set of target keywords.
Primary Keyword
Primary keyword refers to the main search term or phrase that a webpage is optimized to rank for in search engine results.
R
Rankings
The ranking shows a particular website’s position on the search engine results page.
Redirect
A redirect happens when people ask for a specific page but are forwarded to a different page.
Rel
The rel attribute is an HTML tag that defines the relationship between the current document and the linked document.
Resource Page
A resource page is a page on a website that offers helpful links and resources for a particular topic.
Rich Snippet
Rich Snippet refers to enhanced search results that display additional information beyond the standard link, aimed at providing more context to users.
Robots.txt
Robots.txt is a text file in the root directory of a website that provides instructions for search engine crawlers on how to crawl the website.
S
Schema Markup
Schema Markup refers to structured data that helps search engines understand and display website content more accurately in search results.
Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog is a tool used for comprehensive website analysis and technical auditing.
Scroll Depth
Scroll Depth refers to how far down a webpage users typically scroll during their visit.
Search Engine
Search Engine is a platform that indexes and retrieves information from the web based on user queries.
Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization or SEO is implemented to improve a website's search engine visibility.
Search Intent
Search intent is the purpose behind a search query. It can be informational, commercial, transactional, and navigational.
Search Query
A search query is a word or phrase that people type into a search engine's search box to find specific information.
Search Term
Search term refers to specific keywords or phrases users enter into search engines to find information or websites relevant to their query.
Search Volume
Search Volume refers to the number of times a particular keyword or phrase is searched for on search engines within a given timeframe.
Secondary Keywords
Secondary keywords refer to additional phrases or terms related to the main keyword that are used to enhance the relevance of content for search engine optimization purposes.
Seed keywords
Seed keywords refer to fundamental terms or phrases that initiate the process of keyword research and content planning.
SEO
SEO stands for “search engine optimization” and is implemented to improve a website's search engine visibility.
SEO Audit
SEO Audit is the process of analyzing all elements of your website that define its performance in search engines, impact your site's SERP rankings and identify chances for improvements.
SEO Metric
SEO Metric is a set of indicators used to measure your website's performance, evaluating the effectiveness of a natural referencing campaign.
SERPs
SERP, which stands for “search engine results page,” is a page that a search engine shows to a user after they type a search query.
Session
Session is a set of user interactions with your website taking place within a period of time.
Sitemap
A sitemap is a file that shows a website's structure, including its essential pages, content, and relationships between them.
Skyscraper SEO
Skyscraper SEO is a link building technique that involves identifying top-ranking content in your niche with reputable backlinks, creating something better, then encouraging sites to link to you instead.
Source Code
Source code is a set of instructions a programmer writes using computer programming languages.
Spam Links
Spam links are irrelevant links placed within content with the aim of improving search engine rankings and website traffic.
Spam Score
Spam Score is a metric used to measure the likelihood of a website being penalized by search engines for involving in spammy practices.
Sponsored Link
Sponsored link results from ads or paid placements. It is displayed on the search engine results page after a person searches for certain keywords.
SSL Certificate
SSL Certificate is the digital identity of a website ensuring secure and encrypted connection between a website and a browser.
Structured Data
Structured Data is data that has a standartized format and a well-defined structure. It follows consistent order and is easily accessed by programs and humans.
Subdomain
Subdomain is an optional extension added to a URL before the main domain. Multiple subdomains can be used to organize a website into different sections.
T
Technical SEO
Technical SEO refers to optimizing your website so that search engines can find, understand, and index your content.
Thin Content
Thin Content is content that doesn't provide value to customers, lacking structure, depth, and quality.
Tiered Link Building
Tiered Link Building is an SEO strategy that creates multiple tiers of backlinks to a website improving its search engine rankings.
Title Tag
Title Tag is a part of HTML code specifying the title of a webpage for the use of internet browsers and search engines.
Toxic Links
Toxic links are links that negatively affect your search engine rankings and overall SEO efforts.
Traffic
Traffic shows the number of people visiting a page or site.
Trust Flow
Trust Flow is a metric from Majestic that ranges between 0-100 and measures how trustworthy a website is based on its backlinks.
U
Unlinked Mentions
Unlinked mentions are brand mentions in content with no link pointing to your site.
Unnatural Links
These are paid, spammy links or part of a link scheme.
URL
A URL is the address of a particular website or file on the internet.
URL Slug
URL Slug is the part of a URL that identifies a specific page or post on a website.
UTM Code
UTM Code, Urchin Tracking Module, involves a basic snippet of code added to a URL end. It tracks the metrics of specific digital marketing campaigns.
V
Voice Search
Voice Search enables the users to search a website, an app or the Internet by using a voice command.
W
White Hat SEO
White Hat SEO refers to tactics aligning with search engine rules and guidelines to improve a website's search engine rankings.
X
XML Sitemap
An XML sitemap is a file that consists of a website's essential pages so that Google can find and crawl them all.
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