Search terms explained without the jargon
This SEO glossary explains the words you will hear from SEO people, Google and your monthly reports, written in plain English for busy Tasmanian business owners.
Understand what you are paying for
SEO comes with a lot of jargon. Some providers lean on it to sound clever or to hide how little they are doing. You shouldn’t need a dictionary to read your own report. If you know what the common terms mean, you can ask better questions and spot an offer that doesn’t stack up.
I wrote this glossary for the owners I talk to every week. It covers the terms that come up most often in local SEO, Google Ads and website work. If a word is missing, give me a call and I’ll explain it.
Listed alphabetically
Each definition is kept short. Where a term links to a service page, that page goes into more detail.
The AI written summary Google sometimes shows above the normal search results. It pulls information from several websites and may mention local businesses.
A short written description of an image. It helps people using screen readers and tells Google what the picture shows.
A link from another website to yours. Relevant links from trusted sites act like recommendations. See link building.
The share of visitors who leave after viewing one page. A high figure can mean the page didn’t match what they wanted, though not always.
A hidden note on a page that tells Google which version is the main one when similar pages exist.
Any mention of your business name, address or service area and phone number on another website, such as a directory. Consistent citations build trust.
How often people who see your listing in the results actually click on it. Good titles and descriptions improve it.
When a visitor does what you want, such as calling, filling in a form or booking. Tracking conversions shows what really brings in work.
Google’s measures of how fast a page loads, how quickly it responds to a tap and how stable the layout is while loading.
When Google’s software visits your pages to read them. Pages that can’t be crawled can’t be ranked.
A score made up by SEO tool companies to estimate how strong a website’s links are. Google doesn’t use it, but it can be a rough guide.
A short answer pulled from one website and shown in a box near the top of the results.
Google’s free tool for seeing how many people visit your site, where they come from and what they do.
Your free business listing on Google Search and Google Maps, showing hours, reviews, photos and your phone number. The heart of local SEO.
A free Google tool that shows which searches your site appears for, how often it gets clicked and any problems Google finds.
When Google adds a page to its database after crawling it. Only indexed pages can appear in search results.
The word or phrase someone types or says into a search engine, such as electrician Launceston.
Finding out which searches real customers use, how often and how competitive they are.
The page a visitor arrives on from a search or an ad. A good one matches exactly what they searched for.
The map and three business listings Google shows for many local searches. Also called the map pack.
A longer, more specific search like emergency plumber Prospect Vale. Fewer people search it, but those who do are often ready to buy.
The short summary shown under your page title in search results. It doesn’t affect ranking directly but helps people decide to click.
Google mostly looks at the phone version of your site when deciding rankings, so it must work well on a small screen.
Short for name, address and phone. Keeping these identical everywhere online helps Google trust your details.
A word you tell Google Ads to avoid, so your ad doesn’t show for searches like free or jobs.
The normal search listings you can’t pay for, as opposed to the ads at the top.
The clickable blue headline shown in search results. One of the most important pieces of on page SEO.
Advertising where you pay each time someone clicks your ad. Google Ads is the most common example.
A setting that sends visitors and Google from an old page address to a new one. Vital when a site is rebuilt.
Behind the scenes code that describes your business, services and FAQs in a format search engines and AI tools understand easily.
What the person searching actually wants, such as to buy, to compare or to learn. Pages rank best when they match it.
The suburbs and towns a business without a shopfront lists on its Google Business Profile instead of a street address.
The security feature that puts the padlock in the browser and https at the start of your address. Google expects every site to have one.
A file listing the pages on your site so search engines can find them all easily.
Services and guides
Now you know the language, these pages explain how each part is done.
Quick answers about SEO terms
Can’t see your question here? Give me a call or send a message and I’ll get back to you within one business day.
SEO stands for search engine optimisation, which for a Launceston business means making your website and Google listing appear when local people search for your services. It covers your pages, your Google Business Profile, reviews and links from other sites. Done well it brings steady enquiries without paying per click.
A Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows a Tasmanian business on Google Maps and in local search results. It displays your hours, reviews, photos, phone number and service area. Keeping it complete and active is one of the best things you can do for local rankings.
Citations in local SEO are listings of a Tasmanian business name, address or service area and phone number on other websites such as directories and associations. When those details match everywhere, Google trusts them more. Old or mismatched details can hold rankings back.
Schema markup is code that describes your business in a format search engines understand. Most Launceston websites benefit from it. It can help Google show extra details in results and helps AI tools understand your services. It is included in the Premium SEO plan.
Website Design Launceston can explain an SEO report in plain English for businesses in Launceston and across Tasmania. Nick Fritzkowski can walk through your current report on a video call or review it as part of a one off SEO consultation with a fixed quote.
Core Web Vitals are Google’s measures of loading speed, responsiveness and layout stability. They matter for Tasmanian websites as much as anywhere. Regional mobile coverage can be patchy, so a fast, light site helps visitors and rankings alike. Good hosting and compressed images make a big difference.
Send me the term or the report that has you scratching your head. I’m happy to explain.
