Web jargon, decoded.decoded.

A widget added to a website that promises to make it accessible automatically, often shown as a floating button with a person icon.

Overlays don't fix the code underneath. In 2025 the FTC fined one overlay maker $1 million for claiming its widget could make any website meet WCAG. Real fixes are made in the site itself.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, the US civil rights law that most website accessibility lawsuits are brought under.

The US Justice Department's position is that it covers the websites of businesses open to the public, and a 2024 rule sets WCAG 2.1 AA for state and local government sites. This is general information, not legal advice.

The AI-written summaries Google shows above the regular results for some searches. AI Mode is a separate, chat-style Google search.

They answer the question right on the results page and cite a few sources. Being one of those sources depends on the same basics as SEO: pages Google can reach, clear answers and a trusted presence.

A short written description of an image, kept in the page's code, that screen readers read aloud in its place.

Write what the image shows and why it's there ("Our team at the Lake Street office"), not "image". Purely decorative images should have empty alt text so they're skipped.

Extra labels in a page's code that tell assistive technology what an element is or does, such as "menu", "expanded" or "closes the dialog".

Used well, it fills gaps that plain HTML can't. Used badly, it makes things worse, so the first rule is to use the right plain HTML element where one exists.

A link to your site from another website.

Links help Google find pages and judge how well known a business is. Buying links, or swapping them just to rank, breaks Google's spam policies and can do harm.

Keeping a ready-made copy of a page or file so it doesn't have to be built or downloaded again for every visit.

Good caching is one of the cheapest ways to make a site fast. Done wrong, visitors see an old version after you update it.

Counting the phone calls your website, ads and Google Business Profile bring in, including calls to the number on your site.

For many local businesses calls are the main way customers get in touch, so without it most of your results go unseen.

The main address of a page that can be reached at more than one address, marked in its code so search engines know which to show.

Without it, copies of the same page (with tracking codes, or with and without www) can compete with each other in search.

A content delivery network: copies of your site's files kept on servers around the world, so each visitor gets them from one nearby.

It makes pages load faster for visitors far from your main server, and takes load off it.

The share of people who saw your site in search results (impressions) and clicked it.

It rises with a higher position and a clearer title and description. A low one on a well-ranked page is a sign the listing needs work.

A content management system: the editor you log in to so you can change your site's words and pictures without touching code.

WordPress is the best known. A good CMS lets you make everyday edits yourself, while the design and structure stay protected.

How much text stands out from the color behind it, measured as a ratio.

WCAG AA asks for at least 4.5:1 for regular text and 3:1 for large text. Light gray text on white is the most common failure, and it's hard for everyone to read outdoors.

When a visitor does what you want them to: calls, books, fills in a form or buys.

It's the number that matters more than visits. Conversion rate is the share of visitors who convert; a site with fewer visitors that converts well can beat a busy one that doesn't.

Google's three measures of how a page feels to use: how fast it loads (LCP), how quickly it responds (INP) and how steady it stays (CLS).

Google uses them as a ranking signal and measures them from real visits in Chrome. A page passes when each one meets its target for at least 75% of visits.

A program that visits web pages automatically to read them, for a search engine or an AI tool.

Googlebot is Google's. If a crawler can't reach a page (blocked by settings, a firewall or a login), that page can't show up in that search engine or AI tool.

How much the page jumps around while it loads: buttons moving just as you tap them, text pushed down by a late image or ad.

Google's target is a score of 0.1 or less. It's fixed by reserving space for images, ads and embeds before they load.

A digital signature added to the email you send, which receiving servers check against a key published in your DNS.

It proves a message really came from your domain and wasn't changed on the way. Your email provider gives you the record to add.

A DNS record that tells receiving mail servers what to do with email that fails SPF and DKIM checks: nothing, send it to spam, or reject it.

Without one, anyone can send email that looks like it's from your domain. Gmail and Yahoo require it of businesses that send email in bulk. It's set up in stages, from monitoring only to blocking fakes.

The Domain Name System: the internet's address book, which tells browsers and mail servers where your website and email live.

Your DNS records point your domain at your web host and your email provider. One wrong change can take either offline, so changes should be made with care.

Your website's address, like webtempo.co, which you register through a registrar and renew every year or few years.

It should be registered in your business's name, on an account you can log in to, with auto-renew on. A lapsed or lost domain takes your website and email down with it.

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust: the qualities Google looks for in content, with trust the most important.

Google says E-E-A-T itself isn't a specific ranking factor, but its systems use many signals that reflect it. Showing who's behind a business, real experience and accurate information all help.

