We find that every industry uses terms and acronyms that are misunderstood or unfamiliar to outsiders. Our industry is no exception. This glossary explains in plain language some of the most common industry terms. Please feel free to send us suggestions for words to add or descriptions to edit.
301 Redirect: The widely accepted best practice to indicate that a page/url or domain has been permanently changed to a different page/url or domain. Ideally implemented as a standard, server-generated status code, this is commonly used to preserve organic search visibility when site structure or domains must be changed.
AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML): AJAX enables a web application or website to access data and coded functionalities on the server without re-loading the page or loading a new page. AJAX can greatly enhance the user experience.
ASP.NET See .NET Framework
BPA: see Branded Path to Action.
Brand: We believe all brands have two components:
- Brand Elements are simply the name, logo, logotype, shapes, colors, products and services by which a company is represented and ultimately recognized. These elements can be touched, seen and easily defined.
- Brand Self is what we call the more intangible, but equally vital, piece of brand. It is the perception of your positioning by all stakeholders. It’s what people think about you and not what you think about yourself. Different target groups will have different perceptions of your Brand Self.
Your Brand Self is constantly evolving and it is just as vital to monitor that evolution, as it is to monitor the use of your brand elements.
Branded Path to Action: This is an OA coined term for a conversion path that strengthens the brand at every click on the path to conversion or an action. A branded path to action can start at any point online such a as a social networking site, blog, organic search listing, paid search ad, etc.
Browser: A browser is the software that allows an internet connected user to surf and search the internet. Most common browsers are Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari.
C#: A computer language with roots from the computer language C and C++. Allows for object-oriented programming.
Client-side: Actions and behaviors that have an immediate impact on what is happening in the browser. Client-side behavior doesn’t require communication back to the server.
CMS: see Content Management System
Compiled languages: Programming languages where the code has been run through a compiler, which optimizes and interprets the instructions ahead of time. This allows for fasted execution of the code.
Content Management System (CMS): Allows administrators with no programming background to add and alter text and images on a website. Functionalities, flexibility and quality of user interface vary greatly among the CMS software offerings.
Conversion Path: The steps needed for specific goal attainment. Online, this can encompass the entire process from initial impression (display ad or search result) to click-through, destination page engagement and completion of a measurable process such as product purchase or lead form completion. Online success often requires continual optimization and refinement of the conversion path over time.
Cookie: A small file saved on the user’s computer that can store information that allows a website to identify a user the next time they visit the website.
Domain Name: Names using letters, numbers and some characters, with an extension such as .com, .net, .org and .gov, can be used to access internet destinations/IP addresses. This name structure was activated because it was easier and more practical to remember than a string of numbers. Domain names can be purchased on an annual basis through many online providers. Domain names are used to form URLs.
DNS (Domain Name System): The phonebook of the internet, connecting URLs to the IP address of the server that has the website on it. This is a distributed system, which means any change can take a period of time to propagate through the system.
Extensible Markup Language (XML): A specification for structured markup. XML allows for structuring large quantities of data without using a database. XML and HTML are related.
Flash: Flash is animation software created by Macromedia and later bought by Adobe. To view web pages using Flash code you need to have a Flash plug-in installed with your browser. The plug-in is free and available at adobe.com. Flash has become the internet standard for animation, rich media and playing audio and video content. Market penetration of the Flash plug-in is believed to be over 90% of computers worldwide. Microsoft has entered this market with a competing product – Silverlight.
Functional Specs: This is a document, often created in adjunction with Information Architecture and Wireframes to describe the functionalities that will be programmed into a web application or website. Typically a Functional Spec describes functionality on a web page at a granular level.
HTML (HyperText Markup Language): A specification for web pages. All server technologies (PHP, .NET, etc) output HTML because this is what the browser is interpreting. HTML is the basis for the internet.
IA: see Information Architecture
Information Architecture: In the world of web design and development Information Architecture is most commonly used to describe a flowchart showing the hierarchy and content areas of a website or web application.
Interactive Agency: Overland Agency
Internet Protocol: Protocol for communicating over networks. This is how computers communicate over networks.
IP: see Internet Protocol
IP Address: A combination of four numbers (separated by periods) that indentifies a computer. The numbers range from 0 to 255. Any computer accessible directly from the internet needs an IP address.
IPv6: A six digit address system, developed due to the limits of the current four digit system.
