Web Glossary
A
ActiveX: A programming interface (API) that allows web browsers to download and execute Windows programs.Affiliate Program: An affiliate program is an Internet marketing practice that connects businesses selling products online with websites related to those products. The websites are run by third parties who sell products and services for the internet company and in return receive a small commission.
Analytics: The field of data analysis. Analytics often involves studying past historical data to research potential trends, to analyze the effects of certain decisions or events, or to evaluate the performance of a given tool or scenario. The goal of analytics is to improve the business by gaining knowledge which can be used to make improvements or changes.
Authentication: In web terms: the method used to verify the identity of a user, program or computer on the web.
AVI: Audio Video Interleave, File format for video files. Video compression technology developed by Microsoft.
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B
Bandwidth: Bandwidth is the amount of data that is requested from your website over time. If your website gets enough requests to go over that cap, you might be charged extra fees, or the requests might be denied.Blog: Blog is short for Weblog and is a Web page that has short, frequent updates made to it. Similar to a Web journal or "what's new" page, other terms include “Web Log”.
Breadcrumb: In Web design a breadcrumb or breadcrumb trail is the part of the navigation that shows you where you are, similar to the fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel". Breadcrumb trails are often found near the top of Web pages and define both the current location within the site hierarchy as well as primary pages above the current page.
Browser: Computer program to view and interact with Internet Web pages.
Business Identity: Combination of color schemes, designs, words, etc., that a firm employs to make a visual statement about itself and to communicate its business philosophy. It is an enduring symbol of how a firm views itself, how it wishes to be viewed by others, and how others recognize and remember it.
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C
Cascade Style Sheet (CSS): A language for the Web to define the style (look and feel) of a Web page. Cascading Style Sheets can define: fonts, colors, layouts, and more.Case Sensitive: A term used to describe if it is of importance to use upper or lower case letters.
CGI: A set of rules that describes how a CGI program communicates with a web server.
CGI Bin:The folder (or directory) on a web server that stores CGI programs.
CMS: Content Management System. A tool for managing content, usually on a Web site, that separates the design, interactivity, and content from one another to make it easier for content authors to provide content.
CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. Printing industry term for colors used in four-color process printing. Employed in almost all multicolor printing jobs (offset, inkjet, laser, etc.), these are subtractive colors they absorb certain wavelengths (from the white light reflected off the page) to create illusion of a color.
Compression: A method of reducing the size (compress) of web documents or graphics for faster delivery via the web.
Container Element: A Web page is a series of containers, the most inclusive one being the element that contains the entire Web page. A container element is defined as an element that contains other HTML elements (including text).
Content: Content is the substance of Web pages. It is the text and graphics that make up the details of the page. Content is not the layout or the design of the pages. Nor is it the interactivity of the pages.
Cookie: A message given to a Web browser by a Web server. The browser stores the message in a text file. The message is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. Web cookies are not dangerous; they can't collect any information about you that you do not first provide to the website you've visited.
CRM: Short for customer relationship management. CRM entails all aspects of interaction a company has with its customer, whether it be sales or service related.
CSS Framework: A CSS framework is a library of CSS files that are used to make development of standards-based XHTML and CSS Web pages quick and painless. A CSS framework typically provides CSS styles for Typography, Layout, & Browser resets
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D
Database: Data stored in a computer in such a way that a computer program can easily retrieve and manipulate the data.Dedicated Server: A dedicated server is a Web server that is leased or owned outright. Dedicated servers provide you exclusive use of the Web server resources for your business.
Digital Printing: Digital printing refers to methods of printing from a digital based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large format and/or high volume laser or inkjet printers. Digital printing has a higher cost per page than more traditional offset printing methods but this price is usually offset by the cost saving in avoiding all the technical steps in between needed to make printing plates.
DNS: DNS stands for Domain Name Service; it is the TCP/IP stack that converts IP addresses into domain names. If you purchase a domain name, DNS servers are given the IP address of your Web server and the corresponding domain name. Then, when someone comes to your domain, the DNS server translates that to an IP so it knows where to send the request.
