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Ad Clicks / Clickthroughs
- A click on a banner advertisement that takes a visitor to
the target site.
Ad Views / Impressions - A "display"
of a banner advertisement to a site visitor. There may be
1 clickthrough for every 100 ad views.
Alias (Email) - An email address used
to forward email to another account for reading or distribution.
Animated GIF or Animation - A
graphic file which consists of two or more images shown in
a timed sequence to give the effect of motion.
ASP
• Active Server Pages - A means of retrieving information
from a database for display on a web page; the page is actively
"built" when a user requests the web page.
• Application Service Provider - Outsourced
provider of online access to software applications or hosted
application servers.
Authentication - Controlling access to
all or part of a web site by requiring a username and password.
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Banner Advertisement
- A common way to advertise on an Internet site created by
hyperlinks.
BMP or Bitmap Image - A graphic
defined by specifying the colors of dots or pixels which make
up the picture. Not usually used on web sites due to large
file size.
Bookmark or Favorite Place - Stores
a web site URL within your Browser software to make it easy
to return to a site with one click.
Browser - A software program that displays
web pages. Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Netscape, and
AOL are the most popular browsers.
Browser Version - The version or release
number of the browser software, such as IE 5.5 or Netscape
6.0.
Bulletin Board - A software program allowing
users to read and/or post messages online. (See Threaded
Discussion Board, below.)
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Chat - An online forum
where users can communicate instantly with each other, compare
to Bulletin Board where users post messages.
CGI - Common Gateway Interface. The interface
between the web server and the user's interaction with web
pages. For example, most form responses pass through the cgi.bin
on the web server.
Click, Mouse Click - The action of positioning
the cursor over a Hyperlink and operating the left mouse button.
Content - The non-navigation elements
of a web site, both text and graphics.
Cookies - Files about a visitor sessions
on a web site. May be used to identify returning visitors
and record their preferences, or to help pages load faster
on a user's computer.
Cyberspace - Slang term for the Internet,
World Wide Web, and its resources.
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Database - For Internet
use, a collection of data records that can be retrieved to
display on web site pages. Most large E-Commerce web sites
use a database to store products, orders, and customer information.
Destination Site - A web site designed
for repeat visitors; this requires targeted, interactive content:
games, chats, specialized news, contests, etc.
DHTML or Dynamic Hypertext Markup
Language - A newer, more powerful and precise language
for web page coding. Not supported by older browsers.
Directory - Searchable database of web
site information audited and/or edited by staff members or
volunteers. Yahoo and DMOZ.org are examples of directories.
(Compare with Search Engine, below)
DNS - Domain Name System - Developed
in 1984, the registration of text names used to access the
IP address of web sites. Domain Names are contained in massive
databases on a system of DNS servers, which are updated with
new records and changes on a regular schedule.
Domain Name - The text name used to access
a numeric IP address of a computer on the Internet.
Download - To transfer a file from a
remote computer to your computer using a file transfer protocol.
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E-Business - General
term for business transactions based on electronic data transfer.
E-Commerce - Transactions between businesses
(B2B) or between businesses and customers (B2C) via Internet
connections.
Email, Electronic Mail - Invented in
1972, among the first standard Internet protocols, allowing
users to communicate despite different operating systems.
Mail is received and held by a mail server within an organization
or by an Internet service provider until the addressee logs
on to collect the mail.
Extranet - An Internet based connection
between a business and its suppliers, distributors, and partners,
not open to the general public.
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Filter, Filtering Software
- A program that blocks unwanted material, such as pornography,
from being accessed from an individual computer or network
system.
Firewall - A security interface or gateway
between the Internet and internal computer resources. A firewall
is some combination of passwords, authentication techniques,
software, and hardware.
Flash - Quick-loading web animation software
by Macromedia, refers to the program and files created using
it. Also See Shockwave Flash
Forms - HTML pages formatted to appear
like traditional forms to web site users. Form fields transfer
variables back to the server, and are used to gather information
about site visitors or take orders for products and services.
Frames - A technique used in web site
design to divide the page into multiple windows called frames.
Each frame contains a separate web page. Benefits of frames
are that one part of a web page can be scrolled or changed
while other parts remain fixed for such purposes as keeping
a menu in view all the time. Disadvantages are that users
cannot easily bookmark your site and sites with frames are
at a disadvantage with search engines.
FTP, File Transfer Protocol - Among the
earliest Internet standards, a protocol enabling file transfer
between remote computers and different operating systems.
