A reference of commonly used terms.
see web browser
The information contained within a website or brochure. Ussually text and images. For example a write up about you or your services. We can help you to develop content with the help of copywriters and photographers.
This is the type of internet address your website uses. Australian businesses typically use the ‘.com.au’ domain while ‘.biz’ and ‘.info’ are also available for businesses and information service providers. Domain name registration is an additional and seperate cost to hosting (see hosting below for more information).
The act of transferring a file from another computer or server to your own.
A site with ecommerce has items for sale. This is usually done with a ‘shopping cart’ on the page, and the buyer can purchase with their credit card via a payment gateway (see payment gateway below for more information).
Adobe software used to create animations, commonly used on the web. Requires the users web browser to have a flash 'plug in' to display.
A form refers to a webpage which has fields a viewer can fill in, such as for an enquiry page or ‘add to mailing list’. The information is then sent via email to one or more addresses.
Software distributed for free on the web.
A type of image file commonly used in web for graphic images with little or no tonal range (eg: the designscope logo above).
Usually the first page in a website, also known as the ‘index page’.
A ‘host’ is where the files that make up your website are stored and are accessible to others via the internet or world wide web. Hosting is ussually an annual fee, you are renting space on a webserver for your site to be seen by other people.
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is a programming language used to create web pages.
Having your site built with a Content Management System (CMS) gives you the ability to make changes to your site (ussually via a web browser). You can typically change text, images, menu items, add/remove products and create links.
An image file type. It is used commonly in web design in order to make file sizes smaller, enabling a page to load more quickly. JPEG is ideal for images with tonal range (eg: photos).
A link on a web page is characterised by an underline and/or a little hand symbol. When clicked, it opens up a new page. Also known as ‘hyperlinks’.
A meta-tag is invisible information in a webpage, which can include keywords and descriptions. Search engines use this information to help determine their search results.
A file format used for audio files which compressed the size of the file. Usually found and downloaded on the web.
MPEG is an international standard for video compression and desktop movie presentation. A special viewing application is needed to run MPEG files on your computer.
See Search Engine Optimisation
A payment gateway enables businesses to perform credit card transactions and fund transfers via a website. These are always secure, and vary in methods and pricing. Paypal is a common payment gateway. Most banks also offer some type of payment gateway.
A PDF is a universal file format. Documents from many programs can be made into a PDF which then can be viewed on any computer that has Adobe Acrobat or the free Acrobat Reader. The file size is usually smaller than in the original format, making it quicker to email or download from the web.
A small window that opens separately to the main web page, often containing a form or adevertising.
The position held by a website when searched by a search engine on by a given keyword.ie. 1st, 2nd
A term used in reference to images. A ‘low resolution’ image is usually 72 pixels per inch, and is used for web. For print a resolution of 300 pixels per inch or higher is needed.
A website that finds sites based on the keywords (or ‘search terms’) entered, such as Google, Yahoo, MSN.
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is designing, writing, and coding your entire web site so that there is a good chance that your web pages will appear at the top of search engine queries for your selected keywords and key phrases.
A small version of a graphic image. Often links to a larger version of the image.
This is the abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator, the addressing system used in the World Wide Web and other internet resources. A URL looks something like http://www.designscope.biz
This is the software that allows a user to access and view websites. Examples of Web browsers include Internet Explorer, Firefox & Safari.
A web site is a collection of electronic pages formatted in various languages (eg: HTML, PHP, ASP). Web sites typically contain text, graphic images, and multimedia effects such as sound files, video and/or animation files.
Also known as WWW or W3, the World Wide Web is a hypertext-based Internet service used for browsing Internet resources.