Glossary

Each figure uses the name Google, Meta and the SEO tools give it, so it matches what you see elsewhere. Under each one is what it means in plain words.

Search Console and Bing

Defined as in Search Console Help

Average position: Your usual place in Google, where 1 is the topFrom Search Console
Average position of tracked keywords: Your average place in Google for the searches in your keyword research, where 1 is the topFrom Search Console
Bing clicks: Clicks from Bing results to your siteFrom Bing
Bing impressions: Times your site appeared in Bing resultsFrom Bing
Brand clicks: Clicks from searches that include your business's nameClicks from searches that include your business's name: people who already know you.From Search Console
Brand share of clicks, at least: The share of search clicks that came from searches for your name, at leastFrom Search Console
Brand share of clicks, at most: The highest the brand share could beFrom Search Console
Clicks: Clicks from Google Search to your siteFrom Search Console
Clicks from tracked keywords: Clicks from Google Search to your site for the searches in your keyword researchFrom Search Console
CTR: Share of people who saw you and clickedClicks divided by impressions: how often a searcher who saw you clicked.From Search Console
Impressions: Times your site appeared in Google resultsFrom Search Console
Impressions for tracked keywords: Times your site appeared in Google Search for the searches in your keyword researchFrom Search Console
Non-brand clicks: Clicks from searches that don't include your nameClicks from every search that doesn't include your name: how new buyers find you.From Search Console
Organic keywords: Searches you show up for in Google's top 100Searches you show up for in Google's top 100. Counted from Search Console search by search, each at its average position for the period; Google leaves out searches too rare to report, so the true count is higher.From Search Console
Organic pages: Your pages that show up in Google's top 100Pages that show up in Google's top 100 for at least one keyword. Counted from Search Console search and page together, each pair at its average position for the period.From Search Console
Pages in the top 10: Pages with at least one keyword on page onePages with at least one keyword on page one: an average Google position of 10 or better for the period.From Search Console
Position: Where your page sat on the day the rank tracker checkedA live check of one keyword on one device. Search Console's Average position is an average over the dates shown.From Rank tracker
Query: What someone typed into GoogleFrom Search Console
Top 10 keywords: Keywords on Google's page oneSearches that put you on page one: an average Google position of 10 or better for the period.From Search Console
Top 20 keywords: Keywords on Google's first two pagesSearches where your average Google position for the period was 20 or better: the first two pages.From Search Console
Top 3 keywords: Keywords in the top three, where most clicks goSearches where you average a top 3 place in Google for the period, where most clicks go.From Search Console
Top 50 keywords: Keywords where your average position is 50 or betterSearches where your average Google position for the period was 50 or better.From Search Console
Tracked keywords in the top 10: Searches in your keyword research whose average Google position for the period was 10 or betterFrom Search Console
Tracked keywords in the top 20: Searches in your keyword research whose average Google position for the period was 20 or betterFrom Search Console
Tracked keywords in the top 3: Searches in your keyword research whose average Google position for the period was 3 or betterFrom Search Console

Keyword research and competitors

Defined as in Semrush glossary

AI search volume: Times a month people ask AI assistants about it (estimate)From Market data
Competition: How many advertisers bid on the searchFrom Google Keyword Planner
CPC: Cost per click: what advertisers pay for a click on this searchFrom Google's advertising data
Keyword difficulty: How hard page one is to reach, from 0 to 100Read from the strength of the pages already in Google's top 10. The scale climbs steeply near the top.From Market data
Link authority: The link index's 0 to 100 score for a whole siteLike Ahrefs' Domain Rating or Semrush's Authority Score: a score of how strong the links pointing at a site are.From Link index
Organic traffic: A site's estimated visits a month from Google's unpaid resultsAn estimate for competitors' sites. Your own measured figure is Organic search sessions.From Market data
Potential traffic: Visits a month you could get at that position (estimate)From Snowball's estimate
Referring domains: Other websites linking to a site, each counted onceFrom Link index
Search intent: What the searcher wants: Informational (to learn), Commercial (to compare), Transactional (to buy) or Navigational (to find a brand)From Market data
Search volume: Average searches a month in Australia, over the last 12 monthsFrom Google's advertising data
SERP features: What else Google shows on the page, such as the map pack, an AI Overview or videosFrom Google's results page
Top of page bid: The range advertisers paid to show at the top of the pageFrom Google Keyword Planner
Traffic value: What those visits would cost as ads each monthFrom Snowball's estimate

