Glossary

Have you encountered expressions used by graphic or web designers that have you flummoxed? We’d like to help with this glossary of technical words explained in “layman’s” terms.

If there are any other design terms that you have seen or heard that you would like explained, please let us know, we'd like to help.

 

ASP

ASP is short for Active Server Pages. Is a programming language that dynamically creates web pages. When a browser requests an ASP page (one that ends in .asp) the web server generates the page with HTML code and sends it back to the browser. Getting technical, ASP utilizes ActiveX scripting— usually VB Script (Visual Basic Scripting) or Jscript code.

See also: html

Bitmap (or raster) image

An image constructed by a rectangular grid of coloured pixels or points of colour. An image is created by millions of tiny colored dots. Bitmap images include the following file formats: TIFF, BMP, PSD, JPG, GIF, PNG. Images to be used on the web only need a resolution of 72ppi.

See also: vector image

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Blog

Short for Web log, a blog is a personal journal published on the web, usually based on a particular theme or subject matter. Blogs are regularly updated (daily, weekly, monthly) and commonly displayed in a reverse-chronological order. Blogs often reflect the personality of the author. Someone who keeps a blog is a blogger.

See also: forum

Brochure website

Like a printed brochure, a brochure website describes the essential information about a businesses or organisation. It most commonly includes a home page, about, services, gallery/portfolio, and a contact us page. Brochure websites provide information relevant to your target market, with the aim of generating business enquires and good quality sales leads.

See also: static website

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CMS

A Content Management System enables an organisation to create, edit, manage, review and publish content to a website. A CMS is designed to help people publish content without requiring web programming experience. Content that can be managed by a CMS includes electronic text, images, music and movies. A CMS can also set user roles, to control which information users can view, edit, publish, etc.

 

CMYK

CMYK colours (also known as process colour, four colour process) are used to display images in ink on paper. The majority of the world’s printed material is produced using the CMYK colour model. This model uses a subtractive colour system to mix the primary CMYK colours—cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black)—to create a gamut of other colours. For example, mixing a percentage of cyan (an intense mid blue colour) with yellow will result in green. Adding a percentage of black will make this colour darker.

See also: rgb

CRM

Customer Relationship Management is the strategy employed by a company to manage its interactions with customers, clients and sales prospects. CRM systems help the company to understand the customer, create a better customer experience and attract new customers.

See also: reporting and analytics

CSS

CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheet, a programming language used to control how information is presented on a web page. For example, a CSS file can be set to control the colour, size and font used to display text on a web page. A CSS file enables repetitive code to be separated from the structure of a web page to enable the page to load faster and for formatting of styles to be made at one central location. CSS files also allow for greater flexibility when presenting information on different devices: for example CSS can display a webpage differently on screen (in different browsers and platforms), when printed, and on mobile devices.

See also: reporting and analytics

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Database

A collection of information (data) arranged in a way to make desired pieces of information easy to obtain by a computer program. A database management system (DBMS) is required to access information from a database.

 

DNS

DNS stands for Domain Name Service. When you type a domain name into a web browser, a DNS converts the domain name to its IP address to call up the website.

See also: domain name, domain registration

Domain name

The name of a website. Each website has a unique IP address, written as a string of numbers. To make an IP address easier for people to remember, an IP address can be given a unique domain name, like madeyoulook.com.au.

See also: dns, domain registration

Domain registration

The process of registering a domain name. A domain name registrar manages domain names.

See also: dns, domain name

Dynamic website

As compared to a static website, dynamic websites use more complex code to perform various functionality on a site. Dynamic websites often present information drawn from a database, so information can be kept current by simply updating the information on the database, rather than updating the webpage itself. Dynamic websites can be connected to an online interface, providing the website owner the ability to update information themselves without the need of a website developer.

See also: static website, database

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eCommerce

Electronic commerce. Also known as eCommerce or e-business. E-commerce refers to conducting business online. It commonly refers to displaying products or services online, and allowing visitors to purchase those products or services in a safe manner—usually through a payment gateway.

See also: payment gateway

Email marketing

Marketing to clients and prospective clients through email.

