10 More Common SEO Terms

Keeping up with relevant SEO terms can feel like a losing battle at times

As SEO specialists, we understand there are many terms that may be a bit too technical for the average practice owner. In the past, we’ve covered ten of the most common SEO terms, but there are still many terms that should be addressed! So, today we are going to cover ten more common terms to help you better understand search engine optimization.   

What is Structured Data?

Structured data is an SEO term that refers to the act of organizing data about your site to help search engines better understand how to display content. One of the best ways to achieve this is by using Schema.org. This site has a standardized list of markup languages that are used consistently across search engines. JSON-LD is one of the most popular, and the format preferred by Google.

Using structured data helps provide richer search results for Google. For many practice owners, improving off-page elements like how structured one’s data is can offer many SEO benefits. This is why addressing both on-page and off-page parts of your site is so important in an effective SEO strategy.

What is Search Intent?

Search intent is another one of our SEO terms that refers to the reason a person is searching for something. It is the purpose of an online search, and there are a few common types that people fall into. The four main types of search intent include:

• Informational intent
• Navigational intent
• Transactional intent
• Commercial intent 

Searches with informational intent involve visitors looking for information about a specific topic. This may be something as simple as a dinner recipe, or information about therapy services in their area. Visitors with navigational intent on the other hand are more likely to be searching for a specific website. People likely already have a website in mind, and they are searching for that website in the search results. 

The third type of search intent is transactional, which is when people search for something they would like to buy at that moment. Commercial intent is very similar. But, it generally means a person isn’t ready to buy something yet. Instead, they are likely doing more research on which products or services before they decide to buy. This intent may turn transactional in nature, but it is still worth mentioning the distinction between the two.

What is Keyword Stuffing?

Keyword stuffing is when an unnatural amount of keywords are included on a page in order to try and improve rankings. This is an outdated SEO strategy that can result in penalization from Google. Google prefers to see content that is focused, but still written for people to read. But, it can be difficult at times to avoid keyword stuffing when optimizing for specific keywords. 

You always want to ensure your main keywords are going to be included throughout the page. But, overachieving in this sense can often be seen as a red flag to Google. The search engine is focused on providing helpful content for humans. So, including a large number of keywords in the text can be seen as a sign that you are only worried about ranking well instead of providing the best content and services for your ideal client. So, it’s important to always create content with them in mind!

What is A Directory?

In the context of SEO, a directory is an aggregate that lists private practice listings. Some of these may be more general, and others may be created around specific services or niches. Think of how Yelp and Google My Business collect the name, addresses, and phone numbers of a variety of different services. But, most directories also serve another important purpose. They often offer opportunities for high-quality backlinks on your site. Having multiple links on your site can serve as a signal that your site is reputable. But, the quality of every backlink will differ. So, each directory should be inspected before deciding to post anything to it.

What is Guest Blogging?

Guest blogging is another way to help build credibility through external links. By offering to write content for another site, you can potentially get a link from their site pointing back to yours. By featuring your content and linking back to your website, you can help improve how Google views your expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Thus, improving your chance of ranking well on the search engine. 

What is Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)?

AMP is a framework for creating web pages that load faster on mobile devices. It helps make sites that may have been originally created for a computer screen conform to the smaller screens of phones and tablets. Since so many people search using their phones these days, Google has given more focus to AMP. This means that ensuring your site is optimized for a mobile experience can help you rank higher in the SERP.

What is A Heatmap?

A heatmap is an SEO tool that shows a visual representation of the most viewed and overlooked parts of a page. These are often depicted using a color gradient going from blue to red. But, this will depend on the type of heatmap that is being used. Some heatmaps can provide valuable information about the content on your site. Others may be used in relation to geographical location. 

What is a Keyword Research Tool?

This SEO term is self-explanatory but important. Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. They are the tools that one can use to identify stats about particular keywords you want and are trying to improve rankings for. Most tools offer a variety of estimations. These often include how much a given keyword is being ranked for, competition, and related keyword recommendations for a specific keyword and others similar to it. There are many free and paid options on the internet, so it’s important to take the time to find the tool that fits your needs best.

What are Impressions and Clicks?

Impressions are the number of times you’ve shown up in the search results for the keywords you are working to improve rankings for. While you may show up in front of people in google’s search results, this doesn’t mean they are clicking on the site to visit it. This is what is referred to as a click in the world of SEO. When people actually visit the site

What are Bounce Rates and Exit Rates?

A bounce rate is the percent of those that have visited a page and then left the site without visiting another page. Once a person has finished with a page, instead of visiting more pages on the site, they bounce back to Google. Then, they continue their search to find the right search result for their situation.

On the other hand, exit rates indicate where visitors are exiting your site after visiting more than one page. This can offer support in understanding the pages most people are leaving the site from. It can also help reveal content problems on the site. You may not have to worry about people leaving the site after reading a lengthy blog post, but you may want to take another look at your site if they are exiting important pages such as your contact page. Doing so can help you better understand which pages have these issues.

Begin Improving Counselor SEO With Simplified SEO Consulting

Keeping track of the ever-evolving list of SEO terms can be hard to deal with at times. But, our trained SEO specialists can offer support from anywhere in the country. We would be happy to offer support in helping you achieve your SEO goals. To start your SEO journey with Simplified SEO Consulting, please follow these simple steps:

1. Apply to work with us
2. Meet with an SEO specialist.
3. Start improving your SEO!

Other Services Offered with Simplified SEO Consulting

You don’t have to keep track of SEO terms when working with an SEO specialist. Our team would be happy to offer support in improving your SEO with a variety of SEO services. We offer Done For You SEO Services and DIY Online SEO Courses, and a 12-week Done With You Intensive SEO Program. Feel free to read other posts from our blog for more helpful information!

About the Author

Sterling Humburg-Cage graduated from the University of Missouri with a BA in Psychology in 2020. He integrates what he learned in school into his work as an SEO Specialist with Simplified SEO Consulting. Sterling prides himself on helping current clients & alumni problems solve difficult SEO issues.  He’s great at giving clients multiple options about how to approach a situation and responding in a timely manner to client concerns.  Since he started, Sterling has met frequently with our alumni and provided them extra problem-solving support. He now provides additional support with a variety of local SEO services. He often goes the extra mile to do outside research. By doing so, he sure private practice owners have everything they need to rank well on search engines long term for the keywords their ideal clients are using!