Plain English
Plain-English definitions of the marketing and technology terms we use, and why each one matters to your business.
Plain-English definitions of the marketing and technology terms we use with clients. No jargon for its own sake, just what each one means and why it matters to your business.
Improving your website so it ranks higher in Google's unpaid search results for the things your customers actually search for.
Structuring your content so AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI overviews quote you directly when people ask questions.
Your free business listing that decides whether you show up in local search and on Google Maps. The highest-return channel for most local businesses.
Paid ads, usually Google Ads, where you pay each time someone clicks. It buys fast visibility while your SEO builds over time.
Improving the share of visitors who actually enquire or buy, instead of only chasing more traffic. Often the cheapest growth you can get.
A link from another website to yours. Quality backlinks act like votes of confidence that tell Google your site is trustworthy.
The short summary shown under your page title in search results. It does not affect ranking, but it affects whether people click.
Showing ads to people who already visited your website, to bring back the ones who left without enquiring.
Organic traffic is earned through SEO and content; paid traffic is bought through ads. A healthy business uses both together.
An impression is your listing being seen; a click is someone acting on it. A big gap between them usually means your message needs work.
SEO focused on ranking for nearby searches like 'plumber Penrith', where your Google Business Profile, reviews and location pages do the heavy lifting.
Google's paid advertising platform, where your ads appear at the top of search results and across its network. The main way to buy search visibility.
A word or phrase people type into search. Choosing the right keywords is the difference between traffic that buys and traffic that bounces.
A focused page built to turn ad or campaign clicks into enquiries, with one clear message and one clear action.
The share of people who click after seeing your listing or ad. A low rate usually means the headline or offer is not landing.
How much revenue each dollar of advertising brings back. The clearest way to judge whether paid campaigns are worth it.
Software that keeps your leads, customers and every interaction with them in one place, so nothing slips through the cracks.
Outsourcing your technology to a team that proactively looks after it for a fixed monthly fee, rather than calling someone only when something breaks.
Senior technology strategy on demand, guiding your technology decisions without the cost of a full-time executive on the payroll.
A second check at login, like a code on your phone, so a stolen password on its own is not enough to get into your accounts.
Running your systems and storing your data on secure internet-based servers instead of a computer sitting in your office.
Any device that connects to your network, such as a laptop, phone or server. Each one is a door that needs to be secured.
A scam message designed to trick someone into handing over passwords or money by pretending to be a person or company they trust.
Three copies of your data, on two types of storage, with one kept off site. The simplest rule for data you can actually recover after a disaster.
An update that fixes a security hole or bug. Unpatched software is one of the most common ways businesses get breached.
A written promise of how fast your technology provider will respond to and resolve issues, so support is not left to goodwill.
Microsoft's subscription bundle of business email, the Office apps, Teams and cloud storage, billed per user per month.
Google's business bundle of Gmail, Docs, Drive and Meet, billed per user. The main alternative to Microsoft 365.
Malicious software that locks up your files and demands payment to release them. Good backups and staff training are the best defence.
A barrier that filters traffic coming in and out of your network, blocking known threats before they reach your devices.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre's eight baseline strategies that block most common attacks. A practical starting point for small business security.
An encrypted connection that lets staff reach company systems securely from home or on the road.
The tools a managed technology team uses to watch your devices, apply updates and fix issues remotely, often before you notice them.
Any period your systems are unavailable. For most businesses it has a direct dollar cost, which is why prevention beats reaction.
Tell us where your business is at, and we will tell you where we would start.