Website analytics

Defined as in Analytics Help

Answer rate: Answered calls as a share of all callsFrom CallRail
Answered calls: Calls someone picked upFrom CallRail
Bounce rate: Share of visits that saw one page and leftFrom Plausible or Matomo
Conversion rate: Conversions as a share of visitsFrom Plausible or Matomo
Conversions: Goals completed, as you set them up in Plausible or MatomoFrom Plausible or Matomo
Engagement rate: Share of visits that stayed, browsed or took an actionShare of visits that lasted 10 seconds or more, viewed two pages, or led to a key event.From Analytics
First-time callers: Calls from numbers that had not called beforeFrom CallRail
Key events: Enquiries, calls and other actions you count as leadsFrom Analytics
Missed calls: Calls nobody answered, voicemails includedFrom CallRail
New contacts: Contacts added to HubSpotFrom HubSpot
New contacts from search: Contacts whose first visit came from a search engineFrom HubSpot
Organic search key events: Leads from visits that came from unpaid searchFrom Analytics
Organic search sessions: Visits from unpaid search resultsFrom Analytics
Page views: Pages served to visitors, counted by Cloudflare at your site's front doorFrom Cloudflare, Cloudflare Web Analytics, Plausible or Matomo
Session key event rate: Share of visits with at least one key eventFrom Analytics
Sessions: Visits to your site from every channelFrom Analytics
Total calls: Calls to your tracking numbers, from new and returning callersFrom CallRail
Unique visitors: Unique visitors each day, added up across the days shown, so someone who visits on two days counts twiceFrom Plausible or Matomo
Visit duration: Average time on the site per visitFrom Plausible or Matomo
Visits: Visits measured in visitors' browsers by Cloudflare Web AnalyticsFrom Cloudflare Web Analytics, Plausible or Matomo

Business Profile and maps

Defined as in Business Profile Help

Bookings: Bookings made from your profileBookings made from your Business Profile through Reserve with Google.From Business Profile
Calls: Taps on the call button on your profileFrom Business Profile
Directions: Requests for directions to your businessFrom Business Profile
Messages: Conversations started from your profileTaps on your Business Profile's message button, such as WhatsApp.From Business Profile
Profile interactions: Calls, messages, bookings, directions and website clicksCalls, direction requests and website clicks from your Business Profile.From Business Profile
Profile views: People who viewed your profile on Search and MapsTimes your Business Profile was shown on Google Search and Maps.From Business Profile
Share of Local Voice (SoLV): Share of map grid points where you're in the top threeShare of the points on your local map grid where you're in Google Maps' top three, across your services. Checked weekly; a month is the average of its checks.From Local map grid
Website clicks: Clicks from your profile to your siteFrom Business Profile

