Search Engine Optimization is not brain surgery, despite what all the search gurus would have you believe. Here is a glossary of terms to take the mystery and mysticism out of SEO and SEM:

A:B Split Testing
A service allowing marketers to test the usability and preference of multiple ads, webpages and landing pages with their target audience.

Analytics
Used in search marketing to refer to technology that helps analyze the performance of a website or online marketing campaign. Analytics often review website user behavior, site usability and search marketing campaign success.

Anchor Linking
The linking from a word or phrase on the content of a page that links to content on another page.

Algorithm
A set of mathematical equations or rules that a search engine uses to rank the content contained within its index in response to a particular query.

Algorithmic Results
Listings that search engines do not sell (unlike paid listings). Sites appear solely because a search engine has ranked on relevancy. Paid inclusion content is also often considered "organic" even though it is paid for. This is because that content usually appears within unpaid organic results.

Backlinks
All the links pointing at a particular webpage. Also called inbound links.

Banned
Search engines remove websites from their indexes specifically because the search engine determined them to be spamming or violating some type of guidelines.

Banner Ad
A banner ad is usually a rectangular advertisement placed on a website; clicking on the ad links back to the advertiserws own website or a relevant landing page.

Benchmark Report
A report used to mark where a website falls on search engine's results page for a list of key words.

Click Fraud
Click fraud is when a competitor continually clicks on your PPC ad to drain your funds and gain higher ranking.

Click-Through
The process of activating a link usually on an online advertisement, connecting to the advertiser's website or landing page. Called a click-through because of the sound the mouse makes.

Click Through Rate (CTR)
The percentage of those clicking on a link out of the total number who see the link. If 20 people do a web search and 10 of the 20 people all choose one particular link, that link then has a 50 percent click through rate. Also called CTR.

Cloaking
Cloaking sends search engine spiders to alternative pages that are not seen by the end user or gets a search engine to record content for a URL that is different than what a person sees. Some SEO companies implement this practice as a way to obtain positions, but search engines consider cloaking to be a deceptive or spamming technique. Spamming is a serious offense in the eyes of the search engines and will likely result in the permanent banning of the site.

Conversion Analytics
Conversion analytics is an analysis of all natural and paid search engine traffic.
Analysis includes keywords used in each search, specific landing page paths and the resulting conversions, etc.

Conversion Rate
The percentage of visitors to a website who take action considered to "convert" them from a visitor to a prospect or customer. Conversions are most often sales or requests for more information. If a website has 50 visitors and 10 of them convert, then the site has a 20 percent conversion rate.

Conversion Reporting
Conversion reporting tracks conversions and lead generation from search engine queries and will tell you the originating engine, keywords, specific landing pages entered and the related conversions for each.

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
Online advertising ROI model in which return is based solely on qualifying actions such as sales or registrations as measured against the marketing costs associated with that sale or registration.

Cost Per Click (CPC)
Method where an advertiser pays an agreed amount for each click someone makes on a link leading to their website. Also known as CPC.

Cost Per Thousand (CPM)
System where an advertiser pays an agreed amount for the number of times their ad is seen by a consumer, regardless of the consumer's action. Heavily used in both traditional advertising and online banner ad sales. CPM stands for "cost per mille;" mille is Latin for thousand and abbreviated using the Roman numeral M.

Cost Per Click (CPC)
Search engines charge advertisers when users click on a "sponsored link" or payper-click ad. Per click prices range from 10¢ to $10 and up depending on the popularity of the keyword triggering the ads.

Crawler
Component of search engine that gather listings by automatically "crawling" the web. A search engine's crawler (also called a spider or robot), follows links to
webpages. It makes copies of the webpages found and stores these in the search
engine's index.

Delisting
When pages are removed from a search engine's index. This may happen because they have been banned or for other reasons, such as an accidental glitch on the search engine's part.

Directories
A type of search engine where listings are gathered through human efforts rather than by automated crawling of the web. In directories, websites are often reviewed and summarized in about 25 words and placed in a particular category. Yahoo is one of the most popular directories.

