Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines via the "natural" or un-paid
("organic" or "algorithmic") search results.
Other forms of search engine marketing (SEM) target paid listings. In general, the earlier (or higher on the page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine.
SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search and industry-specific vertical search engines.
This gives a website web presence.
Other forms of search engine marketing (SEM) target paid listings. In general, the earlier (or higher on the page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine.
SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search and industry-specific vertical search engines.
This gives a website web presence.
- Boolean operator
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One of several connecting words you can use to specify relationships between the keywords or phrases in your search
query. Boolean operators include logical AND, OR, and NOT.
- Concept searching
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The ability of a search site to expand a search beyond a literal match with the keywords to related topics and
synonyms to the keywords. Also known as query-by-theme.
- Directory
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A database containing indexed Internet Web pages and returning lists of results which match queries. Directories
(also known as Catalogs) are normally compiled by hand, accept user submissions, and involve an editorial selection and breakdown into
hierarchical categories.
- FTP
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Short for File Transfer Protocol, referring to how text or binary files are uploaded/downloaded over the Internet. An
FTP archive is a directory of files that can be downloaded to your computer. Some FTP archives allow you to upload files from your
computer to a public directory, making them accessible to others. The URL for an FTP archive begins with ftp://.
- Glossary
-
Each time you click a glossary term, you'll see a window like this displaying the term and its definition. To see
the entire glossary, click Show All Terms.
- Gopher
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A menu-based text information searching tool that gives users access to various kinds of databases, such as FTP
archives, and allows them to view information within them. Links are presented in hierarchical menus to the user. As users select
options, they are moved to different Gopher servers on the Internet.
- Grouping
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An advanced searching technique is the use of parentheses ( ) to create complex logic. You can group words or phrases
by placing them inside parentheses.
- Hypertext link
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The underlined words that you click in one document that take you to another document, in the same Web site or in a
different Web site. Each link has a URL (Uniform Resource Locator, or Web address) stored in it.
- Key site
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Web sites or documents that are typically ones that you refer to frequently, contain reliable information that is
current and is updated to remain current, and meet a need for information you need to obtain on an ongoing basis.
- Metasearch engine
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A site offering a unified interface to multiple search services. Some provide a single search form that, once
you've composed your query, will submit it to several different search engines. Others simply provide a list of different search
engines and provide text fields with which to initiate a search through any specific engine.
- Natural language search query
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A search query in the form of a plain-language question or a request, such as "Where can I find information
on…?", or "What is the…?"
- Phrase searching
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An advanced search technique of grouping words together inside double quotes to make certain that they're
searched for and matched as an entire phrase.
- Proximity operator
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Operators in search queries that allow you to specify how close you want two keywords or phrases to occur to each
other, or in what order, in the documents being searched.
- Relevancy ranking
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A proprietary formula used by a search service to rank or order your search results based on how well the searching
software feels the results match your search query and other limits. Rankings often appear as a percentage that precedes the document
titles from your query's result list.
- Robot
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An automated program used by search services to follow and record Web links and index documents found on Web sites.
The information is stored on a database for user searching. Also called "spiders."
- Search engine
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A database containing indexed Internet Web pages and returning lists of results which match queries. Search Engines
gather information and categorize documents through the use of "robots" or "spiders," computer programs that search
the Web for new and updated Web pages. Search Engines typically provide an input area for you to place a search query.
- Search query
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One or more words and optional operators used by search services to match against documents in a database. Words in a
search query are also known as keywords.
- Spider
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An automated program used by search engine services to gather documents from Web sites and input them for indexing in
the search service's database. Also known as a robot.
- Stop words
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Non-content words like a, an, with that are not included in the keywords that the searching software attempts to
match in the database.
- Subject page
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A topical collection of information, references, and links to other Web sites, are also known as collection pages,
compendium pages, and index pages. Typically, these pages are maintained by individuals; some are maintained by organizations.
- Unmoderated Newsgroup
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A Newsgroup or discussion group in which no one has the responsibility of checking the correctness or truth of what
is contained in a posting.
- Usenet
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Another section of the Internet that contains common areas of postings (or articles) and responses, broken down by
categories, on a variety of subjects; Usenet is also referred to as "Newsgroups" or "Discussion groups."
- WAIS
-
Wide Area Information Server, a database on the Internet that contains indexes to documents that reside on the
Internet. Using the Z39.50 query language, text files can be searched based on keywords. A directory of WAIS servers and sources is
available from Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge, MA.
- Web index
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Another term for a search service using automated document collection and searching software to match search queries
to references in a database.
- Wildcard
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A wildcard character can be placed at the end of a word to substitute for any combination of letters. Wildcards are
helpful when you're uncertain of how to spell a word or if you are looking for multiple variations on a word.