Plain definitions of 35 terms we use on the job in Sydney.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
Above-the-fold is the portion of a webpage visible before a visitor scrolls. The area usually contains the page heading, key message, navigation, and an action that supports the page goal. Its contents vary by screen size, device, browser, and layout, so the visible area is not identical for every visitor.
Also called: Above the fold
Alt text is a written description attached to an image in HTML. Screen readers may read the description aloud for people who cannot see the image. Search engines can also use the text to understand an image's subject. Effective alt text describes the image's purpose in its page context.
Also called: Alternative text, Image alt text
Anchor text is the visible, clickable wording within a hyperlink. Anchor text describes the linked page or destination to readers and search engines. Examples include a treatment name, clinic location, or neutral phrase such as “learn more”. Clear wording helps people understand where a link leads before they select it.
Also called: Link text
A backlink is a link from one website to a page on another website. Backlinks connect referring websites with destination pages and can help search engines discover content and assess its wider web context. Their value depends on relevance, placement, editorial purpose and the reputation of the referring website.
Also called: Inbound link, Incoming link
Bounce rate is the proportion of visits where a person leaves a website after viewing one page without taking a recorded further action. The metric helps describe how visitors interact with landing pages, but it does not explain why someone leaves. Search intent, page type, tracking setup, and visitor behaviour all affect its meaning.
Canonical URL is the preferred address for a webpage when similar or duplicate versions exist. A canonical URL signals which version search engines should treat as the main page for indexing and ranking. The signal helps consolidate related page signals, although search engines can choose a different URL when other evidence conflicts.
Also called: Canonical link
Click-through rate is a percentage-based measure that shows how often people select an advertisement or search result after seeing it. The metric compares clicks with impressions, which are the times an ad or result appears. It helps assess whether the wording, offer and audience targeting encourage a response.
Also called: CTR
A conversion rate is the proportion of visitors who complete a desired action on a website or landing page. The action might include submitting an enquiry form, booking an appointment, calling a dental practice, or requesting information. This metric connects user behaviour with a page’s ability to generate meaningful responses.
Also called: Conversion percentage
Core Web Vitals are Google’s page experience metrics for assessing loading performance, responsiveness and visual stability. The assessment uses field data from real visits to show how pages perform for users. The main measures are Largest Contentful Paint, Interaction to Next Paint and Cumulative Layout Shift.
Crawl budget is the amount of attention a search engine crawler allocates to discovering and revisiting pages on a website. The allocation reflects technical signals, site capacity and perceived value. Crawl budget affects how efficiently search engines find updated content, but it does not determine rankings or guarantee that pages enter the index.
A crawl error is a problem that prevents a search engine crawler from accessing, reading, or processing a webpage or website resource. The error may result from a broken link, server response, blocked access, or an unsuitable site directive. Crawl errors can affect discovery and indexing without always affecting human visitors.
Also called: Crawling error
Domain authority is a third-party SEO metric that estimates a website’s ability to earn search visibility from its backlink profile. The score reflects the quality and strength of links pointing to a domain. Search engines do not use Domain authority as an official ranking factor, so the metric supports comparison rather than guarantees results.
Also called: DA
Google Business Profile is a free business listing that shows key details in Google Search and Google Maps. A profile can include a business name, address, phone number, website, hours, services, photos, posts and customer reviews. Businesses manage the listing through Google to support local search visibility and customer enquiries.
Also called: GBP, Google My Business
Google Search Console is a free Google service that shows how a website appears in Google Search and identifies issues affecting crawling, indexing, and search visibility. Website owners can inspect URLs, review search queries, submit sitemaps, and monitor technical signals. It reports Google’s search activity, not every visit or business result.
Also called: GSC, Search Console
Hreflang tag is an HTML or HTTP signal that tells search engines which language and regional version of a page is intended for a particular audience. It connects equivalent URLs across language or country variants, helping search engines present the most suitable version without treating those pages as accidental duplicates.
Also called: Hreflang attribute
Impression share is the proportion of eligible ad impressions that an advertising campaign receives. The metric compares served impressions with the impressions the campaign could have received under its targeting, bidding, budget and ad-rank conditions. In Google Ads, impression share helps show how often an eligible pay-per-click ad appears in available search opportunities.
Also called: Search impression share
Indexing is the process search engines use to store and organise information about a web page in a searchable database. An indexed page may qualify to appear in search results when its content matches a query. Indexing differs from crawling, which discovers and fetches pages but does not decide whether search results can include them.
Also called: Search engine indexing, Web indexing
Keyword difficulty is a search engine optimisation measure that estimates how challenging it may be for a webpage to rank organically for a specific search term. The measure usually considers competing pages, their authority, content quality and links. A higher difficulty score suggests stronger competition, but it does not guarantee a ranking outcome.
