No jargon. Just clear answers to “what does that word actually mean?” for small-business owners.
Your website's address, like yourbusiness.com. You rent it yearly from a registrar; it's yours as long as you keep renewing it.
The service that stores your website's files and serves them to visitors. Without hosting, your domain points to nothing.
The thing that turns http:// into https:// and shows a padlock. It encrypts data between the visitor and your site, and Google expects every site to have one.
Search engine optimization — the work of helping your site show up when people search Google for what you offer. It covers your content, your site's speed and structure, and other sites linking to you.
Getting found by nearby customers — the "near me" and map results. It leans on your Google Business Profile, consistent contact info, and reviews.
Your free business listing that appears in Google Search and Maps. It's the single most important free tool for local visibility.
A link from another website to yours. Search engines treat quality backlinks as votes of confidence, which can help you rank higher.
The short summary that shows under your page title in Google results. It doesn't affect ranking directly but a good one gets more clicks.
Hidden code that tells search engines and AI exactly what your page is — a business, a service, a review. It helps you earn rich results and get cited by AI.
Google's measures of how fast and stable your pages feel to load. Poor scores can hurt both rankings and how many visitors stay.
A site built to look right on any screen — phone, tablet, or desktop. Most local searches happen on phones, so this is essential.
The share of visitors who do what you want — call, book, or buy. A pretty site that doesn't convert isn't doing its job.
Content management system — software like WordPress that lets you edit your site without code. Useful, but not always necessary for a small site.
Answer (or generative) engine optimization — making your content easy for AI tools like ChatGPT to quote, using clear questions, direct answers, and real facts.