Glossary
FirstFound lives and breathes the search engines. But you don’t.
Our consultants aren’t only dedicated to you; they’re dedicated to the search industry. So some of the terminology we have to use to describe your search engine optimisation or pay per click campaign might be unfamiliar to you.
To make sure everything runs smoothly, FirstFound has put together a glossary of commonly used terms. That way you’ll always know just what steps are being taken to make your search engine marketing a success.
adCenter
adCenter is Microsoft’s pay per click product, allowing customers to advertise across Bing and associated Microsoft platforms. If you’re interested in being featured on Microsoft’s search engine, request a free audit or call 0161 909 3400.
AdWords
AdWords is Google’s flagship pay per click service. You bid on a term, your advert is immediately shown in searches for that term and you’re charged every time that advert is clicked. If you’re interested in instant visibility, order a free Google AdWords audit today, or call 0161 909 3400.
Algorithm
The algorithm is the calculation carried out by the search engines to determine where sites rank. It takes into account hundreds or thousands of factors, and is constantly being updated.
All The Web
All The Web is a specialised search tool that scans web pages, PDF and MS Word files in 36 different languages.
AltaVista
One of the first search engines, AltaVista has been offering in-depth search options since 1995. FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
AOL
The default search engine for anyone signed up to AOL’s internet service, the AOL search engine receives millions of queries every day. FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
Ask Jeeves
After a short period of being just Ask, Ask Jeeves returned to the web in 2009, complete with their mascot, Jeeves. Ask Jeeves has remained popular in the UK thanks to high profile TV advert campaigns.
Backlinks
See Incoming Links.
Bot
See Spider
Bing
Launched by Microsoft to replace MSN Search, Bing is now firmly established as one of the UK’s three top search engines, along with Google and Yahoo! FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
Black Hat
Unethical search engine optimisation is often referred to as being Black Hat. These techniques can get your site penalised or completely delisted from the search engines.
Crawler
See Spider
Cache
Pronounced ‘cash’, a cache is a place where data is stored – such as a web browser storing recently visited pages or the search engines storing copies of your pages.
CMS
A Content Management System allows you to edit content on your website without having to use the site’s FTP to download and edit files. Common Content Management Systems include WordPress, Joomla and Magento.
Delisting
Unethical search engine optimisation which goes against the search engine guidelines can get your site delisted. It’ll be dropped from all of the results pages, meaning nobody can find your website.
Directory
A directory is a website which lists other websites to make them easier to find without a search engine. Some require payment, but others like the highly regarded YFS and DMOZ are free.
Ecommerce
Ecommerce (or E-commerce) is a term for doing business over the internet. Whether you’re selling a kettle over eBay, or running a fully stocked online shop, you’re engaging in ecommerce
Firewall
A firewall limits the data that can be sent through it, preventing computers or severs from being damaged by unauthorised or malicious users.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol, or FTP, is a set of details which allow you to access the server that your website is hosted on and amend the files there.
Google is the undisputed leader of the online search market – to the point that Googling is now in the Oxford Dictionary as a word which means ‘using an online search engine.’ FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
HTML
HTML, or Hyper Text Markup Language, is the code which most websites are programmed in. Your search engine consultant has a working knowledge of this language in order to make the necessary changes to get your website ranking.
Hosting
The company which hosts your website is responsible for keeping your website visible and accessible. To find out about FirstFound’s hosting packages, call 0161 909 3400.
Inbound Links
When another website links to your site, that’s an inbound link. A good inbound link can help your listings, but too many poor quality links can drag you down.
Index
The index is a search engine’s collection of cached pages. When a search query is entered, relevant pages are pulled from the search engine’s index and shown to the user in an order determined by the algorithm.
Internet
Originally a military experiment, and now a network linking millions of people across the globe, the internet is one of the most powerful communications tools ever invented.
Javascript
Javascript is a computer language that’s used to enhance the functionality of a website in ways that HTML can’t.
