Content that’s far better than anything else ranking for the same topic — more useful, clearer, and more complete. It aims to outperform competitors.

A permanent pointer from one URL to another that keeps users and search engines moving without losing value.

A temporary redirect that sends users to another URL but signals the original will return.

A server response that tells the browser a page hasn’t changed so it can use its stored version.

A standard error code showing a page can’t be found on the server.

A stronger version of 404 that says the page is permanently gone and won’t return.

A lightweight page format built for super-fast loading on mobile devices.

The number of times an ad was seen by users — whether they clicked or not.

Optimising content so AI and search “answer engines” can deliver direct responses to user questions.

Optimising content specifically for AI models to understand, reference, and recommend.

A written description of an image that helps search engines and visually impaired users understand it.

The clickable words in a link that tell readers and search engines what the linked page is about.

Rewriting existing content to make it seem new. Often low quality and risky.

When another site republishes your content to reach a wider audience.

Content produced by software or code with limited human editing.

Links from another site to yours — a key trust and ranking signal.

Microsoft’s free dashboard for managing performance in Bing search.

Bing’s web crawler that scans the web and feeds data into Bing’s index.

SEO tactics that break search engine rules to try to boost rankings.

The share of visitors who leave after viewing just one page.

Content created to communicate brand values without direct selling.

Search terms tied to a brand name or product.

A mini trail of links showing users where they are on a site.

A page used mainly to send users onto another site or offer.

A link that points to a URL that no longer works.

A snapshot of a webpage stored so it loads faster next time.

A hint to search engines about the preferred version of similar pages.

The main URL you want indexed when there are duplicates.

Showing search engines one thing and users another. Considered deceptive.

When two sites are referenced together elsewhere, showing topical relevance.

When related terms appear together in text, hinting relevance.

Content made by machines — often needs human editing.

Global servers that deliver your site faster by serving content closer to users.

Spotting topics competitors cover that you don’t — a way to find opportunities.

A cluster of related articles around one core topic.

How well content matches what a user is searching for.

Key page-experience metrics Google uses to judge performance.

The most important pieces of content that define your expertise.

Glossary of DM Terms Glossary of DM Terms 100% 10 B40 How much attention search bots give your site in a crawl cycle. How much attention search bots give your site in a crawl cycle. Turn on screen reader support To enable screen reader support, press Ctrl+Alt+Z To learn about keyboard shortcuts, press Ctrl+slash

How easy it is for bots to reach and read your pages.

A bot that scans web pages to index them for search engines.

The path someone takes from discovery to purchase.

A link that counts for SEO value and authority.

A score that shows how strong your site’s backlink profile is compared to others. Higher usually means better visibility in search.

How your URLs and folders are organised. Clean structure makes navigation and SEO easier.

A low-value page created only to rank for specific keywords and funnel traffic elsewhere.

Content that appears in more than one location online. Too much can confuse search engines.

How long a visitor stays on your site after clicking a result before returning to search. Longer usually means better relevance.

A URL that changes based on parameters (like filters or search queries). Often longer and less SEO-friendly.

A natural link placed in content because the source genuinely finds it useful.

Content designed to get mentions or links from influencers by flattering or spotlighting them.

Sending personalised emails to build relationships, earn links, or promote content.

Optimising around recognised “things” (people, places, concepts) instead of just keywords.

The first page a visitor lands on when they arrive at your site.

Content that stays useful and relevant over time without frequent updates.

A link from your site to another domain.

Filters on category pages that create many URL variations. Good for UX, tricky for SEO if unregulated.

Content that requires a user to submit details (like email) before viewing.

Similar to doorway pages — a page that exists mainly to push visitors somewhere else.

A tool that notifies you when your chosen terms are mentioned online.

The complex set of rules Google uses to rank pages for search queries.

Google’s analytics tool that shows how users interact with your website.

The predictive suggestions Google shows as you type in the search bar.

Manipulating search results so a phrase ranks for an unrelated target. Rare and discouraged.

Your local listing that shows up in maps and local search results.

A past update to how Google indexed the web, making crawling faster and fresher.

Early days of Google when rankings fluctuated heavily as the index refreshed.

A database Google uses to understand relationships between entities and show rich results.

The boxed information about a person, brand or topic that appears in search results.

A ranking update that targeted low-quality and thin content.

