Citations, links and more - SEO FAQs

We realize that sometimes we sound like we’re speaking another language when we talk about search engine optimization (SEO). So, we thought we’d use this post to give you a working vocabulary...

What is the Local Search Ecosystem?

Your practice name, address, phone number and website appear on various websites across the internet – whether you put them there or not. Many sites scrape content from websites like Infogroup or Yext in the United States. That means that if your information is wrong on one of those bigger sites, it might be wrong on every site that takes information from them.

Moz.com has created a map to help SEO managers understand the relationship between the sites so that we can target the most important sites first — and make sure your information is correct across the internet. Visit Moz.com to find out more.

What is NAP?

A NAP is your name, address, and phone number. It’s essential that your NAP be consistent across the internet so your patients can find you. Not only that, Google may be confused by different listings and drop your business down on the search engine results pages if your NAP is not consistent.

What is the difference between links and citations?

A link is a mention of your website either on your website (internal links) or anywhere online (external links). However, citations are mentions of your NAP throughout the web. Citations can include a link to your website, so it’s easy to get them confused.

What is an algorithm update?

Google’s search algorithm is made up of over 200 factors that influence where a website ranks in the search engine results page for a particular keyword. In order to remain competitive and offer the most relevant search results, Google constantly updates their algorithm to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Some of the latest updates have included prioritizing mobile-compatible websites, and demoting sites with spammy backlinks. Staying up-to-date with Google is a full time job but as long as you follow best practices you will be just fine.

Do you have any other questions about SEO basics you’d like answered? Add your question to the comments section.