Glossary of Local Search Terms and Definitions

Aug 28, 2017 | Local SEO

We have compiled a Glossary of Local Search Terms and Definitions to help you understand local SEO.  Listed are some of the most commonly used local search terms and definitions.  

active
Status notation on the Google Places for Business dashboard if the listing is live

Acxiom
One of four primary data sources of local business data for all major search engines in the United States.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

AdWords
Google’s pay-per-click advertising program.
For more information see: PPC (pay-per-click)

age
Related to domains, web pages, local business listings, reviews, citations, and other local SEO factors, age is believed to have some influence on search engine rankings.

aggregator
A company that maintains and supplies the underlying business database for local search directories. The most important U.S. aggregators are Infogroup, Localeze, Acxiom, and Factual. These companies compile data about businesses from multiple online and offline sources including phone bills, business registration records, chamber of commerce membership rosters, and many other sources. An aggregator is also known as a “data aggregator” or “data provider.”
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

algorithm
A special formula used by search engines to rank web pages in order of importance or relevance for a particular keyword search.

analytics
Any tool or program that tracks user behavior, such as traffic to a website, duration of visits, and conversions. Google Analytics is a popular product. Within the Google Places for Business dashboard, the latest iteration of analytics data is called Insights.

anchor text
The text contained in a web link. Descriptive words in link text can be used to improve the relevancy of the page to which the link points. For instance, “Minneapolis plumber” is more descriptive than “click here.”

Angie’s List
A prominent user review website. An important citation source for many businesses, especially home services.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Apple Maps
Apple’s mobile mapping application.

Authoritative OneBox
The single Google Places listing displayed by a large map embedded in a traditional search result page. The “holy grail” of local search optimization, this kind of visually dominant result can lead to click-through rates of double or more than the rate typically seen with a #1 organic result.  Appears when Google is more or less certain that the keyword searched implies a specific business is the most relevant result.

authority
A general term used to describe the influential power of a domain, a website, a citation source, a review, or other entities. Search engines are said to view some resources as being more authoritative than others, meaning that authoritative sources have an enhanced ability to influence rankings.

Best Of The Web
A major local business directory for U.S. businesses. Business owners can create a listing for free.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Founded in 1912, the BBB publishes reviews of the reliability of businesses in the U.S. and Canada. BBB listings can act as a citation for local businesses.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Bing Places for Business
Bing’s local business component. Users can create listings for their businesses.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

blended search / blended results
Search engine results that combine both organic factors.

blog
A form of web-based publication that allows readers to interact with the publisher via commenting. One of the most popular blog platforms is WordPress. A blog can be a component of a website or act on its own as a complete website.
See also:  Website Design and Development

brick-and-mortar
In the local search arena, the term brick-and-mortar is used to indicate a business model operating within a physical building. Examples of brick-and-mortar business models include dental clinics, restaurants, and retail shops. By contrast, a go-to-client or service radius business is one that serves customers at remote locations instead of within the walls of a physical business. Different rules have historically governed these two types of business models in the local search arena.

bug
A technical flaw in a digital medium. In local search, bugs may be reported as an issue encountered in platforms like Google Places for Business.

bulk upload
Typically refers to the act of creating 10 or more local business profiles at a time via the Google Places or Bing Places dashboard.

business description
Sometimes simply called “description.” Describes a field provided for a text description of a business on a local business listing. Length and rules about the types of content one can include in the business description field vary from index to index.

business title
The name of a business—specifically the name of a business as registered at one of the major local search engines or online Yellow Pages directories. Combined with a physical address and phone number, the business title represents a third of a business’s online identity
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

call tracking number
A phone number used to measure the success of specific marketing efforts and to determine the source of leads. For local businesses, call tracking numbers are not recommended, as they can lead to multiple problems, including the clouding of clear NAP signals.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheet)
A type of website code which allows for easier page editing by designers and faster processing of HTML by search engines.

category
One of a set of approximately 2,000 default business types with which the local search engines try to associate each business in their index. Although each search engine and data aggregator has its own taxonomy, many categories are based on the North American Industry Classification System, or NAICS. The current Google Places for Business dashboard allows business owners to choose up to five categories, all of which must stem from Google’s pre-chosen category choices.

