 Glossary
of Web and Internet Marketing Terms
Animated Image
An image that moves or changes using a series of frames grouped together
in sequence. Animated images are widely used in ad banners and for special
effects. (See also Flash).
Active Server Pages
ASP (Active Server Pages), is a server side application platform developed
by Microsoft, utilizing its VB Script programming language. Its advantage
is that the code is easier to implement for those who know VB Script. ASP
is similar to PHP, as it can be embedded into HTML.
Authentication
The ability to verify a person's identity. Online, the use of Secure Certificates
are employed by companies such as Verisign to verify you are dealing securely
online.
Bandwidth
The speed or rate of data transfer (traffic) over a network connection;
measured in bits per second.
Browser
This is the software program like Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator,
or Mozilla, that allows you to see the information on various websites.
It usually will come up automatically when you sign on to AOL or other Internet
Service Providers.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
A technology / language that is used to change the look of an entire
website all at once or any portion of it, such as to define the fonts,
colors, and other design elements used on a particular HTML page. Can
be a separate file called and "external style sheet", or put into the
head of and HTML page called an "internal style sheet", or finally "inline",
to change the appearance of only one line of HTML on a web page.
Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
CGI (Common Gateway Interface) enables the execution of server side applications
such as accessing data sources, generating dynamic web pages, server administration,
etc. The most common languages used for CGI are Perl, Python, and C++. CGI
scripts cannot be embedded into HTML pages, and are generally placed in a
separate executable directory called a cgi-bin.
Cookie
A small text file created by a Web server that resides on a client's computer
and preserves the state of a client server session. May be used to store data,
settings, and other information, a cookie is how Amazon.com knows what products
you have looked at before to make recommendations on similar products. It
also allows you to return to the same spot on books and games online. (Don't
fear cookies, sometimes there are rumors about security issues, but cookies
do not send any information out to a company. The information is stored on
your computer to interact with the incoming data that websites you access
send to your computer.
Digital Subscriber Line(DSL)
A high-speed direct Internet connection that uses all digital networks.
Dithering
The ability for a computer to approximate an undefined color by combining
the "RGB values", or percentage of red green and blue combined to create a
color onscreen.
Document Object Mode l(DOM)
Used in DHTML, a model that specifies how to manipulate objects through
script. For example you can open a new browser and control its functions.
Domain Name
Also known as a website address is the text used to access a particular
website such as MakeBusinessBloom.com,
which is then used by your computer to access the Domain Name System to
access the specific IP Address and Web Server where those website files
are saved. Most common domain names end in ".Com" ".Net"
".ORG" etc which are called top level domains.
Domain Name System
A system that maps uniquely hierarchical names to specific Internet addresses.
Dreamweaver
A web authoring software package by Macromedia similar to Microsoft Frontpage®.
Contains more features and options than FrontPage, but has a more challenging
interface..
Dynamic HTML (DHTML)
DHTML is an HTML enhancement that allows an animation, interaction, and
dynamic updating to occur in web pages. DHTML takes advantage of features
of Hypertext Markup Language(HTML), Cascading Style Sheets(CSS), and the Document
Object Model(DOM). (This is not currently supported by all browsers.)
Electronic Commerce (e-commerce)
The integration of communications, data management, and security capabilities,
to allow organizations to exchange information related tot the sale of goods
and services.
Event Handler
A technique offered by computer languages and HTML that allows you to react
to user input.
Extensible Markup Language(XML)
A language used to describe structured data elements on a web page. This
is a way to create a sort of custom HTML, with a focus on common term definitions
made into tags. Data becomes well formatted, so sharing and automating data
becomes easier once common tags are established.
Fixed-width Font
A font in which every character, including the space character, has equal
width. In proportional-width fonts, letters such as i and j have less width
than m or b. (The opposite of fixed is a proportional width font.)
Flash (Shockwave)
Multidimensional animated image application ,designed by using Macromedia
software called Flash. The advantage of Flash is its quality, movie like graphics.
The disadvantage is that it sometimes distracts users from the overall message
of your site.
