Marketing glossary: SEO terms explained

Search engines & AI: getting found

The biggest levers for online visibility. If you’re found in search engines like Google or in AI systems, you get inquiries without having to take action yourself.

SEO – Search engine optimization: Umbrella term for all measures that move a website up in the unpaid search results of Google and others: suitable texts, technical improvements and links from other websites.
On-page SEO: Everything optimized on your own website: content, headings, page titles, internal linking, load time and technical structure.
Off-page SEO: Everything outside your own website that signals trust: links from other sites (backlinks), business directories, mentions and reviews.
GEO – Generative Engine Optimization: The evolution of SEO for AI systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity or Gemini: all measures that lead to a business being named in AI answers. More about GEO
AEO – Answer Engine Optimization: Closely related to GEO: preparing content so that search engines and voice assistants can serve it directly as an answer – for example in question-and-answer form.
AI Overview: The AI-generated summary Google shows above the classic search results. It answers questions directly and names only a few sources. How AI chooses sources
Local SEO – Local search engine optimization: Targeted optimization for location-based searches like “bakery near me” or “roofer Trier.” Highly important for trades businesses and regional service providers. More about local SEO
Keywords – Search terms: The words potential customers are most likely to use when searching for your products or services. The quality of this research is decisive for the success of every further measure.
Ranking – Position: The position of your website in the search results for a specific search term. All SEO measures aim for the top spots, because they receive far more inquiries.
Structured data – Schema.org: Invisible additional information in a website’s code that tells search engines and AI systems clearly what they’re looking at: a business, an address, a review, an FAQ.

Paid advertising

Faster than SEO, but paid: visibility for a limited time in exchange for budget.

SEA / Google Ads – Search engine advertising: Paid ads that appear at the top of Google search results, usually labeled “Sponsored.” Unlike SEO, visibility is there immediately – but it ends as soon as the budget runs out.
CPC – Cost per click: The amount you pay per click on an ad – not per impression. A key cost factor in judging whether a campaign is worthwhile.
Retargeting – Remarketing: Ads that specifically reach people again who have already visited your website but haven’t inquired or bought. Often especially effective, because the interest is already there.
Social media ads: Paid ads on platforms like Instagram or Facebook. They can be targeted very precisely by region, age or interests – ideal for reaching a limited target group precisely.

Website & user experience

Visibility only brings inquiries if visitors also take action on the website.

Landing page: A single page with one clear goal – such as making an inquiry – without distracting menus. Usually built specifically for an ad campaign or a topic.
Conversion rate: The share of visitors who take the desired action – call, fill out a form, buy. The most important metric for whether a website really works.
Call to action – CTA: The button or sentence that prompts the next step, e.g. “Get in touch now.” The principle: the simpler and clearer, the higher the conversion rate.
A/B test: Two versions of a page or ad are tested side by side in order to decide based on data rather than gut feeling which one works better.
Load time – Core Web Vitals: How fast your website loads and responds. Affects both your Google ranking and whether visitors stay or impatiently leave.

Content & social media

Content that builds trust – before an inquiry is even made.

Content marketing: Useful content – articles, videos, posts – instead of direct advertising. The goal: being seen as an expert and building trust over time that later turns into inquiries.
Content calendar: An editorial plan that sets which post appears on which channel and when. Ensures regularity – an important signal for customers and for the platforms’ algorithms.
Social media marketing: Building a presence on platforms like Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn in a targeted, strategic way – with a clear goal and a clear target group instead of occasional posting.
Engagement rate: How many people interact with a post (likes, comments, shares) relative to its reach. Often says more about its effect than the mere number of followers.
Influencer marketing: Working with people who already have a community in order to use their trust for your offer. For local businesses often useful on a smaller scale, e.g. with regional multipliers.

Customer relationships

From first awareness to the inquiry – and beyond.

Newsletter – Email marketing: Regular emails to prospects and existing customers. Keeps the relationship active and builds trust until interest turns into a concrete inquiry.
Customer journey: All the touchpoints a customer has with your business – from the first Google search to placing the order. Shows where prospects drop off or are convinced.
Lead – Lead generation: A concrete interest in getting in touch, e.g. a submitted inquiry or a callback request. Lead generation is the process of turning website visitors into such contacts.
Review management: A fixed process for asking satisfied customers for a review and responding to all reviews. Reviews via QR code

Measuring results & legal

So that “feels successful” can be backed up with numbers.

KPI – Key performance indicator: A concretely measurable figure by which success is judged – e.g. the number of inquiries per month instead of vague statements like “more visibility.”
Traffic: The number of visitors to a website in a given period. On its own, not yet proof of success – what matters is what those visitors do next.
ROI / ROAS – Return on investment / on ad spend: The ratio of money invested to the resulting profit or revenue. The key question for every measure: what comes back for every euro invested?
GDPR & cookie consent: Legal requirements for handling user data and tracking on your website – including the obligation to obtain consent with a genuine choice before analytics or advertising cookies are set.

Online marketing glossary