The web world is full of jargon. When designers and developers get going, you need an interpreter to keep up! But don’t worry, we’ve made a list of common and confusing website terminology with real-life definitions you can understand without a degree in computer science.
Search & analytics
Analytics
Analytics is an umbrella term for data measuring website performance. This includes everything from traffic stats like page visits to behavior stats like time spent on a given page or button clicks. This data is often collected through cookies (see below), thus the notifications on so many websites.

Cache
Like the word’s original definition, in website terminology a cache is form of storage. Websites and search engines store data temporarily so that it can be delivered faster the next time it’s requested. In web world, this allows pages to load faster. Over time, a cache can “fill up” and slow things back down, so your web developer should clear your site’s cache regularly.
Cookies
You’ve probably seen pop-up boxes on websites that tell you the site uses cookies. Similar to a cache, cookies store data, but instead of storing content for later retrieval cookies store user actions. This is what allows you to login into your email without re-typing the password and powers those ads that magically align with your recent Google searches.
Meta data (alt text)
Search engines “crawl” or read meta data to understand what a website is about. This allows them to refer users to websites that are likely to meet their needs. Meta data is entered separately from website content and includes SEO title (page title on a search engine), page description (the blurb shown on Google), and alt text (a description of images used by search engines and those with visual impairments).
SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It refers to the tools and strategies used to improve a website’s ranking on Google and other search engines. It has grown into its own area of expertise and should be a part of any web design project. There are many myths about SEO and how to rank on search engines. Make sure your developer and copywriter are using the best tactics.
Site map
Your site map tells search engines all the pages on your website. It is not a separate web page but a list that Google uses to “index” your site. If you don’t want a page to appear in searches (such as your privacy policy or an employee login page), your developer can remove it from the site map.
Frontend terminology
Favicon
Your favicon is the tiny image that appears next to your page title on the tab in the browser. If it’s not customized, this icon shows as a default from your web builder/CMS, such as WordPress, SquareSpace, or Wix.

Header/Footer
The header is the top bar of a webpage that often holds the menu. Sometimes a call-to-action such as Buy Now or Sign Up Here is included in this bar or just above it in a “pre-header.” These pieces appear on every page of the website.
The footer is the bottom-most section of a webpage which often contains a logo, contact info, quick navigation links, social media links, a brief description of the company, or copyright info. This section appears on every page of the website.
Landing page
A landing page is NOT your home page or a page that focuses on a certain topic. A landing page is a brief webpage designed to rank high on search engines and lead the user to one action, often a sign-up or a purchase. It might link to the main website through a header but not always. A landing page may coordinate with an event, limited-time offer, or campaign.

Navigation
Navigation refers to your menu and other ways you help your user move through your website. This includes breadcrumbs (ex: about > team > CEO), sub-menus, sidebars, and footer links.
Privacy policy & Terms of use
Your Privacy Policy is a page that states how data is collected and used on your site. This is where you disclose use of cookies, how any personal info collected in your forms is handled, and give people a way to contact you. This is particularly important for sites that collect personal data such as names, phone numbers, and payment info.
The Terms of Use page helps protect you—the website owner—by explaining how data is used, how account information is stored, and what agreements a user is making by using your website. This can include licensing, rights and permissions, and any needed disclaimers. This is especially important for e-commerce sites, but it’s not a bad idea for others.
If you’re not sure if you have or need a terms of use page or privacy policy, talk to your web developer.
Slider
A slider is a set of images that rotate or slide across the screen. This is a popular feature on a home page or on pages where you want to show multiple images, such as a product listing.
Widget
A widget is a small building block that outputs a piece of content on your website—not the content you write yourself, but content gathered from another source. For example, in the sidebar on your blog you may see clickable tags and categories. Or you might see a company’s recent tweets in their web footer. These are powered by widgets.
Backend & coding terms
API
API stands for Application Programming Interface. APIs are software intermediaries that allow two applications to talk to each other, such as WordPress and MailChimp. They’re kind of like a broker between the two. For example, the weather app on your phone uses an API to connect to a weather service database.

