Glossary

Web Fundamentals

Domain name — The address people type to visit your website (e.g., yourbusiness.com). Purchased from a domain registrar and renewed annually.

DNS (Domain Name System) — The system that translates domain names into IP addresses so browsers can find your website's server. You interact with DNS when connecting a domain to hosting.

Hosting — The service that stores your website's files and serves them to visitors. Can be included in your platform (Squarespace, Wix) or purchased separately (for WordPress).

SSL certificate — A security certificate that encrypts data between your site and visitors. Creates the HTTPS and padlock in the browser. Essential for trust and SEO.

CDN (Content Delivery Network) — A network of servers worldwide that deliver your website from the location closest to each visitor, improving speed.

CMS (Content Management System) — Software that lets you create and manage website content without coding. WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix are all CMS platforms.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator) — The full web address of a specific page (e.g., yourbusiness.com/about).

HTTPS — The secure version of HTTP. Indicates your site has an SSL certificate and encrypts visitor data.

Design and Layout

Above the fold — The portion of a webpage visible without scrolling. Your most important content should be here.

Call to action (CTA) — A button, link, or prompt that tells visitors what to do next ("Get Started," "Contact Us," "Buy Now").

Favicon — The tiny icon that appears in the browser tab next to your page title. Usually a simplified version of your logo.

Footer — The bottom section of a webpage, typically containing navigation links, contact info, and legal pages.

Header — The top section of a webpage, typically containing your logo and navigation menu.

Hero section — The prominent top section of a homepage featuring a headline, subheadline, image/video, and primary CTA.

Hamburger menu — The three horizontal lines (≡) icon used for mobile navigation menus.

Responsive design — A design approach where a website adapts its layout to different screen sizes (desktop, tablet, phone).

Whitespace — Empty space between design elements. Creates visual breathing room and improves readability.

Wireframe — A basic visual layout of a webpage showing element placement without design details. A blueprint.

Content and Copy

Body copy — The main text content on a page, as opposed to headlines, captions, or navigation.

Headline (H1) — The main title of a page. Each page should have exactly one H1.

Lead magnet — A free resource (guide, checklist, template) offered in exchange for an email address.

Meta description — A brief summary of a page's content that appears in search results. Doesn't directly affect rankings but influences click-through rates.

Subheading (H2, H3) — Secondary and tertiary headings that break content into scannable sections.

Title tag — The text that appears as the clickable headline in search results and in the browser tab.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Alt text — Descriptive text assigned to images for accessibility (screen readers) and SEO (helping search engines understand image content).

Backlink — A link from another website to yours. High-quality backlinks improve search rankings.

Bounce rate — The percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page.

Crawling — The process by which search engines discover and read your web pages using automated bots.

Google Search Console — A free Google tool that shows how your site appears in search results and identifies technical issues.

Indexing — When Google adds your page to its database so it can appear in search results.

Internal linking — Links between pages within your own website. Helps SEO and user navigation.

Keyword — A word or phrase people type into search engines. Optimizing for relevant keywords helps your pages rank.

Long-tail keyword — A longer, more specific search phrase (e.g., "affordable web designer for restaurants in Portland"). Lower volume but higher conversion.

NAP — Name, Address, Phone number. Consistency across the web matters for local SEO.

Organic traffic — Visitors who find your site through unpaid search results.

PageSpeed — How fast your website loads. Measured by tools like Google PageSpeed Insights. Affects both rankings and user experience.

SERP (Search Engine Results Page) — The page of results Google shows after a search query.

Sitemap — An XML file listing all pages on your site, submitted to search engines to help them discover and index your content.

Technical

API (Application Programming Interface) — A way for different software systems to communicate. Used for integrations between your website and other tools.

Cache — Stored copies of your web pages that load faster than regenerating them for every visitor.

Cookie — A small file stored on a visitor's browser that remembers preferences or tracks behavior. Subject to privacy regulations.

Embed — Inserting content from another source (YouTube video, social media post, map) directly into your webpage.

Plugin — An add-on that extends a website's functionality. Common in WordPress (e.g., SEO plugin, contact form plugin).

Redirect — An automatic forwarding from one URL to another. Used when pages move or are deleted. A 301 redirect is permanent; a 302 is temporary.

Widget — A small, self-contained element that adds functionality to a page (chat widget, social feed widget, weather widget).

Platforms

Carrd — A platform for building simple, single-page websites. Extremely affordable.

Framer — A modern website builder with strong AI site generation and design-forward templates.

Shopify — The leading e-commerce platform for selling products online.

Squarespace — An all-in-one website builder known for elegant templates and ease of use.

Webflow — A powerful visual website builder offering pixel-perfect design control without code.

Wix — A drag-and-drop website builder with AI-powered site generation and extensive app marketplace.

WordPress.org — An open-source CMS that powers 40%+ of the web. Requires separate hosting.

Analytics

Conversion — When a visitor completes a desired action (submits a form, makes a purchase, subscribes).

Conversion rate — The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action.

Pageview — A single view of a page on your site. One visitor can generate multiple pageviews.

Session — A single visit to your site. Includes all pageviews and actions during that visit.

Traffic source — Where visitors come from: organic search, social media, direct (typed your URL), or referral (linked from another site).