Domain: On the Internet or Web a domain is the name by which a computer is identified. It is mapped to a number called an IP address. Domains can be purchased in any combination of letters, numbers, and hyphens (-) and up to between 26 and 63 characters long (not including the TLD: .com, .net, .org, etc.).
DPI: Dots per inch - the resolution of a computer monitor
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E
eCommerce: Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or eCommerce, or e-business consists of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks.Encryption: To convert data from its original form to a form that can only be read by someone that can reverse the encryption. The purpose of encryption is to prevent unauthorized reading of the data.
Entry Page: In Web analytics an entry page is a Web page where readers arrive at your site from some other domain. These are the pages where people are linking to or search engines have ranked highly on your site. When you know which pages are popular entry pages for your site, you can maximize their value by adding links and other information to those pages.
Exit Page: In Web analytics an exit page is a Web page that readers leave your Web site from. Generally it is interpreted in Web analytics as a page where readers didn't find what they were looking for and so went elsewhere. It is important to evaluate exit pages to determine how you can improve your site and make it more valuable to your readers.
External Link: An external link is a hyperlink that points to another website on the internet, typically on another domain from the current website.
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F
Favicon: A favicon or Favorites Icon is a small graphic that is associated with a page or Web site. The favicon allows the Web developer to customize the site in the Web browser, both in the tab bar that is displayed in many browsers as well as in the bookmarks when a site is saved. It was named the favicon because it was first developed in Internet Explorer, which calls bookmarked sites "favorites" and this icon was displayed in the favorites menu. Most site favicons are designed as a small rendition of their logo or other branding mechanism.Firewall: Software that acts as a security filter that can restrict types of network communication. Most often used between an individual computer and the Internet.
Focal Point: The point of the Web page where the eye is drawn to. A focal point is the most important part of the page or the part of the page that is the most dominant. Good design uses a focal point to create a page that has a purpose. The focal point of the Web page should be the element that is most important on the page. It gives the eye a place to rest and allows the viewer to determine the point of a page very quickly.
Font: A collection of glyphs of a typeface, defining the size, family, weight, and style of the text.
Font Style: Stylistic variations of a font, such as italics, underline, bold, and so on. In CSS, it refers solely to the italic state of the font. GIF: A graphic format suited for flat color images and drawings. Created by CompuServe and often used for animated images on the Web, an acronym that stands for Graphics Interchange Format.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol, one of the most common methods for sending files between two computers.
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H
Hosting: Providing 'website housing' service to other firms or persons. The hosting service provider rents disk or storage space on its server(s), and usually complements it with backup and maintenance services and full software suites that handle traffic and transaction management functions.HTML: Hypertext Markup Language. The language used to write Web pages.
HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The set of rules used to exchange information on the Web. When seen as part of a URL, it tells the user- agent what protocol to use to gather the data for display/use.
HTTPS: stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol over SSL (Secure Socket Layer). It is a TCP/IP protocol used by Web servers to transfer and display Web content securely. The data transferred is encrypted so that it cannot be read by anyone except the recipient. HTTPS is used by any Web site that is collecting sensitive customer data such as banking information or purchasing information.
Hyperlink: An image or portion of text that is highlighted in some way (usually underlined on the web) and connects the current document to another. Hyperlinks are what make plain text into hypertext. Links are an important part of web pages. They connect documents on the same site together using internal links and direct readers to more information using external links.
Hypermedia: An extension to hypertext to include graphics and audio.
Hypertext: Computer based information retrieval method. On Web pages, hypertext is any text that is "clickable”.
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I
Internal Link: An internal link is a link on a web page that links to another page on the same site or domain. Most internal links are used as navigation around the site or to provide additional information about a topic. Your site linking strategy should include which pages should include internal links, how many there should be on a given page, and their placement in the document (within the content, as navigation, or attached to images).IP: IP stands for Internet Protocol. It is a packet-based protocol for delivering data across networks, specifically the Internet. IP addresses are a string of four numbers separated by dots. These numbers can then be translated into a domain name. Also Known As: Internet Protocol, IP address.
