Short definitions of the website, local search, advertising and follow-up terms that come up when you run a small business online. Each one links to the page that explains it properly.
By Sammy Morgan, who runs M1 Studio in Chichester. Updated .
Also called AI chat assistant, website chatbot, live chat bot
An AI chatbot is a chat window on your website that answers visitors’ questions in plain language, using information about your business that you give it. For a small business it means people browsing in the evening can get an answer and leave their details instead of waiting until you open. A good one knows when to stop and hand the conversation to a person.
Do small businesses need an AI chatbot?
See also AI receptionist, CRM, Follow-up sequence
Also called AI phone answering, AI call answering, virtual receptionist
An AI receptionist is software that answers your phone with a computer voice, talks to the caller and takes a message or a booking. It can cover calls you would otherwise miss, but callers can tell it isn’t a person and some won’t like that. M1 doesn’t sell one: a missed-call text-back is the simpler option many small businesses try first.
See also Missed-call text-back, AI chatbot, Online booking system
Also called AEO, AIO, GEO, generative engine optimisation, AI search optimisation
Answer engine optimisation is making your business easy for AI assistants and AI search answers, such as ChatGPT or Google’s AI Overviews, to understand, trust and mention. It rests on the same basics as local SEO: clear pages that answer real questions, consistent business details and genuine reviews. Nobody controls what an AI tool says, so treat it as making yourself easy to quote, not as a ranking you can buy.
See also Local SEO, Schema markup, llms.txt, FAQ schema
Also called inbound link, link building
A backlink is a link to your website from someone else’s website. Google treats links from real, relevant sites as a sign your business is trustworthy, so a mention from a local paper, supplier or trade body is worth far more than hundreds of links bought in bulk. Paid link schemes break Google’s spam policies and can hurt you.
Also called CTA, call-to-action button
A call to action is the clear next step a page asks the visitor to take, such as “Call now”, “Get a quote” or “Book a slot”. Without one, people who like what they see often leave without doing anything. Put it near the top of the page, make it one obvious choice, and make sure the button works on a phone.
Why is my website not getting enquiries?
See also Landing page, Conversion rate, Lead magnet
Also called local citation, business listing, directory listing
A citation is any mention of your business name, address and phone number on another website, such as Yell, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, Facebook or a trade directory. Consistent citations help Google trust that your business is real and where you say it is. Old or conflicting listings, like a previous phone number, cause confusion and should be fixed.
See also NAP, Local SEO, Google Business Profile, Backlink
Also called website conversion rate, enquiry rate
A conversion rate is the share of visitors who do the thing you want, such as calling, filling in a form or booking. It tells you whether your website is turning attention into enquiries or just getting looked at. Improving it often means more work from the traffic you already have, before you spend anything on ads.
Why is my website not getting enquiries?
See also Conversion tracking, Call to action, Landing page
Also called Google Ads conversion tracking, goal tracking, GA4 key events
Conversion tracking is setting up your website and ad accounts to record when someone calls, sends a form or books, and where they came from. Without it you can’t tell which ads, pages or listings bring real enquiries, so you end up guessing where to spend. It should be in place before any money goes into Google Ads.
How much do Google Ads cost in the UK?
See also Google Ads, Conversion rate, Cost per click
Also called CWV, page speed, LCP, INP, CLS
Core Web Vitals are three measures Google uses for how a page feels to use: Largest Contentful Paint (how fast the main content loads), Interaction to Next Paint (how quickly the page responds to taps and clicks) and Cumulative Layout Shift (how much things jump around while loading). They are one of many signals Google looks at, and they matter most on phones, where slow or jumpy pages lose visitors. You can check yours in Google Search Console or PageSpeed Insights.
How much does website maintenance cost in the UK?
See also Google Search Console, Web hosting, Website maintenance
Also called CPC, pay per click, PPC
Cost per click is what you pay each time someone clicks your ad, set by an auction between advertisers bidding on the same searches. Competitive local searches, like emergency call-outs, cost more per click, so a click only pays back if your landing page and phone handling turn it into a job. Ad spend is paid directly by you to Google, separate from any set-up fee.
