Often, the hardest part about learning new things is learning the language. This doesn’t just apply to traveling in foreign countries. Nearly every specialized area comes with words and terms you probably hadn’t heard before you started learning about the topic. Whether you’re studying chemistry, business administration, computer science, or birdhouse building, you’re going to run into some unfamiliar words and terms that you’ll need to learn.
JM Online knows that in our industry, there are a lot of technical words, or jargon, that can make it a challenge for newcomers to engage. Our aim is to communicate the importance of your online presence, hosting, website data, and many other jargon-heavy topics.
We can’t help you see the importance of our message if the jargon is making our communication impossible to understand. So to better serve you, we’ve created this cheat sheet of common jargon. Almost every support phone call we are on includes most of these words.
Common Jargon Cheat Sheet
Hosting
The space on a server ( basically a special computer) where a website, email, mobile app, or any web-based software lives. Your home has a physical location on a piece of land, and your website files have a real location on a server.
Domain
Your website domain is the address that people type into the browser when they want to visit your website. Your domain or domain name might look like: www.mywebsitename.com
URL
A URL, or uniform resource locator, includes your domain, plus the pages and content that make up your entire website. While www.mywebsite.com is your website’s primary URL, www.mywebsite.com/services is the URL for your service page.
CMS
CMS is an acronym that stands for Content Management System. In the old days, the only way to edit your website was to edit it using HTML code. A CMS is a user-friendly way to control the content on your website without needing to know how to code. Common CMS’s include WordPress, Joomla, Square Space, Wix, Magento, Shopify, and more.
WordPress
WordPress is one of the most commonly used CMS’s. Over 27 million websites are built using WordPress. WordPress is open source, which means you don’t need to pay WordPress to use it, and anybody can develop tools or plugins that work with WordPress.
Browser
A browser, or web browser, is software on your computer, phone, or tablet that allows you to look at websites. More technically speaking, a browser is software that requests information, or files, from servers to be displayed on your computer. Common browsers include Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a tool that allows you to see how people behave once they visit your website. You can see how much traffic you’re getting, where it’s coming from, which pages are visited, and how long each visit lasts. These numbers help you understand what’s working and what needs improvement on your website.
Google My Business
Google My Business is a platform for business owners to control how their business appears on a Google Map search result. When online users search for a business “near me,” Google gives them a map result. Managing your Google My Business account ensure that your business information is accurate on the results page.
Here are some more articles about Google My Business, it’s value to you and how to set it up, click here.
Google Search Console / Webmaster Tools
Google Search Console (formerly Webmaster Tools) is a tool that allows you to see how people find your website using Google Search. If you want to monitor where your blog posts are ranking on Google search, ask your web manager for access to Search Console.
Security Package
Security packages are unique to your provider, so make sure you ask them to explain it to you. Generally, website security packages keep unwanted traffic from accessing your website. If you’re only doing business in the USA, for example, international traffic may be blocked to eliminate the possibility of non-customers attacking your site.
Email Client
An email client is software installed onto your phone, tablet, or computer that allows you to send or receive email. Common email clients include Microsoft Outlook, and if you’re using an Apple device, Apple uses an application called Apple Mail, or just Mail.
Less Frequently Used Jargon
The jargon below are words that you may not experience as frequently. These words would be something that you would hear in a conversation if you’re performing more technical work on the site, such as building a new website or trying to make your website more secure.
Dev Site
A dev site, or development site, is commonly used when a website is being rebuilt, or when a brand-new website under construction. It’s a virtual space that allows you to view the website’s progress while keeping it hidden from online users.
Website Launch
When you’re building a new website, there comes a time when you’re ready for it to go live or become accessible for online users. The process of making your site available for the public to see and use is called a website launch.
Server
A server is like a computer. Just like your computer, it has documents, images, and folders. The difference is that a server operates as a centralized resource for multiple users, while your computer is only used by whoever is logged in. A server never gets turned off, allowing computers to access its contents 24/7. Your website is a collection of files and folders that live on a server.
Caching
Caching is a process that your computer, server, or browser uses to remember data. Caching minimizes the amount of work required to load data or websites. The less work that’s required to load, the faster the data or website loads.
PCI Compliance
PCI, or Payment Card Industry, refers to the standard for data security. PCI compliance means your website meets the information security standard when credit cards are transacted through your website. If you’re taking credit card payments through your website, your hosting server needs to have a specific configuration to meet PCI compliance.
reCAPTCHA
A reCAPTCHA is a tool that is installed onto your website that determines if a visitor on your site is a human or not. Frequently used on contact forms and login pages, reCAPTCHA tools block spam bots from submitting malicious data on your website.
Domain Registrar
A domain registrar is a company that reserves domain names. If you’re starting your business and you want to reserve a domain name, you’ll need to visit a domain registrar like GoDaddy or NameCheap to purchase and secure your domain name.
SSL
SSL stands for secure sockets layer. It is a secure method for connecting two computers (your device with a web browser, for example) by encrypting or codifying data so that it cannot be read or stolen. Websites with SSL certifications will display the small padlock symbol in the browser before their domain name. All websites should have this to be deemed trustworthy by today’s online standards.
For more about SSL’s and site security, click here.
HTTP
HTTP or HyperText Transfer Protocol is a set of rules that are used to transfer data over the web. When you visit a website, your browser is sending messages formatted in HTTP.
HTTPS
Similar to HTTP, but HTTPS sends messages securely using an SSL so that data cannot be stolen.
As a website owner or future website owner, you will sooner or later become involved in technical conversations in order to improve your online presence. We want you to be confident and able to engage with your technology. Understanding these words and terms will help you make the best decisions possible for your hosting, website data, email, and everyday website problems.
