Knowledge base

SEO & AI Search Knowledge Base

Plain-English answers to SEO and AI-search questions — from backlinks and canonical tags to HTTP status codes, Google algorithms, GEO and AI visibility. Each entry gives you a direct definition, why it matters, and what to do about it.

SEO Dictionary

Core on-page and off-page terms every site owner meets.

HTTP status codesEvery status code and redirects — 200, 301/302, 404, 500 and more. Alt textText describing an image for accessibility and image search. Backlinks & link attributesA link from another site — plus dofollow, nofollow and anchor text. Canonical tagTells search engines which version of duplicate URLs is the primary one. CrawlerA bot that discovers and reads pages so they can be indexed. HreflangTells search engines which language or regional version of a page to show. Structured data (schema)Machine-readable markup that helps engines and AI understand a page. Barnacle SEORanking by attaching your brand to high-authority third-party platforms. On-page & content SEOEvergreen content, content gaps, SEO copywriting, cannibalization and doorway pages.

Algorithms & Google updates

Google's ranking systems, updates and the concepts behind them.

Core Web VitalsPage-experience metrics: LCP, INP (formerly FID) and CLS. Indexing & crawlingCrawling, crawl budget, mobile-first indexing and Google Discover. E-E-A-TExperience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust — Google's quality lens. Google algorithm updatesPanda, Penguin, RankBrain, BERT, core updates, Helpful Content and penalties.

AI Search

Getting found and cited in AI answer engines.

AI visibilityHow present your brand is across AI answers — and how to measure it. What is AEOAnswer Engine Optimization — winning direct-answer placements. What is GEOGenerative Engine Optimization — being cited by AI answer engines. GEO vs AEOHow GEO and AEO differ — and what to prioritise. Entity SEOOptimising around entities and the Knowledge Graph, not just keywords. How to appear in AI OverviewsWhat it takes to be featured in Google's AI-generated answers. How to get cited in ChatGPTWhat makes ChatGPT reference and link to your site in answers. llms.txtA proposed file guiding AI models to your key content. Perplexity SEOGetting cited by Perplexity, the answer engine that shows its sources. Ranking vs citation in AI searchThe shift from ranking blue links to being cited inside AI answers.

Marketplace & AI

SEO and AI discovery inside marketplaces like Amazon.

Amazon RufusAmazon's AI shopping assistant — GEO for the world's biggest store. Amazon SEOOptimising product listings to rank in Amazon's A9/A10 search. Alexa / AI shopping assistantsVoice and AI assistants that pick products for the shopper. Marketplace SEOOptimising listings to rank inside Allegro, eBay, Amazon and others.

GEO & AI tools

Monitoring your brand's visibility and perception inside AI answers.

AI visibility toolsChatbeat, Otterly.ai, Peec AI and Profound — track your brand in AI answers.

SEO tools & backlinks

All-in-one suites and link analysis for research and tracking.

All-in-one SEO toolsAhrefs, Semrush, Moz and Majestic — backlinks, keywords, audits.

Technical & analytics

Google's own data plus crawlers for audits and performance.

Web analytics toolsGoogle Search Console and Google Analytics 4. Technical SEO toolsScreaming Frog and PageSpeed Insights — crawl and performance.

Content & rank tracking

On-page optimisation, content grading and position monitoring.

Content optimization toolsSurfer SEO and Clearscope — grade content on coverage and intent. Rank tracking toolsSenuto and SE Ranking — positions and market visibility.

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