Optimize My Web Site Dictionary

Off Topic - Completely unrelated to the query

Offensive - Generally refers to what Google would consider to be a spam page, and would either have no merits for ANY query, or may have merits for one query, but definitely NOT for this query (such as a porn site being returned for a g-rated query). (See the spam document in Henk's blog to get further information on what Google sees as spam).

The documents have loads of other good information in them, and you should definitely check them out. You very well might discover some reasons that your site isn't doing as well as you'd hoped. With this new lingo, we can more accurately discuss SERPs results and perhaps make changes that cause our sites to fall at least into the Useful category.

Ontology - In philosophy it is the study of being. As it relates to search, it is the attempt to create an exhaustive and rigorous conceptual schema about a domain. An ontology is typically a hierarchical data structure containing all the relevant entities and their relationships and rules within that domain.

See also: Wikipedia: Ontology

Open Directory Project, The - See DMOZ

Open Source - Software which is distributed with its source code such that developers can modify it as they see fit.

On the web open source is a great strategy for quickly building immense exposure and mindshare.

Opera - A fast standards based web browser. See also: Opera.com

Organic Search Results - Most major search engines have results that consist of paid ads and unpaid listings. The unpaid / algorithmic listings are called the organic search results. Organic search results are organized by relevancy, which is largely determined based on linkage data, page content, usage data, and historical domain and trust related data.

Most clicks on search results are on the organic search results. Some studies have shown that 60 to 80% + of clicks are on the organic search results.

Outbound Links - Links from your web page to another web page.

Some webmasters believe in link hoarding, but linking out to useful relevant related documents is an easy way to help search engines understand what your website is about. If you reference other resources it also helps you build credibility and leverage the work of others without having to do everything yourself. Some webmasters track where their traffic comes from, so if you link to related websites they may be more likely to link back to your site.

See also: Live Search: LinkFromDomain:SEOBook.com - shows pages that my site links at.

Overture - The company which pioneered search marketing by selling targeted searches on a pay per click basis. Originally named GoTo, they were eventually bought out by Yahoo! and branded as Yahoo! Search Marketing.

See also: Yahoo! Search Marketing

Overture Keyword Selector Tool - NOTE: this tool is no longer available. Popular keyword research tool, based largely on Yahoo! search statistics. Heavily skewed toward commercially oriented searches, also combines singular and plural versions of a keyword into a single version.

See also: Overture Keyword Selector Tool.