centroid
The civic center of a neighborhood or metropolitan area as determined by a local search engine. The centroid is typically close to the geographic center of a city or neighborhood. To find the centroid of your city, simply type its name in a search box and see where the pushpin shows up.

check-in
A digital announcement of a customer’s presence at a specific physical location, often a business. Check-ins are the key component of most location-based services including Foursquare and Path—some of whom allow business owners to offer rewards to customers who check in. Customers can also check-in on social sites like Facebook and Yelp.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

citation
A mention of a business name in close proximity to its address, phone number, or both. Used by the search engines to weigh both the accuracy and popularity of businesses in their indexes.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

citation campaign
The marketing practice of building citations for a local business on a variety of websites. An integral component of most local SEM

city landing page
A page on a website providing information about a business’s location, or about a unique location of a multi-location business. City landing pages can be useful in helping a local business achieve search engine visibility for more than one city. 

claim
The act of verifying one’s business information with a local search engine and taking ownership of the business listing at that search engine. Reduces risk of hijacking by spammers or competitors. Often involves a PIN setup process with the search engine.

click-through rate (CTR)
The rate at which users click on an advertisement, link, or other search engine result. CTR is one metric used for measuring the success of online campaigns.
For more information see: PPC (pay-per-click)

cluster
A search engine’s collection of information about a particular business location from all of its data sources. In some cases, a search engine’s attempt to create a cluster is too “aggressive,” causing distinct business listings to merge in its index. In other cases, its attempts to create a cluster may not be strong enough, causing multiple listings to appear for the same business.

CMS (content management system)
A complex platform of computer code that allows a website to be easily edited or managed by someone with no knowledge of computer code. Popular content management systems include WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.

consistency
Publishing identical core business details across the web. In particular, the consistency with which local business NAP information is published influences search engines’ trust in the validity and accuracy of this data.

conversion
The process of convincing a website visitor to call, email, or visit a business offline—i.e., convert to a customer.

coupon
A specific online discount that appears alongside a business listing and makes a special offer to customers.

crawl
The act of a search engine reading a page.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

custom category
As of April 2, 2013, the Google Places for Business dashboard ceased to accept custom-written categories. Business owners must select pre-set categories only. Other local business indexes, however, may still allow the business owner to custom-create categories that describe what their business is.

custom field
A set of “choose your own” descriptive fields for a Google Places or Google+ Local listing. For example, many business owners include their businesses’ specialties, taglines, years in business, or neighborhoods served in these fields.

data provider
A company with an explicit contract to supply local search engines with underlying business information. In the U.S., the major data providers are Infogroup, Localeze, Acxiom, and Factual.

directory
Any website which lists business names and contact information in an organized fashion, typically in alphabetical order or by business type. Directory information is frequently assimilated by the local search engines. For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

domain name
The web address or homepage of a particular business or organization. Examples: JoesPlumbing.com, PortlandDentists.com, etc. Domain names are reserved at registrars such as GoDaddy.com, Dotster.com, and Register.com.

driving directions
It is speculated that requests for driving directions on applications like Google Maps count as user behavior, and may indicate the popularity of a local business and thus, have some effect on rankings. 

duplicate listing
A problematic scenario in which more than one Google+ Local listing exists for a single business. Google allows only one listing per location, and intentional or accidental violation of this policy can lead to penalties and ranking issues. Steps must be taken to resolve duplicate listing issues.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Facebook
A major social sharing platform. Local businesses can create a Facebook business page, complete with location and contact information, and utilize this profile to interact with customers and potential customers.

Facebook Graph Search
Launched in 2013, Facebook’s internal search providing natural language results. Includes the ability to search for local places.

Facebook Local Search
Facebook’s mobile local search application. Formerly called “Nearby,” Facebook Local Search helps users discover local businesses.

Factual
One of four primary data sources of local business data for all major search engines.

feed
A structured, automated list of content or data produced by a website. Feeds were created in order to allow users to subscribe to website updates.

filter
Most commonly used in the online marketing arena to describe parameters used by search engines to limit the prominence of certain types of data. For example, a review platform might hide reviews containing a certain number of links, or search engine results might filter out web pages associated with undesirable link acquisition pattern.