Doorway Page
A webpage created expressly in hopes of ranking well for a term in a search engine's non-paid listings and which itself does not deliver much information to those viewing it. Instead, visitors will often see only some enticement on the doorway page leading them to other pages (i.e., "Click Here To Enter"), or they may be automatically propelled quickly past the doorway page. With cloaking, they may never see the doorway page at all. Several search engines have guidelines against doorway pages, though they are more commonly allowed in paid inclusion programs. Also referred to as bridge pages, gateway pages and jump pages, among other names.

Email Marketing
The promotion of products or services via email.

Flash Optimization
The process in which Adobe Flash moviespa staple of most corporate sites, supported by 98% of web surferstare reworked to make content more spiderable by search engines. The focus of effective Flash optimization lies in optimizing not just the HTML code surrounding the Flash movie, but the Flash movie itself.

Gateway Page
A webpage created expressly in hopes of ranking well for a term in a search engine's non-paid listings and does not deliver much information to those viewing it. See Doorway Page.

Geographical Targeting
Geographical targeting focuses marketing efforts. Often, marketing analytics will provide insight on where companies should focus. Local search marketing is a tactic used for geo targeting.

Geographic Segmentation
The ability to determine what geographical area your web traffic is originating from.

Graphical Search Inventory
Banners and other advertising units which can be synchronized to search keywords. Includes pop-ups, browser toolbars and rich media.

Hidden Text
Hidden text provides a way for pages to be filled with enormous amounts of keyword text. One method is to make the text and background the same color, so that readers don't see the text. This easily detectable spamming technique can cause penalties or even banning.

Hit
Request from a web server for a graphic or other element displayed on a webpage. Every time a user calls a page, there are dozens of hits recorded. Depending on each individual page.

Index
The collection of information a search engine has that searchers can query against. With crawler-based search engines, the index is typically copies of all the webpages they have found from crawling the web. With human-powered directories, the index contains the summaries of all websites that have been categorized.

Inbound Links
All the links pointing at a particular webpage.

Indexed Pages
Search engines scan their database for webpages related to keywords and once it finds that URL, lists creating an indexed page that identifies the URL, it stores that page in its index. Websites strive to be indexed so that they appear in the search engine results listings.

Impression
A single impression of an online advertisement being displayed. When a visitor has the opportunity to see a banner ad or a webpage that "opportunity" is a single impression. The slang of this is "pairs of eyeballs".

Internet Marketing
Internet marketing means different things to different people. Internet marketing is a conduit that enables customers to interact with your business from any computer connected to the web. In terms of search engine optimization, internet marketing involves any and all steps taken to increase the rankings and positions of your site for returned queries. The reach of internet marketing, (also known as site promotion, website promotion and search engine marketing) provides ample opportunities for companies to increase their market share.

Internet Promotion
Internet promotion relates to any steps taken by a company or individual to promote their site on the internet. Internet promotion, as it relates to search engine optimization, consists of any and all measures taken to help increase the rankings of a particular site. Internet promotion techniques will vary depending on the SEO firm you choose. Search engine optimization services, website promotion and website marketing are a few of the other names for internet promotion.

Keyword
The word (or words) a searcher enters into a search engine's search box. Also used to refer to the terms a search engine marketer hopes a particular page will be found for. Also called search term, query terms or query.

Keyword Marketing
Keyword marketing is simply finding a way to put your message in front of the people who are searching on the internet using particular keywords. Keyword marketing is an important element of search engine optimization.

Keyword Submission
Keyword submission is most notably associated with pay-per-click search engine optimization services. Keyword submission provides immediate short-term results. With a pay-per-click agreement, the advertiser will only pay for qualifying clicks to the site based on a per-click rate. Keyword submission does not require any changes to be made to an existing site.

Landing Page
The specific webpage that a visitor reaches after clicking a search engine listing, pay-per-click ad or banner ad. Marketers attempt to improve conversion rates by testing various landing page creative, which encompasses the entire user experience including navigation, layout, promotional offer and copy.

