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Looking for how to define AdWords, AdSense, Analytics? Learn the definition of these words and other search marketing terms that start with the letter A.

AdSense : program that allows web site owners to display Google ads that are relevant to the site’s content and to earn money when site visitors click on the ads.

AdWords : system used by Google to drive its CPC [ cost per click ] text advertising program. See PPC advertising.

Algorithm : a complex mathematical formula that search engines use to rank the web pages that it finds by crawling the web.

Alt Tags : text that appears when a site visitor hovers a mouse over a web page graphic; this text should describe the graphic using relevant keywords, whenever possible. Sites should use these tags to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Analytics, Web : the science of analyzing the behavior of web site visitors in the context of the business goals of the site owners; special attention may be paid to pages that seem to lead site visitors to make a purchase.

Anchor Text : text portion of a hyperlink, often underlined, that can be used by search engines to determine site content and relevancy for that content and the page it links to.