The visible outline that shows which link, button or field is selected when someone moves through a page with the keyboard.

People who can't use a mouse rely on it to know where they are. Removing it for looks is a common, and easily fixed, accessibility failure.

Google's free tool for measuring visits to your website: how many people come, where from, and what they do there.

The current version is GA4. It's most useful when it's set up to count the things that matter, like calls, bookings and form fills.

Your free listing on Google Search and Maps: hours, phone, address, photos, reviews and posts.

It's often the first thing people see, before they ever reach your website. Google says complete, accurate details and more reviews and good ratings can help a business show up in local results.

Google's free tool that shows how your site does in Google Search: which searches it appears for, how often it's clicked, and any problems Google found.

It's the only place to see the searches people actually used to find you, and where Google reports pages it can't index.

The titles that organize a page into sections, from the main heading (H1) down to sub-sections (H2 to H6).

They show the structure of a page at a glance, and assistive technology can use them to jump between sections. Levels should follow in order rather than being picked for their size.

HyperText Markup Language: the code that gives a web page its structure, marking what's a heading, a paragraph, a link, an image or a button.

Browsers, search engines and screen readers all read it. Clean, well-chosen HTML is the base of a fast, accessible site that search engines understand.

Making image files smaller without visibly lowering their quality, often by saving them in modern formats like WebP or AVIF.

Large photos straight from a camera or phone are a common reason a page is slow. Modern formats like WebP and AVIF are often much smaller than JPEG or PNG at the same quality.

In Search Console, the number of times your site appeared in someone's search results, whether or not they clicked.

Lots of impressions with few clicks usually means you're showing up too low, or your title doesn't make people want to click.

How quickly a page responds when someone taps, clicks or types.

Google's target is 200 milliseconds or less. Heavy scripts are a common cause of a sluggish page. It replaced an older measure, First Input Delay, in 2024.

The programming language that makes web pages interactive: menus that open, forms that check what you type, maps and chat widgets.

It runs in the visitor's browser, so every script adds work for their phone. Too much of it is a common reason a page feels slow to respond.

A word or phrase people type into a search engine, such as "wedding venue Minnesota" or "emergency dentist".

Pages do best when they use the words your customers actually search with, naturally, rather than industry jargon. Repeating a keyword over and over doesn't help and can hurt.

How long it takes for the biggest thing on the screen (usually the main image or headline) to appear.

It's the closest measure of when a page looks loaded. Google's target is 2.5 seconds or less. Oversized images and slow servers are common causes when it's slow.

Google's automated test for a page's speed, accessibility, SEO basics and best practices, scored out of 100.

It runs a single simulated visit, so its scores can differ from what real visitors experience. It's a useful checklist, not the final word.

A proposed file that lists a site's key pages for AI tools, a bit like a sitemap written for them.

It's an idea, not a standard. Google says its AI features don't need it, so it's no substitute for pages that crawlers can reach and read.

The map and short list of three businesses Google shows at the top of many local searches.

Google picks who's shown mainly by relevance (how well the profile matches the search), distance and how well known the business is, which reviews and links help with.

SEO aimed at people nearby: showing up in Google Maps and in searches like "plumber near me" or "bakery in North Loop".

For most local businesses it matters more than ranking nationally. It leans on a complete Google Business Profile, steady reviews, consistent listings and pages for the areas you serve.

A short summary of a page in its code, which Google often shows under the title in results.

Google writes most snippets from the page itself, and uses the meta description when it describes the page better. A clear, unique one for each page gives it something good to use.

The DNS record that tells the world which service receives email for your domain, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.

If it's wrong or missing, email to your address bounces or disappears. Moving a website shouldn't touch it, but careless DNS changes sometimes do.

The servers that hold your domain's DNS records. Your registrar points to them.

They're often at your registrar, but can be elsewhere, such as Cloudflare or your web host. Knowing where they are tells you where DNS changes have to be made.

Your business name, address and phone number written the same way everywhere they appear online.

Google says businesses with complete and accurate details are more likely to show up in local results. Mismatched details (an old phone number, a former address) also confuse customers.

Tags in a page's code that set the title, description and image shown when the page is shared on social media or in messaging apps.

Without them, a shared link can show the wrong image or none at all. They're worth setting for your home page and any page you share often.

Google's free tool that tests a page's speed and shows its Core Web Vitals from real visitors.

It's the same data Google uses for search. Our free audit runs it for you and explains the results in plain language.

An add-on that gives a WordPress site (or other CMS) a new feature, such as a contact form, a booking calendar or SEO settings.

Each one adds code to your site, and most WordPress security flaws are found in plugins. Fewer, well-maintained ones, kept up to date, are safer.