Link Popularity
A raw count of how "popular" a page is based on the number of backlinks it has. It does not factor in link context or link quality, which are also important elements in how search engines make use of links to impact rankings.

Link Text
The text that is contained within a link.

Listings
The information that appears on a search engine's results page in response to a search.

Marketing Analytics
The use of online information to evaluate and improve marketing strategies and tactics, using technology that tracks and organizes visitor activity on the internet including: unique visitors; sales generated by a unique visitor or keyword; conversions; conversion rate and click fraud, trademark, search engine positions, etc. Very often the technology will organize the data into charts and graphs covering a period of time.

Meta Description Tag
Allows page authors to say how they would like their pages described when listed by search engines. Not all search engines use the tag.

Meta Keywords Tag
Allows page authors to add text to a page to help with the search engine ranking process. Not all search engines use the tag.

Meta Robots Tag
Allows page authors to keep their webpages from being indexed by search engines, especially helpful for those who cannot create "robots.txt" files.

Meta Search Engine
A search engine that gets listings from two or more other search engines, rather than through its own efforts.

Meta Tags
Information placed in a webpage not intended for users to see but instead which typically passes information to search engine crawlers, browser software and some other applications.

Natural Optimization / Listings
Another way to say organic listings. Search engines do no sell theses listings. The listings appear because a search engine has deemed it editorially important for them to be included.

Natural Search Engine Optimization
Your site will achieve optimum visibility in natural search engine results; the very place where more than 80 percent of your potential customers will look.

Optimization Services
Optimization services consist of any services that a search engine optimization company offers designed to improve the positioning of a site with one or more of the search engines. Optimization services provide a platform from which potential clients may be introduced to a new site. Optimization services encompass a variety of services and techniques including optimization of meta and alt tags and more.

Organic Listings
Listings that search engines do not sell (unlike paid listings). Instead, sites appear solely because a search engine has deemed it editorially important for them to be included, regardless of payment. Paid inclusion content is also often considered "organic" even though it is paid for. This is because that content usually appears intermixed with unpaid organic results.

Outbound Links
Links on a particular webpage leading to other webpages, whether they are within the same website or other websites.

Page Rank
Page rank is the measurement by Google on how popular each page is.

Paid Inclusion
Advertising program where pages are guaranteed to be included in a search engine's index in exchange for payment, though no guarantee of positioning well is typically included.

Paid Listings
Listings that search engines sell to advertisers, usually through paid placement or paid inclusion. In contrast, organic listings are not sold.

Paid Placement
Advertising program where listings are guaranteed to appear in response to particular search terms, with higher ranking typically obtained by paying more than other advertisers. Paid placement listings can be purchased from a portal or a search network. Search networks are often set up in an auction environment where keywords and phrases are associated with a cost-per-click (CPC) fee. Overture and Google are the largest networks.

Pay For Performance
Term popularized by some search engines as a synonym for pay-per-click, stressing to advertisers that they are only paying for ads that "perform" in terms of delivering traffic, as opposed to CPM-based ads, where ads cost money, even if they don't generate a click.

Pay Per Click (PPC)
Pay-per-click ads are text ads in the search engines that appear in colored boxes or set off from natural results, often referred to as sponsored links. The pay per-click system works on the premise of paying for a fixed position through bidding system within the engine. The cost of maintaining this fixed position can range from mere pennies per click to well over $10.00 depending on the amount of competition. When a user clicks on the link, the search engine charges the advertiser. The more competitive the market and keywords, the more you will pay to have that user visit your site.

Pay Per Click Advertising Management
Pay per click management is when AAU provides keyword analysis, strategic planning, competitive evaluation, ad copywriting, budgeting, analytics, performance tracking and landing page development, you'll receive tangible results that translate into business delivering the highest return on investment (ROI) everyday.