Fonts
Please keep in mind that not all computer users have the same fonts available
on their computers as you do. If your site uses a font that is not available
to a user, his or her browser will automatically substitute a default font,
usually Times New Roman, making your site appear completely
different than you had intended. Therefore, whenever possible, you should
use either: Times New Roman, Helvetica, Arial, or Sans Serif, as they
are the most widely available fonts.
Font Size
Font size can also play an important part in the appearance of your site.
Since users can specify a default font size, there is no way to guarantee
that your text will line up the way you intended. One good solution is to
use cascading style sheets to define the fonts for your entire website.
Generation
In regards to Web browsers, it is the version number. Netscape Navigator
7.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 are seventh-generation and eighth-generation
browsers, respectively.
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
A program that provides visual navigation with menus and screen icons, and
performs automated functions with the click of a button. Some good examples
are the "wizard" programs in most major software, and many do it yourself
website creation sites have these so that you do not need to learn a web authoring
language like HTML.
Hits
A hit on a website is simply a single file download by a user from your website.
So if your home page has 10 picture files, one CSS stylesheet, and the main HTML webpage file
then one user looking at only your home page will count as 12 "hits".
As this demonstrates the important factor is never hits, a more accurate statistic is
Unique Visitors (still not perfect but better).
Home Page
This is the first page that comes up when you type in the domain
name (i.e. www.yahoo.com) of a website.
Hexadecimal
A base-16 system, that allows large numbers to be displayed in fewer characters
that the number would be displayed in the regular base-10 system. In hexadecimal,
the number 10 is represented as the letter A, 15 is represented as F, and
16 is represented as 10.
Hyperlink
Usually a way to connect to a website with the click of the mouse containing
embedded instructions within a text file, that link it to a separate file.
It is usually blue and underlined for
you to click on, and it takes you to another page on the web.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
This is the primary language used on the we to communicate to the computers
involved. It describes what the web page should look like, as well as many
other features.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
The protocol used for transporting HTML documents over the Internet.
Image
A file usually in GIF, JPEG, or Bitmap file, used to display graphics on
web browsers.
Inline Images
Images rendered (or displayed) in a Web page.
Internet
Vast network of networks, physically linking many computers throughout the
world.
Intranet
An internal network, using Internet technology, encased behind an enterprise's
firewall. This allows the use of private websites that only people with
access to a particular company or organization can see.
IP Address (IP)
(Internet Protocol number or address). A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots, e.g. 165.113.245.2
Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP address. If a machine does not have an IP number, it is not really on the Internet. Most machines also have one or more Domain Names that are easier for people to remember.
Internet Services Provider
An ISP is an organization that provides access to the internet, such as
America Online, Netzero, or Earthlink.(Usually provide other features
such as email and directories in addition to internet access.)
JAVA
A computer language commonly used in writing scripts to be used on the web server (server-side), and not used on the
browser directly (client-side).
JavaScript
A computer language commonly used for neat tricks to assist with user interaction
on Webpages. When placed within HTML documents, it can produce pop-up windows,
automatic date and time changes, rollover effects, and cookie creation.
Keyword(s)
A word searched for typically referred to in relation to search engines such as
Google, Yahoo, ASK, MSN. Keywords are searched in any order.
For simple keyword searching use spaces to separate keywords, for exact matches enclose your
keyword phrase in quotes.
Modem
A device to convert the message coming over the phone or cable line, into
computer language. Sometimes located in the computer, sometimes attached through
external wires.
Multimedia
The combination of text, pictures, graphics, video, sound, and animation.
Programs such as RealPlayer, Flash, etc.
Network
A group of 2 or more computer systems linked together.
PDF
Short for Portable Document Format - file format developed by Adobe used to display a document with it's original formatting in a common file type to share easily.
Viewing a PDF file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is typically built into most browsers or it can be downloaded
free from Adobe. A common Plug-in.
PhotoShop
PhotoShop by Adobe, a professional web graphic design application package.
Photoshop is and industry leader for professional graphics.
Plug-In
An application (program) that is built into browsers or added to browsers so it can interact
with a special file type (i.e. PDF, Movies such as Flash or Quicktime,
sound files such as MP3's or Real Player, Word documents, etc.)
Sans-serif Font
Sans Serif fonts are plain letter and number styles (i.e. do NOT have serifs aka flourish or small decorative strokes added to the ends of the letters )
Sans-Serif fonts are best for large or very small text such as headings or short passages.
