An SEO report can say a page was crawled, excluded from indexing and assigned a different canonical. Those three observations tell different stories. If you treat them as one problem, you could spend time rewriting a page when the real issue is that Google chose another address for the same content.This SEO glossary explains 40 terms you are likely to see when running a website in Saudi Arabia. Each definition gives you a practical way to use the term. Start with the section that matches the decision in front of you: finding demand, improving a page, diagnosing visibility or interpreting results.
Search demand and keywords
1. SEO
Search engine optimisation is work that helps search engines discover and understand your website and helps users find suitable pages in unpaid search results. A useful project starts with a specific page and reader need.
2. Organic search
Organic search refers to visits or visibility from unpaid search results. If someone finds your Arabic guide through Google and clicks it, that is organic search traffic.
3. SERP
A search engine results page is the screen a search engine shows after a search. It can include links, ads, images or maps. Look at the actual results for the intended market and language before deciding what format your page should take.
4. Search query
A search query is what a person actually enters in a search engine. In Search Console, queries can show the words that led to impressions or clicks. A phrase that appears in a report is evidence of visibility for your site, rather than an estimate of total demand.
5. Target keyword
A target keyword is the phrase you choose to guide a page. A retailer may target “Saudi dates gift boxes” while receiving visits from several related searches.
6. Search intent
Search intent is what someone wants to achieve with a query. A search for how to compare SEO proposals asks for guidance; a search for an SEO company in Riyadh may suggest the user wants a provider. Decide what the reader needs before selecting a page format.
7. Search volume
Search volume estimates how often a term is searched in a given market and time period. Estimates vary with the data provider and settings. A lower volume phrase may still attract more suitable prospects.
8. Long-tail keyword
A long-tail keyword is a more specific query within the lower demand end of a search market. It often has more words, but length alone does not define it. “Cold storage with pallet collection in Riyadh” gives a business more context than “storage.”
Page content and links
9. Title tag
The title tag is the page title declared in its HTML. It is one input Google can use for a search result title. Write it to describe the page clearly, then compare it with the title that actually appears in relevant results.
10. Meta description
A meta description summarises a page for people who see it in search. Google may show it or generate a different snippet from page content. Write a useful description of what the reader will find. Avoid promises the page cannot fulfil.
11. H1
The H1 is a top-level heading in a page’s content. It usually introduces the main subject to readers. A service page whose heading simply repeats the company name may be harder for visitors to understand than one that identifies the service.
12. URL slug
A slug is the readable part of a URL path that identifies a page, such as “local-seo” in “/local-seo/”. Use words a reader can recognise. If an existing slug changes, review links pointing to the old address and plan the appropriate redirect.
13. Alt text
Alt text describes an image’s relevant content or purpose when it cannot be seen. For a warehouse image, describe what the photo shows when that information supports the page. Purely decorative images can have empty alt text so assistive technology can skip them.
14. Internal link
An internal link takes a visitor from one page on your site to another. Use it where the destination helps the reader continue. For example, link from a keyword planning guide to a related checklist when the reader is ready to edit a page.
15. External link
An external link points from your page to a different website. Use one when the destination adds useful evidence, a primary reference or instructions. The on-page SEO checklist for Saudi websites explains how links fit with other page checks.
16. Anchor text
Anchor text is the clickable wording of a link. It should set an expectation about the destination. “Riyadh local SEO guide” is easier to understand than “click here,” particularly when someone scans several links or uses assistive technology.
Discovery and indexing
17. Crawling
Crawling happens when a search engine requests a URL and attempts to retrieve its content. Links and sitemaps can help it discover a page to crawl. A page can be crawled without being selected for indexing, so read the full status before choosing a fix.
18. Rendering
Rendering is the process of turning page code into the content a browser or crawler can see. It matters when essential text or links depend on scripts. If your browser shows content Google’s inspection cannot see, compare the rendered output before assuming the page is accessible.
19. Indexing
Indexing is the process of analysing a page and storing information about it for potential use in search results. Being indexed makes a page eligible to appear; it does not guarantee a particular ranking. An excluded page may be missing from the index for an intentional reason.
20. Indexability
Indexability describes whether a URL can be considered for indexing. A reachable page without an unintended indexing restriction is a better candidate, but Google can still choose a different version. Check the live URL and the indexed result separately when diagnosing a recent change.
21. XML sitemap
An XML sitemap lists URLs you want search engines to discover. For a business site, include the preferred addresses of pages you want indexed. A sitemap is a discovery aid. It does not override a noindex instruction or guarantee that a page will appear.
22. Robots.txt
Robots.txt tells crawlers which paths they may request under its rules. It manages crawling. If you block a page there, Google might be unable to see a noindex tag on that page. Read Google’s SEO starter guide before changing sitewide crawl rules.
23. Noindex
Noindex asks supporting search engines to leave a page out of search results. It may be supplied in page markup or a response header. Keep it where exclusion is intentional; remove it from a public service page only when you want that page to be considered for indexing.