Flash
A type of website code which allows for complex graphics and animations, but is difficult for search engines to read and understand. Also not visible on Apple mobile devices and tablets.

geotagged
An adjective describing a piece of text content or other media content

Google Account
An email address and password combination that has been registered with Google. A Google Account is required to claim a Google Place Page/Google+ Local page, which may be more trusted if the domain name associated with the Google Place Page/Google+ Local page matches that of the Google Account used to claim it.

Google AdWords Express
A paid advertising format offered by Google to local businesses.

Google and Your Business Forum
The Google and Your Business Forum is a public forum where users can seek and share advice about local SEO issues. The forum is moderated by Google and Your Business Top Contributors and is frequently visited by Google staff.

Google and Your Business Forum Top Contributors
Commonly referred to as TCs, Google and Your Business Forum Top Contributors are volunteer participants in the Google and Your Business Forum who provide assistance to forum users. TCs have direct contact with Google staff and can sometimes escalate issues toward resolution.

Google Business Photos
Interior photography of local businesses taken by Google Trusted Photographers. This photograph can be turned into a virtual tour intended to enhance local business data.

Google MapMaker
An application that allows users to enhance Google Maps by adding and editing information that is available to the public. In local SEO MapMaker may be used as a method of troubleshooting and resolving data issues. 

Google Maps
Google’s proprietary mapping service.

Google Offers
A program that allows local businesses to promote daily deal specials to purchasing customers. Customers redeem printed or mobile vouchers at the time of service.

Google Places
For many years the brand name of Google’s Local product, Google Places is a free business listing service offered by Google. Business owners can submit or claim ownership of their business information. Google Places is intended to represent a broader range of geographic points of interest such as parks or historic sites, in addition to local businesses.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Google Local Business Information Quality Guidelines
The Google Local Business Information Quality Guidelines describe Google’s rules and policies for businesses seeking inclusion in Google’s local index. Violation of any element of the guidelines can result in penalties, including removal from the index.

Google+
Google’s social network, launched on June 28, 2011. Pronounced and sometimes written as “Google Plus.” Some features of Google+, such as Google+ Pages for Businesses, may be merged with Google+ Local pages for a single location, brick-and-mortar businesses to create a full social local profile.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Google+ Local
As of 2012, Google+ Local is the current branding of Google’s local product, formerly known as Google Places. Google’s local results are now comprised of links to Google+ Local pages. Both brick-and-mortar and service radius local businesses are entitled to seek inclusion via a Google+ Local page.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Google Trends
A tool that enables users to monitor consumer trends and the popularity of targeted keywords. Can be a useful supplementary keyword research tool for local SEO campaigns.

go-to-client
A business, such as a plumbing or house painting company, that serves clients at their own locations, rather than at the business’s location.

hCard
A special kind of website code

head keywords
Very competitive, usually weakly targeted keywords with a high number of searches. Usually either one word, or two-word phrases, such as “lawyers,” “Tulsa dentists,” etc.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

header tags
The bold headlines on a web page. Also known as H1, H2, H3, or Hx tags. It’s a best practice to include keywords in the overall language of these tags, though their power relative to other on-page SEO elements is believed to have lessened in recent years.
highjacking
In the local SEO arena, the term highjacking typically relates to usurping control of a local business listing to edit its details with malicious intent. Reports of highjacking have lessened over the past few years, but in the past, instances of highjacking have led to legal prosecution.

HotFrog
Founded in 2006, HotFrog maintains an index of local businesses. Business owners can create a free business listing at HotFrog. 

hReview
A special kind of website code 

hyperlocal
An adjective used to describe a website or web content that is extremely specific to a particular neighborhood or town. Hyperlocal content is typically something that a traditional media outlet would not devote resources to cover.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
A type of website code which is easily read and understood by search engines. HTML is the original programming language used on the Internet. 

inbound link
A link via code from another website into your own website. Inbound links are a major component of the search engines’ organic ranking algorithms and are considered to be influential in Google’s Local ranking algorithm as well.

Infogroup
One of four primary data sources of local business data for all major search engines.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Insights
Branding of the analytics component of Google’s Places for Business dashboard.

internal anchor text
Anchor text on a link from a page on your own website to another page on your site.

internal link
A link from a page on your own website to another page on your own website.

