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Glossary of Digital Terms

Plain-English explanations of the web development, AI, and digital marketing terms we use every day, so you always know exactly what we mean.

A
Above the Fold

The part of a webpage visible to a visitor before they scroll down.

AI Chatbot

A conversational tool powered by artificial intelligence that understands and responds to customer queries automatically.

API (Application Programming Interface)

A set of rules that lets different software systems talk to each other and share data.

B
Backend

The server-side part of a website or app that handles logic, databases, and data processing.

Bounce Rate

The percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page.

Brand Identity

The visual and verbal elements, such as logo, colours, and tone of voice, that define how a business is recognised.

C
CMS (Content Management System)

Software such as WordPress that lets you create and manage website content without writing code.

Conversion Rate

The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or submitting a form.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

A system for managing a business's interactions with current and prospective customers.

Cross-Platform App

A mobile app built to run on both iOS and Android from a single shared codebase.

D
Design System

A shared set of reusable components and standards used to build consistent digital products.

Domain Name

The address, for example forge9x.co.uk, used to find a website on the internet.

E
E-Commerce

The buying and selling of goods or services through a website or app.

Engagement Rate

A measure of how actively an audience interacts with content, such as likes, shares, and comments.

F
Frontend

The part of a website or app that users see and interact with directly.

Full Stack Development

Building both the frontend and backend of an application.

H
Hosting

The service that stores a website's files on a server so it can be accessed online.

K
Keyword Research

Identifying the search terms your customers actually use, so content can be optimised to match.

L
Landing Page

A standalone web page designed for a specific marketing campaign or goal.

M
Machine Learning

A branch of AI where systems learn patterns from data to make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed.

Mobile-First Design

Designing a website or app for mobile devices first, then adapting the layout for larger screens.

N
NLP (Natural Language Processing)

An AI technique that allows computers to understand and respond to human language.

O
On-Page SEO

Optimising individual web pages, such as content, titles, and images, to help them rank higher in search results.

Organic Traffic

Website visitors who arrive via unpaid search engine results, rather than paid ads.

P
PWA (Progressive Web App)

A website built to behave like a native mobile app, including offline access and push notifications.

R
Responsive Design

A web design approach that makes a site look and work well on any screen size.

S
SaaS (Software as a Service)

Software delivered over the internet on a subscription basis, rather than installed locally.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

The practice of improving a website so it ranks higher in search engine results.

U
UI (User Interface)

The visual elements a person interacts with on a screen, such as buttons and menus.

UX (User Experience)

How a person feels when using a website or app, including ease of use and overall satisfaction.

W
Wireframe

A simple visual blueprint of a webpage's layout, used before design and development begin.

WordPress

A popular content management system used to build and manage websites.