SEO & GEO Glossary
A comprehensive A-Z index of search engine optimization and generative engine optimization terminology. Click any term to learn more.
A
AI Overview is the AI-generated summary answer Google displays at the top of search results for many queries, synthesizing information from multiple sources.
Alt text is descriptive text added to images in HTML. It improves accessibility, helps search engines understand image content, and can contribute to image search rankings.
B
Backlinks are links from other websites to yours. Search engines use them as a signal of authority and trust; quality and relevance matter more than quantity.
C
A canonical URL is the preferred version of a web page when duplicate or near-duplicate content exists. It tells search engines which URL to index and consolidate signals for.
CTR is the percentage of people who click your listing when it appears in search results. It reflects how compelling your title and meta description are.
Core Web Vitals are Google's metrics for page experience: LCP (loading speed), FID (interactivity), and CLS (visual stability). They factor into ranking and user satisfaction.
Crawlability is the ease with which search engine bots can discover, access, and index your web pages. Poor crawlability prevents pages from ranking.
E
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness — qualities Google evaluates to assess content and site quality.
G
GEO is the practice of optimizing content and product information so that AI-powered search engines and chatbots (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews) surface and recommend your brand.
I
Internal linking is the practice of linking between pages on your own site. It helps users navigate, distributes authority, and improves crawlability.
J
JSON-LD is a format for embedding structured data in web pages. It is Google's preferred schema format and is easy for developers to maintain without altering visible HTML.
K
Keywords are the words and phrases people type into search engines when looking for information or products. Keyword optimization involves targeting relevant terms to improve search visibility.
L
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases. They typically have lower volume but higher intent and less competition than broad terms.
M
Meta tags are HTML elements that describe a web page to search engines and users. Common examples include title tags and meta descriptions, which influence how your page appears in search results.
O
Organic traffic is website visits that come from unpaid search results, as opposed to paid ads, social referrals, or direct visits.
R
Rich snippets are search results enhanced with extra information such as star ratings, prices, images, or FAQ answers, typically enabled by schema markup.
S
SEO is the practice of optimizing websites and content to improve their visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs), ultimately driving organic traffic and business growth.
A SERP is the page a search engine displays after a user enters a query, including organic results, ads, featured snippets, and other elements like AI Overviews.
Schema markup is code added to a webpage that helps search engines understand its content (e.g., products, reviews, FAQs), enabling rich results and better visibility.
A sitemap is a file (usually XML) that lists all pages on your website, helping search engines discover and crawl them more efficiently.