Agency reports are full of words designed to sound impressive. Here is what they really mean — in plain English — plus the question to ask when you see them. Search any word below.
- Technical301 redirect
A permanent forward from an old web address to a new one. Missing redirects after a redesign are a top cause of traffic drops.
- Technical404 error
'Page not found'. A few are normal; many broken pages waste visitors and trust.
- AI searchAEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
Writing content that directly answers real questions so search engines and AI tools can quote it as the answer.
- AI searchAI citation
When an AI assistant names or links to your website as a source in its answer. The AI-era version of a top ranking.
Owner tip: Ask for proof — a screenshot of the actual AI answer.
- AI searchAI crawlers
Robots such as GPTBot, ClaudeBot and PerplexityBot that read websites for AI assistants. If your site blocks them, those assistants can't recommend you.
Owner tip: Check your robots.txt — some security settings block AI crawlers by accident.
- AI searchAI Overviews
The AI-written summary Google shows at the top of many search results. It quotes a few websites as sources — being one of them is the new 'page one'.
Owner tip: Ask your agency: are we cited in AI Overviews for our main services?
- GoogleAlgorithm update
A change in how Google ranks pages. Major 'core updates' happen a few times a year and can move rankings.
Owner tip: 'It was an algorithm update' should come with dates and evidence, not as an excuse.
- Off-pageAnchor text
The clickable words of a link.
- ReportsAttribution
Working out which marketing channel deserves credit for a sale or enquiry.
- Off-pageBacklink
A link from another website to yours. Good links from relevant, trusted sites help; cheap or spammy links can hurt.
Owner tip: Always ask for the full list of links built, with URLs.
- Off-pageBlack-hat SEO
Tricks that break search engine rules — fake links, hidden text, spam. Can work briefly, then get you penalised.
- ReportsBounce rate / Engagement rate
Whether visitors leave quickly or interact with your site. GA4 now reports 'engagement rate' instead of bounce rate.
- TechnicalCanonical tag
A hidden tag that tells Google which version of a page is the main one, to avoid duplicates.
- LocalCitations (NAP)
Mentions of your business Name, Address and Phone on other websites and directories. They should match exactly everywhere.
- ReportsClicks
How many times someone clicked through to your website from search results.
- TechnicalCLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)
How much the page jumps around while loading. Good: under 0.1.
- ContentContent gap
Questions and topics your customers search for that your website doesn't answer — but competitors do.
- ReportsConversion
A visitor doing what you want — calling, filling in a form, booking, buying.
Owner tip: The number that matters most. If your report doesn't show conversions, ask why.
- TechnicalCore Web Vitals
Google's speed and experience scores: LCP (loading), INP (responsiveness) and CLS (visual stability).
- TechnicalCrawling
When search engine robots visit and read your web pages.
- ReportsCTR (Click-Through Rate)
Clicks divided by impressions. Shows how attractive your listing is in search results.
- Off-pageDisavow
Telling Google to ignore certain bad links pointing to your site.
- ReportsDomain Authority (DA) / Domain Rating (DR)
A score (0–100) invented by SEO software companies (Moz, Ahrefs) to estimate a site's link strength. Google does not use it.
Owner tip: A rising DA does not pay your bills. Ask what changed in leads.
- ContentE-E-A-T
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness — what Google looks for to decide whether to trust content.
- AI searchEntity
How Google and AI understand your business as a 'thing' — its name, location, services, people and reputation, linked together.
- ToolsGA4 (Google Analytics 4)
Google's free tool showing what visitors do on your website.
Owner tip: You should be the owner of this account.
- AI searchGEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
Making your business easy for AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity to understand, trust and recommend.
Owner tip: If your agency only talks about Google rankings, they are ignoring where many buyers now ask first.
- LocalGeo-grid ranking
A map of your Google Maps position checked from many points across your city (like a grid). Shows where nearby customers can see you — and where you disappear.
Owner tip: Free grid tools often use automated, inaccurate checks. Ask how and from where the rankings were measured.
- LocalGoogle Business Profile
Your free business listing on Google Maps and Search. One of the biggest drivers of local calls.
Owner tip: Ask for calls, direction requests and website clicks from your profile — compared with last year.
- ToolsGoogle Search Console
Google's free tool showing how your site performs in search — real clicks, impressions, indexing problems.
Owner tip: You should own this account, not your agency.
- ReportsImpressions
How many times your website appeared in search results — even if nobody saw or clicked it (it could be on page 5).
