| |
|
Glossary
|
Explanation of Search Engine and Internet Terminology
Call-to-Action
A call-to-action prompts people to make the next move. Examples of
popular call-to-action directives include:
Call 555-123-4567 to qualify for this special offer!
Buy Now!
Click here to receive your free gift.
Domain Name
A domain name forms part of a
URL.
EngineHounds' domain name is
www.enginehounds.com.
This example illustrates the difference between a URL and a
domain name:
The URL of this glossary page is:
http://www.enginehounds.com/glossary.htm
Our domain name is:
www.enginehounds.com
The domain name we registered is:
enginehounds.com
Think of a URL as a 'web page address' and a domain name as a 'web
site name', and you've got a pretty good idea of what they are.
For an accurate but brain-numbing Wikipedia definition, click here:
Domain name.
Back to Top of Page
Flash
Some Web sites are built in a program called Flash. Flash sites are
normally quite impressive with movement going on and cool things
fading in and out, but they are not conducive to
search engine optimization. To tell if your site is built in Flash,
right click on different parts of the site and see if something like
this pops up:
As with frames (see graphic below) the text in the URL field of a
Flash usually stays the same as you click through the pages of your
site. If in doubt, ask your Web master.
If you want movement on your site, rather build a regular non-Flash
site and embed Flash elements into it.
Back to Top of Page
Frames
Some Web sites are built in 'frames'. This means that the whole
site actually exists on one single Web page, even though it gives
the impression of being a multi-page Web site. Click from one page
of your site to another and check if the text in the URL field
changes (see graphic below). If it doesn't, chances are you site may
be built in frames. If in doubt, ask your Web master.
Back to Top of Page
Indexing
This refers to the action of the search engines visiting your Web
site for a look-see and then committing some or all of your pages to
memory.
Back to Top of Page
Keywords
These are the words people might use to search for your Web site. For example,
if you are a veterinarian in Hackensack, New Jersey, your keywords
might include Vet Hackensack NJ and Hackensack animal doctor.
Read more about Keyword Research and Discovery and why it's so
important >>
Back to Top of Page
Landing
Page
The first Web page you land on when you enter a Web site is known as
the landing page or entry page. It is not necessarily the home page.
If you search for bird feeder, you may enter a garden
accessories Web site via a page that features a selection of bird
feeders rather than the home page. When referred to in context with
online advertising campaigns landing pages are slightly different.
They are frequently not accessible from the actual Web site—only
from the ad—and are designed with strong call-to-action features
with the purpose of converting the Web visitor from a browser to a
customer.
Back to Top of Page
Link Building
The practice of getting other Web sites to link to your site. The
more sites that link to you, the more important the search engines
will consider your site to be. In Google, your Page Rank may
increase when a lot of sites start linking to you. The best way to
get other sites to link to you is to offer great information, tools,
products, or resources. This way, people will automatically want to
link to you. You can also embark on a "link building campaign". This
involves asking other sites to link to you. While some reciprocal
linking is ok, avoid getting involved in link exchanges, link farms,
or people offering to provide you with a lot of links very fast.
Link quality is as important as link quantity, if not more so.
Back to Top of Page
Mompreneur
A term for entrepreneurial women who establish businesses at home
while also acting as the full time parent of their children.
Back to Top of Page
Natural Search Results
The graphic below shows natural search results in the green area and
sponsored links (also known as Pay-Per-Click Advertisements) in the pink areas.
The results in the green area are are
referred to as natural because they show up there on all on their own thanks
to good optimization techniques. The ones in the pink area paid to
be there. Optimization can get you great
positions in the green area for some of your keywords.
Back to Top of Page
Optimization
When applied to a Web site's capacity to be found on the
results pages of search
engines like Google and Yahoo, optimization refers to a broad
variety of things you can do to increase its chances.
When applied to a Web site's usability, optimization refers to
improvements one can make to improve the site's user-friendliness.
Back to Top of Page
On-page Optimization
Adjustments and additions applied to individual pages of a Web site
to improve its
capacity to get good positions on the results pages of
search engines - like Google and Yahoo - and to provide an easier,
more professional user-experience for Web visitors.
Back to Top of Page
Pay-per-click Advertising (PPC)
Also known as "sponsored links", PPC ads are links on the
SERPS that
are present because someone has paid for them to be there. The costs
are based on a bidding system.
Back to Top of Page
Qualified (Web site visitor)
A qualified Web visitor is one that meets the description of your
target demographics and is therefore more likely to convert from
visitor status to customer status.
Back to Top of Page
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO involves enhancing a Web site to improve it's position in the
SERPS and to ensure Web
visitors enjoy a better user-experience. This means making
sure it's packed with excellent content, valuable keywords, and HTML text. It also involves off-page
activity like link building and blogging.
Back to Top of Page
SERPS
Search Engine Results Pages - the list of non-sponsored web pages
returned by the search engines in response to a search or query.
Back to Top of Page
Text Links
A text link is a hyperlink made up of text, on its own or within a
paragraph, that will take Web visitors to another web location when
they click on it. It often looks like this, but not always. If you
want to direct your visitors to another Web site, but don't want
them to navigate away from the page they're on, you can instruct
your link to open the new information in a "new window" - that way
they can close it afterwards and remain on the original page.
Back to Top of Page
URL
Uniform Resource Locator - Simply
put, the 'address' of a Web site, or a page of a Web site.
This example illustrates the difference between a URL and a
domain name:
The URL of this glossary page is:
http://www.enginehounds.com/glossary.htm
Our domain name is:
www.enginehounds.com
If you think of a URL as a 'web page address' and a domain name as a
'web site name', you'd get a pretty good idea of what they are.
For the geeky but undeniably impressive Wikipedia definition, click
here:
URL.
Back to Top of Page
User Name vs, Screen
Name
In the world of online privacy
paranoia, joining forums and other social media sites that require
registration can make one feel vulnerable. First check to see how
registered users' names appear. Chances are they are using
fictitious names as 'screen' names.
User name: The name you use to log in to a site. Unless
specified, it does not have to be a name at all, though you may be
required to use your email address. If not, think of it more as a
'user word'.
Screen name: This is the name that you want people to see on
the Web site. Most people use a fictitious name for privacy
purposes.
There's a good chance however that you will be required to provide
your real name during the registration process, but
this generally does not show up to the public.
Please feel free to
contact us for more info on search engine optimization.
|
|
|
|
|
