Blog
Short for Web Log, it is an easy-to-update section of a website where comments and information can be added. It is often used as an online diary.

Browser
A programe for looking at websites. Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox and Opera are all common browsers.

Call to action
An element of a web page instructing visitors to perform a certain action. ‘Contact Us’ and “Buy Now’ buttons are an example.

CMS (Content Management System)
A computer programe that allows the website owner to update/ modify their website. No knowledge or skills in HTML or web design is required.

Domain Name
The name of a website e.g. webdesignpacks.co.uk and mackmangroup.co.uk.

E-commerce
Any business done over the Internet, usually online shops where items can be brought. E-commerce operation will encompass a number of features typically a merchant account, a secure server, a shopping cart program etc.

Email Marketing
Email marketing (or e-mail marketing) is the use of email to send a targeted message, information or offer to a designated set of customers. Email is a powerful ‘push’ method for online marketers as opposed to the pull medium of websites, but due to the rise of SPAM, it is essential to use full opt-in list for email marketing to ensure ethical and legal compliance.

Flash
A plug-in which displays moving images/ animations in a browser.

Forms
A section of a web page which allows visitors to enter information and send to the server.

Hosting Account
An account with a company which allocates a space on it’s servers for the website to be displayed.

Hotspot
A region of a web page that visitors are more likely to look at than others.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
The programming language web pages are written in.

Hyperlink
Words and images on a web page which, when clicked, take the visitor to another web page or part of the same web page.

Internet
A world-wide network of computers.

Internet Merchant Account
A bank account which allows a business to accept online credit card payments.

ISP (Internet Service Provider)
The company which allows Internet connection. AOL, BT and Sky are examples of ISPs.

Javascript
A programming language which runs in a web browser. It is used to make websites visually more attractive.

Keywords
Words which people search for in search engines (for example in Google and Yahoo).

Mouseover
Also known as an Image Rollover. A link which changes appearance when the visitor moves the mouse cursor over it. For example the link might change colour and become underlined.

Page Rank
A number allocated to web pages by Google, to help it rank pages. It is based on the number of inbound links a page has.

Plug-in
A small program which extends a web browser’s capabilities.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication)
A simple way for website owners to let regular visitors know about the website’s updates.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
The art of helping websites being picked by the search engines.

Server
A computer which is permanently connected to the Internet and ’serves’ web pages.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
The address of a web page e.g. www.webdesignpacks.co.uk/glossary.

USP (Unique Selling Point)
A quality which makes a product or service better than its competitors.

Website
A group of web files that start with a file called the home page. The home page will enable access via a navigation system to all other pages on the site. Websites are hosted on web servers and an individual web server normally hosts a number of small websites.