IYP (Internet Yellow Pages)
The online version of a traditional Yellow Pages directory. The local search engines frequently crawl these pages to find business information, then use it to form clusters or associate citations with a business.

keyword
A term entered by searchers to find businesses or websites on a search engine. Keyword.

KML (Keyhole Markup Language)
Standardized geographic formatting of an address with corresponding latitude and longitude information. A KML file refers to a set of one or more locations coded in this form.

landing page
The page that a searcher first visits when clicking through from a search engine results page. Typically, this term refers to the page that visitors land on when clicking through from a local search result or a PPC advertisement. In local search, a landing page should usually include a contact phone number, the address of the business, and perhaps driving directions.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

link building
The online marketing practice of acquiring inbound links to a given web page. Google’s organic algorithm relies heavily on links as an indication of relevance. Quantity, quality, and velocity of links are thought to have some influence on local search rankings. 

link juice
Slang for the organic ranking potential passed from one page to another via a link.

load time
The speed at which any web page loads onto a user’s browser. It is speculated that load time may have a meaningful influence on organic search engine rankings and, to some extent, on local search engine rankings.

local algorithm / local results
Refers to the specific formula and the results returned by that formula used by search engines for ranking business listings’ relevance for a particular geographic area. This algorithm is distinct from the search engines’ traditional organic algorithm.

Localeze
One of four primary data sources of local business data for all major search engines.

LBC (Local Business Center)
An outdated term once used as the branding of Google’s Local product. The Google LBC was rebranded as Google Places in April 2010 and then rebranded again as Google+ Local in May 2012.

LBL (local business listing)
Generic term for a page on a search engine, IYP, or directory containing basic and enhanced business information for a local business. Google’s version of a local business listing is now known as a Google+ Local page.

local search ranking factors
1) The components that contribute to the rankings of a local business. 2) Created by David Mihm, Local Search Ranking Factors is an annual survey of expert local SEO. From the survey, an annual report is generated identifying factors deemed to play a major role in local search engine rankings.

local SEO (local search engine optimization)
Specialized online marketing that increases visibility for businesses interested in ranking for geographically related keywords. A large component of local SEO is ranking well in the local algorithms. It is also important to rank well in the organic results for local keywords.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Local University
A local search marketing seminar with events in numerous U.S. cities. Speakers include recognized experts in the field of local SEO.

LBS (location-based service)
A form of geotagging that facilitates or is facilitated by social interaction. The key action of a location-based service is a check-in. Popular location-based services are offered by Twitter, Foursquare, and Yelp.

location prominence
A technical term used by Google in its local search patent to identify some of the criteria behind its local algorithm. Location prominence is analogous to PageRank in organic search.

long-tail keywords
Low-volume, highly targeted, less competitive phrases used by searchers to find businesses or websites at a search engine. Examples include “Tulsa Oklahoma dentists for root canal infection” or “cheapest teenage driver car insurance Oklahoma City OK.”

Manta
A local business directory with an international presence. Business owners can create free profiles at Manta.com. An important citation source for many local businesses.

MapQuest
A mapping platform with significant early adoption due to its early online rollout. Local business owners can create a business listing in the MapQuest Local Business Center.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

MerchantCircle
A local business directory where business owners can create free business profiles.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

merge
1) When a search engine combines similar or duplicate local business listings. It is rare that listings will merge at Yahoo! Local. However, both Google and Bing have aggressive clustering mechanisms; sometimes distinct business listings might be merged. Currently, none of the search engines have a foolproof mechanism in place for businesses to merge two separate or duplicate listings. 2) When a business owner intentionally merges a Google+ Local page with a Google+ Business page in an effort to unify control of the listings and achieve full social and local features. This option is currently only available to single-location brick-and-mortar businesses.

meta description
A handcrafted snippet of text that can be included in a tag near the top of the code for each web page. This text sometimes appears beneath your title tag in organic search results if it matches one or more of the keywords for which the user has searched. Well-written meta descriptions usually include keywords and persuade searchers to click through.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

meta keywords
A list of keywords included in a tag near the top of the code for each web page. Because of susceptibility to spam, major search engines don’t use the meta keywords tag to evaluate the relevance of a page, and these tags don’t influence ranking. Title tags and meta descriptions remain very important, however.

meta tags
The generic term for hidden pieces of specially structured code near the top of each web page that can provide more information to search engines about the content of the page.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

microformat
A special kind of code that allows search engines to more easily parse the content inside the code. Popular microformats include schema and hCard for address and contact information and hReview for rating and sentiment information. 

