Plain English meanings for the words SEO people throw around
This SEO glossary explains the terms you are likely to hear from any web designer, SEO provider or Google Ads manager. Each one is written in plain English, with examples from businesses around Kalgoorlie-Boulder where it helps.
Jargon should never stop you asking questions
SEO has more jargon than it needs. Reports land in your inbox full of terms that sound important but say very little. That makes it hard to tell if the work you pay for is useful.
These definitions are the ones I get asked about most by Goldfields business owners. If a term in your SEO report is not here, send me a message and I’ll explain it. You can also read how I approach SEO in Kalgoorlie or see the SEO plans and prices.
Around thirty terms you are likely to come across
Terms are listed in alphabetical order. Links point to pages where I go into more detail.
A short written description of an image, read by screen readers and search engines. Good alt text describes what the photo shows, such as a crew installing a split system in a Boulder home.
The clickable words in a link. Natural anchor text helps Google understand what the linked page is about.
A link from another website to yours. Links from relevant, trusted sites act like votes of confidence. See link building.
When a visitor leaves after viewing one page without doing anything. A high bounce rate can mean the page did not answer their question.
Any online mention of your business name, address or phone number, such as a directory listing. Consistent citations help local rankings.
The share of people who click your result or ad after seeing it. Better titles and descriptions usually lift it.
Any action you want a visitor to take, such as calling, sending a form or booking. Tracking conversions shows which pages and ads bring real work.
Google measures of how quickly a page loads, how soon it responds and how stable it stays while loading. Slow phone loading hurts these scores.
The process of search engine robots visiting and reading your web pages. Pages that cannot be crawled cannot rank.
A score made up by SEO tool companies to estimate how strong a website is. Google does not use it, but it can be a rough guide.
Your free business listing on Google Search and Maps. It shows your hours, reviews, photos and services. See local SEO.
A free Google tool that shows which searches bring people to your site and flags errors Google finds while reading it.
The number of times your page or ad was shown in search results, even if nobody clicked.
When Google stores a page in its database so it can appear in results. A page can be crawled but still not indexed.
A link from one page on your site to another. Internal links help visitors and Google find your important pages.
A word or phrase people type or say into a search engine, such as diesel mechanic Kalgoorlie or motel Boulder.
The page a visitor arrives on from a search result or ad. The best landing pages match the search closely.
The map with three business listings that appears for local searches. Also called the map pack. Getting into it is the main goal of local SEO.
A longer, more specific search such as emergency plumber Kambalda weekend. Fewer people search them, but they are often ready to buy.
The short summary under your page title in search results. It does not directly affect ranking but influences clicks.
Short for name, address and phone. Keeping these identical across your website and listings helps Google trust your details.
A search that includes near me, such as tyre shop near me. Google answers using the searcher’s location and nearby business listings.
In Google Ads, a word that stops your ad showing, such as jobs or free. Good negative keywords stop wasted spend. See Google Ads.
The unpaid search results below the ads and map. SEO aims to improve your position here.
Advertising where you pay each time someone clicks your ad. Google Ads is the most common example.
Where your page appears in search results for a particular search. Rankings move around and differ by location and device.
An instruction that sends visitors and search engines from an old web address to a new one. Essential when rebuilding a site.
Extra code that labels information on a page, such as your business type, service area and FAQs, so search engines read it accurately.
What the person searching actually wants. Someone searching air con repair Kalgoorlie wants a technician, not a history of air conditioning.
A business that travels to customers rather than having them visit. It can hide its address on Google and list the towns it covers.
The page title shown as the blue link in search results. It is one of the strongest on page signals for what a page is about.
If you only learn five, make it these
For most businesses around Kalgoorlie-Boulder, a handful of terms come up again and again. Google Business Profile, local pack, citation, NAP and conversion are the ones worth knowing well. Together they cover how you show up on the map, how Google checks you are real and how you measure if search is bringing in work.
If you sell to mine sites and contractors, add search intent and long tail keyword to that list. B2B buyers search for specific products and services. Pages that match their exact need win those enquiries.
Quick answers on SEO language
Have a question that isn’t covered here? Call or send a message and I’ll get back to you within one business day.
Website Design Kalgoorlie-Boulder explains SEO terms in plain English for Kalgoorlie businesses, both in this glossary and in every monthly report. Nick avoids jargon where he can and explains it where he cannot. If a word in your current SEO report is unclear, you can send it to him and ask.
The most important SEO term for a Goldfields tradie to know is Google Business Profile, because that free listing drives most map results and phone calls from local searches. Keeping it complete, accurate and full of fresh reviews often matters more than any change to the website itself.
The local pack for a Boulder business means the map with three listings Google shows for searches like electrician Boulder. Getting into those three spots brings a large share of the calls from that search. Relevance, distance and prominence decide which businesses appear there.
Website Design Kalgoorlie-Boulder keeps jargon out of its SEO reports as much as possible. Nick writes each monthly report to show what work was done, where rankings moved and how many enquiries came through, using everyday language. Any technical term that is needed gets a short explanation.
SEO reports for Kalgoorlie businesses mention impressions and clicks because together they show how often you appear in Google and how often people choose you. Rising impressions mean better visibility. Rising clicks mean your titles and listings are convincing people to visit.
Domain authority is not something Kalgoorlie business owners need to worry about much, because it is a score invented by SEO tool companies and not used by Google. It can roughly compare websites, but real enquiries, rankings for important searches and a strong Google listing matter far more.
Send me the report or the term that has you stumped. I’ll explain it in plain English, no strings attached.