Screen Resolution
Each web page should be designed to fill the smallest screen resolution
(640*480) pixels. Doing so will ensure that your entire page can be seen in
all types of monitors, regardless of their screen resolution settings. Also,
using tables to define page boundaries allows you to control the overall layout
and appearance of your site.
Search Engine
Put most simply it is a computer program sorting web pages based on mathematical formulae or algorithem.
There are 2 common types; a directory where websites are listed by submitting to a category, and spiders where
websites are found by robots or computers spending all their time following links on the web.
Search Engine Optimization
Working on the many factors to help a website move to the top of the
search engine rankings for various keywords. Google does not disclose
many factors and weightings used to determine how their rankings are acheived
but typically the most important factors are content, relevant links to
a website and to a lower extent meta tags, headings and alt tage.
Secure Certificate
A verification service used to assure potential customers that there is a valid business associated
with a website. Various levels of secure validation from simply verifiying a domain name is associated with a
particular person and place to a full credit analysis of the seller.
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a method of encrypting data on the internet.
Each website must obtain a digital certificate to prove its true identity
to end users. This technology is used on almost all eCommerce sites, to provide
a secure environment for exchanging personal and financial information.
Serif font
A font in which the individual characters have little flourishes at the
outermost points of the character. Times Roman is an example of a serif font.
Sans serif means "without serif." Arial and Helvetica are examples of sans
serif fonts. Common Serif fonts are: Times New Roman, Georgia, Times, Book Antigua, Calista MT
Server (Web Server)
A computer running specialized software, assigned an IP address, and connected to the Internet
to provide documents over the Web, also called Host computer.
Server-Side
Programs, scripts or procedure that operate on the "server" computer (providing the Web page),
as opposed to the "client" computer or browser (users).
Usually associated with interactive dynamic pages, forms or animations.
Spider
A program that automatically searches the Web pages, and indexes them for
searches. The most popular example is Google. (Yahoo is actually a directory,
and not a Spider-type search engine.)
T1
A digital carrier that transmits data at a speed of 1.544 Mbps, whish is
usually used by larger businesses for many users to have faster internet connections.
Tags
Pieces of HTML code, enclosed in angle brackets, that tell the HTML interpreter
how to process or display text.
Text Editor
If you are familiar with HTML, JavaScript, PHP, CSS, and other web programming
languages, you can use a simple text editor such as Notepad or WordPad to
build your website. This is the most basic web authoring tool, and it's free.
Text-level elements
Formatting applied to single characters or words.
Traffic
General term related to the number of people or computer request coming to your website (requests for pages/information on web server).
TrueType Fonts
fonts that no matter what their size the letter quality clarity on the computer screen remains high: Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana, and Georgia.
Important because people have a wide variety of monitors they view your website with.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
A text string that supplies an Internet or Intranet address, and the method
by which it can be accessed.
Unique Visitors
A term measuring traffic to your website in the number of different computers that are accessing your
website. Does not tell you if the same person visits your website from 2 or more different computers.
(Work and Home computers are treated as separate Unique Visitors.)
Usenet
Bulletinboard style network that features thousands of "newsgroups." on variety of topics and interests, from
hobbies to news and business. Google incorporates the historic file of Usenet Newsgroups (back to 1981) into its Google Groups.
Yahoo Groups offers a similar service, but does not include the old "Usenet Newsgroups."
Blogs are replacing some of the need for this type of community sharing and information exchange.
Web Address or Domain Name
This is what you would type in to get a website on your computer like www.amazon.com
or www.eRoseWeb.com
Website
Information that is displayed when you sign on to the world wide web, and
is displayed in your browser. Usually consists of many pages you can access
by starting on a companies homepage.
Wiki
A term used to describe technology that gathers a number of web pages focused on a theme, project, or collaboration into one location.
Wikis are typically used where users or group members are invited to contribute, develop and update the content of the specific wiki.
Wikis can be password protected to control or allow contributions.
Most famous and widely contributed wiki is the Wikipedia.
World Wide Web
Resembling an electronic library, it is a collection of software
programs. It is most well known for operating on the internet, but it
is also functional for use within one company or network.
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