MyMaps
A free Google Maps product offering that allows registered users to save particular physical locations and/or include a comment about each location. MyMaps are based on KML and being included in them may improve Local rankings.

mobile
Typically refers to accessing the Internet through a mobile device such as a cell phone or tablet computer. It is estimated that at least 50% of mobile queries have a local intent.

My Places
A Google application that enables users to organize content such as maps, ratings, and check-ins that have a unique importance to them.

myth
A term used in the internet marketing industry to denote a widely publicized, but faulty, assumption. For example, it is a common myth that stuffing a meta keywords tag with keywords improves search engine rankings.

NAICS (North American Industry Classification System)
A standardized taxonomy of business types upon which many search engines, IYPs, and data providers base their own category systems. 

NAP / NAP+W (Name Address Phone + Website)
The “thumbprint” of a business online. Local search engines use NAP information found by crawling the web or received from data providers to judge the accuracy of the data in their own indexes. Consistent NAP information is essential to getting more citations and improving search engine rankings.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Needs Action
An alert in the Google Places for Business dashboard signaling that the business owner must take further steps to achieve active status on the business listing. Actions might include entering a verification PIN or resolving violations of the Google Local Business Information Quality Guidelines.

HERE PrimePlaces
A mobile-focused application to which local business owners can add a listing for their businesses, formerly called Nokia Prime Places.

off-listing / off page
Adjectives that describe criteria the search engines use in their local algorithm that is not directly associated with a local business listing or with the website specified in that local listing. 

OneBox
A type of nonstandard search result embedded within the more familiar “ten blue link” default results. OneBoxes sometimes show local results, image results, video results, or news results. OneBoxes first appeared at Google when they announced the advent of universal search, which returns all kinds of content relevant to a particular keyword, rather than just web or text content. 

on-page
An adjective used to describe criteria that you can control and adjust on your own website to improve search engine rankings.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

organic algorithm / organic results
The mathematical formula traditionally used by search engines to rank websites in order of importance and relevance. Distinct from universal or OneBox algorithms, including local.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

outbound link
A link pointing from a page on your own website to a page on another website. Although a webpage loses some link juice by linking out, search engines view outbound links to quality websites as a natural occurrence on the web. 

PageRank
Google’s proprietary formula for ranking web pages. It is roughly correlated with the quality, relevance, and popularity of a page. PageRank can also refer to a number that this formula assigns to a particular web page. The equivalent of location prominence in local search.

Panda
First released in February 2011, Panda is an update to Google’s organic ranking algorithm, primarily targeting websites judged by Google to be of poor quality. There have been numerous updates since Panda was first rolled out, affecting many websites’ rankings.

Panoramio
A photo sharing site owned by Google. Local business owners can geotag images as an enhanced form of local data.

penalty
Any type of negative action taken by a search engine against a website or profile as a result of violations of published or unpublished policies. In local SEO, violation of any of the Google Local Business Information Quality Guidelines can result in a penalty that can lead to a drop in rankings. 

Pending
A status notation in the Google Places for Business dashboard indicating that a listing has yet to be approved. There have been numerous reported instances of listings sitting in “Pending” status for extended periods of time, sometimes due to technical problems on Google’s part. It is also common for new listings to be marked as pending for several weeks. 

Penguin
An update to Google’s organic algorithm released in April 2012, primarily targeting link acquisition practices not approved by Google. 

phone number
Combined with business name and physical address, the phone number represents a third of a business’s online identity
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

phone verification
One of two methods to claim a local business listing at Google+ Local and Bing Local, proving you own the business. The other method is via postcard, which is much more time-consuming.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

physical address
Combined with business name and phone number, the physical address represents a third of a business’s online identity
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Picasa
Online photo sharing site owned by Google. Images added to Picasa can be geotagged as an enhanced form of local data.

place label
Small graphic icons utilized in the Google Maps interface to indicate restaurants, retail shops, and other features. Local businesses must be selected by Google to be awarded a place label.