ISP: Internet Service Provider, someone that provides access to the Internet
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J
JavaScript: The most popular scripting language on the internet, developed by Netscape.JPG/JPEG: A graphics format best suited for photographs and images with a lot of colors. It's an acronym that stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group.
JScript: Microsoft's version of JavaScript.
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K
Keywords: In SEO, the keywords or keyword phrase is the phrase that the author is trying to target for search engines. Most of the time, you should focus on one keyword or keyword phrase per page. Keywords should represent the main point of a page. They are the words that someone would type into a search engine and find your page.back to the top ^
L
Logo: Recognizable and distinctive graphic design, stylized name, unique symbol, or other device for identifying an organization. Also called logotype, it is affixed, included, or printed on all advertising, buildings, communications, literature, products, stationery, and vehicles.M
Megabyte (MB):1024 kilobytes. Commonly rounded down to one million bytes.Meta Tag: A meta tag is a specific HTML tag used to define meta data on your Web pages. The most commonly used meta tags are description, keywords, and author.
Multimedia: In web terms: A presentation combining text with pictures, video, or sound.
MX Record: A mail exchanger record (MX record) is a type of resource record in the Domain Name System that specifies a mail server responsible for accepting email messages on behalf of a recipient's domain and a preference value used to prioritize mail delivery if multiple mail servers are available. The set of MX records of a domain name specifies how email should be routed with the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.
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P
Payment Gateway: A payment gateway is an e-commerce application service provider service that authorizes payments for e-businesses, online retailers, bricks and clicks, or traditional brick and mortar. It is the equivalent of a physical point of sale terminal located in most retail outlets. Payment gateways protect credit card details by encrypting sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, to ensure that information is passed securely between the customer and the merchant and also between merchant and the payment processor.Permalink: Permalink is short for "permanent link". It is a link that readers can use to bookmark the current blog post. This is important, as most blogs change regularly, and without a permanent link, the posts would be impossible to find later. Permalinks are usually indicated by a pound-sign (#) or the permalink at the end of the post.
Pixel: Dots on a computer monitor. The resolution on a computer monitor is measured in dots per inch or pixels per inch.
Pixel (typography): A font height or size that is based on screen pixels or dots.
PNG: An acronym standing for Portable Network Graphics, a graphics format for lossless, highly compressed images.
Podcast: A podcast is a digital recording that is sent to subscribers over the Internet through an RSS feed. A podcast can be sent as audio or video files. The term was developed by combining the words "iPod" and "broadcast". There are many ways to promote your podcast.
POP3: Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) is the most recent version of a standard protocol for receiving e-mail. POP3 is a client/server protocol in which e-mail is received and held for you by your Internet server.
O
Offset Printing: The process of printing by indirect image transfer, especially by using a metal or paper plate to ink a smooth rubber cylinder that transfers the ink to the paper.back to the top ^
R
Resolution: The number of dots per inch on a computer monitor, also known as DPI, dots per inch.RGB: RGB is an abbreviation for "Red Green Blue". RGB is a color model used on displays where red, green, and blue light are combined to make millions of colors. RGB is how colors combine on screens because they are viewed directly, and not reflected off anything - like colors in traditional color theory which is based on reflective colors usually on paper.
Redirect: The action when a web page automatically forwards (redirects) the user to another web page.
RSS: RSS is an abbreviation that stands for either, Really Simple Syndication or, Rich Site Summary. The most common definition is Really Simple Syndication. RSS allows you to provide content from your website for publication on other websites. It allows readers of the website to stay informed easily about changes on that website because the information is collected in a standard format and is readable by many different types of RSS tools and RSS readers.
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S
Sans-serif: A serif is the tiny stroke at the end of the main strokes of a font character. A font family that does not have these serifs is called a sans-serif font. Sans-serif fonts are best used online, as they are easier to read there. On the Web serifs can make the fonts more difficult to read, especially at small sizes, but sans-serif fonts do not have this problem.SEO: SEO is an abbreviation that stands for "search engine optimization".
