Glossary
SEO and AI Glossary
Plain-English definitions of every term a UK business owner, marketer, or fellow professional might encounter. Each page gives you the citable definition in the first two sentences, then explains why it matters and how it is applied in practice.
SEO
Core concepts in search engine optimisation for UK businesses.
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the practice of improving a website so it appears higher in unpaid search results on engines like Google.
- Local SEOLocal SEO is the practice of optimising a business's online presence to appear in search results tied to a specific geographic area, such as searches for 'plumber Stoke-on-Trent' or 'accountant near me'.
- Technical SEOTechnical SEO is the work done to a website's code, architecture, and server configuration to make it easy for search engine crawlers to access, understand, and index.
- On-Page SEOOn-page SEO refers to the optimisation of individual web pages to rank higher in search results, covering the content, heading structure, meta title, meta description, internal links, and keyword relevance of each page.
- Off-Page SEOOff-page SEO refers to actions taken outside a website to improve its search engine rankings, primarily through acquiring backlinks (links from other websites pointing to the site), brand mentions, and signals that indicate the site's authority and trustworthiness to search engines.
- Programmatic SEOProgrammatic SEO is the practice of generating large numbers of unique, optimised web pages automatically from a structured data source, rather than writing each page by hand.
- E-Commerce SEOE-commerce SEO is the application of search engine optimisation specifically to online shops, covering product page optimisation, category page structure, faceted navigation management, product schema markup, and the technical challenges unique to large catalogues.
- International SEOInternational SEO is the practice of optimising a website to rank in multiple countries or languages, using hreflang tags, geotargeting signals, and localised content to ensure that users in each target market see the correct version of the site.
- SEO AuditAn SEO audit is a systematic review of a website to identify the technical, on-page, and off-page factors that are limiting its search engine rankings.
- Keyword ResearchKeyword research is the process of identifying and evaluating the search terms that potential customers use when looking for products, services, or information relevant to a business, then using those terms to inform the content and structure of a website.
- Link BuildingLink building is the process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own, with the goal of increasing the site's authority in the eyes of search engines.
- Core Web VitalsCore Web Vitals are a set of three metrics Google uses to measure the real-world user experience of a web page: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP, measuring load speed), Interaction to Next Paint (INP, measuring responsiveness), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS, measuring visual stability).
- Schema MarkupSchema markup is code added to a web page, typically in JSON-LD format, that uses a standardised vocabulary (Schema.
- Structured DataStructured data is a standardised format for providing explicit information about a web page's content to search engines and AI crawlers, using a recognised vocabulary (typically Schema.
- E-E-A-TE-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, the four dimensions Google's quality raters use to assess the quality of content and the credibility of those who produce it.
- SERP (Search Engine Results Page)A SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is the page displayed by a search engine in response to a user's query, containing a ranked list of results from across the web alongside paid advertisements, map packs, rich results, and increasingly, AI-generated answer panels.
- Google Business Profile Optimisation (GBP)Google Business Profile (GBP) optimisation is the ongoing management of a business's Google listing to maximise its visibility in local search results and map pack rankings, covering profile completeness, category selection, photo management, review strategy, post frequency, and NAP consistency.
- Local PackThe local pack (sometimes called the map pack or 3-pack) is the block of three business listings displayed with a map at the top of Google search results for queries with local intent, such as searches for tradespeople, restaurants, or professional services in a specific area.
- Citations (NAP) (NAP)A citation in local SEO is any online mention of a business's Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP), whether in a directory listing, a review platform, a news article, or any other online source.
- Canonical URLsA canonical URL is the preferred version of a web page, indicated to search engines using a rel='canonical' link element in the page's HTML head.
- Crawl BudgetCrawl budget is the number of pages Googlebot will crawl on a website within a given period, determined by the site's crawl capacity (how many requests the server can handle) and crawl demand (how much Google prioritises crawling the site based on its authority and freshness signals).
- IndexingIndexing in SEO is the process by which a search engine discovers, processes, and stores a web page in its database so that the page can be returned in search results.
AI Search
How AI-powered search engines find, cite, and rank content in 2025.
- Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is the practice of structuring content so that AI-powered search engines and assistant platforms select it as the source for answers to specific questions.
- Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the practice of optimising a website's content, structure, and entity signals to increase the likelihood of appearing as a source in responses generated by AI-powered search engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Google AI Overviews.
- AI Search VisibilityAI search visibility refers to the extent to which a business, professional, or website appears as a cited source or referenced entity in responses generated by AI-powered search engines and assistants, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Google AI Overviews.
- LLM OptimisationLLM optimisation is the practice of structuring a website's content, entity data, and accessibility in ways that make it easier for large language models to retrieve, interpret, and cite accurately.
- AI CitationsAn AI citation occurs when an AI-powered search engine or assistant references a specific website or piece of content as the source for information included in a generated response, typically shown as a numbered reference or inline link alongside the answer text.
- llms.txtAn llms.
- AI OverviewsGoogle AI Overviews are AI-generated answer panels that appear at the top of Google search results pages for certain queries, synthesising information from multiple web sources into a concise response with cited links.
- Zero-Click SearchA zero-click search is a search query that is resolved on the search results page itself, without the user clicking through to any website, because the search engine has provided a sufficient answer directly in the results through a featured snippet, knowledge panel, AI Overview, or other SERP feature.
- Entity SEOEntity SEO is the practice of building the structured data, consistent signals, and verified information that help search engines and AI systems recognise a business, person, or organisation as a distinct and authoritative entity, rather than as a collection of keyword-matched pages.