Java: A computer language developed by Sun Microsystems. Requires installation of an interpreter on many machines. Can be used for websites as well as stand-alone applications.
JavaScript: A scripting language for use on websites. JavaScript can be used with most other computer languages meant for internet programming. JavaScript allows for non-Flash based animation on a webpage and is often used for collapsible menus.
Keyword: a specific word or phrase that an online searcher might type into a search engine for which the advertiser wants to appear in the search response page
.NET Framework: A software technology created by Microsoft that produces complied code. .NET applications can be stand-alone Windows programs or websites. .NET provides powerful debugging tools and a rich set of functionality add-ons. ASP.NET refers to the server technologies that power websites.
Object-oriented programming: Allows for complex structured programming, where various elements can serve as building blocks in building more complex behavior.
Open Source Software: Software not owned, charged for or controlled by any company and developed by a community of programmers. PHP and Linux are examples of open source software.
OS: see Operating System
Operating System: The operating system runs and controls the hardware on your computer and facilitates the operation of other applications on your computer. The most common operating systems are Windows, Linux and Max OS.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC): A pricing model for online advertising where advertisers pay only when their ad unit is clicked by a user. This is the most common pricing model for paid search marketing where text-based ads and corresponding keywords are placed in the context of user-initiated queries on search engines.
PDF: Portable Document Format. This technology is owned by Adobe and has become the universal standard for sharing documentation.
Personas: Fictitious profiles that provide a tangible view of different users or target audience segments. They often include demographic data, personal motivations and influences, consumer behavior, online engagement and specific goals. Personas are often used to develop creative messaging, design websites and establish conversion actions and funnels.
PHP (Personal Home Page): A scripted open source language for websites. PHP will run on UNIX based servers. Because it is scripted, speed is slower than compiled languages and debugging is harder.
Positioning: Brand and Product Positioning is the process of defining how you would like your customers and other stakeholders perceive your company and the products and services you offer and then work through communication channels and product and service refinement to make that desired perception a reality. Your desired positioning should clearly articulate your value and differentiate you from the competition.
PPC: see Pay-Per-Click
Rich Media: Rich Media describes animation, audio and video content on a webpage. Content described as Rich Media can be developed and displayed using Javascript, Flash and Silverlight. Individual rich media players such as Quicktime and Windows Media Player can also be used.
Ruby on Rails: Rails is an open source (PHP) framework for developing database-backed web applications such as websites, ecommerce, etc.
Scripted languages: Programming languages where the server interprets the instructions on the fly. This allows for easier reading of the language, but slows down the execution of the application (and doesn’t allow for compiled optimizations). Scripted languages include Javascript and PHP.
SEM: see Search Engine Marketing
Search Engine Marketing (SEM): A marketing strategy focused on improving visibility in search engine results pages both in the organic and paid listings.
Search Engine Optimization: Online tactics that improve visibility in the organic results or main body of a search engine results page through a variety of methods, including refining website content and code and increasing online exposure through social media and content syndication.
SEO: see Search Engine Optimization
Server-side: Actions and behaviors that happen on the web server or require communication from the browser to the server. Server-side behavior can be loading information from a database, or creating an email.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL): A “friendly” (i.e. ) website address you would type into a browsers address bar. The URL is connected to the web server’s IP address by DNS records.
URL: see Uniform Resource Locator
Visual Language: All the visual elements of a brand, such as logo mark, fonts, photo use, product shapes, colors, movement, etc..
W3C: The World Wide Web Consortium. An international standards group developing standards for the World Wide Web.
Wireframes: Wireframes show in detail the content on each of the pages in an Information Architecture for a website or web application. It also shows the approximate space allocated to each piece of content on a given web page.
Website Management System: A website specific content management system that allows content owners to add and alter content without programming skills.
WMS: see Website Management System
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get): This term was coined back in the early desktop publishing days to describe that what you saw on your screen displayed by your lay-out software was what would come out of your printer or print press. You can achieve WYSIWYG on the web using Flash or Silverlight, but HTML will be displayed differently depending on the computer user settings, display resolution, display colors, browser and operating system.
XHTML: HTML that is also XML standards compliant. The W3C sets standards for XHTML compliance. XHTML compliance helps websites to be correctly interpreted by browsers and is believed to improve search engine ranking.
XML: see Extensible Markup Language