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Gateway Page, Splash Page
- An introductory page used to "set the stage" for a web site
or trick search engines. Not recommended by CRS.
GIF - Graphics Interchange Format (.gif),
graphics file type used for text or cartoon art and line drawings.
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Hit - Each file requested
from the server is registered as a "hit". This is not the
number of visitors or page views. If a user accesses a page
containing five graphic images, six hits will be recorded
at the server: one for the actual page view, and five more
for the image files.
Hit Counter - A script file with or without
a graphic display that records how many times the page is
viewed. "Page View Counter" would be a better description.
Home Page - The main page of a web site,
providing visitors with an overview and links to the rest
of the site.
HTML, Hyper Text Markup Language is used
to write documents for the World Wide Web and allows linking
(Hyperlinks) between related documents and objects.
HTTP, Hyper Text Transfer Protocol is
a standard way of transmitting data from web servers to web
browsers.
Hyperlinkor Link
- An element on a web page, either text or graphic, which
directs the user to another resource or location when clicked.
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Informational Site -
A site that is primarily an "online brochure", offering information
of interest and designed as an advertising or public relations
tool.
Infrastructure - The basic structure
that allows a system to operate. For the Internet, this includes,
lines, browsers, computers, servers, etc.
Interactive Site - A web site that encourages
visitor interaction through surveys, online forms, discussion
boards, and opt-in mailing lists.
Interface - Describes the environment
between the user and the function of the web site. An ideal
interface does not require any behavioral change on the part
of the user.
Internet - A large, uncontrolled, unmonitored,
anarchic cyber-state that will soon take over the world! (Just
kidding.) Basically, it's just everyone's computers hooked
together. It's not a corporation, organization, or entity
in itself. When you connect to the Internet, you actually
become part of it.
Intranet - Internal private network that
use the same types of hardware, software, and connections
as the Internet.
Intuitive Navigation - Hyperlinked words
or phrases in the text of a web page that allow users to follow
a train of thought to reach more detailed information. Ideal
for text-heavy web sites.
IP Address - IP addresses, together with
domain addresses are the two forms of Internet addresses in
common use. IP addresses consist of four numbers between 0
and 255, separated by dots.
ISP - Internet Service Provider - The
company that provides your connect to the Internet.
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Java - A programming
language developed by Sun Microsystems based on C++. It is
used with web pages to create applets that will run on different
platforms.
Java Applet - An application that is
downloaded from a web page and executed by browser software.
Java Script - A script language (with
little in common with Java) developed by Netscape for writing
short programs embedded in a web page. Supported by all but
the oldest browsers.
JPEG or JPG - Joint Photographic Expert
Group, (.jpg) the most commonly used format for photographs
displayed on web sites.
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Link - 'See
HyperLink'
Live Statistics - The ability to access
the web server log file in real time.
Log File - A file created by a web server
containing a record of activity for a web site.
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Metacrawler - A search
tool that combs the databases of multiple major search engines.
Meta Tags - In
HTML or XML, a string of descriptive information used to provide
information about the page to search engines and browser software.
Commonly used meta tags are description, keywords, date, and
copyright.
Mouse-Over - See
'Roll-Over'
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Navigation - The graphic
and text links that guide visitors to specific web pages or
areas on a page.
Netiquette - Refers to proper etiquette
over networks and includes the rules for common courtesy online
and the informal rules of the road for cyberspace.
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Operating System - The
program that controls the computer. Windows 95/98, NT, UNIX
and Linux are operating systems.
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Page Views - Page views
are the individual web pages requested from the web server.
Page view statistics are helpful in evaluating your navigation,
targeting and improving content, and indicate whether your
home page is enticing to visitors.
PDF File - Adobe's Page Description Format.
Allows display of a scanned document in its original form
and layout. Requires a free download of Adobe Reader to access.
Platform - The operating system used
by site visitors. Windows 98, NT, Sun are examples of operating
systems.
Plug-ins - Downloadable components allowing
web browsers to play or display additional file types, including
video, audio, and multimedia.
PNG - Portable Network Graphics, (.png)
a newer file format for web site graphics not supported by
some older browsers.
POP or Post Office Protocol -
A communications protocol allowing single users to read mail
from a server. POP3 is the most current version. When email
is sent to your Email address, it is stored on the web server
until you log onto the server using your password and user
name.
Portal - A web site that serves as a
"gateway" to the Internet. Portals may be general or targeted
toward specific interest groups.