Defined as in Google Ads Help

Avg. CPC: Average cost of a clickFrom Google Ads
Conversion rate: Conversions divided by clicksFrom Google Ads
Conversion value: The value Google Ads put on those conversionsFrom Google Ads
Cost per conversion: Cost divided by conversionsFrom Google Ads
CTR: Clicks divided by impressionsFrom Google Ads
Google Ads clicks: Clicks on your Google adsFrom Google Ads
Google Ads conversions: Actions Google Ads counted from your adsFrom Google Ads
Google Ads cost: What Google Ads chargedFrom Google Ads
Google Ads impressions: Times your Google ads were shownFrom Google Ads
LinkedIn Ads clicks: Clicks on your LinkedIn adsFrom LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn Ads impressions: Times your LinkedIn ads were shownFrom LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn Ads leads: Lead form submissions from your LinkedIn adsFrom LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn Ads total spent: What LinkedIn charged for your adsFrom LinkedIn Ads
Meta Ads amount spent: What Meta charged for Facebook and Instagram adsFrom Meta Ads
Meta Ads Avg. CPC: Average cost of a link clickFrom Meta Ads
Meta Ads CPM: Cost of 1,000 impressionsFrom Meta Ads
Meta Ads CTR: Link clicks divided by impressionsLink clicks divided by impressions (Meta's CTR (link click-through rate)).From Meta Ads
Meta Ads impressions: Times your Meta ads were shownFrom Meta Ads
Meta Ads leads (form): Lead forms filled in on Facebook or InstagramFrom Meta Ads
Meta Ads link clicks: Clicks from your Meta ads to your siteFrom Meta Ads
Meta Ads purchases: Purchases Meta counted from your ads, on your website, app and MetaFrom Meta Ads
Meta Ads purchases conversion value: The value of those purchasesFrom Meta Ads
Meta Ads ROAS: Purchase value divided by amount spentFrom Meta Ads
Microsoft Ads Avg. CPC: Average cost of a clickFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads clicks: Clicks on your Microsoft adsFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads conversion rate: Conversions divided by clicksFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads conversion value: Revenue Microsoft Advertising put on those conversionsFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads conversions: Conversions Microsoft Advertising countedFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads cost per conversion: Cost divided by conversionsFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads CTR: Clicks divided by impressionsFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads impressions: Times your Microsoft ads were shownFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads lost impression share (budget): Share of the auctions you missed because the budget ran outFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads lost impression share (rank): Share of the auctions you missed because of a low ad rankFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads ROAS: Conversion value divided by costFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads search impression share: Share of the auctions you could have shown in where you didFrom Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads spend: What Microsoft Advertising chargedFrom Microsoft Ads
Pinterest Ads clicks: Clicks on your Pinterest adsFrom Pinterest Ads
Pinterest Ads spend: What Pinterest charged for your adsFrom Pinterest Ads
Reddit Ads clicks: Clicks on your Reddit adsFrom Reddit Ads
Reddit Ads conversions: Purchases, sign-ups and leads Reddit counted from your ads, after a click or a viewFrom Reddit Ads
Reddit Ads spend: What Reddit charged for your adsFrom Reddit Ads
Reddit Ads video views: Plays of three seconds or more on your Reddit ad videosFrom Reddit Ads
ROAS: Return on ad spend: conversion value divided by costFrom Google Ads
Search impression share: Share of the auctions you could have shown in where you didShare of the Search auctions you could have shown in where you did. Google reports under 10% as 9.99%.From Google Ads
Search lost impression share (budget): Auctions missed because the budget ran outFrom Google Ads
Search lost impression share (rank): Auctions missed because of a low Ad RankShare of the Search auctions you missed because of a low Ad Rank: bid, ad quality and landing page.From Google Ads
Snapchat Ads conversions: Purchases, sign-ups and leads Snapchat counted from your adsFrom Snapchat Ads
Snapchat Ads spend: What Snapchat charged for your adsFrom Snapchat Ads
Snapchat Ads swipe ups: Swipe-ups on your Snapchat ads, Snapchat's clicksFrom Snapchat Ads
Snapchat Ads video views: Views of two seconds or more, or a swipe-up, on your Snapchat ad videosFrom Snapchat Ads
TikTok Ads clicks: Clicks on your TikTok adsFrom TikTok Ads
TikTok Ads conversions: Conversions TikTok counted from your adsFrom TikTok Ads
TikTok Ads cost: What TikTok charged for your adsFrom TikTok Ads
TikTok Ads video views: Plays of your TikTok ad videosFrom TikTok Ads

Social media and video

Engagement rate: How many people who saw a post liked, commented, shared or clicked, for every 100 who saw itEach network counts it a little differently: by impressions on Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest, by views on Instagram and TikTok.From Social networks
Engagements: Likes, comments and shares on your videosFrom YouTube
Facebook content views: Views of your Facebook posts, reels and storiesFrom Facebook
Facebook engagement rate: Engagements for every 100 impressionsEngagements as a share of views (by impressions): reactions, comments, shares and clicks for every 100 views of your posts.From Facebook
Facebook engagements: Reactions, comments, shares and clicks on your postsFrom Facebook
Facebook net follower growth: Followers gained, less followers lostFollows less unfollows of your Facebook Page.From Facebook
Facebook new follows: People who followed your Facebook PageFrom Facebook
Facebook Page views: Views of your Facebook PageFrom Facebook
Instagram engagement rate: Interactions for every 100 viewsInteractions as a share of views (by impressions): likes, comments, saves, shares and replies for every 100 views.From Instagram
Instagram external link taps: Taps on the link in your Instagram profileFrom Instagram
Instagram interactions: Likes, comments, saves, shares and repliesFrom Instagram
Instagram profile visits: Visits to your Instagram profileFrom Instagram
Instagram reach: Accounts that saw your content each day, added up over the daysFrom Instagram
Instagram views: Views of your Instagram posts, reels and storiesFrom Instagram
LinkedIn clicks: Clicks on your Page's posts, their links and your Page nameFrom LinkedIn
LinkedIn engagement rate: Engagements for every 100 impressionsEngagements as a share of impressions (by impressions), as LinkedIn counts it, less new follows from posts.From LinkedIn
LinkedIn engagements: Clicks, reactions, comments and reposts on your Page's postsFrom LinkedIn
LinkedIn impressions: Times your Page's posts were shownFrom LinkedIn
LinkedIn new followers: People who followed your LinkedIn PageFrom LinkedIn
LinkedIn Page views: Views of your LinkedIn PageFrom LinkedIn
Pinterest engagement rate: Engagements for every 100 impressionsEngagements as a share of impressions (by impressions).From Pinterest
Pinterest engagements: Saves, Pin clicks, outbound clicks and other actions on your Pins, as Pinterest counts themFrom Pinterest
Pinterest impressions: Times your Pins were shownFrom Pinterest
Pinterest outbound clicks: Clicks from your Pins to your siteFrom Pinterest
Pinterest saves: Times people saved your PinsFrom Pinterest
Subscribers (net): Subscribers gained, less subscribers lostFrom YouTube
Threads likes: Likes on your Threads postsFrom Threads
Threads link clicks: Clicks on links in your Threads postsFrom Threads
Threads profile views: Visits to your Threads profileFrom Threads
Threads replies, reposts and quotes: Replies, reposts and quotes of your Threads postsFrom Threads
TikTok bio link clicks: Clicks on the website link in your TikTok profileFrom TikTok
TikTok engagement: Likes, comments and shares on your TikTok videosFrom TikTok
TikTok engagement rate: Engagements for every 100 viewsLikes, comments and shares as a share of video views (by impressions).From TikTok
TikTok net new followers: Followers gained, less followers lostFrom TikTok
TikTok profile views: Visits to your TikTok profileFrom TikTok
TikTok video views: Views of your TikTok videos, from your own account (not ads)From TikTok
Watch time: Minutes people spent watching your videosFrom YouTube
YouTube views: Views of your YouTube videosFrom YouTube