Keywords
Keywords are the words which form a search query. A search engine consultant will identify the most profitable keywords for your website, and make sure you are ranking highly for them.
Landing Page
A landing page is the website page displayed when a visitor clicks an inbound link, search engine listing or AdWords advert. It should contain your contact details and strong calls to action.
Linkbuilding
Linkbuilding is the process of sourcing inbound links from other websites. This needs to be done carefully and naturally to prevent your site being delisted.
Listings
Listings are the results shown on a search engine results page in response to a search query. Your site’s listings are where your site is displayed on the search engine results page.
Meta Tags
Meta Tags are parts of the website’s code that are used by the search engines. For example, a listing usually consists of a site’s Meta Title and Meta Description, whilst other tags determine whether a search engine should add a page to its index.
Navigation
The site’s navigation is the series of links and menus that help visitors find their way around your website. This should be simple, clear and easy to use.
Nofollow
A nofollow tag is a line of code which stops the search engines following a link. An outbound link with a nofollow tag also won’t pass on any PageRank.
Organic Listings
The links on a search engine results page which are not pay per click adverts are known as the Organic Listings. Search Engine Optimisation is necessary to ensure that a website is as high up in these listings as possible.
Outbound Links
The opposite of an inbound link, an outbound link is a link on your website which links out to another site.
PageRank
Named after one of Google’s founders, PageRank is part of the Google algorithm. As a rule of thumb, the more authority your site has, the higher the PageRank and the better your listings.
Pay Per Click
See AdWords or adCenter, or read about our pay per click service.
Query
The term typed into a search engine, for example ‘search engine consultants’ – for which FirstFound is ranked number one.
Rank
The position of your website on the search engine results page.
Reciprocal Link
If you link to someone who links back to you, that’s a reciprocal link. They can carry less weight with the search engines than a one-way inbound link.
Results Page
Commonly known as the ‘SERP’ (Search Engine Results Page), the results page is the page generated by the search engines in response to a query, and consists of organic listings and pay per click adverts.
Robot
See Spider
Robots.txt
This is a file which provides important information that helps the search engine spiders crawl and cache a website properly.
Search Engine
A Search Engine is a website which allows you to search the internet for other sites which cover a topic or query which you specify.
Search Engine Consultants
If you want to improve your website’s listings, you need professional advice and assistance. FirstFound are the UK’s leading search engine consultants. Call us now on 0161 909 3400.
Search Engine Optimisation
Often shortened to SEO, search engine optimisation is the process of improving a site’s search engine listings using a variety of methods.
Search Terms
See Query
SERP
See Results Page
Spam
Spam can mean many things. Unsolicited bulk emails can be spam, as can a page which is overly stuffed with keywords.
Spider
Also known as a bot, robot or crawler, a spider is the program which the search engines use to crawl a website. Your site needs to be accessible to the spiders, who’ll make note of the content and code before adding it to the search engine index.
Title Tag
The Title Tag is the most important of a site’s Meta Tags. It should contain your keywords as it gives users and spiders alike an idea of what a page’s content contains.
Traffic
The number of visitors accessing your site is known as the site’s traffic. High traffic isn’t good on its own though – lots of visitors and few sales can indicate an issue with the website that needs corrected.
Viral Marketing
A relatively new term, Viral Marketing is the act of creating an advert that people will then want to share. Good examples are Old Spice and Tippex’s YouTube campaigns in 2010 which both received international media coverage.
Virus
A malicious line of code designed to harm websites or computer systems.
Webmaster Guidelines
These are the terms of use set out by the search engines. Breaking them can lead to your site being penalised and ranked lower, or delisted from the search engines entirely.
White Hat
The opposite of Black Hat search engine optimisation, White Hat SEO uses only safe, ethical techniques which abide by the webmaster guidelines. FirstFound practise only White Hat optimisation.
XML
Another coding language, XML is a new language which promises to be more efficient at delivering data over the web.
Yahoo!