Position
How well a particular webpage or website is listed in a search engine results, positions 1-10 are the most visible. Visibility drops to negligible rates for positions below 30.

Position Reporting
Reports tracking position movement based upon your initial benchmark position for each keyword along with daily changes and indexed URLs.
Professional Search Engine Optimization
Professional search engine optimization is optimization that has been done by an individual or company in the search engine optimization field. The main goal of professional search engine optimization is to increase the traffic and placement of a site. Professional search engine optimization should be in accord with current search engine optimization techniques and work to help create better rankings through the implementation of techniques.

Promotional Domains
Promotional domains exist as alternative domains that are often times located on the SEO providers own server. These promotional domains are secondary domains, but are integrated with the main domain so the spiders visit them. Promotional domains are often built if the primary domain has had past problems with the engines, or does not wish to risk future problems. One of the major drawbacks relating to promotional domains is the fact that these promotional domains will not brand your primary domain, which is one of the main goals of good search engine optimization.

Query
The words (or word) a searcher enters into a search engine's search box. Also used to refer to terms a marketer hopes a particular page will be found for. Also called keywords.

Rank
How well a particular webpage or website is listed in a search engine results. For example, a webpage about pears may be listed in response to a query for "pears." However, "rank" indicates where exactly it was listed-be it on the first page of results, the second page or perhaps the 200th page. Alternatively, it might also be said to be ranked first among all results, or 12th, or 111th. Overall, saying a page is "listed" only means that it can be found within a search engine in response to a query, not that it necessarily ranks well for that query. Also called position.

Reciprocal Link
A link exchange between two sites.

Registration
The act of submitting a URL for inclusion into a search engine's index.

Results Page
After a user enters a search query, the page that is displayed, is called the results page. Sometimes it may be called SERPs, for "search engine results page."

Robot
Component of search engine that gathers listings by automatically "crawling" the web. A search engine's crawler (also called a spider or robot), follows links to webpages. It makes copies of the webpages found and stores these in the search engine's index.

Robots.txt
A file used to keep webpages from being indexed by search engines. The Robots
Exclusion page provides official details.

ROI
Stands for "Return On Investment" and refers to the percentage of profit or revenue generated from a specific activity. For example, one might measure the ROI of a paid campaign by adding up the total amount spent on the campaign (say $200) versus the amount generated from it in revenue (say $1,000). The ROI would then be 500 percent.

RSS Feed
RSS is a format for syndicating news or other content. RSS stands for really simple syndication.

Search Engine
Any service designed to allow users to search the web or a specialized database of information. Web search engines generally have paid listings and organic listings.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
The act of marketing a website via search engines, whether by improving rank in organic listings, purchasing paid listings or a combination of search-engine-related activities.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The act of altering a website so that it does well in the organic, crawler-based listings of search engines. The process of choosing targeted and relevant keywords and keyword phrases related to a site and driving traffic to that site based upon those keywords and keyword phrases is known as search engine optimization. Search engine optimization involves making the pages of a site more easily accessible to search engines spiders and emphasizing the key topics relating to a specific site. Also SEO, search engine
positioning and search engine promotion.

Search Engine Optimization Strategy
A search engine optimization strategy is an approach or methodology used to help increase the positions of a specific site. A search engine optimization strategy should be specific and individualized to a site depending on the needs of the site. Often referred to as site promotion or website optimization, a search engine optimization strategy provides a sturdy platform from which to start the optimization process.

Search Engine Placement
Like search engine optimization and search engine positioning, search engine placement is a term that is used to describe the process used by SEO firms to obtain rankings for their clients. Search engine placement also refers to the position of a site within results of a search engine.

Search Engine Placement Services
Search engine placement services are those methods implemented by SEO companies to help clients achieve rankings on one or more of the search engines. Search engine placement service is also referred to as internet promotion, search engine optimization services, website promotion and website marketing.

Search Engine Promotion
Search engine promotion can be used to describe the different techniques that are often employed by SEO companies to help sites achieve high rankings. Search engine promotion provides a cost-effective manner for sites to reach potential clientele. Search engine promotion is often equated search engine optimization and pay per click.

