Search engine optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving a website’s visibility and ranking in unpaid search results through technical changes, useful content, and external signals.

Web crawler: A program that automatically discovers and retrieves pages across the web. Search engines use crawlers to find pages before they can index or rank them.
Keyword research: The process of identifying and evaluating the search terms people use for a topic or need. It helps prioritize topics and language that match actual search demand.
Search engine marketing: The broader practice of promoting websites through search engines, including paid advertising and organic optimization. SEO is one part of this broader search-promotion discipline.
Google Search: Google’s web search service, which ranks and presents information in response to queries. Its ranking systems influence much of the practical work and debate around SEO.
Search engine indexing: The process of organizing discovered web pages so a search engine can retrieve them in response to queries. A page must be indexed before SEO can help it appear in results.
On-page SEO: Optimization of page content and HTML elements to improve relevance and search visibility. It covers changes made directly to pages, from headings to descriptive text.
Pay-per-click advertising: An advertising model in which advertisers pay when someone clicks an advertisement. Paid search buys placements directly, unlike SEO’s effort to earn unpaid visibility.
Search engine algorithm: A set of computational procedures that selects and orders results for a search query. SEO outcomes depend on ranking systems that evaluate pages and change over time.
Search engine results page: A page displayed by a search engine in response to a user’s query. SEO aims to improve a site’s placement and presentation on these pages.
Technical SEO: Work that improves a website’s crawlability, indexability, architecture, and technical performance for search engines. It addresses infrastructure that can prevent otherwise strong pages from appearing well.

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