CMS (WordPress)
CMS stands for Content Management System. This is a platform that allows a developer to build a website without coding every single element. A CMS provides an interface where the developer can arrange and customize elements. WordPress is the most used CMS in the world. SquareSpace, Drupal, Wix, and Weebly are also content management systems. A CMS can also make it easy for a non-developer to make content-related changes to their website.
FTP
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. It’s a means of managing files between computers. This is typically used to make file changes on your server in order to update something on your website. Access to FTP should be restricted to your web developer and other credentialed users, otherwise anyone could drastically change your site.
HTML/CSS
HTML and CSS are two of the oldest coding languages still in use today. They are used primarily to code the front-end display of a website. HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It is the building block for laying out content. CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. It’s the language used to style the content HTML builds. HTML creates mostly static content with limited functionality. Emails are coded in HTML. If your web address ends in .html, call a web developer today because the site is wildly out of date.
Sample HTML code (notice the building blocks):
<html>
<body>
<h1>Sample Heading</h1>
<p>This is paragraph text.</p>
</body>
</html>
Sample CSS code (all about style of the blocks):
body {
color: #3a456b;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
line-height: 120%;
font-size: 14px;
}
Maintenance
Just like smartphones, websites don’t stay up to date on their own. Plugins, themes, and other functions need regular updates. Web maintenance is a service provided by a developer to perform these technical updates and ensure they don’t have negative effects on the site’s performance or appearance.
Some third parties sell this service with a monthly fee like website insurance, but we’re not fans of that practice. That said, plan for the cost of web maintenance when you budget for a new website.
PHP
PHP stands for HyperText Preprocessor, and as the name implies, it’s used to process HTML. It’s a scripting language—instructing, compiling, directing. It’s used by the server to output the HTML into web pages you can see. PHP is dynamic, pulling pieces together. PHP also interacts with databases at the server level.
Sample PHP code:
<?php
$satisfied = "very";
if ( $satisfied == "very" ) {
print "very";
} else {
print "not very";
}
?>
Plugin
A plugin is a small software application that enhances the capabilities of your website. Plugins allow a developer to add functionality without having to program a whole new application. They are designed to play well with your website’s specifications. Plugins can be used for front-end purposes, such as your homepage slider, or back-end purposes like security.

Web planning terminology
CTA
CTA is a marketing term that stands for Call To Action. This is what you want the user to do on any given page. Should they call for an appointment, buy a product, subscribe to a newsletter, visit a physical location, donate to a cause? Knowing what you need your user to do allows your web designer to create a flow or funnel toward that action.

Frontend/Backend
The frontend of the website is what can be seen when you visit the site through a browser: the pages, images, content, etc.
The backend of a website is where the developer builds, updates, and changes the site. The backend might be accessed through a CMS like WordPress or it might be pure code.
Lead generator
A lead generator is an incentive for an action. Usually, it’s a piece of content a user receives for free in exchange for providing their email address or other personal information. Ebooks, tutorials, short stories, newsletters, and special reports are common lead generators.
Migration
Migration is the act of moving the underlying data of a website to its hosting provider. When a site is migrated, the coding behind the site is transferred to the physical server where it will be stored indefinitely. This is often one of the final steps in the web development process.
Mockup
In both graphic design and web design, a mockup is an image made to look like a final product. You may receive a mockup of your website’s homepage, for example, so you can review the design and content. This isn’t a real website, just an image.
Responsive
A responsive website automatically rearranges and scales for a given device. This is the same thing as a site being mobile-friendly or mobile-optimized. It allows users to read and navigate the site on a smartphone or tablet or different sized monitor.
If your site is not responsive, call a web developer immediately and prioritize fixing this problem. An unresponsive site will alienate users and lower your rank on Google.

UX/User experience
User experience, nicknamed UX, is the overall impression a person has after interacting with your website. To ensure a positive experience, web designers include features like menus, easy-to-read text with clear headings, easy-to-navigate pages, and more. This is the art/science of predicting what users will want when they arrive at a website and making sure they get it with as few clicks as possible.
Web designer
A web designer is the person who plans out the frontend of a website, including everything users will see and interact with. They must understand user experience and visual problem solving. Often, this person has training in graphic design. Sometimes, this is the same person as your web developer.
Web developer
A web developer builds a website either in code or using a platform such as WordPress or Drupal. This person executes the designer’s plans. This person should be proficient in the necessary coding languages such as PHP and CSS. Sometimes, the web developer is also the web designer.
Servers & hosting terms
cPanel
cPanel is short for control panel. This tool helps you manage your web hosting service from a user-friendly dashboard. It gives access to a large selection of features and operates similar to a desktop application (icons for files that you move around), so you don’t have to type complex commands. It’s the most popular tool of its kind and is often provided by the web host.
DNS
DNS stands for Domain Name System. This is the overarching term for the decentralized system that connects computers via the internet. A DNS implements name servers using the fastest routes possible. You might call it the phone book or card catalog of the internet. DNS records store references between domains and their IP addresses (locations).
Domain registrar
Your domain is like the address to your website—in fact, we call it your “web address.” It’s the .com, .org, or .whatever that is typed into a web browser. Your domain registrar is the company that licensed your name to you, such as GoDaddy or NameCheap. To build your website, your developer will need access to your domain registrar.
Hosting
The data or code of your website has to be stored on a physical server. The company who owns the server is your hosting provider. If your website was a house, this would be the lot of land where the house sits. Common hosting providers include GoDaddy, BlueHost, HostGator, and A2 Hosting. You may also have local hosting providers in your area. To build your site, your web developer will need access to your hosting provider.
Server
A server is a physical piece of hardware that holds the data behind your website. It’s a computer that does something for another computer. When you visit a webpage, your device requests a server to build it for you, and the server “serves” it right up. Web hosting is a series of robust server computers that store data and process it for users.
SSL/Security certificate
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. This is a form of security technology that creates an encrypted link between two devices. This helps keep data secure as it is transferred across the internet, including credit card info, social security numbers, and more. An SSL certificate proves a website has this security in place. You can tell a website has an SSL certificate by the little lock icon displayed next to the domain in most browsers. Sites with an address of HTTPS instead of HTTP have an SSL certificate.

What website terminology are you wondering about? Share with us in the comments.