See also: email newsletter

Email newsletter

Sending a newsletter to a subscribed group with HTML email. Software can be used to gather subscriptions, personalise, send and monitor the success of an email marketing campaign. Various rules are in place to ensure emails are not defined as spam—unwanted email messages.

See also: email marketing

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Flash

Flash enables advanced animation, video content and interactivity on a website. Flash content requires a plug-in to be installed on the web browser. According to Adobe, the proprietor of the software, the Flash player is used by is 98% of internet enabled desktops. YouTube uses Flash to present video content. In fact, all videos on YouTube are streamed through the Adobe Flash Player. It is possible for users to prevent Flash content from being viewed in their browsers. Flash is supported on smart phones, and tablets, however is not currently supported on iPhones and iPads.

See also: web browser

Forum

A forum (aka Internet Forum, Message Board or Newsgroup) is a discussion board on the Internet. Participants of a forum discuss common interests by posting a message to the group, and the message is then displayed on the forum. Messages are grouped under topics, with each new conversation called a thread. While most forums are open to the general public to use, some forums require members to login to access or post to the forum. Some forums are set up so that a posted message might need to be approved by a moderator before it becomes visible.

See also: social media

FTP

File Transfer Protocol. A programming language that enables files to be uploaded and downloaded to a web server. An FTP login (username and password) is required to access and manage the files on your website.

See also: server

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GIF

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is a common file format for image files, often used on the web. GIFs can be static or animated. Animated GIFs are often used as banner ads. Like JPG image files, GIF images are compressed to reduce the file size. GIF file format is best used for images few distinct colors (with areas that are all exactly the same color) such as logos.

See also: jpg, png

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Hosting

Hosting refers to storing a web site (or other electronic data) on a computer, which is connected to the Internet.

See also: server

HTML

HyperText Markup Language. HTML is the basic programming language that controls how web pages are formatted and displayed.

See also: css, javascript, www, internet

HTTP

HyperText Transfer Protocol. A programming language used by the web to share and display information on web pages.

See also: internet, www

Hyperlink

A device that when clicked on links to another place on a web page or to another web page.

 

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Internet

The internet is a massive networking structure, connecting millions of computers together around the world, enabling the computers to communicate information to each other. Information is shared using a number of programming languages, called protocols. HTTP and FTP are two of these protocols.

See also: ftp, http, www

IP address

IP addresses are Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Every computer has an IP address, as does every website you visit. An IP address is like a phone number with a string of numbers with dots in the middle. One of the IP address for the Google.com.au website is: 74.125.93.106.

See also: dns, domain name

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JavaScript

JavaScript is a programming language that is used to perform dynamic tasks such as interactivity and animation on a website. Javascript runs on the visitor’s browser, and a user can elect to disable JavaScript on their browser (JavaScript is enabled by default).

See also: html, web browser

JPG

JPG or JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a common file format for image files, often used on the web. JPG files compress the file size of an image through a ‘lossy’ process, where some details are discarded. JPG files are best used for photographs and other artwork.

See also: gif, png

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Meta tag

Meta tags are HTML codes that are inserted into the header on a web page. The code provides information to web browsers and search engines about the content of the web page. Despite popular belief, meta tags (such as the meta description tag and meta keyword tag) do not provide a guaranteed way to gain a top ranking on search engines. However they do provide a useful way to control how some search engines describe web pages.

See also: html, search engine, seo

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Pantone Matching System

Pantone (aka Pantone, spot or PMS) is a proprietary colour management system commonly used in the printing industry to recreate consistent colours. PMS colours are often referred to when defining corporate colours. Pantone has over 1,300 pre-defined color choices. Some of these ‘special’ colours cannot be reproduced in CMYK.

See also: cmyk, rgb

Payment gateway

A payment gateway is a third party service that enables the safe transaction of money online from one party to another, for example by someone purchasing a product on a website. PayPal is an example of a payment gateway service provider.

See also: e-commerce

PNG

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a common file format for image files, often used on the web. It is pronounced "ping" or spelled out as 'P-N-G.' It has some advantages over GIF and JPG including the use of an alpha channel.