Also called: Keyword competition, SEO difficulty
Keyword stuffing is the practice of placing a target search phrase on a webpage so often or unnaturally that the wording becomes difficult to read. The tactic may involve repeated phrases in body copy, headings, metadata, image descriptions, or hidden text. Search engines can treat this pattern as manipulative and reduce the page’s ability to perform well.
Also called: Search term stuffing
A local pack is a search result feature that displays selected local businesses for a location-based query. It commonly shows business names, map positions, categories, contact details, opening information, reviews and profile actions. Search engines generate the feature from relevance, distance, prominence and the available business information.
Also called: Local 3-pack, Map pack
Meta description is a short HTML element that summarises a web page for search engine results. Search engines may display the text below a page’s title and URL, although they can select different wording from the page. A well-written meta description reflects the page content and gives searchers a clear reason to visit.
Also called: SEO description
Mobile-first indexing is the process Google uses to assess and index the mobile version of a website as its primary version. The process affects how Google understands page content, structured data, images and links when mobile and desktop pages differ. It does not mean that Google only indexes mobile websites.
Also called: Mobile-first index
NAP consistency is the accurate, matching use of a business’s name, address, and phone number across its website, directories, profiles, and citation sources. Local SEO systems compare these details when connecting online references to one business. Consistent records reduce ambiguity and help location-based searches associate the correct practice with its local area.
Also called: Name-address-phone consistency, NAP accuracy
Organic traffic is website visits that come from unpaid results on search engines. Searchers reach a page after entering a query and selecting a non-ad listing. The term describes the source of visits, not the number of visitors, their actions, or the page's position in search results.
Also called: Organic search traffic
Page speed is the time a web page takes to load and respond to a visitor’s actions. It reflects several stages, including the start of loading, the display of useful content, and the page’s response to taps or clicks. Search engines and website owners assess these signals to understand technical performance and user experience.
Also called: Page load speed, Website speed
A Pillar page is a central, detailed webpage that covers a broad subject and links to more focused pages about related subtopics. The page gives readers a clear overview, while supporting pages provide deeper information. In SEO, this structure groups related content around one main topic and helps search engines interpret the website’s subject coverage.
Also called: Cornerstone page, Pillar content
A redirect is a server instruction that sends users and search engines from one URL to another. Redirects help preserve access when a page address changes, a site structure is updated, or duplicate URLs need one preferred destination. The redirect type determines how browsers respond and how search engines interpret the URL change.
Also called: URL redirect
Schema markup is structured data added to a webpage to describe its content in a format that search engines can interpret. The markup identifies details such as a dental practice, service, location, or review, helping search systems classify page information and potentially display enhanced search features when supported.
Also called: Schema.org markup, Structured data
Search intent is the purpose behind a person’s query in a search engine. It shows whether the person wants to learn, compare options, find a local service, solve a problem, or take another action. SEO work matches page content with that purpose so the result answers the query clearly.
Also called: Query intent, User intent
A SERP is a search engine results page displayed after someone submits a query. The page may contain unpaid organic listings, paid advertisements, local results, images, videos, maps, or direct answers. Its layout and content depend on the query, the searcher’s location, the device, and the search engine’s systems.
Also called: Search engine results page
Sitemap is a file that lists the important URLs on a website and gives search engines information about how those pages relate to one another. A sitemap helps search engine crawlers discover pages, review changes and understand the website’s structure. It does not guarantee that listed pages will be indexed or rank.
Also called: XML sitemap
A title tag is an HTML element that names a webpage for search engines and browser tabs. Search engines may display the title tag as the main clickable heading in search results. A well-written title tag describes the page accurately and helps people understand its purpose before they visit.
Also called: Page title, SEO title
User experience is the overall impression formed when a person uses a website, including how easily the person finds information, completes tasks and feels during the visit. In dental marketing, user experience covers navigation, readability, accessibility, page speed and confidence when choosing an appointment pathway.
Also called: UX
UTM parameters are short labels added to a URL to identify where website visits and conversions come from. Advertising platforms and analytics tools read these labels after someone clicks a tagged link. The labels can show the campaign, channel, source, content variation, or keyword associated with a visit.
Also called: Urchin tracking parameters, UTM tags
White hat SEO is an ethical search optimisation approach that follows search engine guidelines and focuses on useful content, clear website structure, genuine authority, and a good user experience. The approach seeks sustainable organic visibility by serving searchers’ needs, not by manipulating rankings through deception, spam, or hidden tactics.
Also called: Ethical SEO