How much do Google Ads cost in the UK?
See also Google Ads, Conversion tracking, Landing page
Also called customer relationship management, CRM system, lead tracker
A CRM, short for customer relationship management system, is one place that keeps every enquiry, customer, quote and conversation, with reminders of who to chase next. For a small business it replaces the notebook, the inbox and memory, so leads stop slipping through when you’re busy on a job. It is what makes follow-up and review requests happen on time.
See also Follow-up sequence, Missed-call text-back, Review request
Also called domain, web address, URL
A domain name is your website’s address, such as yourbusiness.co.uk, which you rent each year from a registrar. Owning it in your own name matters, because whoever controls the domain controls your website and business email. Ask any web designer to register it to you, not to them.
See also Web hosting, HTTPS, Website builder
Also called FAQPage schema, FAQ structured data
FAQ schema is code added to a page that labels its questions and answers so search engines and other software can read them as a list of questions and answers. Since 2023 Google only shows FAQ rich results for a small number of well-known government and health sites, so most businesses won’t see extra space in search from it. Clear questions and answers on the page are still worth writing, because they help customers and give AI tools something plain to quote.
See also Schema markup, Answer engine optimisation, Title tag
Also called follow-up messages, automated follow-up, drip sequence, quote follow-up
A follow-up sequence is a short, planned series of messages sent after an enquiry or quote, such as a text the next day and a check-in a few days later. Many quotes go quiet because the customer got busy, not because they said no, and a polite nudge brings some back. Automating it means it happens even in your busiest weeks.
See also CRM, Missed-call text-back, PECR
Also called Google AdWords, paid search, search ads, PPC
Google Ads is Google’s advertising system, where you pay to appear at the top of search results for the searches you choose. It can bring enquiries quickly, but you pay for every click, so it works best once your website and phone handling can turn those clicks into jobs. Ad spend goes directly from you to Google.
How much do Google Ads cost in the UK?
See also Cost per click, Local Services Ads, Conversion tracking, Landing page
Also called Google My Business, GMB, GBP, Google listing, Google Maps listing
A Google Business Profile is the listing Google shows for your business in Maps and in local search results, with your hours, phone number, photos and reviews. It was called Google My Business until 2021. For a local business it is often the first thing a customer sees, so a complete, verified and active profile is one of the most useful things you can set up.
Why is my business not showing on Google?
See also Map pack, Primary category, Review request, Local SEO
Also called Search Console, GSC, Google Webmaster Tools
Google Search Console is Google’s own tool that shows whether your website’s pages are indexed, which searches you appear for and how many people click through. It is the first place to look if your site isn’t showing on Google, because it reports pages Google can’t find or won’t index. Every business website should have it set up and linked to its sitemap.
Why is my business not showing on Google?
See also Sitemap, Core Web Vitals, IndexNow
Also called SSL certificate, TLS, secure website, padlock
HTTPS is the secure version of the web address protocol, which encrypts information passing between your website and a visitor’s browser. Browsers label pages without it as “Not secure”, which puts people off sending a form, and Google uses it as a light ranking signal. Any decent host provides the certificate at no extra charge, so there is no reason to go without it.
How much does website maintenance cost in the UK?
See also Web hosting, Domain name, Website maintenance
Also called Index Now
IndexNow is an open protocol that lets a website tell search engines straight away when a page is added, changed or deleted. It is supported by Bing, Yandex and several others, but not by Google, which finds changes through crawling and your sitemap. It is a small, sensible extra for being found on Bing and the tools that use Bing’s index.
Why is my business not showing on Google?
See also Sitemap, Google Search Console, Website maintenance
Also called search term, search query, keyphrase
A keyword is the word or phrase people type into a search engine, such as “plumber Chichester” or “emergency electrician near me”. Knowing the words your customers actually use tells you what to call your services and what each page should be about. Write for the customer first: stuffing a phrase in over and over looks spammy and doesn’t help.
