If you’ve ever spoken to an SEO consultant and felt like they were speaking another language, you’re not alone. SEO is filled with technical terms, but understanding the basics can help you make better decisions for your business.
This guide breaks down the most important SEO terms in plain English—no fluff, no jargon. If you’re a Sydney business owner looking to improve your website’s rankings, these are the terms you need to know.
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SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
Let’s start with the big one—SEO. It’s the process of improving your website so it ranks higher on Google (or other search engines) when people search for your services.
Good SEO means more website visitors, more leads, and more sales—without having to pay for ads.
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Keywords
These are the words and phrases people type into Google to find your business. For example:
- Short keywords: “SEO consultant Sydney”
- Long-tail keywords: “Best SEO consultant for small businesses in Sydney”
Finding and using the right keywords in your website content is crucial for ranking higher.
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On-Page SEO
This refers to all the SEO work done on your website itself to improve rankings. It includes:
✔️ Adding keywords to your content
✔️ Using H1, H2, and H3 headings properly
✔️ Optimising title tags and meta descriptions
✔️ Improving page speed and mobile-friendliness
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Off-Page SEO
Unlike on-page SEO, this focuses on external factors that help your site rank, such as:
- Backlinks (links from other websites to yours)
- Brand mentions
- Social media signals
Google sees these signals as votes of confidence, helping your site gain authority.
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Backlinks (Inbound Links)
A backlink is when another website links to yours. These are one of Google’s biggest ranking factors—but not all backlinks are equal.
✅ Good backlinks come from reputable websites in your industry.
❌ Bad backlinks (spammy or low-quality links) can hurt your rankings.
The best way to earn backlinks? Create high-quality content that people naturally want to share.
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Internal Links
These are links between pages on your own website. They help:
- Improve user experience by guiding visitors
- Spread SEO authority across pages
- Keep visitors on your site longer
For example, on this page, we might link to our SEO Services page to help you learn more.
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Google Business Profile (GBP) – Formerly Google My Business
If you want your business to show up in Google Maps results, you need an optimised Google Business Profile. This is where customers find your:
📍 Business name
📞 Contact details
⭐ Reviews
🕒 Opening hours
A well-optimised profile boosts local rankings and helps potential customers find you faster.
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Local SEO
Local SEO focuses on ranking in specific areas. If you’re a Bondi café, Parramatta accountant, or a plumber in the Inner West, you need local SEO.
This includes:
✔️ Optimising your Google Business Profile
✔️ Getting local backlinks from Sydney directories
✔️ Adding location-specific keywords (e.g., “SEO consultant Bondi”)
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Meta Title & Meta Description
These are the titles and descriptions that appear in Google search results.
- Meta Title – The clickable headline (e.g., “SEO Consultant Sydney | Get More Leads”)
- Meta Description – The short text under the title (e.g., “Affordable SEO services to help Sydney businesses rank higher on Google.”)
Both should be compelling and keyword-optimised to improve click-through rates.
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Alt Text (Image SEO)
Google can’t “see” images, so alt text (alternative text) helps describe them. This improves:
✔️ SEO rankings by making images searchable
✔️ Accessibility for visually impaired users
Example: Instead of naming an image “IMG1234.jpg”, use “sydney-seo-expert.jpg”.
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Page Speed & Core Web Vitals
Google prefers fast-loading websites because users hate waiting. If your site is slow, visitors leave—and rankings drop.
Key factors include:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures how quickly your main content loads.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Prevents sudden shifts in page layout (annoying pop-ups, for example).
To improve speed, optimise images, use faster hosting, and enable caching.
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Mobile-Friendliness
More than 60% of Google searches happen on mobile devices. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing traffic.
A mobile-friendly site has:
✔️ Responsive design (adjusts to any screen size)
✔️ Fast loading speed
✔️ Easy-to-tap buttons
Google even ranks mobile-friendly sites higher in search results.
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Domain Authority (DA) & Page Authority (PA)
These scores (out of 100) predict how well your website will rank.
- Domain Authority (DA) = The overall strength of your website
- Page Authority (PA) = The strength of a single page
Higher authority = better rankings. You can boost DA and PA by earning quality backlinks.
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SEO Penalties (Google Algorithm Updates)
If your rankings suddenly drop, it could be due to a Google penalty. These happen when a site:
❌ Uses spammy backlinks
❌ Stuff keywords unnaturally into content
❌ Duplicates content from other sites
The best way to avoid penalties? Follow ethical SEO practices (also called White Hat SEO).
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Organic vs Paid Search (PPC)
- Organic Search = Free traffic from SEO (long-term results)
- Paid Search (PPC) = Paid ads (instant results but costly)
SEO takes longer but is more sustainable in the long run.
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SEO ROI (Return on Investment)
SEO is an investment, not an expense. A well-optimised website brings in:
✔️ Consistent traffic without ad spend
✔️ Higher-quality leads from Google searches
✔️ Better conversion rates than social media ads
Most businesses see a higher ROI from SEO than from paid advertising.
Final Thoughts – Make SEO Work for Your Sydney Business
SEO might seem complex, but understanding these terms is a great start. Whether you’re a small business owner, startup, or local service provider, optimising your site for Google rankings can help you get more traffic, leads, and sales.
If you need affordable SEO services in Sydney, I can help.
📞 Contact me today for a free consultation and let’s start ranking higher! 🚀