A manual or algorithmic action that drops your rankings for violating guidelines.

A ranking update focusing on spammy and manipulative link practices.

An update that improved local search results and their connection to traditional ranking signals.

A theorised filter that slows new sites from ranking right away.

Google’s official tool for monitoring indexing, performance, and site health.

An old update that penalised sites with too many ads above the fold.

The former name for Google Search Console.

SEO practices that aren’t clearly allowed or disallowed — risky but not outright banned.

Writing content for another site to build authority and earn links.

Creating an infographic to offer other sites in exchange for coverage and links.

The primary heading on a page that signals topic and hierarchy to users and search engines.

HTML tags (H1–H6) that organise content structure and hierarchy.

An older ranking idea where “expert” pages on specific topics earned prominence.

Optimising for all aspects of search — user experience, content quality, technical setup, and authority.

A tag that tells search engines which language or region a page is for.

A standard server response meaning the page loaded successfully.

Secure version of HTTP. It encrypts data and boosts trust and SEO.

Another term for backlinks — links coming to your site from others.

When too many unimportant or low-quality pages are indexed, diluting SEO performance.

Whether a page can be crawled and indexed by search engines.

A search where the user is looking for information, not to buy something.

A link from one page on your site to another on the same site.

A full-screen ad that appears before or between page content. Done poorly, it disrupts user experience and can affect rankings.

Optimising websites built with JavaScript so search engines can properly crawl and index content.

When multiple pages on your site compete for the same keyword, weakening overall ranking strength.

Grouping similar keywords together so one strong page can rank for multiple related searches.

The percentage of times a keyword appears on a page compared to total words. Overdoing it can hurt rankings.

A score estimating how hard it will be to rank for a specific keyword based on competition.

The position your page holds in search results for a specific keyword.

Search engines recognising variations of a word, like “run,” “running,” and “runner.”

Overloading a page with keywords in an unnatural way to manipulate rankings.

Words or phrases people type into search engines to find information.

A focused page designed to convert visitors into leads or customers.

A method search engines use to understand related terms and context around keywords.

Content created specifically to attract backlinks naturally because it’s valuable or unique.

The process of earning backlinks from other websites to increase authority and rankings.

The value or authority passed from one page to another through a link.

Two websites agreeing to link to each other. Excessive exchanges can look manipulative.

A network of websites created purely to generate backlinks. Considered spam.

Informal term for the authority passed through hyperlinks.

How many quality backlinks a website has. More trusted links generally mean stronger rankings.

The overall makeup of backlinks pointing to your site — quality, relevance, and diversity matter.

Finding and fixing lost or broken backlinks to regain SEO value.

When links stop working over time because pages are removed or changed.

Any tactic designed purely to manipulate backlinks and rankings. Against guidelines.

Low-quality or irrelevant links intended to artificially boost rankings.

Another term for anchor text — the clickable words in a hyperlink.

The rate at which a website gains backlinks. Sudden spikes can look unnatural.

Structured data that helps search engines understand your local business details.

A mention of your business name, address, and phone number on another site.

The map-based business listings that appear in local search results.

Marketing strategies focused on attracting customers in a specific geographic area.

Optimising your online presence to rank in local search results and maps.

Reviewing server logs to see how search engine bots crawl your website.

A longer, more specific search phrase with lower volume but higher intent.

Related terms that support the main topic and help search engines understand context.

A penalty applied by a human reviewer at Google for guideline violations.

A short summary shown in search results that encourages users to click.

An outdated meta tag once used for keywords. No longer relevant for modern SEO.

A page redirect triggered by a meta tag in HTML rather than server settings.

A tag that tells search engines whether to index a page or follow its links.

Snippets of code in a page’s header that provide information to search engines.

An exact copy of a website hosted at a different URL.

Google primarily uses the mobile version of your site for indexing and ranking.

Name, Address, Phone number — essential details for local business consistency.

Technology that helps search engines interpret human language more accurately.

A backlink earned organically because your content is genuinely valuable.

A search where the user is trying to find a specific website or brand.

Harmful tactics used to damage a competitor’s rankings, such as spammy backlinks.

A link attribute telling search engines not to pass authority through the link.

A directive telling search engines not to include a page in search results.

A link attribute that improves security when opening links in a new tab.

A link attribute that hides referral information from the destination site.

When Google hides keyword data in analytics for privacy reasons.