Place page
Google’s former branded version of a local business listing. Google Place pages have now been replaced by the term Google+ Local pages, but continue to be controlled via the Google Places for Business dashboard. Includes owner-submitted information about a business, including categories, location, and hours of operation, as well as information Google pulls from around the web, such as ratings, and nearby businesses—often competitors.

PO Box
A remote mailing address, the use of which can adversely affect your local search rankings. PO Boxes are expressly forbidden by the Google Local Business Information Quality Guidelines.

popularity
A trait of a website or business that can be quantitatively measured in a number of ways. For websites, search engines typically measure popularity by the number and quality of inbound links to that website. For businesses, things like the number and quality of citations, reviews, LBS check-ins, or MyMaps might be used.

postcard verification
One of two methods of claiming a local business listing on Google+ Local and Bing Local, proving you own the business. The other method is via phone, which is much faster and easier. 

PPC (pay-per-click)
Generic term for paid advertising programs at major search engines in which businesses are charged a fee when a searcher clicks on their advertisement—as opposed to a fee based on the number of times their ad is shown or a flat monthly fee regardless of visibility.

product/service keywords
Terms typed into a search engine by users seeking products 

proximity
Typically describes the distance between a local business and the city centroid or business cluster. May also be used to describe the distance between a desktop or mobile user and a local business. Proximity may influence which business listings are shown for specific searches.

rating
A numerical assessment, often on a scale of 1

Regional Expert Reviewer (RER)
A highly active volunteer reviewer of Google MapMaker data. Google MapMaker RERs have direct contact with Google’s staff and can often escalate or resolve data issues.

rel=”author”
A form of markup language added to individual web pages to identify their author. Use of rel=”author” associates a profile photo with a web page and displays it in Google’s search results next to the web page’s entry.

rel=”publisher”
A form of markup language that enables a business to signal its ownership of a website to Google. In local SEO, the use of rel=”publisher” can assist business owners in associating their business with certain categories. It also helps Google associate their website with their Google+ Local cluster. 

relevance
The degree to which a certain business or certain website matches the intent of a searcher’s keyword. In local search, a particular business must be considered by the search engines to be relevant for a particular keyword in order to rank for that term—but typically cannot rank for terms on which it is not considered relevant. For instance, a popular restaurant may rank first in local results for “restaurants” or “fine dining,” but would not necessarily be considered relevant for search terms like “bars” or “pubs”—even though they are related terms.

review
A customer’s text summary of their experience at a particular business. Reviews can be left on search engines, via location-based services, or on blogs—and are often simultaneously assigned numerical ratings. 

review station
Sometimes referred to as a review kiosk, a review station is a computer set up for public use in a brick-and-mortar business for the purpose of encouraging on-site user reviews. Google, in particular, has fluctuated in its policies regarding the use of review stations, both approving and discouraging their use at different points in time. 

rich snippets
Rich snippets are small amounts of data from markup such as microdata or microformats that appear as a component of a search engine result. Rich snippets might include text, star ratings, price ranges, and other factors. 

robot
An automated script created by a search engine to “read” web pages.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

RSS (really simple syndication)
Bare-bones computer code that many content management systems produce when content is created or updated. RSS feeds allow readers to subscribe to websites and receive a ping or an email when they are updated. You frequently see RSS subscription icons on blogs. 

schema
A form of markup supported by the major search engines. Local business websites can utilize schema.org markup to ensure that core business data is easily and fully understood by search engines.

SEM (search engine marketing)
An umbrella term for improving the presence of a business and increasing its number of customers via all forms of search, including PPC, organic, local, and universal.
For more information see: PPC (pay-per-click)

sentiment / sentiment analysis
The qualitative component of a customer review. Google has experimented over the years with extracting and analyzing reviews for the quality of experience, and for some business types often excerpts phrases like “expensive” or “good service” and displays them prominently on that business’s Google+ Local page. 

SEO (search engine optimization)
Improving the presence of a business and increasing its number of customers via all non-paid forms of search, such as organic, local, universal, and mobile. 

