Web Design & Development Dictionary

Hosting & Infrastructure

The foundation of your online presence, hosting and infrastructure provide the necessary environment for your website to exist on the internet. This includes your domain name (your digital address), server space (where your website files live), security certificates that protect data, and the technical systems that ensure your site remains accessible to visitors 24/7. Think of it as the land, foundation, and utilities for your digital business property.

Design Elements

The visual and interactive components that shape how users experience your website. This encompasses everything from your color palette, typography, and imagery to navigation menus, buttons, and forms. Good design isn't just about aesthetics—it's about creating an intuitive, cohesive experience that guides visitors toward their goals while reflecting your brand identity. The hero section, typically the first thing visitors see, plays a crucial role in making a powerful first impression.

Website Structure

How your website content is organized and interconnected. A logical structure includes parent pages (main sections like "Services" or "About") and child pages (specific sub-topics) arranged in a hierarchy that makes information easy to find. Proper structure helps visitors navigate intuitively through your site, supports search engine optimization, and ensures important information is prominently featured where users expect to find it.

Website Building Blocks

The technical components that come together to create a functioning website. This includes HTML (the content structure), CSS (visual styling), and JavaScript (interactive elements), along with frameworks and content management systems that simplify the building process. These elements work together behind the scenes to create the pages your visitors interact with, much like how building materials combine to form a physical structure.

Content Management

The systems and processes that allow you to create, update, and organize your website content without technical expertise. A good content management system (CMS) makes it easy to add or modify text, images, videos, and other media across your site. Effective content management ensures your website stays current, relevant, and valuable to your audience without requiring developer assistance for every change.

Performance & Optimization

Strategies and techniques that make your website fast, efficient, and visible in search results. This includes optimizing images, streamlining code, implementing caching, and structuring content for search engines. Good performance keeps visitors engaged (people abandon slow sites), improves search rankings, and ensures your site functions smoothly across all devices and connection speeds.

Features & Functionality

The capabilities that allow your website to do more than just display information. This includes contact forms, payment processing, appointment booking, member areas, and other interactive elements that help your website serve specific business purposes. The right features transform your site from a digital brochure into a powerful business tool that generates leads, processes sales, and serves customers around the clock.

Website Automation

Systems that perform repetitive tasks without manual intervention, saving time and reducing errors. Automation can handle form submissions, email follow-ups, appointment reminders, inventory updates, social media posting, and countless other processes. By connecting your website to other business tools through integrations, you can create workflows that streamline operations and allow you to focus on growth rather than administrative tasks.

The Small Business Web Glossary: Design, Automation & Integration

A

Accessibility: Design practices that ensure your website is usable by people with disabilities. This includes proper contrast, text alternatives for images, and keyboard navigation options.

A/B Testing: Comparing two versions of a webpage to see which performs better in terms of conversions or engagement.

Analytics: Tools that track and report website traffic, user behavior, and conversion metrics. Google Analytics is the most common example.

API (Application Programming Interface): A set of definitions and protocols that allow different software applications to communicate with each other.

Automation: Using technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention, saving time and reducing errors.

B

Backend: The server-side of a website that handles data processing, database interactions, and business logic—not visible to users.

Bandwidth: The maximum amount of data that can be transferred over an internet connection in a given time.

Breakpoints: Specific viewport widths where a responsive design changes its layout to accommodate different screen sizes.

Browser Compatibility: How well your website functions across different web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).

Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who navigate away from your site after viewing only one page.

C

Cache: Temporary storage of website data to speed up repeat visits.

Call to Action (CTA): A prompt encouraging users to take a specific action, like "Sign Up," "Learn More," or "Buy Now."

Child Page: A subpage that exists underneath a parent page in your site hierarchy.

CMS (Content Management System): Software that allows you to create, manage, and modify website content without specialized technical knowledge.

Content Strategy: Planning, development, and management of content to meet business objectives and user needs.

Conversion: When a visitor completes a desired action on your website (purchase, sign-up, form submission).

Cookie: Small piece of data stored on a user's device that remembers information about their visit.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): Code that controls the visual appearance of HTML elements.

Custom Domain: A unique web address that represents your brand (yourcompany.com instead of yourcompany.wixsite.com).

D

Dashboard: A user interface that organizes and presents information in an easy-to-read way.

Database: Organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically.

DNS (Domain Name System): System that translates human-friendly domain names into IP addresses computers can understand.

Domain Name: Your website's address on the internet (e.g., yourbusiness.com).

Domain Registration: The process of reserving a domain name for a specified period.

Dropdown Menu: A navigational element that expands to reveal additional options when clicked.

E

E-commerce: Buying and selling products or services online.

Email Automation: Pre-programmed email sequences triggered by specific user actions or timeframes.

Email Integration: Connecting your website with email marketing platforms.

Encryption: Process of converting information into code to prevent unauthorized access.

External Link: A link that directs users to a different website.

F

Footer: The bottom section of a webpage containing supplementary information like contact details, copyright, and navigation links.

Form: An interactive element that collects information from users.

Framework: Pre-written code libraries that help build websites more efficiently.

Frontend: The part of a website users interact with directly—everything you see and click on.