Optimisation efforts outside your website, mainly focused on backlinks and authority.

Optimising elements within your website, like content, headings, and internal links.

Code that controls how content appears when shared on social media.

Unpaid listings that appear naturally in search results.

Visitors who arrive via unpaid search results.

A page with no internal links pointing to it. If users and search engines can’t reach it easily, it won’t perform.

A link from your website to another website. Used strategically, they build context and credibility.

How quickly a webpage loads for users. Faster sites improve experience and rankings.

Google’s original algorithm measuring the authority of pages based on links pointing to them.

A backlink that has been purchased rather than earned naturally. If not disclosed, it can violate guidelines.

A search results feature showing related questions users commonly search for.

A comprehensive page covering a broad topic that links to more detailed supporting content.

When a user clicks a result, leaves quickly, and returns to search results. Often signals poor relevance.

The main search term a page is optimised to rank for.

A group of websites built solely to create backlinks to a main site. Risky and against guidelines.

A ranking factor that boosts newer content when a topic is trending or time-sensitive.

When two websites agree to link to each other. Excessive use can look manipulative.

A request submitted to Google asking for a manual penalty to be reviewed and lifted.

Suggested searches shown at the bottom of results based on user behaviour.

A shortened URL path that works within the same domain rather than using the full address.

Pages that curate helpful links, tools, or references around a specific topic.

An enhanced search result that displays extra information like ratings or FAQs.

A file that tells search engine bots which parts of a website they can or cannot crawl.

Structured data code that helps search engines better understand page content.

The system search engines use to decide which pages rank for a query.

Manipulating search results to push harmful or misleading content.

The pages displayed after someone enters a search query.

The underlying reason behind a search — informational, navigational, or transactional.

The listings shown by a search engine in response to a query.

The exact word or phrase a user types into a search engine.

The estimated number of times a keyword is searched within a set timeframe.

Supporting keywords related to the primary term that help strengthen topical relevance.

Broad starting keywords used to build out deeper keyword research.

Search Engine Optimisation — improving your website so it ranks higher in search results.

A structured review of a website’s SEO performance to uncover issues and opportunities.

A content structure that groups related topics together to strengthen authority.

Extra elements in search results like maps, snippets, or image packs.

The percentage of total visibility your brand holds compared to competitors in search.

Broad, high-volume keywords with strong competition and lower intent clarity.

Extra links shown under a main search result that lead to important internal pages.

A file listing your website’s key pages to help search engines crawl them efficiently.

A link that appears across an entire website, often in the footer or sidebar.

Manipulative tactics used to artificially influence search rankings.

A link tag that tells search engines a link was paid for or sponsored.

HTML code that serves different image sizes depending on device or screen resolution.

Code added to a webpage to help search engines interpret content more accurately.

A subsection of a main domain, like blog.example.com.

Organising categories and tags strategically to improve structure and search clarity.

Optimising the backend structure of a website to improve crawlability and performance.

A content analysis method measuring how important a word is within a page compared to others.

A layered linking strategy designed to boost the authority of key backlinks.

The main clickable headline shown in search results for a webpage.

The ending of a domain, such as .com, .org, or .com.au.

How closely your content aligns with a specific subject area.

A search where the user intends to make a purchase or take action.

Encryption protocol that secures data transferred between a browser and server.

A concept measuring how trustworthy a website appears based on its link profile.

A link tag identifying content created by users, such as forum posts or comments.

Search results that blend different content types like images, videos, and news.

Backlinks that appear manipulative or violate search engine guidelines.

A score estimating the authority strength of a specific URL based on backlinks.

The part of a URL that identifies a specific page, usually after the final slash.

The goal behind a user’s search — what they actually want to achieve.

Search engines focused on a specific niche, like images, jobs, or travel.

Searches performed through spoken commands on devices like phones or smart speakers.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines — standards for making websites accessible to all users.

A general measure of how credible and trustworthy a site appears to search engines.

A technical request made to a server. Not the same as a visit or session.

How pages are organised and linked together within a site.

Manipulative or low-quality tactics used to game search rankings.

A Google AI system that helps interpret search queries and improve result relevance.

Ethical SEO practices that follow search engine guidelines.

A directive sent via HTTP headers controlling indexing and crawling behaviour.

“Your Money or Your Life” pages — content impacting health, finance, or safety that requires higher trust standards.