How to write a one-sentence definition of your main term
A one-sentence definition in the form "X is a ..." near the top of the page is exactly what assistants quote for "what is" questions. Define the main term in plain words, put it in the first screen, and then expand.
By ratemysite.ai editorial team. Updated .
How do you fix it?
- Pick the main term the page is about and the question "What is X?" a visitor would ask.
- Write one sentence in the form "X is a [category] that [does what]".
- Place it in the first or second paragraph, before any history or opinion.
- Add a second sentence for the key benefit or limit, and define other key terms once when they first appear.
- Re-run the audit and confirm the Definitions check passes.
Why do assistants quote definitions?
A definition is a sentence that states what a thing is by naming its category and what sets it apart. Questions that begin with "what is" make up one of the most common query types for answer engines, and the easiest passage to reuse is a self-contained sentence like "A canonical tag is a link element that names the preferred URL of a page." If your page has that sentence, you give the engine a ready quote with your name attached.
How do I write a good definition?
Use the pattern term, category, difference. "A sitemap is a file that lists the URLs of a site for crawlers" names the category (file) and the purpose. Keep it to 15 to 30 words, avoid jargon that needs its own definition, and do not hide it after a long introduction. Put it in the first 150 words so it appears on the first screen. If your topic has 3 or 4 key terms, define each in its own sentence where it first appears.
How much does this check matter?
- This check is worth about 1.5% of the overall score.
- A finished report is reused for 24 hours before you can re-analyze it.
- Each page is fetched with a timeout of 10 seconds, and HTML larger than 2 MB is not audited.
What else do people ask?
- Does the sentence need to be exact?
- It should be accurate and short. Avoid hype and avoid defining the term with itself.
- Can I use the definition for several terms?
- Yes, one per major term. A glossary page with one clear definition per term is also useful to assistants.