The terms. Explained plainly.

A written description added to images so search engines understand what they show. Helps with accessibility and can support presence in image search.

The variety of text used in links pointing to your site. A natural mix is essential for avoiding search engine penalties.

The clickable words used in a link. The wording signals to Google what the linked page is about.

A measure of how trusted your website appears based on links and mentions from other sites.

A link from another website to yours. In care, links from relevant directories or local organisations carry more weight than generic sites.

The percentage of users who leave your site without taking action. High bounce rates often signal weak relevance or poor user experience.

A piece of code that tells search engines which version of a page is the main one. Prevents duplicate content issues.

Mentions of your business name, address, and phone number across the web. Consistency improves local presence.

A group of interlinked pages centered around a pillar page, designed to show deep expertise in a topic.

The percentage of visitors who take a desired action, such as submitting an enquiry form or calling.

Google’s performance metrics measuring page speed, responsiveness, and visual stability.

The independent regulator of health and social care in England. Responsible for registering, monitoring, inspecting and rating care services.

The number of pages Googlebot will crawl on your site within a specific timeframe.

How easily search engines can access and read your website pages.

A prompt that encourages users to act, such as “Book a Visit” or “Request a Callback”.

A third-party score predicting how likely a website is to rank. Used as a comparative metric, not a Google ranking factor.

Identical or very similar content across multiple pages, which can confuse search engines and weaken rankings.

A legal and professional obligation for care providers to be open and honest when something goes wrong. Applies to registered providers and is monitored by CQC.

How often and how prominently your site appears in search results.

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Google's core criteria for evaluating content quality.

User behaviours such as time on site, clicks, and interactions. Indirect indicators of content quality.

Optimising for things (entities) rather than just keywords, helping search engines understand context and relationships.

Links from your site to other websites. Used to reference sources and build credibility.

Structured data that allows FAQs to appear directly in search results, increasing presence and click-through.

A highlighted answer shown at the top of Google results. Often pulled from well-structured content.

Your local listing on Google. Controls how your service appears in search and maps.

The top three local listings shown in search results. A primary driver of enquiries in care.

Structured titles on a page that help both users and search engines understand content hierarchy.

A user-facing page listing all key pages on your site.

The number of times your site appears in search results.

Whether a page can be stored and shown by search engines.

Links between pages on your own site. Helps users navigate and distributes ranking strength.

Optimising content that relies on JavaScript so search engines can properly read and index it.

A word or phrase people search for. In care, these are typically service + location queries.

The reason behind a search, whether informational, comparison-based, or enquiry-driven.

A page designed for a specific search intent or service, often focused on conversion.

The process of acquiring backlinks to improve authority and rankings.

The speed at which a website acquires new backlinks over time.

Optimising your presence to appear in location-based searches, such as “care homes near me”.

The study of server logs to see exactly how search engine bots are crawling your website.

The summary text shown under the title in search results. Influences clicks, not rankings.

The title shown in search results. A key factor in both rankings and click-through rate.

Ensuring your site works well on mobile devices, where most care searches happen.

Consistency of your Name, Address, and Phone number across all platforms.

Evidence-based recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Relevant to clinical care standards.

A directive telling search engines not to include a page in search results.

External signals such as backlinks, citations, and mentions.

Optimising content, headings, and structure on your website pages.

Visitors who arrive via search engines without paid ads.

How quickly a page loads. Affects both rankings and user behaviour.

An approach to support that places the individual at the centre of decisions. A key CQC assessment standard.

A main page covering a broad topic, supported by more detailed sub-pages.

The main search term a page is targeting.

The exact phrase a user types into a search engine.

The position your page appears in search results.

The individual registered with CQC to manage the day-to-day running of a care service.

The provision under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 that legally requires providers to display their CQC rating.

The weighted average of user ratings on a directory or platform. Key component of the ranking formula.

The rate at which a care service receives new reviews. High velocity signals active quality to Google and directories.

A file that tells search engines which parts of your site they can or cannot crawl.

Structured data added to your site to help search engines understand your content.

Social Care Institute for Excellence. An independent charity that produces evidence and guidance on social care best practice.

The purpose behind a user’s search.

The page of results shown after a search.

A file that lists your pages for search engines to discover and index.

The behind-the-scenes setup that ensures your site can be crawled, indexed, and understood.

Depth of expertise shown across a subject area through multiple related pages.

The format of your page addresses. Clean, simple URLs are easier for users and search engines.

How easy and intuitive your site is to use.

Performance metrics related to speed and usability.

A structured file submitted to search engines listing all important pages.

Google classification for sensitive topics like health and care, where trust and accuracy are critical.

Search results where users get their answer directly on Google without clicking through.