Glossary

SEO & GEO Glossary

279 terms covering AI search optimization, traditional SEO, content strategy, and technical concepts.

AI Search (35)SEO (142)Content (23)Technical (62)Analytics (17)

Featured terms

AI Search Ranking Factors

AI Search

The signals and factors that AI-powered search engines use to determine which sources to cite, reference, or surface in their generated responses.

Citation Optimization

AI Search

The strategic practice of structuring and presenting content to maximize the probability of being referenced and cited as a source in AI-generated responses and search results.

Conversational Search Optimization

AI Search

The practice of optimizing content to perform well in conversational and natural language search interfaces, including voice assistants, chatbots, and AI-powered search engines.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

Technical

A Core Web Vitals metric that measures the sum of all unexpected layout shift scores that occur throughout the entire lifespan of a page, quantifying visual instability.

Edge SEO

Technical

An SEO technique that uses edge computing infrastructure to modify HTML responses at the CDN level, enabling dynamic SEO optimizations without changing origin server code.

First Contentful Paint (FCP)

Technical

A performance metric that measures the time from when a page starts loading to when any part of the page's content is rendered on the screen.

First Input Delay (FID)

Technical

A Core Web Vitals metric that measures the time from when a user first interacts with a page to the time when the browser is able to begin processing event handlers in response.

First Meaningful Paint (FMP)

Technical

A deprecated performance metric that measured when the primary content of a page became visible to users, now replaced by Largest Contentful Paint (LCP).

Headless CMS SEO

Technical

The practice of optimizing content delivered through headless content management systems, addressing unique challenges of API-first architectures and decoupled frontends.

Interaction to Next Paint (INP)

Technical

A Core Web Vitals metric that measures the latency of all user interactions throughout a page visit, reporting the longest duration from user input to visual feedback.

International SEO

Technical

The practice of optimizing websites for search engines across multiple countries and languages, ensuring content reaches the right audience in their preferred language and location.

JavaScript SEO

Technical

The practice of optimizing JavaScript-heavy websites for search engine crawling and indexing, ensuring dynamic content is discoverable and properly rendered.

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

Technical

A Core Web Vitals metric that measures the render time of the largest image or text block visible within the viewport, relative to when the page first started loading.

Multi-Modal Search Optimization

AI Search

The practice of optimizing content across multiple formats—text, images, video, audio, and interactive elements—to maximize visibility in AI-powered multi-modal search systems.

Progressive Web App SEO

Technical

The practice of optimizing Progressive Web Apps for search engines while maintaining app-like functionality, offline capabilities, and superior performance.

Prompt Optimization SEO

AI Search

The practice of optimizing content to surface in AI-generated responses by aligning with common prompt patterns, query formations, and user interaction behaviors.

RAG Optimization

AI Search

The practice of optimizing content to perform well in Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems that power AI search engines and chatbots by combining retrieval and generation.

Render-Blocking Resources

Technical

CSS and JavaScript files that prevent the browser from rendering page content until they're fully downloaded and processed, significantly impacting page load performance.

Speed Index

Technical

A performance metric that measures how quickly the contents of a page are visibly populated, calculated as the average time at which visible parts of the page are displayed.

Time to First Byte (TTFB)

Technical

A web performance metric that measures the time from when a browser requests a page until it receives the first byte of data from the web server.

Time to Interactive (TTI)

Technical

A performance metric that measures the time from page start until the page is reliably interactive, meaning it displays useful content, responds to user interactions within 50ms, and has registered event handlers.

Total Blocking Time (TBT)

Technical

A lab metric that measures the total time the main thread is blocked by long tasks, preventing user input responsiveness between First Contentful Paint and Time to Interactive.

301 Redirect

Technical

A 301 redirect is a permanent HTTP redirect that passes most link equity to the new URL.

302 Redirect

Technical

A 302 redirect is a temporary HTTP redirect used when a URL change is not permanent.

AI Content Detection

AI Search

AI content detection identifies whether content appears AI-generated or human-written.

AI Overview

SEO

AI Overview is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

AI Overview Definition

SEO

AI Overview Definition is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

AI Overviews Optimization

AI Search

AI Overviews optimization improves content structure so AI summaries cite your pages.

AI Search Intent

AI Search

AI search intent is the intent behind queries directed at AI answer engines.

AI Visibility

AI Search

AI Visibility is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

AI Visibility

AI Search

AI Visibility is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

AI Visibility Definition

AI Search

AI Visibility Definition is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

AI Visibility Monitoring

AI Search

AI visibility monitoring tracks how often your brand appears in AI answers over time.

Alt Text

SEO

Alt text is descriptive text for images that improves accessibility and helps search engines understand images.

Anchor Text

SEO

Anchor Text is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

Anchor Text Definition

SEO

Anchor Text Definition is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

N

O

P

Page Speed

Technical

The measurement of how quickly content loads on a web page, affecting both user experience and search engine rankings.

Pages per Session

Analytics

Pages per session is the average number of pages viewed in a single visit.

Pagination SEO

Technical

Pagination SEO manages paginated pages to avoid duplicates and preserve crawl efficiency.