Search Engine:Computer program used to search and catalog (index) the millions of pages of available information on the web. Common search engines are Google, Bing and Yahoo.
SiteGov: A very powerful CMS system, that gives you full marketing analytics, ecommerce compatibilities, email marketing, CRM all in one easy to use system. SiteGov is truly and all in one solution for business owners.
SPAM In web terms: The action of sending multiple unwelcome messages to a newsgroup or mailing list.
Spyware: Computer software hidden in a computer with the purpose of collecting information about the use of the computer.
Social Media - Social media includes the various online technology tools that enable people to communicate easily via the internet to share information and resources. Social media can include text, audio, video, images, podcasts, and other multimedia communications, examples include Twitter and Facebook.
Streaming Media: Multimedia that is sent continuously by the web server to the client, typically they are treated as a form of presentation or broadcast that is delivered to the customers. Streaming media can be sent as video or sound files. They can be served by a standard web server using HTML or by a streaming server set up specifically for the task. Many sites use streaming to server larger video (and audio) files because streaming is somewhat less arduous on the server. Streaming also allows larger files that would take hours to download completely to be viewed relatively quickly. The user begins viewing the file while the server continues sending the rest of the file in the background as they watch or listen.
Style Guide: Style guide or style manual is a set of standards for the writing and design of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication, organization or field. The implementation of a style guide provides uniformity in style and formatting of a document.
Subdomain: A subdomain is a more specific portion of a domain name. Subdomains are used to divide up Web domains without registering a new domain name. Subdomains use the Web server to define the location of files for that site, rather than using DNS.
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U
URL: URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. It is the address of a document or other resource on the Internet.Upload: To transfer a file from a local computer to a remote computer. In web terms: to transfer a file from a web client to a web server.
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V
Vector Art: Vector art is any digital artwork in which the shapes in the art are represented by mathematical equations within a computer. Geometric shapes like lines, waves, single points and curves are placed together by the artist to create an illustration while the computer keeps track of each item's location, curve and relative proportion to the other shapes.Visitor: A visit is a series of requests from the same uniquely identified individual (a visitor) in a set period of time. A visit is made up of several hits and page views and often shows a track through a site.
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W
Web Crawler: A Web crawler is a computer program that browses the World Wide Web in a methodical, automated manner or in an orderly fashion. Other terms for Web crawlers are ants, automatic indexers, bots, web spiders, and web robots. This process is called Web crawling or spidering, many sites, in particular search engines, use spidering as a means of providing up-to-date data. Web crawlers are mainly used to create a copy of all the visited pages for later processing by a search engine that will index the downloaded pages to provide fast searches.Web Designer: A Web designer is someone who designs Web pages. A Web designer is more focused on the look and feel of a website than how it works, and often uses editors rather than diving into the HTML directly.
Web Developer: A Web developer is someone who programs Web pages. A Web developer is more focused on the way a website works than how it looks. They typically use HTML text editors and work with databases and programming languages as well as HTML.
Web Form: A web form on a web page allows a user to enter data that is sent to a server for processing. Web forms resemble paper forms because internet users fill out the forms using checkboxes, radio buttons, or text fields. Webpage: A Web page is a document written in HTML and meant to be viewed in a Web browser on the Internet or World Wide Web such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Firefox.
Web Template: A web template is basically a pre-made website; templates are not unique and will need to be customized to fit your business. Templates are great ways for businesses and individuals who do not have the budget for a custom web design.
Wiki: A wiki is a Web site that is managed by its readers. Readers are invited to login and edit any page of a wiki to make the whole more inclusive and correct. Wikis are a way to take the anarchy that defines the Internet and give it form and substance.
WWW: World Wide Web, a global network of computers using the internet to exchange web documents.
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Z
ZIP: A compressing format for computer files. Commonly used for compressing files before downloading over the Internet. ZIP files can be compressed (ZIPPED) and decompressed (UNZIPPED) using a computer program.back to the top ^
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