If you’re new to search engine optimization and digital ads, this SEO and PPC glossary is here to help.
Get familiar with the key terms and strategies that can help boost your online visibility and drive more traffic to your website.
SEO and PPC Glossary
SEO and PPC terms to know in 2025.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Click-Through Rate, or CTR, measures how many people clicked on your ad compared to how many people saw it. If 100 people see your ad and 5 of them click on it, your CTR is 5%. It’s like putting up a sign in a store window and seeing how many people actually come inside to check it out. A higher CTR usually means your ad is catching people’s attention.
Competitive Analysis
Imagine you own a coffee shop and want to see what other coffee shops in your neighborhood are doing to attract customers. Competitive Analysis in SEO is similar: it’s about looking at what your competitors are doing online — like what keywords they’re targeting and what kind of content they’re publishing. This helps you figure out what’s working for them and find ways to do it even better.
Conversion Rate
Conversion Rate shows how well your website or ad is turning visitors into customers. It’s like if you had a lemonade stand: if 10 people come by and 3 of them buy a drink, your conversion rate is 30%. In digital marketing, this might mean making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. The higher the conversion rate, the better your ad is working.
Conversions
A “conversion” happens when someone takes the action you want after seeing your ad or visiting your website. It could be anything from making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. It’s like getting someone to say “yes” to your offer. Conversions show that your marketing efforts are working.
Cost Per Click (CPC)
Cost Per Click is the amount you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. Imagine you’re paying a small fee every time a person walks into your store because of a special sign you put up outside. In digital ads, CPC helps you know how much each click costs and whether your ad budget is being used wisely.
Customer Journey Mapping
Customer Journey Mapping is the process of visualizing the steps a person takes from first learning about your product to becoming a customer. It’s like drawing a map of the customer’s experience, from the moment they see your ad to when they make a purchase. This helps you understand what your customers need at each step so you can improve their experience.
Digital Ad Spend
Digital Ad Spend is the amount of money you budget for online advertising. It’s like the money you set aside for a marketing campaign, but instead of paying for posters or flyers, you’re spending it on ads that show up on Google, Facebook, or other websites. It’s important to track your ad spend to make sure you’re getting a good return on your investment.
Digital Sales Funnel
A Digital Sales Funnel is a step-by-step process that guides potential customers from learning about your product to making a purchase. It’s like a funnel that starts wide at the top (when people first discover your business) and gets narrower as they get closer to buying. It helps you understand where customers might drop off so you can make improvements.
Keyword Optimization
After we know which words people are searching for (from Keyword Research), Keyword Optimization is like sprinkling those words throughout your website in a smart way. It’s about making sure these words appear in the right places, like in the titles and headings, so search engines can see that your site has what people are looking for. This helps your site show up higher in search results.
Keyword Research
Keyword Research is a bit like trying to figure out what words people use when they look for information online. Just like a detective searching for clues, we use tools to find out which words and phrases people type into search engines when they want to learn about something or find a product. Knowing these words helps us create content that answers their questions.
Landing Page Optimization
Landing Page Optimization is about improving the page where people land after clicking on your ad. It’s like making sure your store’s entrance looks inviting and has clear signs pointing to the best products. By making your landing page easy to navigate and highlighting what the visitor wants, you increase the chances that they’ll take action, like making a purchase or signing up.
Local SEO
Local SEO is about making your website more visible to people searching for services or products in your specific area. Think of it like putting your business on a map that helps local customers find you, especially if they search for something like “pizza near me.” It involves optimizing your website for location-based searches and setting up a profile on Google so you show up when people are nearby.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Ads
PPC Ads are a type of online ad where you only pay when someone actually clicks on your ad. It’s like putting up a billboard for free, but you only get charged when someone stops their car to read it. These ads show up on search engines like Google or on websites, and they help attract potential customers to your site.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Management
PPC Management is the process of setting up and running your online ads to get the best results. It’s like having a coach for your ad campaign, helping you choose the right keywords, create eye-catching ads, and decide how much to spend. The goal is to make sure your ads reach the right people and get you the most clicks for your money.
PPC Strategy
A PPC Strategy is your plan for running Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads effectively. Effectively is key! It incorporates research, analysis, and insight. It’s like creating a game plan for a sports team, where you decide which keywords to target, what kind of ads to create, and how much budget to use. But you’re able to do so because you’ve studied the other team, the field condition, and any other relevant variable. The goal is to get the most clicks and conversions while spending your money wisely.
Remarketing
Remarketing is like giving a gentle reminder to people who visited your site but didn’t make a purchase. For example, if someone looked at a product on your website but didn’t buy it, you can show them ads for that product when they browse other websites later. It’s a way to stay top-of-mind and encourage them to come back and complete their purchase.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) is a way to measure how much money you make for every dollar you spend on ads. If you spend $100 on ads and earn $500 in sales, your ROAS is 5:1. It’s like putting $1 into a vending machine and getting $5 back. A higher ROAS means your ads are making a good profit.
Schema
Schema markup is like adding labels to items in a store so that they’re easier to find. It’s a special code added to your website that helps search engines understand your content better. For example, if your page has information about a recipe, schema can tell Google the recipe’s ingredients, cooking time, and reviews. This extra information helps search engines display rich results, like star ratings or event details, making your website stand out more in search results and giving users useful information at a glance.
SEO Management
SEO Management is the ongoing process of taking care of all the tasks needed to help your website rank higher on search engines like Google. It’s a bit like maintaining a garden: you plant the seeds (create content), water them (optimize and update the content), and pull out weeds (fix any issues). SEO Management involves regularly checking the site’s performance, making adjustments, and finding new opportunities to keep improving its visibility.
Site Audit
A Site Audit is like a health checkup for your website. Just like a doctor checks your heart, lungs, and overall health, an SEO audit examines different parts of your website to make sure everything is working properly. It looks at things like page speed, broken links, and missing keywords. The goal is to find any problems and fix them so your site can perform better in search results.
Technical SEO
Think of a website like a car. Even if it looks great on the outside, it won’t work well if the engine is broken. Technical SEO is about making sure the “engine” of your website is in good shape. This means fixing things that help search engines like Google find and understand your site easily, such as speeding up load times, making it work well on mobile phones, and making sure there aren’t any errors that might confuse search engines.