SERP (search engine result page)
A page containing a list of websites and any of the following: paid advertisements, business listings, meta descriptions, images, videos, news, or other media that best match a keyword.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

service area
Typically used to describe specific neighborhoods, towns, or radii served by go-to-client business models. Some local business listings allow business owners to list cities served in text or to draw a radius of service with a tool.

service area/service radius business
A term frequently used to describe go-to-client businesses that travel to customers’ locations to render services, such as plumbers, electricians, and carpet cleaners.

seven-pack (7-pack)
Generic term for the set of specific local business listings within a page of organic results. Over the years, Google and other search engines have experimented with variable numbers of results within the pack, from one to ten results.

shares/likes
A common term denoting positive actions or affirmations made by users of a social media site. People can ‘like’ or ‘share’ data to express approval of the content. 

site architecture
General term for the organization or hierarchy of a particular website; can also refer to the programming language or content management system that the site is built in. Site architecture, especially a site’s internal linking strategy, is extremely important to consider in organic SEO. 

sitemap
A list of all pages on a website sometimes submitted to Google Webmaster Central. Essentially a site outline that search engines can read easily.
For more information see: On-Page SEO

SMB (small-to-medium business)
In the United States, designation as a small business is defined by the size standards found in Title 13 of the Code of Federal Regulations. In the online marketing world, SMB is loosely used to describe both small and local businesses.

social media (SM)
Media utilized for social interaction on the Internet. This can include blogs; sharing sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Google+; and review sites like Yelp and other interactive platforms. In the local business arena, social media factors are playing an increasingly important role in online visibility.

specialty field
Another term for a custom field associated with a local business listing. Often used by owners to list their business’s specialties.

spider
Can refer either to the robotic script created by a search engine to “read” web pages
For more information see: On-Page SEO

Street View
An application within Google Maps which provides 360-degree photographic imagery of an area specified by the user.

structured citation
A mention of a business name and address and/or phone number on an IYP or directory website. Structured citations may or may not be coded in hCard microformat or schema, but typically appear in a pattern that is easy for search engine spiders to read. Differs from an unstructured citation, which may appear as a one-off reference on a blog or other hyperlocal website.

structured review
A traditional review left on a major local search portal or IYP, accompanied by a numerical rating. Structured reviews may or may not be coded in hReview microformat, but typically appear in a kind of pattern that is easy for search engine spiders to read. Differs from an unstructured review, which may appear as a one-off reference on a blog or other hyperlocal website.

SuperPages
A major Internet Yellow Pages website. Local business owners can create a listing at SuperPages.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

Suspended
A status notation in the Google Places for Business dashboard indicating that a business owner has marked a listing as “Suspended” in an attempt to prevent its display. An account may also be suspended by Google due to violations of the Google Local Business Information Quality Guidelines or due to bugs.

testimonials
Unlike reviews left on third-party platforms, testimonials are typically customer sentiments published by a business on its own website. Testimonials may be marked up with hReview microformatting to enhance the ease with which search engines can understand testimonial content. See also: microformat, review

third party
1) Can be used to describe any web-based data about a business that is not published by the business itself. 2) In reference to Google’s local products, “third-party” is often used to refer to data stemming from any location other than a business’s website or its Google Places/Google+ Local listing.

three-pack (3-Pack)
For more information see:  Google 3 Pack Search Results

title tag
A piece of web page code that the search engines pay special attention to when deciding that webpage’s relevance. On a traditional SERP, the text of a webpage’s title tag is contained in the link to that web page. If you’re on a Windows computer, the title tag of a web page appears in the blue bar at the top lefthand corner of your screen when you are browsing the internet. On a Macintosh, the title tag usually appears at the top middle of the browser screen, in a silver bar. Including keywords in your website’s title tags is very important for organic rankings; many experts feel that including geographic keywords in your website’s title tags is important for local rankings. See also: organic algorithm / organic results, meta tags, meta description, keyword, SERP (search engine result page)

TripAdvisor
Founded in 2000, TripAdvisor is a major review source for restaurants and hotels on an international scale.

troubleshooter
In the local SEO arena, Google provides a small number of troubleshooter wizards that walk users through a short survey in an attempt to identify and resolve data issues. See also: penalty

trust
An important but hard-to-quantify ranking factor in both organic and local algorithms. Trust can be gained via the following: consistent NAP information, citations from high-authority websites

Twitter
A social media network on which users share short text-based messages See also: social media (SM), Facebook, Facebook Local Search

universal algorithm / universal results
The term for a SERP containing a nonstandard search result—such as video or shopping results—embedded within the more familiar “ten blue link” default results. Any kind of content relevant to a particular keyword may be returned, rather than just web/text content. In the context of local search, this usually means a 7-Pack, 3-Pack, or Authoritative Onebox. 

