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SEO, AEO & GEO Glossary
Every term your dealership team needs to know — in plain English.
A
13 terms
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)AEO
Structuring web content so AI answer engines select it as a cited source.
AI CitationAEO
A reference to a webpage included by an AI engine as a source in its answer.
AI CrawlerAEO
An automated bot used by AI companies to read and index web content.
AI Overviews (Google)AEO
AI-generated summaries shown above traditional Google search results.
AI RecommendationAEO
A business, product, or service named by an AI assistant in response to a user.
AI SearchAEO
Search tools that use language models to generate direct answers instead of link lists.
Algorithm / Google AlgorithmSEO
Google’s system of rules and signals used to evaluate and rank webpages.
Algorithm UpdateSEO
A change to Google’s ranking system that can shift search visibility.
Alt TextSEO
A written image description that supports accessibility and image indexing.
Anchor TextSEO
The clickable words in a hyperlink that describe the linked page.
AttributionANALYTICS
Identifying which marketing channels receive credit for a lead or sale.
AutoDealer SchemaGEO
Schema markup that identifies a business as a car dealership.
Automotive SEOSEO
Search optimization built for vehicle, service, inventory, and dealership queries.
B
4 terms
BacklinkSEO
A hyperlink from one website to another that can signal authority.
BDC (Business Development Center)GENERAL
The dealership team responsible for lead follow-up and appointment setting.
Brand EntityGEO
A dealership’s recognizable identity as understood by search and AI systems.
Buyer JourneyGENERAL
The stages a shopper moves through from awareness to purchase.
C
15 terms
Canonical URLTECHNICAL
The preferred URL search engines should index when similar pages exist.
ChatGPTAEO
OpenAI’s AI assistant that answers questions and can recommend businesses.
Citation SignalAEO
A data point that increases the chance an AI model names a dealership.
City PageLOCAL
A localized dealership page targeting buyers in a specific city.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)ANALYTICS
The percentage of search impressions that result in a click.
ClicksANALYTICS
The number of search users who clicked through to a website.
CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)TECHNICAL
A Core Web Vitals metric measuring unexpected layout movement.
Content MarketingSEO
Creating useful model, service, and buyer content to attract shoppers.
Conversational SearchAEO
Searching with natural spoken-language questions instead of short keywords.
ConversionANALYTICS
A completed website action such as a lead form, call, or chat.
Conversion RateANALYTICS
The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action.
Core Web VitalsTECHNICAL
Google’s official LCP, CLS, and INP page-experience metrics.
Cost Per Lead (CPL)ANALYTICS
Marketing spend divided by the number of leads generated.
Crawling / Crawl BudgetTECHNICAL
How search bots discover pages and how many URLs they visit.
CTA (Call to Action)GENERAL
A button or prompt directing a visitor toward a specific next step.
Sources & References
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Google Search Central Documentation
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BrightEdge 2025 AI Search Report
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SparkToro / Datos Zero-Click Study
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Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study
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BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey
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NADA Annual Financial Profile
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Schema.org Specification
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Google Business Profile Help Center