The third of the UK’s top three search engines, Yahoo! has enjoyed substantial popularity on both sides of the Atlantic. FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
adCenter
adCenter is Microsoft’s pay per click product, allowing customers to advertise across Bing and associated Microsoft platforms. If you’re interested in being featured on Microsoft’s search engine, request a free audit or call 0161 909 3400.
AdWords
AdWords is Google’s flagship pay per click service. You bid on a term, your advert is immediately shown in searches for that term and you’re charged every time that advert is clicked. If you’re interested in instant visibility, order a free Google AdWords audit today, or call 0161 909 3400.
Algorithm
The algorithm is the calculation carried out by the search engines to determine where sites rank. It takes into account hundreds or thousands of factors, and is constantly being updated.
All The Web
All The Web is a specialised search tool that scans web pages, PDF and MS Word files in 36 different languages.
AltaVista
One of the first search engines, AltaVista has been offering in-depth search options since 1995. FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
AOL
The default search engine for anyone signed up to AOL’s internet service, the AOL search engine receives millions of queries every day. FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
Ask Jeeves
After a short period of being just Ask, Ask Jeeves returned to the web in 2009, complete with their mascot, Jeeves. Ask Jeeves has remained popular in the UK thanks to high profile TV advert campaigns.
Backlinks
See Incoming Links.
Bot
See Spider
Bing
Launched by Microsoft to replace MSN Search, Bing is now firmly established as one of the UK’s three top search engines, along with Google and Yahoo! FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
Black Hat
Unethical search engine optimisation is often referred to as being Black Hat. These techniques can get your site penalised or completely delisted from the search engines.
Crawler
See Spider
Cache
Pronounced ‘cash’, a cache is a place where data is stored – such as a web browser storing recently visited pages or the search engines storing copies of your pages.
CMS
A Content Management System allows you to edit content on your website without having to use the site’s FTP to download and edit files. Common Content Management Systems include WordPress, Joomla and Magento.
Delisting
Unethical search engine optimisation which goes against the search engine guidelines can get your site delisted. It’ll be dropped from all of the results pages, meaning nobody can find your website.
Directory
A directory is a website which lists other websites to make them easier to find without a search engine. Some require payment, but others like the highly regarded YFS and DMOZ are free.
Ecommerce
Ecommerce (or E-commerce) is a term for doing business over the internet. Whether you’re selling a kettle over eBay, or running a fully stocked online shop, you’re engaging in ecommerce
Firewall
A firewall limits the data that can be sent through it, preventing computers or severs from being damaged by unauthorised or malicious users.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol, or FTP, is a set of details which allow you to access the server that your website is hosted on and amend the files there.
Google is the undisputed leader of the online search market – to the point that Googling is now in the Oxford Dictionary as a word which means ‘using an online search engine.’ FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
HTML
HTML, or Hyper Text Markup Language, is the code which most websites are programmed in. Your search engine consultant has a working knowledge of this language in order to make the necessary changes to get your website ranking.
Hosting
The company which hosts your website is responsible for keeping your website visible and accessible. To find out about FirstFound’s hosting packages, call 0161 909 3400.
Inbound Links
When another website links to your site, that’s an inbound link. A good inbound link can help your listings, but too many poor quality links can drag you down.
Index
The index is a search engine’s collection of cached pages. When a search query is entered, relevant pages are pulled from the search engine’s index and shown to the user in an order determined by the algorithm.
Internet
Originally a military experiment, and now a network linking millions of people across the globe, the internet is one of the most powerful communications tools ever invented.
Javascript
Javascript is a computer language that’s used to enhance the functionality of a website in ways that HTML can’t.
Keywords
Keywords are the words which form a search query. A search engine consultant will identify the most profitable keywords for your website, and make sure you are ranking highly for them.
Landing Page
A landing page is the website page displayed when a visitor clicks an inbound link, search engine listing or AdWords advert. It should contain your contact details and strong calls to action.
Linkbuilding
Linkbuilding is the process of sourcing inbound links from other websites. This needs to be done carefully and naturally to prevent your site being delisted.
