The terms. Explained plainly.

A written description added to images so search engines understand what they show. Essential for accessibility and image search presence.

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

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

A measure of how trusted your website appears based on links and mentions from other credible 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 on the web. Consistency is vital for local ranking.

Interlinked pages centered around a pillar page, showing deep expertise in a topic like dementia care.

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 users and search engines understand your content hierarchy.

A user-facing page listing all key pages on your site. Helps users navigate and search engines discover content.

The number of times your site appears in search results, even if not clicked.

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

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

Ensuring search engines can read content that relies on JavaScript to display.

A word or phrase people search for. For care, these are often "service + location" queries.

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

A specific page designed to rank for a search query and drive enquiries.

The proactive process of acquiring backlinks to improve site authority.

The speed at which your site earns new backlinks. Natural growth is key.

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 perfectly on mobile devices, where the majority of care searches occur.

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

Evidence-based recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

An instruction in a page's code that prevents search engines from showing it in search results.

Actions taken outside your website to impact your rankings, such as backlinking and citations.

The practice of optimising individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic.

Visitors who land on your website through unpaid search engine results.

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 comprehensive page covering a broad topic that serves as the foundation for a content cluster.

The single most important search term a specific page is designed to rank for.

The exact words or phrase a user types into a search engine.

Your website's numerical position on a search engine results page for a specific query.

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.

The process of improving your website's visibility in organic search results to reach families searching for care.

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

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.

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.