Glossary

Structuring your content so search engines can pull a direct answer from it - for example, appearing in the box at the top of Google results that answers a question without the user needing to click.

Optimizing your content so AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini choose to mention or cite your website when generating an answer. As of 2026, Google has said this isn't a separate discipline from SEO for its own results - the same fundamentals (clear structure, real answers, credible sources) drive visibility in both.

The AI-generated summary that appears above the regular blue links in Google results. As of July 2026, this is no longer an occasional feature - Google made an AI-generated answer the default output for essentially every search, pushing the traditional ten-blue-links list further down the page. It pulls from multiple sources and sometimes cites them.

Google's conversational search experience, now powering Google Search by default (rolled out fully on July 10, 2026, running on the Gemini 3.5 Flash model). Unlike a classic search, it can break one query into several sub-questions behind the scenes (see Query fan-out) and pull an answer together from many pages at once.

A technique AI Mode uses where a single search is silently split into several related sub-queries, each answered separately, then merged into one response. Practically, it means a page that only targets one exact keyword phrase can miss out - covering the related sub-questions on a topic matters more than it used to.

A Google feature, expanded to AI Overviews and AI Mode in May 2026, that lets a signed-in user manually star a site they trust. Once starred, that site's links get a "Preferred" label and appear more often for that user - in Top Stories, AI Overviews and AI Mode alike. There's no schema or code to add; it's reader-driven, so the only lever is asking visitors to add you at google.com/preferences/source.

A link from another website pointing to yours. Think of it as a vote of confidence - the more reputable sites that link to you, the more Google trusts your site.

A piece of code that tells search engines which version of a page is the "main" one, when the same content is accessible via multiple URLs.

A Core Web Vital that measures how much page elements jump around while loading. A high CLS means buttons and text move unexpectedly, which frustrates users and hurts rankings.

A set of three measurements Google uses to judge how good a page feels to use: how fast it loads (LCP), how quickly it responds to clicks (INP), and whether content shifts around while loading (CLS).

The process where search engine bots follow links across the web to discover pages. If a page has no links pointing to it, bots may never find it.

The percentage of people who click your result after seeing it in search. If 100 people see your page in results and 5 click it, your CTR is 5%. A better title tag and meta description usually improve CTR.

A score from 1 to 100 created by Moz that estimates how likely a website is to rank well, based on its backlink profile. It's not a Google metric, but a useful way to compare sites.

Google's framework for evaluating content quality. Real author bios, accurate information, credible sources and HTTPS all contribute to stronger E-E-A-T signals.

Code added to a page that tells search engines "this section contains questions and answers." Google retired the visible FAQ rich-result dropdown in Search in May 2026, so this no longer wins extra space in Google results - it’s now mainly a parsing aid that helps AI tools identify Q&A content, not a search-visibility feature on its own.

The highlighted box that sometimes appears at the top of Google results showing a direct answer from a webpage. Winning a featured snippet often requires an answer-first paragraph structure.

The free listing that shows your business name, address, phone number, hours, photos and reviews in Google Search and Maps. Essential for any business with a physical location.

The main heading of a page, like the title of a book chapter. Each page should have exactly one H1 that clearly describes the page's topic.

Code that marks up step-by-step instructions on a page. Google retired the HowTo rich result in Search back in 2023, so this no longer displays as a structured guide in search results - the markup is still valid and can help AI tools parse the steps, but it’s no longer a visibility feature.

After crawling a page, search engines store and analyse its content in a giant database called the index. A page must be indexed before it can appear in search results.

A Core Web Vital measuring how quickly a page visually responds after a user clicks, taps or types. A slow INP makes the page feel broken or laggy.

A link from one page on your website to another page on the same website. Internal links help search engines discover pages and signal which ones are most important.

A word or phrase that people type into search engines. Choosing the right keywords - ones your audience actually searches - is the starting point of any SEO strategy.

A score estimating how hard it is to rank on the first page for a given keyword, based on how strong the competing pages are. Lower difficulty = easier to rank.

A Core Web Vital measuring how long it takes for the main content of a page to become visible. Google recommends LCP under 2.5 seconds.

The map with three local business listings that appears near the top of Google results for searches with local intent, like "coffee shops near me."

A longer, more specific search phrase like "best running shoes for flat feet under $100" rather than just "running shoes." Lower search volume but less competition and higher intent.

The short text snippet shown below your page title in search results. It doesn't directly affect rankings, but a well-written one convinces more people to click your result.

Google's approach of using the mobile version of a page as the primary version for indexing and ranking, even for desktop searches. If your site looks broken on mobile, it hurts rankings everywhere.

The three pieces of business information that must be identical across every place your business appears online. Inconsistent NAP confuses search engines and can hurt local rankings.

Google's original algorithm for measuring a page's authority based on how many quality pages link to it. Still a core part of how Google ranks pages, though one of many hundreds of signals now.

How AI tools like Perplexity and Google AI Overviews work: they retrieve live web pages at the moment of a query and use them to generate an answer, sometimes citing sources.

A public file at the root of your website that gives search engine bots instructions about which pages they should or should not crawl. It's not a security tool - anyone can read it.

A Google spam policy, tightened in a March 2026 update, against publishing large volumes of pages with no genuine value to the reader - including AI-generated pages churned out with little to no editing. It doesn't ban using AI to write; it targets thin, mass-produced content published mainly to attract search traffic rather than to help anyone. If AI writes a first draft, a real edit for accuracy and added value keeps you clear of this.

Code added to a page that helps search engines understand its content more precisely - for example, marking up a recipe, a review, or a product so it can appear in rich search results. (FAQ and HowTo schema are still valid but no longer produce rich results in Google Search as of 2026 - see FAQ schema and HowTo schema.)

The goal behind a search query. The four main types are: informational (want to learn), navigational (want a specific site), commercial (comparing options) and transactional (ready to buy).

How many times per month a keyword is searched. High volume means more potential traffic, but usually also more competition.

A file that lists all the important pages on your site, helping search engines find and prioritise them. Especially useful for large sites or pages with few internal links pointing to them.

The clickable blue headline shown in search results. It's one of the strongest on-page signals for what a page is about. Aim for 50 to 60 characters with the main keyword near the start.

How a page's web address is formatted. A clean URL like example.com/best-running-shoes is better for SEO and user trust than example.com/page?id=4837.