The exact words someone typed into a search engine.

Search Console lists the queries your site showed up for, with how often it appeared and was clicked. It's the most direct view of how people look for what you offer.

An instruction that sends visitors and search engines from an old address to a new one.

Permanent redirects (301 or 308) tell Google a page has moved for good, so it shows the new address instead. When a site is rebuilt, redirecting old addresses keeps visitors and search results from landing on dead pages.

The company you register and renew your domain name with, such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace or Cloudflare.

Whoever controls the registrar account controls the domain. If a former designer or employee set it up in their name, get it moved to yours.

A website layout that adjusts to fit any screen, from a phone to a wide monitor.

Google uses the mobile version of your site to index and rank it, so a site that only works well on a computer is at a disadvantage in search as well as with visitors.

A small file at the root of your site with rules for crawlers: which parts they may visit.

Well-behaved crawlers follow it, but it isn't a lock: a page blocked here can still show up in search if other sites link to it. One wrong line can hide a whole site from Google.

Software that reads a screen aloud (or in braille) for people who are blind or have low vision, and lets them move around a page by keyboard or touch.

It can only read what's in the page's code. Images without alt text, buttons without labels and unlabeled form fields leave its users stuck.

What someone actually wants when they type a search: to learn, to compare, to find a place or to buy.

A page ranks and converts best when it matches that intent. "Emergency plumber" wants a phone number now, not a long article.

Search engine optimization: the work that helps your site show up when people search for what you offer.

It covers your site (pages Google can read, fast and well organized), your Google Business Profile and reviews, and other sites that mention or link to you. It's slow, steady work rather than a switch you flip.

A file that lists the pages on your site, so search engines can find them all.

It helps Google discover new and updated pages sooner. It doesn't make a page rank; it only makes sure it's found.

A DNS record that lists which services are allowed to send email for your domain.

It helps stop others sending email that pretends to be from you, and keeps your own email out of spam folders. A domain should have only one, and it should include every service that sends for you.

A certificate that lets your site load over a secure connection (https, with the padlock), so what visitors send can't be read along the way.

Browsers warn people away from sites without one, and an expired one does the same. Most hosts now issue and renew them for free, automatically. Its proper name today is a TLS certificate.

Labels in a page's code that tell search engines exactly what's on it: your business, its hours, a product's price, a list of questions.

It doesn't change how the page looks. It helps Google understand the page and can earn richer results, like star ratings for products or event dates.

A page's title in its code: the clickable headline Google usually shows for it in results, and the text on the browser tab.

It's one of the clearest signals of what a page is about, and it decides whether people click. Google asks for a unique, descriptive title on every page.

The share of time your website is up and reachable. Uptime monitoring checks it every few minutes and raises an alert when it isn't.

99.9% uptime still allows almost nine hours offline a year. Monitoring means problems get noticed by you, not by customers.

Tags added to the end of a link (like ?utm_source=newsletter) that tell your analytics where a visitor came from.

They let you see which email, ad or social post actually sent people to your site. They don't change the page the link opens.

The visible area of a web page on a screen: the part you can see without scrolling.

A phone's viewport is much narrower than a laptop's. A responsive site tells the browser to fit the page to the viewport, so text doesn't need zooming to read.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: the international standard for accessible websites, in three levels (A, AA and AAA).

Level AA is the usual target. Version 2.2 is the newest, and 2.1 AA is the level most US rules and settlements point to.

Building websites that people with disabilities can use: people who are blind or have low vision, can't use a mouse, are deaf or think differently.

It also makes a site easier for everyone: on a small screen, in bright sun, with a broken arm or on a slow connection.

The service that stores your website's files and serves them to visitors.

Cheap shared hosting is a common cause of slow, unreliable sites. Like your domain, the hosting account should be in your business's name.

The best known CMS: free, open-source software that runs millions of websites, extended with themes and plugins.

It's flexible and familiar, but it needs regular updates, and sites piled with plugins tend to get slow and vulnerable.

An instruction sent with a file (rather than written inside a page) that tells search engines whether to index it.

It's how files that can't hold page code, like PDFs and images, are kept out of search results. A mistaken one can hide files or whole sections without anyone noticing.

"Your Money or Your Life": Google's name for topics that can affect people's health, finances, safety or society.

For these topics Google gives extra weight to trustworthy content that agrees with expert consensus. Health, financial and safety businesses often fall here.

A search that ends on the results page, because the answer was already there: a Business Profile, a map or an AI summary.

Most Google searches now end this way. That makes what people see before they click (your profile, reviews and how you're described) as important as your website.