AI visibility

Citation share: Your site's share of every source the answers citeYour site's share of every source the AI answers cite. Sampled, so an estimate.From AI answers
Copilot citations: Times Copilot and Microsoft's partner AIs cited a page of your site in an answer, from Bing's AI Performance reportFrom Copilot
Mention rate: Share of AI answers that name youShare of AI answers that name you, when asked the questions your buyers ask. Sampled, so an estimate.From AI answers
Pages cited a day: How many of your pages AI answers cited on an average day, from Bing's AI Performance reportFrom Copilot
Sentiment: Whether AI answers that name you describe you wellFrom Sampled AI answers
Share of voice: Your share of every business the answers nameYour share of every business the AI answers name. Sampled, so an estimate.From AI answers

Online store

Average order value: Total sales divided by ordersFrom Online store
Orders: Orders placed, leaving out test and cancelled ordersFrom Online store
Total sales: Order totals, leaving out test and cancelled ordersFrom Online store
Units sold: Items sold, leaving out test and cancelled ordersFrom Online store

Site audit

Health Score: Share of crawled pages with no errors, out of 100What a site crawler finds, at the Errors, Warnings and Notices levels Semrush and Ahrefs use.From Site audit
Site score: How well your pages carry every element they should, out of 100Each page is scored on its titles, headings, content, schema and every tag; the site score weighs pages by the searches they already get. Like Surfer's content score, for the whole site.From Site audit

Crawlers and speed

AI crawler visits: Pages AI assistants and AI crawlers readFrom Cloudflare
All crawler visits: Requests from every known crawlerFrom Cloudflare
Crawler errors: Crawler requests answered with an error or a missing page (status 400 and above)From Cloudflare
Search crawler visits: Pages search engine crawlers such as Googlebot and Bingbot readFrom Cloudflare

Totals across your sources

Ad clicks: Clicks from every connected ad platformClicks from every connected ad platform together. Ads splits them by platform.From All sources
Ad conversions: Conversions each ad platform reports, added upConversions and leads each ad platform reports, added up. Each counts them its own way, so Ads splits them by platform.From All sources
Ad spend: What every connected ad platform charged, added upSpend across every connected ad platform, in the currency of the first; a platform billing in another currency is left out and named. Ads splits it by platform.From All sources
AI citations: Times AI answers cited your siteTimes AI answers cited your site, from every source that counts them: today Copilot and Microsoft's partner AIs. AI visibility splits them by source, page and search.From All sources
Leads: Every lead counted once, from every sourceEvery lead counted once by where it came in: website enquiries, new callers, your Business Profile's messages and bookings, and lead forms filled in on LinkedIn and Meta. Direction requests and profile website clicks show beside it; a shopfront or clinic can count direction requests too. Website and leads shows where each came from, and what your CRM and ad platforms counted beside them.From All sources
Search clicks: Clicks from Google and Bing results togetherClicks to your site from Google and Bing search results together. Search Console splits them by engine.From All sources
Search impressions: Times you appeared in Google and Bing results togetherTimes your site appeared in Google and Bing search results together. Search Console splits them by engine.From All sources

Google's page statuses

Crawled - currently not indexed: Google has seen this page but isn't showing itFrom Search Console
Discovered - currently not indexed: Google knows this page but hasn't read it yetFrom Search Console
URL is unknown to Google: The page is live but not in Google yetFrom Search Console