Glossary

The AI & Automation Glossary

Clear definitions for the AI, automation and AI-search terms small business owners keep hearing about.

A

AI Agent: An AI agent is software that uses an AI model to pursue a goal by planning steps, using tools or other software, and acting with limited human input.
AI Chatbot: An AI chatbot is software that uses AI to hold text conversations with people, answering questions and completing simple tasks on a website, app, or messaging channel.
AI Integration: AI integration is the process of connecting AI capabilities to the software and workflows a business already uses so AI does useful work inside those systems.
AI Overviews: AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries that Google Search shows above or among results for some queries, with links to the web sources used.
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): Answer engine optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring content so search engines, voice assistants, and AI tools can extract it as a direct answer to a question.
API Integration: An API integration connects two software systems through their application programming interfaces (APIs) so they can exchange data and trigger actions automatically.

Back-Office Automation: Back-office automation uses software and AI to handle administrative tasks such as invoicing, data entry, scheduling, and reporting that keep a business running behind the scenes.

Conversational AI: Conversational AI is technology that lets computers understand and respond to human language in natural back-and-forth dialogue through text or voice.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management): A CRM (customer relationship management) system is software that stores contacts, leads, and customer interactions in one place to manage sales, follow-up, and service.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Customer lifetime value (CLV) is an estimate of the total revenue or profit a business can expect from one customer over the entire relationship.

Document Processing: Document processing uses AI to read documents such as invoices, receipts, forms, and contracts, extract the key information, and send it to the right system.

E-E-A-T: E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, the concepts Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines use to evaluate content quality.
Entity SEO: Entity SEO is optimizing how search engines and AI systems identify a business, person, or thing as a distinct entity and connect it to accurate facts.

Field Service Management (FSM): Field service management (FSM) software helps businesses that send technicians or crews to job sites schedule, dispatch, track, quote, and invoice their work.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): Generative engine optimization (GEO) is the practice of improving how generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews understand, summarize, and cite your content.

Knowledge Base: A knowledge base is an organized collection of approved information, such as FAQs, procedures, and policies, that people or AI tools use to find accurate answers.

Large Language Model (LLM): A large language model (LLM) is an AI model trained on very large amounts of text to understand and generate human language.
Lead Nurturing: Lead nurturing is the process of staying in helpful, relevant contact with potential customers who are not ready to buy yet until they are ready to book.
llms.txt: llms.txt is a proposed convention for a Markdown file at a website's root that gives AI tools a concise guide to the site's most important content.
Local SEO: Local SEO is the practice of improving a business's visibility in location-based searches, such as map results and "near me" queries.

Missed-Call Text-Back: Missed-call text-back is an automation that sends an immediate text message to anyone whose call to a business goes unanswered.

Quality Score (Google Ads): Quality Score is a 1 to 10 keyword-level diagnostic in Google Ads that estimates how relevant and useful your ads and landing pages are compared with other advertisers.

RPA (Robotic Process Automation): Robotic process automation (RPA) is software that mimics the clicks and keystrokes a person makes in applications to complete repetitive, rule-based tasks.

Schema Markup: Schema markup is structured data, usually written in JSON-LD using the Schema.org vocabulary, that describes a page's content in a machine-readable way.
SOP (Standard Operating Procedure): A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a written, step-by-step description of how a recurring task should be done so it is completed consistently every time.
Speed to Lead: Speed to lead is the amount of time between a new inquiry arriving and the business making its first meaningful response.

Workflow Automation: Workflow automation is the use of software to carry out a sequence of business tasks automatically based on triggers and rules, reducing manual work.

Zero-Click Search: A zero-click search is a search where the user gets the information they need on the results page itself and does not click through to any website.

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