See also: gif, jpg

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Reporting and analytics

Refers to the presentation of data compiled on a website’s traffic. For example how many times a webpage was opened, how the webpage was found, how long a visitor stayed on the webpage, and where the visitor’s were from. The analysis can be useful for increasing a site’s traffic, or calculate the effectiveness of SEM and email marketing.

See also: crm, email marketing, sem

Resolution

A term used to measure the quality of an image. Generally speaking, the higher the resolution, the higher the quality. The standard resolution for printing is 300dpi (pots per inch). The standard resolution for images used on the web is 72ppi (pixels per inch).

See also: bitmap image, rgb, vector image

RGB

RGB colours are used to display images with computer monitors, mobile phones, televisions and video projectors. The RGB colour model uses the additive reproduction process to mix the additive primary colours—red, green and blue light—to create other colours. Combining all three primary lights (colours) in equal intensities produces white, while the lack of any light (colour) produces black.

See also: bitmap image, cmyk

RSS

Most commonly expanded as Really Simple Syndication. RSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated information—such as news articles, blog entries, audio, and video—in a standardized format. RSS feeds benefit people who want timely updates from their favourite sites; or compile information from many sites in one location. RSS feeds can be read and compiled through software called an "RSS reader", "feed reader", or "aggregator".

See also: blog

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Search Engine

A web search engine is a programme that searches the World Wide Web for information or keywords. The information is presented as a list of results. A search engine has an algorithm (or set of rules) that determines the order, or ranking, of the results according to the relevance of the information being sort. Examples of search engines include Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

See also: sem, seo

SEM

Search Engine Marketing, is a form of internet marketing that aims to increase the exposure of a website in search engine results. It includes using paid listings, SEO and contextual advertising to increase traffic to the website.

See also: search engine, seo

SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of increasing the traffic to a website by increasing it’s position on search engine results. The higher (or earlier) that a website ranks in the results for a search equates to the higher the volume of visitors to the website. It is generally accepted that most people using a search engine will not go beyond the first or second page of results. SEO helps to ensure that a website is accessible by a search engine, and is ‘optimised’ to increase its chances of a high ranking in a search result. They number of keywords used in the website, the structure of the HTML and the quality of other websites that link to a website all play a part in SEO.

See also: search engine, sem

Server

A server refers to the software and hardware that hosts either a website or domain name. A web server hosts websites, and a domain name server manages domain names.

See also: hosting, dns, domain name, server

SMM

Social Media Marketing (SMM) is a form of SEM. SMM is a type of marketing that involves using social media (such as Facebook and Twitter) to increase awareness of a product, brand or event, or influence opinion on a company and it’s products and services.

See also: sem, smo, social media

 

 

SMO

Social Media Optimization (SMO). See SMM.

See also: sem, smm, social media

 

Social Media

Social Media is a term to describe web-based platforms and applications that facilitate online social interaction. Examples include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Del.icio.us, Digg, and blogs.

See also: sem, smo, smm, blog

 

SSL

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard security technology used to establish an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. An SSL certificate is required by a website conducting e-commerce or when a website user is required to submit confidential information (such as credit card details). TLS (Transport Layer Security) is an updated version of SSL.

See also: server, web browser

Static website

A usually small website based only on HTML. Each page is a separate document and the information presented is not drawn from a database. Because static sites are often faster to develop, they are advantageous for small businesses looking to create a web presence. However the risk is the content can become stagnant if not regularly updated.

See also: brochure website

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Vector image

An image constructed by measuring the relation ship between different points (or vectors) to create lines, shapes and curves. The advantage vector based images have over bitmap images are that vector images can be resized without loss of quality. For this reason, logos are best supplied as vector based images, as they can be rendered at any size without jagged, pixelated edges. Vector images include the following file formats: AI, EPS, PDF.

See also: bitmap image

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Web browser

An application that makes it easy to view websites on the world wide web. Common browsers include Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and Chrome.

See also: internet, www

www

World Wide Web (aka. the Web). The web uses a programming language called HTTP to share information across the internet in the form of web pages.

See also: internet, http

WYSIWYG

Short for What You See Is What You Get. Pronounced WIZ-zee-wig. A WYSIWYG is a user interface that enables a user to see on the screen how the final document/page will look (when published) while it is being created.

 

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XML

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a programming language, designed especially for Web documents.