Meta Keywords
1: A tag that can be added to the head section of an HTML document. 2: Search engine algorithms have ignored this tag for ranking...
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In a world ruled by algorithms, SEJ brings timely, relevant information for SEOs, marketers, and entrepreneurs to optimize and grow their businesses — and careers.
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Information Architecture
How a website is organized and where various content and navigational elements are located on webpages.
Information Retrieval
The process of searching for information (e.g., text, images, video) from a large database and then presenting the most relevant information to an end-user.
Internal Link
See: Website Navigation
IP Address
An Internet Protocol Address. IP addresses can be: Shared: Numerous websites share an address within one server or a group of servers (a.k.a., virtual hosting)....
JavaScript (JS)
1: A programming language that makes it possible to dynamically insert content, links, meta data, or other elements, on websites. JavaScript can potentially make it...
Keyword
1: The word, words, or phrase that an SEO professional or marketer targets for the purpose of matching and ranking for what users are searching...
Keyword Cannibalization
1: A type of self-competition that occurs when multiple pages from one website rank for the same query on a SERP. 2: This can result...
Keyword Density
1: How often a word or phrase appears within the content of a webpage. 2: Unproven concept is outdated, if it ever really mattered to...
Keyword Research
1: The process of discovering any relevant topics, subjects, and terms searchers enter into search engines, as well as the volume and competition level of...
Keyword Stuffing
1: Adding irrelevant keywords, or repeating keywords beyond what is natural, to a webpage in the hopes of increasing search rankings. 2: A spam tactic...
Knowledge Graph
1: An entity database Google uses to surface facts and information on people, places, and things (a.k.a., entities) – and their connections – in a...
Knowledge Panel
1: A box that appears at the top of, or on the right rail (desktop only), of Page 1 of Google’s search results for relevant...
KPI
1: Key Performance Indicator. 2: A measurement method businesses use to gauge whether marketing and business objectives, targets, and goals are being reached.
Google Webmaster Guidelines
Google’s guidance on good website optimization practices, as well as “illicit” practices that can result in manual action. Simply: Make unique, valuable, and engaging websites...
Gray Hat
A supposed “gray” area between techniques that adhere to Google’s Webmaster Guidelines, but then add an element that bends the rules a little.
Guest Blogging
A popular link building tactic that involves developing content for other websites in exchange for a backlink pointing at your own pages.
Heading
1: Tags that Separate content into sections, based on importance. 2: Heading tags (H1-H6)
Headline
1: Title assigned to webpage content. 2: Uses an H1 tag.
Head Term
1: A popular keyword with high search volume that is usually difficult to rank for.
Hidden Text
1: Any text that can’t be seen by a user that is intended to manipulate search rankings by loading webpages with content-rich keywords and copy....
Hilltop Algorithm
1: A Google Algorithm that assigned “expert” status to certain websites or webpages published about a specific topic that also link to unaffiliated pages about...
HITS Algorithm
1: Hyperlink-Induced Topic Search is a link analysis algorithm that assesses a value not just based on content and inbound links (authorities), but also its...
Homepage
1: The default, or introductory, webpage of a website.
htaccess File
1: A server configuration file that can be used to rewrite and redirect URLs.
HTML
1: Stands for Hypertext Markup Language. 2: HTML tags are specific code elements that can be used to improve the effectiveness of SEO for webpages...
HTTP
1: The Hypertext Transfer Protocol is how data is transferred from a computer server to a web browser.
HTTPS
1: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure uses a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to encrypt data transferred between a website and web browser. 2: A minor Google...
Hub Page
1: An authoritative central resource (e.g., page or article), dedicated to a specific topic (keyword), that is continually updated and linked to, and also links...
Inbound Link
1: A link to a webpage that originates from an external website.