Universal Business Listings (UBL)
A major paid local listing services. Distributes local business data to a large number of search engines and directories.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

unstructured citation
A mention of a business name and address and/or phone number on a website that is not an IYP site or other traditional directory containing standardized listings for many other businesses. Examples would be a newspaper or magazine article, hyperlocal blog, or social media profile.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

unstructured review
A text summary of a customer experience on a website that is not a traditional directory of standardized review information alongside business listings. May not be accompanied by a numerical rating. Examples would be a newspaper or magazine article, hyperlocal blog, or social media profile. 

URL (uniform resource locator)
Geeky acronym for an address of a web page.

user behavior
Any online action taken by a user, including clicking on search engine results, time spent on a web page, leaving a review, using a check-in service, asking for driving directions, and many other factors. The influence user behavior has on actual search engine rankings remains a matter of speculation and debate.

velocity
The speed at which a local listing or a website accumulates outside references, such as links, citations, reviews, or check-ins. Most experts believe that a consistent velocity for each criterion—rather than a flood—indicates to the search engines that a business is vibrant without trying to be manipulative.

Venice Update
A 2012 update to Google’s algorithm that appeared to increase the number of local results being returned for generic queries, as well as altering the ratio of first page rankings given to distinct local businesses.

verify
The process of confirming your online business listings.
For more information see: Local Directories and Citations 

visibility
A generic term used to encompass the overall presence a business has established on the Internet. Local businesses seek visibility via search engine rankings, social media profiles, review profiles, and other platforms.

virtual office
A purchased address not physically occupied by a business. The most popular virtual office provider in the United States is Regus. The Google Local Business Information Quality Guidelines forbid the use of virtual offices for businesses seeking inclusion in Google’s Local index.

Webmaster Central
Free service offered by Google for users with a Google account to claim ownership of a particular website. Bing’s and Yahoo’s versions are called Webmaster Center and Site Explorer, respectively. Allows users to submit verified sitemaps for that domain.

We Currently Do Not Support The Location
An error message signaling that Google lacks data about a local business or is choosing not to display it. There have been ongoing issues with this error message appearing due to technical issues on Google’s part, but this message can also stem from violations of the Google Local Business Information Quality Guidelines. 

WHOIS
The contact information kept on file by a domain registrar for the official owner of a domain name. Can be made private, but public WHOIS information may be viewed by the local search engines as a particularly trusted citation.

WordPress

Originally released as a blogging platform, WordPress has become a popular platform for the development of whole websites

WYSIWYG

Stands for “What You See Is What You Get.” Usually, refers to interfaces in content management systems that allow someone who doesn’t know computer code to create and edit web page information.

XML (eXtensible Markup Language)

Bare-bones computer code that is very easy for search engines to read. XML is similar to HTML but is not really intended to be read by humans. Sitemaps are usually uploaded to Google Webmaster Tools and are in XML format.

Yahoo! Local

The local business listing center of Yahoo.com.

Yelp

Founded in 2004, Yelp has become a dominant player in the world of local business reviews. Most local business owners will wish to create a Yelp profile. Yelp has earned both considerable popularity and a measure of criticism for marketing practices which have resulted in legal settlements. 

Yext

Founded in 2006, Yext offers paid local business listing management tools.

Yodle

Founded in 2005, Yodle offers a paid lead generation and advertising service to local businesses.

YouTube
A video sharing platform owned by Google and cited as the second largest search engine in the world. Local business owners may invest in the development of video content which can be published via YouTube as a social media tactic and form of advertising.

YP.com
An Internet Yellow Pages website to which local business listings can be added. 

Zagat
A business rating service purchased by Google in 2011. Zagat ratings on a 30-point scale are currently displayed as a component of local listing data in Google’s search results.

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