Primary Navigation - Main navigation
tools placed prominently on the web page. Users expect to
find primary navigation at the top or left hand side of a
page.
Protocol - A "language" spoken between
computers to help them exchange information.
Publish - See 'Upload'
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Referrer - The site a
visitor used to link to your site. This could be a search
engine, directory, or link on another web site. Referrers
are important to track the effectiveness of your online advertising.
Resolution - The display setting of the
user's monitor. Most users set their screen resolution to
display an area 640 pixels wide and 480 pixels wide. As large
monitors become less expensive, the 800 pixel wide by 600
pixel high resolution gains market share. Most sites are still
designed at 600 pixels in width.
Roll-Over, Mouse-Over
- A changing text or graphic display activated by the user's
cursor "rolling over" a hyperlinked area.
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Search Engine - Searchable
database of web site information, generated by automated software
programs. AltaVista and Google are examples of search engines.
Secondary Navigation - Secondary navigation
that outlines section detail in a larger web site. May be
displayed as a roll-over or as part of the root pages.
Secure Server Certificate - Verification
by a third party such as VeriSign or GeoTrust that web site
transactions are encrypted, that the business owner owns the
web site, and that the business is a registered, ongoing concern.
Server Certificates are renewed annually.
Server - See 'Web
Server'
Shockwave Flash
- Web site design software and web browser plug-ins by Macromedia
that allow multimedia (sound, videos, animations, etc.) to
be played on Web pages.
Spiders - Automated programs that search
or "crawl" through the Internet recording information on web
sites.
Splash Page - A "concept page" that introduces
the web site.
SMTP or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
-The protocol used to send mail between servers and to send
mail from your computer to a mail server.
SPAM - The online equivalent of "junk
mail", usually ads or promotions or deliberate disruptions.
Spider, Robot - A software program that
follows links through the Internet collecting web page addresses
and page content.
Sticky Content - Web site content designed
to keep visitors at your site longer.
Sticky Site - A site with long visitor
sessions. Research shows the more time a visitor spends on
your site, the more likely they are to do business with you.
Streaming Audio / Streaming Video - Technologies
which permit listening and watching continuously as the signal
is transferred to your system from a remote web site.
Surf or Surfing - Casual Internet exploration,
first used in 1992.
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T1 Line - AT&T's term
describing data transmission speed between a host computer
and the Internet. A T1 line transmits a DS-1 formatted digital
signal at 1.544 megabits per second.
T3 Line - A data transmission speed about
40 times as fast as a T1 line. T3 lines transmit a DS-3 formatted
digital signal at 44.746 megabits per second.
Tags - See 'Meta
Tags'
TCP/IP - Transport Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol. Set of standards that are used on the Internet to
regulate data transmission.
Threaded Discussions - Allow individuals
to add to add follow-up or answer messages to a topic or forum.
Traffic or Data Transfer - The measure
of data the web server delivers to users of your web site,
measured in gigabytes.
Thumbnail - A small photographic image
that assists the user in choosing a product or navigating
a web site.
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Unique Visitors / Sessions
- A Visitor Session is the activity recorded by a unique visitor
to your site. Unique visitors are the users who visited your
site once during the reporting period.
Upload - To transfer
a file from your computer to a remote computer using a transfer
protocol.
URL - Universal Resource Locator - the
address people type in to go directly to your site. www.yourdomain.com.
Usenet - Standard for sites to share
and forwarded discussion information. Like a chat room, it
is a place for online discussions on areas of interest.
User / Visitor - Interchangeable terms
for the end user of, or visitor to your web site.
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Vector Graphics - A method
of creating and rendering web site graphics that displays
(loads) quickly.
Viral Marketing - User-to-user web site
promotion. Examples are "Send this site to a friend" scripts.
Contests and incentives are often designed to reward viral
marketing.
Virtual Private Network or VPN -
A VPN can connect two businesses, such as a franchise and
its headquarters, by using dedicated lines that are connected
to ISP's. Traffic may be encrypted and authentication is used
on either end.
Virus - A programming script that has
the ability to alter files on your computer, reproduce itself
and infect other programs or disks.
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Web Page - A formatted
file designed to be displayed by web browser software.
Web Server -
A computer that hosts information available to Internet users.
Web Site - A structured group of linked
web pages.
World Wide Web or WWW - Uses graphically
based Internet standards and has allowed easy access to information
and communications around the world.
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Zip File - A method of
file compression originally used with MSDOS and a file extension
for files which are zip compressed for easier transfers.
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Strategy | The Range of
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