- Knowledge GraphThe Knowledge Graph is Google's large-scale database of entities and their relationships, used to understand what search queries are about and to provide structured answers in search results.
AI Systems
AI agents, automation, and the systems that run business operations.
- AI AgentAn AI agent is an autonomous software system powered by a large language model that can perceive inputs, make decisions, use tools, and take sequences of actions to complete a goal, operating without continuous human instruction for each step.
- AI ReceptionistAn AI receptionist is a software system that handles inbound business enquiries automatically and conversationally, without a human operator, responding to messages via web chat, WhatsApp, SMS, or email, qualifying leads with appropriate questions, and passing a structured summary to the business owner or CRM.
- Conversational AIConversational AI refers to systems that can understand and generate human language in real-time, two-way dialogue, using natural language processing and large language models to conduct coherent, contextually aware conversations across text or voice channels.
- AI ChatbotAn AI chatbot is a chat interface powered by a large language model that can conduct open-ended, natural language conversations, understand context across multiple turns, and respond appropriately to a wide range of inputs without a predefined script.
- Business Process Automation (BPA)Business process automation (BPA) is the use of software to execute repeatable, rules-based business tasks automatically, without manual human input at each step.
- Workflow AutomationWorkflow automation is the configuration of software to trigger a defined sequence of actions automatically when specific conditions are met, eliminating the need for manual initiation of each step in a multi-stage process.
- AI Lead ResponseAI lead response is the use of artificial intelligence to automatically acknowledge, engage, and qualify inbound business enquiries the moment they arrive, conducting a conversational exchange to gather the information needed to assess the lead before routing a structured summary to the business owner or CRM.
- CRM AutomationCRM automation is the use of software to automatically create, update, and act on customer relationship management records without manual data entry, triggering actions (such as follow-up messages, status changes, and task assignments) based on defined rules or events within the CRM system.
- Marketing AutomationMarketing automation is the use of software to send marketing communications automatically based on predefined triggers, schedules, or behavioural conditions, delivering the right message to the right person at the right time without requiring manual intervention for each send.
- AI ConsultantAn AI consultant is a specialist who advises businesses on how to apply artificial intelligence to their specific operations, and implements or oversees the implementation of AI systems that match the business's actual needs, workflows, and resources.
- Machine Learning (ML)Machine learning (ML) is a branch of artificial intelligence in which systems learn to perform tasks by identifying patterns in large datasets, rather than being explicitly programmed with rules for every situation.
- Large Language Model (LLM)A large language model (LLM) is a type of machine learning system trained on vast quantities of text data to understand and generate human language, capable of answering questions, summarising information, writing content, and conducting conversation with a high degree of fluency and contextual relevance.
- Prompt EngineeringPrompt engineering is the practice of designing and refining the text instructions given to an AI language model to produce outputs that are accurate, consistent, and suited to a specific task.
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is an AI architecture in which a language model retrieves relevant information from a specified knowledge base or document set before generating its response, grounding the output in specific, up-to-date information rather than relying solely on what was encoded during training.
- AI IntegrationAI integration is the process of connecting an AI system to the existing software infrastructure of a business -- including CRMs, calendars, messaging platforms, job management systems, and databases -- so that the AI can read from and write to those systems as part of automated workflows, rather than operating in isolation as a standalone tool.
- API IntegrationAn API integration is a connection between two or more software systems using application programming interfaces (APIs), allowing them to exchange data and trigger actions automatically without human intervention at each transfer.
Marketing
Paid and performance marketing concepts that drive measurable lead flow.
- Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) is a digital advertising model in which an advertiser pays a fee each time a user clicks on their advertisement, with ads placed in prominent positions on search engine results pages, display networks, or social media platforms.
- Google AdsGoogle Ads is Google's online advertising platform through which businesses bid to display advertisements in Google Search results, on the Google Display Network, on YouTube, and across Google's partner properties, paying either per click (search and display) or per thousand impressions (display and video).
- Cost Per Lead (CPL)Cost per lead (CPL) is the total marketing spend on a given channel or campaign divided by the number of qualified leads generated from that channel in the same period, giving a single figure that represents what the business is paying per inbound enquiry.
- Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO)Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) is the systematic practice of increasing the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action -- submitting an enquiry form, calling, booking an appointment -- by improving the design, content, and user experience of the page without increasing traffic.
- Landing Page OptimisationLanding page optimisation is the process of improving the specific web pages that visitors arrive on from a marketing campaign -- a paid search ad, an organic ranking, or a social post -- to increase the proportion of those visitors who take the desired next action, typically submitting an enquiry or calling.
- Email Marketing AutomationEmail marketing automation is the use of software to send email sequences automatically based on triggers, schedules, or subscriber behaviour, delivering targeted messages to specific segments of an audience at the moment most likely to be relevant, without requiring manual send decisions for each message.
- Lead GenerationLead generation is the process of attracting potential customers to a business and capturing their contact information and intent, converting an anonymous visitor or searcher into an identifiable enquiry that can be followed up by the business.
- Marketing FunnelA marketing funnel is a model representing the stages a potential customer passes through from their first exposure to a business to becoming a paying client, typically described as awareness (knowing the business exists), consideration (evaluating it against alternatives), and conversion (making the purchase decision).
- RetargetingRetargeting is a form of digital advertising that serves ads specifically to people who have previously visited a website or interacted with a business online, using cookies or platform-specific audience data to identify and re-engage warm prospects who did not convert on their first visit.
Not sure which of these applies to your business?
Book a free 30-minute call. You will get a straight answer on which discipline matters most for your growth trajectory right now.
Book Your Free Strategy Call→
No pitch deck. No obligation.