24. Canonical URL
A canonical URL is the preferred representative address for duplicate or very similar pages. Your site can signal a preference; Google may choose another. If a product page has tracking URL variants, check whether the links and sitemap point to the clean product address.
25. Redirect
A redirect sends visitors from one URL to another. A permanent redirect is useful when a published page has moved to a relevant new location. Test where the old URL lands and update internal links to use the final destination directly.
26. 404 status
A 404 status means the requested URL could not be found. A removed address with no replacement can properly return 404. If an active navigation link leads there, repair the link or restore the page. The technical SEO checklist covers related diagnostics.
Local visibility, language and authority
27. Local SEO
Local SEO helps people find a business that serves a particular area. A Riyadh repair company might explain its coverage and how to book. Use actual service information and let the Riyadh local SEO guide help you decide what belongs on local pages.
28. Google Business Profile
A Google Business Profile is a listing eligible businesses can manage for visibility in Google Search and Maps. Keep customer facing information accurate, including opening hours and contact details. Check that the website link leads to the appropriate page for the listed business.
29. Local pack
A local pack is a group of nearby business listings that can appear in Google Search, often beside or below a map. Results may vary with the searcher’s location and query. One screenshot from the office cannot show visibility across all of Riyadh.
30. Hreflang
Hreflang is a way to signal which pages are alternate versions for different languages or regions. Arabic and English pages can use it when they are genuine equivalents. The Arabic SEO guide explains other decisions involved in serving Arabic readers.
31. Structured data
Structured data is markup that identifies information in a standard format, such as a breadcrumb trail or a product’s details. Use it to describe what the page actually contains. Supported markup can make a page eligible for enhanced search results, without guaranteeing them.
32. Backlink
A backlink is a link from another website to yours. A relevant supplier or industry publication may cite a useful resource you wrote. Assess where the link appears, why the publisher included it and whether readers would benefit from following it.
33. Referring domain
A referring domain is a website domain that links to your site. One trade publication might link to your company from three articles: that is three backlinks from one referring domain. Counts help describe the link profile, but the placement still matters.
34. Keyword cannibalisation
Keyword cannibalisation is an SEO label for unhelpful overlap between pages targeting the same need. Two pages appearing for one search is not conclusive. Check whether they serve different purposes or whether readers are repeatedly landing on the wrong page before merging anything.
Measurement and decisions
35. Impression
An impression indicates that a result was counted as shown under Google’s reporting rules. A page can gain impressions before it earns clicks. Look at the accompanying queries to see if that visibility relates to the audience and offer you want.
36. Click
A Search Console click generally records when someone follows a result that leads outside Google to your site. It is not the same as an analytics session. Compare each tool consistently rather than expecting both totals to match exactly.
37. Click-through rate
Click-through rate, or CTR, is clicks divided by impressions. Twenty clicks from 1,000 impressions gives a CTR of 2%. Before comparing rates, check differences in ranking, query intent and search result layout. A change in query mix can change the figure.
38. Average position
Average position summarises where the topmost result for the selected site or page appeared across its impressions. It does not mean every searcher saw that position. Review the metric with impressions and clicks using Google’s explanation of these measurements.
39. Conversion
A conversion is an action you define as valuable, such as a submitted quote request or a completed purchase. A WhatsApp button click may be a useful signal, but it does not establish that a message was sent or that an enquiry qualified.
40. Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals describe aspects of real user page experience: loading, responsiveness and visual stability. Look at the affected pages and devices before prioritising work. If a page shifts while people try to tap a button, improving the layout can help even before you measure search changes.
Use the terms to decide what to do next
If a public page is missing from search, check discovery and indexing before rewriting its title. If it is visible but gets few clicks, compare the query and displayed result. If clicks arrive but enquiries do not, open the page as a customer and check whether you can find the information and take the next step.For help interpreting the terms in a real site report, contact Marksol Mavens with the page and the issue you are trying to solve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What SEO terms should a business owner learn first?
Start with search intent, crawling, indexing, impressions, clicks and conversions. Together, they help you answer three practical questions: What are customers looking for? Can Google find and index the right page? Do visitors take the next step once they arrive?
What is the difference between crawling, indexing and ranking?
Crawling is when Google tries to fetch a page. Indexing is when Google adds information about that page to its search index. Ranking is where the page appears for a particular search. A page can be crawled without being indexed, and an indexed page may still rank poorly for your target keyword.
Why does my page get impressions but very few clicks?
Check which search queries generated those impressions in Google Search Console. If the searches match what your page offers, review how prominently it appears and whether the displayed title clearly explains what readers will find. If the queries are mostly unrelated, improving the title alone may not solve the problem.
Should I target the same SEO keyword in Arabic and English?
Target the same customer need when both audiences share it, but research the wording separately. A direct translation may miss how Saudi customers describe a service. Use the phrasing that sounds natural in each language and make sure each page answers the question its readers are asking.
Does seeing two pages for the same keyword mean keyword cannibalisation?
No. A service page and a guide can both appear for the same search while serving different needs. Investigate when two pages answer essentially the same question or when the less useful page regularly attracts visitors who should land on the other one.