Definition
A search engine is a database that indexes web pages, then displays a listing of those that are relevant when a user performs a keyword search. “Search engine” can refer to the program on an individual website, or those on broad Internet sites such as Google, Bing, Yahoo!, and Ask.com. [1]
Most search engines display the number of web pages in their database and ranks the results according to a set of parameters (called search algorithms). [2]
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of developing a marketing/technical plan to improve visibility within one or more search engines. Typically, this consists of two elements:
- On a technical side, SEO refers to ensuring that a website can be indexed properly by the major search engines and includes the use of the proper keywords, content, code, and links. [1]
- In marketing, SEO refers to the process of targeting specific keywords where the site should “win” in searches. This can be done by modifying a website to score well in the algorithms search engines use to determine rank, or by purchasing placement with individual keywords. Often, SEO programs are a blend of several elements and strategies. [2]
Note: When SEO is used to describe an individual, it stands for search engine optimizer.
Manual submission means adding a URL to search engines individually by hand.[1]
SEO Elements
A backlink is an incoming link to a web page. Backlinks are important for SEO because some search engines give more credit to websites that have a high number of quality backlinks. Sites with better backlink counts usually rank better in search engine results. [3]
Head terms are search terms that are short, popular, and straightforward (e.g. helicopter skiing). They’re called “head terms” based on a bell-curve distribution of keyword usage that displays the high numbers of most-used terms at the “head” end of the bell curve graph.
A search engine results page (or SERP) is the web page users see after they’ve entered their query into the search box. It lists several web pages related to the searcher’s query, sorted by relevance. Increasingly, search engines are returning blended search results, which include relevant web pages, images, videos, news, and advertising. [1]
Tail terms (or long-tail terms) are search terms that are very specific, long phrases that include one or more modifiers, such as cheapest helicopter skiing near Banff BC. They’re called “tail terms” based on a bell-curve distribution of keyword usage that displays the low numbers of little-used terms at the “tail” end of the bell curve graph. Although long, specific, and lesser-used tail terms have low CTRs, they are less competitive (and therefore cheaper) and often catch buyers at the end of the purchase decision process. This means that, even with low click-through numbers, tail terms can have good conversion rates.
See Also
References
- American Marketing Association, AMA Dictionary.
- SEMPO. Glossary of Terms.
- Lazworld. Internet Marketing & Advertising Glossary.