Passage Indexing

SEO

Passage indexing is Google’s ability to rank individual sections of a page for specific queries.

People Also Ask

SEO

People Also Ask is a SERP feature that expands related questions and answers.

People Also Ask

SEO

People Also Ask is a SERP feature that expands related questions and answers.

People Also Ask Definition

SEO

People Also Ask is a SERP feature that expands related questions and answers.

Perplexity AI

AI Search

An AI-powered search engine that provides direct answers with inline citations, combining conversational AI with real-time web search. Learn how Perplexity works and how to optimize content for citation.

Pillar Content

Content

Comprehensive, authoritative content pieces that cover a broad topic in depth and serve as the central hub for a cluster of related subtopic content.

Product Feed

SEO

A product feed is a structured file of product data used for ads and listings.

Product Schema

SEO

Product schema is structured data that describes product details for rich results.

Product Schema

SEO

Product schema is structured data that describes product details for rich results.

Product Schema Definition

SEO

Product schema is structured data that describes product details for rich results.

Programmatic SEO

Content

A strategy of creating large numbers of landing pages at scale using templates and databases, targeting long-tail keywords with automated or semi-automated content generation.

Progressive Web App SEO

Technical

The practice of optimizing Progressive Web Apps for search engines while maintaining app-like functionality, offline capabilities, and superior performance.

Prompt Engineering

AI Search

The practice of crafting and optimizing text inputs (prompts) to effectively communicate with AI language models and achieve desired outputs.

Prompt Optimization SEO

AI Search

The practice of optimizing content to surface in AI-generated responses by aligning with common prompt patterns, query formations, and user interaction behaviors.

Proximity Ranking

SEO

Proximity ranking is how distance influences local search results.

R

RAG Optimization

AI Search

The practice of optimizing content to perform well in Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems that power AI search engines and chatbots by combining retrieval and generation.

Rank Tracking

Analytics

Rank tracking is monitoring keyword positions in search results over time.

Readability

SEO

Readability measures how easily users can scan and understand a page’s content.

Redirect Chain

Technical

Redirect Chain is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

Redirect Chain

Technical

Redirect Chain is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

Redirect Chain Definition

Technical

Redirect Chain Definition is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

Redirect Loop

Technical

A redirect loop occurs when URLs redirect to each other endlessly.

Referring Domain

SEO

A referring domain is a unique website that links to your site.

Render-Blocking Resources

Technical

CSS and JavaScript files that prevent the browser from rendering page content until they're fully downloaded and processed, significantly impacting page load performance.

Retrieval Augmentation

AI Search

Retrieval augmentation adds trusted documents to AI responses for accuracy.

Retrieval-Augmented Generation

AI Search

An AI architecture that combines a language model with a retrieval system to generate responses grounded in specific, retrieved documents rather than relying solely on training data.

Review Management

SEO

Review management is the process of earning, responding to, and leveraging reviews.

Review Snippet

SEO

Review snippets display star ratings and review data in search results.

Rich Results

SEO

Rich results are enhanced SERP listings powered by structured data.

Rich Results

SEO

Rich results are enhanced SERP listings powered by structured data.

Rich Results Definition

SEO

Rich results are enhanced SERP listings powered by structured data.

Robots Meta Tag

Technical

A robots meta tag is an HTML directive that tells search engines how to crawl and index a specific page.

Robots Txt

SEO

Robots Txt is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

Robots Txt Definition

SEO

Robots Txt Definition is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

robots.txt

Technical

A text file placed in a website's root directory that instructs web crawlers which pages or sections of the site they can or cannot access, controlling how search engines and AI bots crawl your content.

S

Schema Markup

Technical

Structured data code added to web pages that helps search engines understand content and enables rich results like star ratings, FAQs, and recipe cards. Learn how to implement schema markup for better search visibility.

Schema Markup

SEO

Schema Markup is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

Schema Markup Definition

SEO

Schema Markup Definition is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

Schema Types

SEO

Schema types are the categories of structured data (FAQ, Product, Article) that describe content.

Search Engine Optimization

SEO

The practice of improving a website's visibility in organic search engine results through technical optimization, content creation, and link building. Learn SEO fundamentals, best practices for 2025, and how it connects to GEO.

Search Intent

SEO

The underlying goal or purpose behind a user's search query, categorized as informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional.

Search Intent Types

SEO

Search intent types describe the primary goal behind a query, typically informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional.

Semantic SEO

Content

An approach to search optimization that focuses on topic comprehensiveness and meaning rather than individual keywords, helping search engines understand content context and relevance.

Semantic SEO

SEO

Semantic SEO is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

Semantic SEO Definition

SEO

Semantic SEO Definition is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

SEO

SEO

SEO is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

SEO Definition

SEO

SEO Definition is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

SERP

SEO

Search Engine Results Page - the page displayed by search engines in response to a query. Learn about SERP features, analysis techniques, and how to optimize for modern search results including AI Overviews.

SERP

SEO

SERP is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

SERP Definition

SEO

SERP Definition is a core SEO concept that influences how search engines evaluate, surface, or interpret pages.

SERP Volatility

SEO

SERP volatility measures how much search rankings fluctuate over time.