See also Title tag, Local SEO, Google Ads
Also called enquiry page, squeeze page, sales page
A landing page is a single web page built for one purpose, usually to turn visitors from an ad, a post or a flier into enquiries. It keeps to one service, one message and one call to action, without the distractions of a full website menu. It is where paid traffic should go, rather than your home page.
See also Call to action, Conversion rate, Google Ads
Also called opt-in offer, quiz funnel, lead generator
A lead magnet is something useful you offer in return for a visitor’s contact details, such as a checklist, a price guide or a short quiz that recommends the right service. It gives people who aren’t ready to call yet a reason to get in touch. Anything you send them afterwards that is marketing needs their consent under PECR.
See also Landing page, Follow-up sequence, PECR
Also called llms txt, LLMs.txt file
llms.txt is a proposed standard for a plain text file at the root of a website that gives AI tools a short, readable summary of the site and links to its key pages. It is still a proposal, and not every AI tool reads it, so it is a small extra rather than a way to get mentioned. Clear pages and accurate business details matter far more.
See also Answer engine optimisation, Schema markup, Sitemap
Also called local search optimisation, local search engine optimisation, local search
Local SEO is the work of helping your business show up when people nearby search for what you do, in Google Maps, the map pack and ordinary results. It covers your Google Business Profile, reviews, consistent listings and a website that clearly says what you do and where. For a trade or local service it is often where the best enquiries come from, because the searcher already wants to buy.
See also Google Business Profile, Map pack, Citation, NAP
Also called LSA, Google Local Services, Google Screened
Local Services Ads are Google ads for service businesses that appear at the very top of some local searches, with a badge showing Google has run checks on the business. You pay per lead, such as a call or message, rather than per click. They are only available for certain trades and areas in the UK, so check whether your category is covered.
How much do Google Ads cost in the UK?
See also Google Ads, Cost per click, Google Business Profile
Also called local pack, 3-pack, local 3-pack, Google Maps results
The map pack is the box of three business listings with a map that Google shows near the top of results for local searches like “roofer near me”. It sits above the ordinary website results, so appearing in it puts you in front of people ready to call. Google picks who appears based on relevance, distance and prominence, and nobody can promise you a place in it.
Why is my business not showing on Google?
See also Google Business Profile, Local SEO, Primary category
Also called search snippet, page description
A meta description is a short summary of a page, written in its code, that search engines may show under your link in the results. It doesn’t change your ranking directly, but a clear one can persuade more people to click. Google sometimes writes its own from the page instead, so the page itself still needs to say what you do.
Why is my website not getting enquiries?
See also Title tag, Keyword, Schema markup
Also called missed call text back, missed call auto-reply, text back
Missed-call text-back is a system that automatically sends a text to anyone whose call you miss, saying who you are and what happens next. Callers who reach voicemail often ring the next business on the list, and a quick text keeps the conversation with you while you’re on a job. Keep the message useful and leave out offers so it stays a service message.
What is missed-call text-back?
See also CRM, Follow-up sequence, PECR, AI receptionist
Also called name, address and phone number, NAP consistency, NAP data
NAP stands for name, address and phone number, the core details that identify your business online. Keeping them exactly the same on your website, Google Business Profile and every directory helps Google trust your business and stops customers ringing an old number. A change of address or phone number is the moment to update them everywhere.
See also Citation, Google Business Profile, Local SEO
Also called booking deposit, appointment deposit, cancellation fee
A no-show deposit is a part payment taken when someone books, which you keep if they don’t turn up or cancel too late under your stated policy. It makes people take the booking seriously and covers some of the cost of an empty slot. The policy must be clear and fair, and shown to customers before they pay.
How to reduce no-shows with deposits
See also Online booking system, Follow-up sequence, CRM
Also called booking software, appointment booking, online scheduling
An online booking system lets customers pick a time and book with you on your website, day or night, without phoning. It saves the back and forth over messages, can send reminders, and can take a deposit at the time of booking. Most booking tools charge a monthly fee, which is paid directly by you.
How much does an online booking system cost?