Listings
Listings are the results shown on a search engine results page in response to a search query. Your site’s listings are where your site is displayed on the search engine results page.
Meta Tags
Meta Tags are parts of the website’s code that are used by the search engines. For example, a listing usually consists of a site’s Meta Title and Meta Description, whilst other tags determine whether a search engine should add a page to its index.
Navigation
The site’s navigation is the series of links and menus that help visitors find their way around your website. This should be simple, clear and easy to use.
Nofollow
A nofollow tag is a line of code which stops the search engines following a link. An outbound link with a nofollow tag also won’t pass on any PageRank.
Organic Listings
The links on a search engine results page which are not pay per click adverts are known as the Organic Listings. Search Engine Optimisation is necessary to ensure that a website is as high up in these listings as possible.
Outbound Links
The opposite of an inbound link, an outbound link is a link on your website which links out to another site.
PageRank
Named after one of Google’s founders, PageRank is part of the Google algorithm. As a rule of thumb, the more authority your site has, the higher the PageRank and the better your listings.
Pay Per Click
See AdWords or adCenter, or read about our pay per click service.
Query
The term typed into a search engine, for example ‘search engine consultants’ – for which FirstFound is ranked number one.
Rank
The position of your website on the search engine results page.
Reciprocal Link
If you link to someone who links back to you, that’s a reciprocal link. They can carry less weight with the search engines than a one-way inbound link.
Results Page
Commonly known as the ‘SERP’ (Search Engine Results Page), the results page is the page generated by the search engines in response to a query, and consists of organic listings and pay per click adverts.
Robot
See Spider
Robots.txt
This is a file which provides important information that helps the search engine spiders crawl and cache a website properly.
Search Engine
A Search Engine is a website which allows you to search the internet for other sites which cover a topic or query which you specify.
Search Engine Consultants
If you want to improve your website’s listings, you need professional advice and assistance. FirstFound are the UK’s leading search engine consultants. Call us now on 0161 909 3400.
Search Engine Optimisation
Often shortened to SEO, search engine optimisation is the process of improving a site’s search engine listings using a variety of methods.
Search Terms
See Query
SERP
See Results Page
Spam
Spam can mean many things. Unsolicited bulk emails can be spam, as can a page which is overly stuffed with keywords.
Spider
Also known as a bot, robot or crawler, a spider is the program which the search engines use to crawl a website. Your site needs to be accessible to the spiders, who’ll make note of the content and code before adding it to the search engine index.
Title Tag
The Title Tag is the most important of a site’s Meta Tags. It should contain your keywords as it gives users and spiders alike an idea of what a page’s content contains.
Traffic
The number of visitors accessing your site is known as the site’s traffic. High traffic isn’t good on its own though – lots of visitors and few sales can indicate an issue with the website that needs corrected.
URL
A URL is a website address, such as http://www.firstfound-blog.co.uk
Viral Marketing
A relatively new term, Viral Marketing is the act of creating an advert that people will then want to share. Good examples are Old Spice and Tippex’s YouTube campaigns in 2010 which both received international media coverage.
Virus
A malicious line of code designed to harm websites or computer systems.
Webmaster Guidelines
These are the terms of use set out by the search engines. Breaking them can lead to your site being penalised and ranked lower, or delisted from the search engines entirely.
White Hat
The opposite of Black Hat search engine optimisation, White Hat SEO uses only safe, ethical techniques which abide by the webmaster guidelines. FirstFound practise only White Hat optimisation.
XML
Another coding language, XML is a new language which promises to be more efficient at delivering data over the web.
Yahoo!
The third of the UK’s top three search engines, Yahoo! has enjoyed substantial popularity on both sides of the Atlantic. FirstFound optimises for the global and UK versions of this search engine.
Zen Garden
A website with multiple examples of website designs styled and built with CSS.
FAQS
Task Developments Ltd
“78% of our business is now done online, and over 90% of our enquiries come from Google.”
Kevin Lynch – Managing Director
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