Search Engine Ranking Report
A search engine ranking report is a documented report of the positions of your top keywords in the major search engines. This report will give you a way to track the progress of your search engine optimization campaign and provide you with valuable information about future steps.

Search Engine Registration
Search engine registration is the process by which search engines and directories alike are informed that a new site or page needs to be indexed. Search engine registration is also known as search engine submission, website submission, URL submission and keyword submission.

Search Terms
The words (or word) a searcher enters into a search engine's search box. Also used to refer to the terms a marketer hopes a particular page will be found for. Also called keywords, query terms or query.

SEMPO
Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, a non-profit, formed to increase the awareness of and educate people on the value of search engine marketing.

SEO Strategies
SEO strategies or search engine optimization strategies are the techniques and plans used by SEO firms to gain higher positions in the search engines. Some of the techniques include optimizing HTML code, keyword research, writing relevant content and developing valuable links.

SERPS
After a user enters a search query, the page that is displayed is called the results page or it may also be referred to as SERPs, for "search engine results page."

Site Optimization
Site optimization services include the many different techniques used by search engine optimization companies to help clients achieve rankings on the different search engines. Site optimization is used as a way to introduce potential business to a site. Site optimization strategies vary from one SEO firm to the next and can include both accepted and unaccepted optimization strategies. Also optimization services, internet promotion and search engine placement service.

Site Promotion
Site promotion includes all of the steps that a website takes to help increase traf-
fic, name recognition and business. Site promotion includes, but is not limited to, search engine optimization, paid search services and online marketing.

Spam
Any search engine marketing method that a search engine deems to be detrimental to its efforts to deliver relevant, quality search results. Some search engines have written guidelines about what they consider to be spamming, but ultimately any activity a particular search engine deems harmful may be considered spam, whether or not there are published guidelines against it.

Spider
Component of search engine that gather listings by automatically "spidering" the web. A search engine's spider (also called a crawler or robot), follows links to webpages. It makes copies of the webpages found and stores these in the search engine's index

Submissions
Submissions are done when your SEO submits your site to a search engine in order to be included in the index. The submission process should be done carefully and by someone who is familiar with each search engine's current rules. Stay away from automated submissions-they cause more harm than good.

Title Tags
The title tag is the most important overall component of search engine optimization. In addition to the fact that title tags are given great consideration by all the search engines, title tags are also important because it describes the page.

Trademark Infringement
There are three basic levels of trademark poaching: 1) An ad is purchased to trigger on another brand's trademark. There's no mention of the brand in the ad, but they are trying to take advantage of the marketing done by the brand. 2) The trademark is used in the text of someone else's ad. This is one of the only times that some PPC engines will step in on behalf of the brand as this does violate the terms of service (TOS). 3) A combination of both the previous tactics is used to try and create confusion amongst consumers leading them to believe that the competitor is actually the brand sought.

Traffic
The load on a communications device or system. The amount of visits to a website.

Unique Visitor
When tracking the amount of traffic on a website, it refers to a person who visits a website. Regardless of how many times a visitor returns to a site, a unique visitor is counted only once.

Visitor Segmentation
The differentiating of users to a site perhaps by categories like age, sex etc.

Web Analytics
A generic term used to describe analysis of the website traffic and performance.
Technology that tracks and organizes visitor activity on the internet including unique traffic, gross traffic, page views, hits, online sales, conversions, conversion rate, click fraud detection, trademark infringement protection, search engine positions, etc. Very often the technology will organize the data into charts and graphs covering a period of time.

XML Feeds
eXtensible Markup Language. A form of paid inclusion where a search engine is "fed" information about pages via XML, rather than gathering that information through crawling actual pages. Marketers can pay to have their pages included in a spider based search index either annually per URL or on a CPC basis, based on an XML document representing each page on the client site. New media types are being introduced into paid inclusion, including graphics, video, audio, and rich media.