Plain-language definitions of the terms we actually use across this site, no jargon for its own sake.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Getting your page ranked in traditional search results through technical crawlability, on-page structure, backlinks, and content that matches real search intent. Covered in depth in our Organic Growth service and our SEO fundamentals guide.

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)

Structuring content so Google's featured snippets, "People Also Ask" boxes, and voice assistants can lift your answer directly, rather than just linking to your page further down the results.

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

Making sure AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity actually mention and recommend your business by name when someone asks a question your business can answer. See our full SEO, AEO, and GEO guide.

Customer Acquisition System

Our term for treating organic growth, paid growth, lead generation, and web presence as one coordinated system rather than four separate services bought in isolation. Explained fully in what is a customer acquisition system.

Organic Growth

Visibility that doesn't require paying per click, SEO, AEO, GEO, content marketing, social media, Google Business Profile, and email nurture. See Organic Growth.

Paid Growth

Buying visibility today through Google, Meta, and LinkedIn ads instead of waiting for organic rankings to build. See Paid Growth.

Lead Generation

Turning visitors and prospects into actual conversations, through outbound prospecting, forms, and nurture sequences. See Lead Generation.

Web Presence

The website, landing pages, and brand identity that have to convert once someone actually arrives. See Web Presence.

Google Business Profile

Your business's free Google listing, often the single highest-leverage channel for local search visibility, especially for appointment-based or location-based businesses.

Local SEO

Search optimization specifically for location-based searches, "near me," a city name, a neighborhood, rather than general national or global terms.

Structured Data / Schema Markup

Invisible technical labeling on a page that tells search engines and AI exactly what your business does, where, and for whom, essential for both traditional rich results and AI citation.

Retainer

An ongoing engagement priced for continuous work, SEO, content, ad management, as opposed to a one-time project with a defined end point. See our retainer vs project pricing guide.