See also No-show deposit, CRM, AI chatbot
Also called Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, e-privacy rules, marketing consent rules
PECR is the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, the UK rules on marketing calls, texts and emails, and on cookies, enforced by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). In general you need someone’s consent to send them marketing texts or emails, with a narrow “soft opt-in” for existing customers that must include an easy way to opt out. The ICO’s guidance is the place to check, and M1 doesn’t give legal advice.
What is missed-call text-back?
See also Missed-call text-back, Follow-up sequence, Lead magnet
Also called Google Business Profile category, main category, business category
The primary category is the one main category you choose on your Google Business Profile to say what your business is, such as “Plumber” or “Hair salon”. Google uses it to help decide which searches your profile is relevant to. Pick the most specific one that fits, then add extra categories for other services you really offer.
See also Google Business Profile, Map pack, Local SEO
Also called selective review requests, review filtering
Review gating is asking customers whether they were happy first and only sending the ones who say yes to leave a Google review. It is against Google’s policies, which ban discouraging negative reviews or asking only selected customers, and reviews can be removed if Google finds it. Ask every customer the same way instead.
How do I get more Google reviews?
See also Review request, Google Business Profile, CRM
Also called asking for reviews, review invite, Google review link
A review request is a message sent to a customer after a job, with a direct link asking them to leave a review on your Google Business Profile. Recent, genuine reviews help customers choose you and help your profile show up locally. Send it to every customer soon after the work is done, and never offer anything in return for a review.
How do I get more Google reviews?
See also Review gating, Google Business Profile, Follow-up sequence
Also called structured data, schema.org, LocalBusiness schema, JSON-LD
Schema markup is code added to your website that labels key facts, like your business name, address, opening hours and services, in a format search engines and other software can read reliably. On its own it won’t move you up the results, but it helps Google and AI tools understand exactly who you are and where. It should match what the page and your Google Business Profile say.
See also FAQ schema, NAP, Answer engine optimisation
Also called SAB, service area, mobile business
A service-area business is one that visits customers rather than having customers visit it, such as a plumber, cleaner or mobile dog groomer. On Google Business Profile you can hide your home address and list the towns or areas you cover instead. Google’s rules say you should only show an address if customers are served there in person.
Why is my business not showing on Google?
See also Google Business Profile, NAP, Map pack
Also called XML sitemap, sitemap.xml
A sitemap is a file on your website that lists the pages you want search engines to find, usually at an address ending in sitemap.xml. It helps Google discover new or updated pages faster, especially on a new site with few links pointing to it. Submit it in Google Search Console and keep it up to date as pages change.
Why is my business not showing on Google?
See also Google Search Console, IndexNow, Website maintenance
Also called page title, SEO title, meta title
A title tag is the page title written in a web page’s code, which search engines usually show as the clickable headline in results. It is one of the clearest signals of what a page is about, so a title like “Emergency Plumber in Chichester” beats “Home”. Keep it short enough to show in full and make each page’s title different.
Why is my business not showing on Google?
See also Meta description, Keyword, Schema markup
Also called hosting, website hosting, server
Web hosting is the service that stores your website’s files on a server and delivers them to anyone who visits. Good hosting keeps your site fast, secure and online, while cheap or overloaded hosting can make pages slow. Check who owns the hosting account and whether you can move your site elsewhere if you need to.
How much does a website cost in the UK?
See also Domain name, HTTPS, Website maintenance, Core Web Vitals
Also called Wix, Squarespace, DIY website, drag-and-drop website
A website builder is an online tool, such as Wix, Squarespace or GoDaddy, that lets you make a website yourself from templates for a monthly fee. It can be a sensible start for a new business on a tight budget. The trade-off is your time, and a site that is harder to move if you outgrow the platform.
Web designer vs Wix or Squarespace
See also Web hosting, Domain name, Website maintenance
Also called website care, website support, website updates
Website maintenance is the ongoing work that keeps a website secure, working and up to date: software updates, backups, security checks, fixing broken forms and changing content. Without it, sites slowly break, slow down or get hacked, often without the owner noticing until enquiries stop. Ask exactly what a monthly maintenance fee includes before you sign.
How much does website maintenance cost in the UK?
See also Web hosting, HTTPS, Core Web Vitals
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