Not sure what a website proposal means by a CMS, a redirect or user experience? This glossary explains common web design, WordPress and SEO terms in plain English, with examples to help you discuss your project.
You do not need to learn all of these to commission a website. Use the links below to find a term, or ask me about your website if you would like something explained in context.
Accessibility
Making a website usable by people with different abilities and ways of browsing. Examples include keyboard navigation, readable contrast, labelled form fields and text alternatives for meaningful images. Accessibility should be considered during design and development, rather than left until launch.
API integration
A connection that lets two systems exchange information using an application programming interface (API). For example, a website enquiry might be passed to a customer relationship management system. Access, permissions, error handling and ongoing service costs need to be considered before building the connection.
Branding
The identity that helps people recognise and understand your business, including its name, visual style and tone of voice. On a website, consistent typography, colours, imagery and writing help make that identity feel coherent.
Call to action (CTA)
A prompt that tells a visitor what they can do next, such as “Start a project”, “Book a consultation” or “Add to basket”. A useful CTA describes the action clearly and appears where the visitor has enough information to make a decision.
CMS (content management system)
Software that lets you manage website content through an editing interface. WordPress is a CMS: you can use it to update pages, publish articles and manage images without editing the site’s code. The editing options depend on how your website has been built.
Conversion rate optimisation (CRO)
Improving the proportion of visits that lead to a useful action, such as an enquiry or purchase. It can involve clearer content, better forms and fewer obstacles at checkout. Changes should be judged against meaningful data rather than assumptions about what looks best.
Core Web Vitals
Google’s measures of loading performance, responsiveness to interactions and visual stability. They can help identify frustrating experiences, such as content moving while someone tries to click. Good scores are useful, but they do not guarantee a particular search ranking.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
The language used to control the presentation of web pages, including colours, spacing, typography and responsive layouts. HTML provides the structure; CSS describes how that structure should look.
Custom WordPress theme
A theme developed around a particular website’s design and requirements. It controls how content is presented and can provide reusable layouts. A custom theme still needs testing and ongoing maintenance; being custom does not automatically make it fast or accessible.
Design system
A shared set of design decisions and reusable elements, such as buttons, form fields and spacing rules. It helps keep pages consistent and gives designers and developers a common reference as a website or product grows.
Domain name
The address people use to find your website, such as example.co.uk. Domain registration is separate from hosting. Keep control of the registration account and renewal details, even if someone else manages the website for you.
Ecommerce website
A website that allows customers to buy products or services online. It typically includes a catalogue, basket, checkout and order management. Payment, delivery, returns and product information all need planning alongside the design.
Figma
A design tool used to create page layouts, interface components and interactive prototypes. Reviewing a design or prototype can help resolve layout and user-journey questions before development starts.
Front-end development
Building the parts of a website that run in the browser using HTML, CSS and JavaScript. This includes layouts, menus, forms and interactions, with attention to different screen sizes and ways of using the site.
Hosting
The service that stores and serves your website’s files and data. The right arrangement depends on the website’s requirements, traffic and support needs. Check what is included, who manages backups and how you can access or move the site.
HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
The language used to give web content its structure and meaning. Headings, paragraphs, links, lists and form controls are HTML elements. Choosing the appropriate elements helps browsers and assistive technologies interpret the page.
Information architecture
How a website’s content is organised and labelled. It includes decisions about which pages are needed, how they relate to each other and where information belongs. A clear structure helps people find answers without guessing.
Interaction design
Planning what happens when someone uses an interface: opening a menu, completing a form or moving through checkout. Clear feedback and predictable behaviour matter more than adding movement for its own sake.
JavaScript
A programming language used for interactive website behaviour. It can handle features such as expanding FAQs or validating forms. Its use should be proportionate so that essential information remains accessible and the page stays responsive.
Landing page
The page a visitor arrives on after following a link or advert. In marketing, the term often describes a page built around one offer and a specific action. The content should match what the visitor was promised before clicking.
Meta description
A short description stored in a page’s metadata. Search engines may use it as the snippet beneath a search result, but can choose other page text instead. Write it to explain what the page offers, rather than fill it with repeated keywords.
Navigation
The links and controls that help visitors move through a website. Main menus, breadcrumbs and relevant links within content all contribute. Labels should describe their destinations clearly.
Plugin
An extension that adds features to WordPress, such as forms or ecommerce. Plugins need to be chosen for the job, kept updated and checked for compatibility. More plugins do not necessarily mean more useful functionality.
Prototype
A representation of a proposed website or product used to explore how it will work. A clickable prototype can show a journey between screens without being the finished system. Agree which parts are illustrative and which will be functional in the build.
Redirect (301)
A permanent instruction that sends visitors and search engines from one URL to another. It is useful when an existing page moves or has a relevant replacement. Redirects should lead to the closest useful destination, rather than send every retired page to the homepage.
Responsive website design
Designing layouts that adapt to the available screen space. A phone may need stacked columns, different navigation and larger touch targets. Responsive design should preserve useful content and actions, rather than simply shrink a desktop page.
SaaS product design
Designing software delivered as an online service, often through a subscription. The work can cover onboarding, dashboards and repeated tasks. Understanding what users need to achieve helps keep complex features manageable.
SEO (search engine optimisation)
Helping search engines discover and understand useful website content, while making that content relevant to the people searching for it. It includes page structure, content, internal links and technical checks. No responsible provider can guarantee a particular organic ranking.
Title tag
The page title supplied in the HTML metadata, distinct from the visible page heading. It is used in browser tabs and can inform the title shown in search results. Each important page should have a clear title that reflects its own content.
UI design (user interface design)
Designing the visible controls and presentation of a digital interface, including buttons, forms, typography and layout. Good UI design helps people understand what they can do and recognise the state of the interface.
Usability testing
Observing people attempting relevant tasks with a website or prototype. It can reveal unclear labels, missing information and unexpected obstacles. It is different from checking whether code runs without errors.
UX (user experience)
The overall experience of using a website or product, including whether someone can understand it, find what they need and complete their task. UI is one part of UX; content, performance and the sequence of steps matter too.
Website maintenance
Ongoing technical care such as updates, backups, monitoring and checks. Inclusions vary between plans, and a redesign or new feature may be separate work. Review the agreed responsibilities as well as the monthly price.
Wireframe
A simple outline of a page showing content priorities, layout and navigation before detailed visual styling. It helps you discuss what belongs on a page and where, without getting distracted by colours or imagery.
WooCommerce
An ecommerce platform built on WordPress. It provides product, basket, checkout and order-management features, with extensions available for additional requirements. The store setup should reflect how the business sells and fulfils orders.
WordPress development
Building or adapting a WordPress website’s theme, editing setup and functionality. This can include custom content types, WooCommerce and connections to other systems. The scope should explain what is being built and how it will be maintained.
Put the terminology into practice
Explore my website design service, WordPress and WooCommerce development or maintenance and support plans. For help planning a budget, read the website pricing guide.