Website & SEO terms, in plain English
No jargon, no gatekeeping. Every term explained simply, with an everyday analogy — so you actually understand what's happening with your website.
The Basics
Domain Name
Your website's address that people type to find you (like yourbakery.com).
In plain terms: Think of it as your shop's street address — but on the internet.
You buy (technically, rent) a domain name once a year from a registrar. Pick something short, memorable, and close to your business name. You don't need to be technical — registrars walk you through it in minutes.
Read full definition & related terms →Getting Online
Web Hosting
The service that stores your website's files so visitors can see them.
In plain terms: It's like renting the physical space your shop sits in — but for your website.
Your website lives on a computer (a 'server') that's always on. A hosting company rents you space on that server. Modern platforms like Vercel, Shopify, or Squarespace include hosting, so you may never have to think about it.
Read full definition & related terms →DNS (Domain Name System)
The internet's phone book — it connects your domain name to where your site lives.
In plain terms: Like a contacts app that turns a person's name into their phone number automatically.
When someone types your domain, DNS quietly looks up which server holds your website and sends them there. You usually set it once when your site launches and rarely touch it again.
Read full definition & related terms →Name Servers
The specific 'directories' that manage your domain's DNS settings.
In plain terms: Think of them as choosing which phone book company is in charge of your listing.
When you connect a domain to a website builder, you'll often be asked to 'point your name servers' to them. It sounds scary, but it's usually copy-and-paste — and your provider gives step-by-step instructions.
Read full definition & related terms →SSL / HTTPS
The security that puts a padlock in the browser and protects your visitors.
In plain terms: Like a sealed, tamper-proof envelope for information sent to and from your site.
HTTPS (the padlock icon) encrypts data so it can't be snooped on. It also builds trust and helps SEO. Most modern hosts add it for free automatically — you just want to make sure it's on.
Read full definition & related terms →Getting Found
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Everything you do to help your website show up in Google search results.
In plain terms: Like arranging your shop window and signage so passersby notice and walk in.
SEO covers your content, the words you use, your site's speed and structure, and the trust other sites give you. GrowMyWebsite finds what to fix and explains each step in plain language.
Read full definition & related terms →Keywords
The words and phrases people type into Google when looking for what you offer.
In plain terms: The exact questions your future customers are already asking out loud.
If you run a bakery, keywords might be 'birthday cakes near me' or 'gluten-free cupcakes'. We help you find the ones worth targeting and create pages that answer them.
Read full definition & related terms →Backlinks
Links from other websites pointing to yours.
In plain terms: Like other respected businesses vouching for you and sending people your way.
Search engines treat quality backlinks as votes of confidence. Pages that rank #1 tend to have far more of them. We help you track yours and find opportunities to earn more.
Read full definition & related terms →Meta Title & Description
The clickable headline and summary that appear for your page in Google.
In plain terms: Your shop's sign and the one-line pitch that makes someone decide to come in.
Getting these right increases how many people click your result. Our free Meta Tag Generator writes and previews them for you.
Read full definition & related terms →Title Tag
The clickable headline that shows for your page in Google and at the top of the browser tab.
In plain terms: Like the big sign above your shop door — the first thing people read.
Keep it under about 60 characters, put your most important words first, and give every page its own unique title. It's one of the simplest things to get right for SEO.
Read full definition & related terms →Meta Description
The short summary Google can show under your page's title in search results.
In plain terms: Like the one-line pitch under your shop's sign that tells passersby what's inside.
Written well, it nudges more people to click your result. Aim for around 160 characters and make it read like a friendly invitation rather than a list of keywords.
Read full definition & related terms →Sitemap
A file that lists all your pages so search engines can find them easily.
In plain terms: Like handing Google a map of your store so it doesn't miss any aisle.
A sitemap helps search engines discover and index your content faster — especially for new sites. Our free Sitemap Generator creates one in seconds.
Read full definition & related terms →NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
Your business's name, address, and phone number, written exactly the same everywhere online.
In plain terms: Like making sure your business card says exactly the same thing everywhere you hand it out.
Google cross-checks your details across directories, maps, and social profiles. When they match exactly, it trusts you're a real business and ranks you higher in local results. Even small differences ('St.' vs 'Street') can dilute that trust — so pick one format and use it everywhere.
Read full definition & related terms →Schema (Structured Data)
A small block of code that tells search engines and AI exactly what your page is about.
In plain terms: Like labeling moving boxes so anyone can tell what's inside without opening them.
Schema markup (usually in a format called JSON-LD) can unlock rich results in Google — stars, FAQs, prices — and helps AI assistants understand and cite your business. Our free Schema Generator writes it for you; no coding needed, just copy and paste.
Read full definition & related terms →robots.txt
A small text file on your site that tells search engines which pages they may visit.
In plain terms: Like a sign on your shop door saying which areas are open to customers and which are staff-only.
Crawlers check yourdomain.com/robots.txt before reading your site. Most sites simply allow everything and point to their sitemap — our free robots.txt Generator builds a safe one in seconds. It also controls whether AI assistants can read (and recommend) your content.
Read full definition & related terms →Canonical URL
The one 'official' web address you tell Google to use when a page can be reached in more than one way.
In plain terms: Like listing one official street address even though your shop has two entrances.
The same page often loads at slightly different addresses — with 'www' and without, or with tracking tags added. A canonical tag points search engines to the single version you want ranked, so your page doesn't compete with itself.
Read full definition & related terms →Alt Text
A short written description of an image that search engines and screen readers rely on.
In plain terms: Like describing a photo over the phone to someone who can't see it.
Google can't 'see' pictures — it reads the alt text. Good alt text helps you show up in image search and makes your site usable for visitors with screen readers (which accessibility laws increasingly require). Our free Image Alt Checker finds images missing it.
Read full definition & related terms →Core Web Vitals
Google's measure of how fast and smooth your website feels to visitors.
In plain terms: Like how quickly a customer is greeted and how easy it is to move around your shop.
Slow, janky pages frustrate visitors and hurt rankings. We measure these for you and show exactly what to improve.
Read full definition & related terms →AI & Growth
AI Visibility (GEO)
How often AI assistants like ChatGPT mention or recommend your business.
In plain terms: Like being the name a knowledgeable friend gives when someone asks for a recommendation.
In 2026, many people ask AI instead of searching Google. Getting cited by AI is a brand-new way to be discovered — and GrowMyWebsite tracks and grows it for you.
Read full definition & related terms →Conversion
When a visitor takes the action you want — buys, books, calls, or signs up.
In plain terms: The moment a browser becomes a paying customer.
Traffic only matters if it converts. We give recommendations to turn more of your visitors into real leads and sales.
Read full definition & related terms →Analytics
The data that shows how many people visit your site and what they do.
In plain terms: Like a footfall counter and heatmap for your shop — but for your website.
Understanding your numbers tells you what's working. We surface the metrics that matter without drowning you in charts.
Read full definition & related terms →Stop guessing. Start growing.
Run a free AI audit of your website and get plain-English fixes — no jargon required.