G

Global Elements: Design components that appear consistently across all pages of a website.

Google My Business: A free tool to manage your business presence across Google services.

Grid Layout: A design system using a series of intersecting vertical and horizontal lines to organize content.

H

Header: The top section of a webpage containing the logo, navigation menu, and sometimes a search bar.

Heading Tags (H1, H2, H3): HTML elements used to define headings and establish content hierarchy.

Hero Section: The prominent area at the top of a homepage that showcases key messages and visuals.

Hosting: Service that stores your website files on servers connected to the internet.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language): The standard markup language for creating web pages.

HTTPS: Secure version of HTTP that encrypts data transmission between a website and its users.

I

Image Optimization: Process of reducing image file sizes without sacrificing quality to improve loading times.

Inbox Automation: Tools that organize, prioritize, or respond to emails automatically.

Indexing: The process by which search engines discover and catalog web pages.

Integration: Connecting different software systems to work together and share data.

Internal Link: A link that connects to another page on the same website.

J

JavaScript: Programming language that adds interactivity to websites.

K

Keyword: Word or phrase that people use to search for information online.

L

Landing Page: A standalone webpage designed specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign.

Lead Generation: Process of attracting and converting strangers into prospects interested in your products or services.

Load Time: How quickly your webpage appears after someone clicks a link to visit it.

Logo: Graphic mark or symbol that identifies your brand.

M

Maintenance: Regular updates and checks to ensure your website remains secure and functions properly.

Make.com (formerly Integromat): Automation platform that connects apps and services to automate workflows.

Media Library: Collection of digital assets (images, videos, documents) used on your website.

Meta Description: HTML attribute that provides a brief summary of a webpage for search results.

Mobile Responsiveness: How well a website adapts to mobile devices.

Mockup: Visual design showing how a website will look when completed.

N

Navigation: System of links that helps users move around your website.

Newsletter: Regular email communication sent to subscribers.

O

Onboarding: Process of guiding new users through your website or service.

One-Page Website: A website that contains all its content on a single scrollable page.

Online Payment Processing: Services that handle credit card transactions on your website.

Optimization: Improving website performance, user experience, or search engine rankings.

P

Parent Page: Main page that contains child pages beneath it in a website hierarchy.

Payment Gateway: Service that authorizes credit card payments for online businesses.

Plugin/Extension: Software add-on that extends functionality of a website or application.

Pop-up: Window that appears on top of the current webpage.

Portfolio: Collection of work samples showcased on a website.

Q

Query: Request for information sent to a database or search engine.

R

Redirect: Automatically sending users from one URL to another.

Responsive Design: Design approach that makes web pages render well on various devices and screen sizes.

RSS Feed: Format for delivering regularly updated content like blog posts.

S

SaaS (Software as a Service): Cloud-based software licensed on a subscription basis.

SSL Certificate: Digital certificate that authenticates a website's identity and enables encrypted connections.

Scheduling Software: Tools that automate appointment booking and calendar management.

Search Bar: Feature allowing users to search for content within your website.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Strategies to improve your website's visibility in search engine results.

Server: Computer hardware or software that hosts websites and serves content to users.

Sidebar: Column of content to the left or right of the main content area.

Site Map: Page that lists all pages of a website, organized hierarchically.

Social Media Integration: Connecting your website with social media platforms.

Subdomain: Division of your main domain (e.g., blog.yourdomain.com).

T

Tag: Keyword or term assigned to content for categorization and searchability.

Template: Pre-designed webpage layout that can be customized.

Testing: Process of evaluating website functionality to identify and fix issues.

Typography: The style, arrangement, and appearance of text on your website.

U

UI (User Interface): Visual elements users interact with on your website.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator): Web address that specifies where a resource is located (e.g., https://www.example.com).

User Flow: Path users take to navigate through your website to accomplish a task.

UX (User Experience): Overall experience someone has while using your website.

V

Visual Hierarchy: Arrangement and styling of elements to show their importance.

Visitor: Someone who comes to your website.

W

Web Application: Interactive program accessed through a web browser.

Web Crawler: Software that systematically browses websites for search engine indexing.

Web Form: Element used to collect information from users.

Web Hosting: Service that stores your website files and makes them accessible online.

Webhook: Way for apps to provide real-time information to other apps.

Widget: Small application with limited functionality that can be installed on websites.

Wireframe: Basic visual guide representing the skeleton of a website.

WordPress: Popular content management system for building websites.

Workflow Automation: Series of automated actions that execute a business process.

X

XML Sitemap: File that helps search engines understand your website structure.

Z

Zapier: Automation tool that connects different web applications.

Zoom: Scaling function that allows users to increase or decrease the size of content.

Z-index: Property determining the stacking order of elements that overlap on a webpage.

Elevating Your Digital Presence with More Time

This dictionary reflects our commitment to demystifying the web development process—removing the intimidation factor and putting you in control of your online journey. We don't just build websites; we build partnerships based on shared knowledge and clear communication.

Whether you reference this guide occasionally or study it thoroughly, our goal remains the same: to transform technology from a source of confusion into a powerful ally for your business growth. Have questions about anything you've read here? We're always happy to elaborate—no technical jargon, just straightforward answers that help your business thrive online.