Glossary of Common SEO Terms
Anchor Text
The clickable words in a hyperlink. Ideally includes keywords related to the page it’s linking to (like “local SEO guide”).
Business Citations
Mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on directories or websites. The more consistent these are, the better your local SEO.
Backlink
A link from another website pointing to your website. The more relevant and trustworthy the site, the more SEO value it passes along.
Call to Action (CTA)
A prompt encouraging a user to do something—like “Call Now,” “Get a Quote,” or “Book Online.” CTAs help convert visitors into leads.
Bounce Rate
The percentage of visitors who land on a page and leave without doing anything else. A high bounce rate can mean your page isn’t helpful or relevant.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of visitors who take a desired action on your site (calls, form submissions, etc.). Higher conversions = more business.
Domain Authority
A score from 0–100 that estimates how strong and trustworthy a website is. The higher the score, the better your chances of ranking.
Heading Tags (H1, H2, etc.)
Used to structure content on a webpage. Google uses these to understand what your page is about.
Google Business Profile (GBP)
Your official business listing on Google. It’s what shows up in Maps and local search results and is critical for local visibility.
Indexed Pages
Pages of your website that Google has crawled and stored. If a page isn’t indexed, it won’t show up in search results.
Google Search Console
A free tool from Google that shows how your site performs in search results. Helps you monitor traffic, fix issues, and improve rankings.
Internal Linking
Links that go from one page of your site to another. Helps users navigate and helps search engines understand your site structure.
Keyword
A word or phrase people type into Google. Optimizing your content for the right local keywords helps you show up when customers search.
Local SEO
Search engine optimization focused on getting your business found by people searching in your area. It’s how you show up on Maps and “near me” searches.
Keyword Stuffing
The outdated (and risky) practice of cramming a page with keywords to try to rank higher. Google sees this as spammy and may penalize the page.
Location Page
A page on your website focused on a specific city or area you serve. Helps you rank locally in more than just your home base.
Local Pack
The 3-pack of business listings that appears in Google search results for local queries. Shows names, reviews, map, and contact info.
Meta Description
The little blurb that appears under your page title in search results. A good one can increase clicks—even if you’re not in the top spot.
Meta Title
The title of a web page as it appears in search results. Should include your keyword and location if you’re targeting local SEO.
Organic Search Results
The regular (unpaid) listings that appear in Google. Getting found here means your site is ranking based on merit, not ads.
Mobile Optimization
Making sure your site looks and works great on a phone. This is critical since most local searches happen on mobile devices.
Review Management
Monitoring, responding to, and requesting reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, etc. Strong reviews boost trust and rankings.
​NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number)
Your basic business info. It needs to be consistent everywhere online—especially in directories, your website, and Google.
Schema Markup
Code you add to your website to help search engines better understand your content. It can also help enhance how your listings look in search.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
The process of improving your website to rank better in search engines. Local SEO is a subset of SEO focused on geographic visibility.
Traffic
The number of visitors coming to your site. More traffic from the right people means more chances to land leads and customers.
Service Area
The specific geographic areas you serve. Listing these properly on your site and in your GBP helps you rank in those locations.
UX (User Experience)
How easy and enjoyable it is for someone to use your website. A clean layout, fast load times, and clear navigation all contribute to better UX—and better rankings.
Title Tag
An HTML element that defines the title of a page—what users see in browser tabs and search results. It’s a key on-page SEO element.
Zero-Click Search
When someone gets the answer they need directly in the search results and doesn’t click any links. Optimizing for features like snippets and your Google Business Profile can help you win here.