Owner tip: A big impressions number without more clicks and enquiries is a vanity metric.
- TechnicalIndexing
When Google stores your page so it can appear in results. Not indexed = invisible.
- TechnicalINP (Interaction to Next Paint)
How quickly the page responds when someone taps or clicks. Good: under 200 milliseconds.
- BasicsKeyword
A word or phrase people type into a search engine, e.g. 'emergency plumber Toronto'.
- ContentKeyword cannibalisation
Several of your own pages competing for the same search, so none of them ranks well.
- AI searchKnowledge panel
The information box about a business or person that appears on the right side of Google results.
- TechnicalLCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
How long the main content takes to appear. Good: under 2.5 seconds.
- AI searchLLM (Large Language Model)
The technology behind ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and similar AI assistants. It learns from text across the web.
- AI searchllms.txt
A simple text file on your website that summarises who you are and which pages matter most, written for AI models to read.
- LocalLocal SEO
Getting found by people searching nearby — the map pack, 'near me' searches and local AI answers.
- BasicsLong-tail keyword
A longer, more specific search phrase. Fewer people search it, but those who do are usually ready to buy.
- GoogleManual action / Penalty
A penalty applied by a Google reviewer for breaking rules. Shown in Search Console.
- LocalMap pack
The top three local businesses shown on a map in Google results.
- TechnicalMeta description
The short summary under the title in search results (about 120–155 characters). Doesn't rank you, but affects clicks.
- TechnicalMeta title
The clickable headline of your page in search results (about 50–60 characters).
- TechnicalMobile-first indexing
Google judges your site mainly by its mobile version.
- Off-pageOff-page SEO
Everything outside your website that builds trust — links, mentions, reviews, PR.
- TechnicalOn-page SEO
Improving the content and code of your own pages — titles, headings, text, images, internal links.
Owner tip: 'We optimised your on-page SEO' means nothing without a list of pages and before/after changes.
- ReportsOrganic traffic
Visitors who came from unpaid search results.
Owner tip: Ask: from which countries and pages? Did it turn into enquiries?
- AI searchPaid-editing disclosure
Wikipedia's Terms of Use require anyone paid to edit to openly disclose it. Undisclosed paid editing gets articles deleted and accounts banned.
- Off-pagePBN (Private Blog Network)
A network of fake websites created only to link to clients. Against Google's rules and risky.
Owner tip: If your 'link package' is cheap and the sites look empty, it may be a PBN.
- ReportsRanking / Position
Where your page appears in search results for a keyword. Position 1 is the top.
Owner tip: Rankings for words nobody searches — or for your own brand name — are easy and worthless. Ask which rankings bring customers.
- BusinessRetainer
A fixed monthly fee paid to an agency.
Owner tip: Make sure the retainer comes with a written list of monthly deliverables.
- TechnicalRich results
Enhanced search listings with stars, FAQs, prices or images — usually powered by schema.
- Technicalrobots.txt
A file that tells robots which parts of your site they may visit. One wrong line can hide your whole site.
- TechnicalSchema markup / Structured data
Hidden code that labels facts on your page (business name, address, reviews, FAQs) so Google and AI understand them exactly.
- BasicsSearch intent
What the searcher actually wants — to learn something, compare options, or buy now. Pages must match the intent to rank.
- BasicsSEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Everything done to help your website appear when people search for what you offer — on Google and, now, in AI answers.
- BasicsSERP
Search Engine Results Page — the page of results you see after searching.
- TechnicalSitemap
A file listing your important pages so search engines can find them.
- TechnicalTechnical SEO
Making sure search engines can crawl, understand and index your site — speed, structure, errors, redirects.
- ContentThin content
Pages with little real value — short, generic or copied text.
- ToolsUTM parameters
Tags added to a link so analytics can tell exactly which campaign sent a visitor.
- ReportsVanity metric
A number that looks impressive but doesn't show business results — e.g. impressions, Domain Authority, total keywords.
Owner tip: Reports full of vanity metrics are a red flag.
- BusinessWhite-label reporting
Reports produced by software or another company and branded as your agency's.
Owner tip: Not bad in itself — but automated reports often skip what was actually done for you.
- AI searchWikipedia notability
Wikipedia only accepts articles about businesses that have significant coverage in independent, reliable sources (major news, books, respected publications).
Owner tip: Anyone who 'guarantees' a Wikipedia page is a red flag — such pages are usually deleted.
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