Glossary: digital words in plain language

Showing two versions of a page or an ad to different visitors to see which one works better.

Google's score that decides where your ad shows, based on your bid, the quality of your ad and more.

A short description of an image. Screen readers read it aloud, and Google uses it to understand the picture.

The opening in a camera lens. A small f-number lets in more light and blurs the background.

A way for two programs to talk to each other, for example your online shop and your invoicing software.

A copy of your website's files and database that you can bring back if something goes wrong.

The share of visits that were not engaged. In GA4 it is simply the opposite of the engagement rate.

The look and voice of a business: logo, colours, fonts, photos and words, used the same way everywhere.

The small trail of links near the top of a page, such as Home > Learn > Glossary, that shows where you are.

A saved copy of a page or file, shown next time instead of building it again, which makes the website faster.

The button or link that tells people what to do next, such as Call now or Book a table.

Tells Google which address is the main version of a page when the same content can be reached at several addresses.

A content delivery network: servers around the world that keep copies of your files close to your visitors.

The share of people who clicked after seeing your result or ad, also called CTR. Five clicks from 100 views is a 5% click rate.

A content management system, such as WordPress, that lets you edit a website without writing code.

In Elementor, a box that holds widgets and other containers and arranges them in a row or a column.

Any action you want visitors to take, such as a call, a message or a purchase. GA4 now calls these key events.

A small file a website saves in the browser. In the EU, analytics and advertising cookies need the visitor's consent.

Google's three measures of page experience: how fast the main content appears, how quickly the page reacts and how much the layout jumps.

What you pay each time someone clicks your ad, also called CPC. It is set in an auction for every search.

When Google's robot visits your pages to read them. A page has to be crawled before it can be indexed.

A group of customers with similar needs that you choose to serve.

The system that turns your domain name into the address of your server, and tells email where to go.

Your website's name, such as widget.solutions. You rent it year by year from a registrar.

In GA4, the share of sessions that lasted at least 10 seconds, viewed 2 or more pages or included a key event.

Anything a visitor does that GA4 records, such as a page view, a scroll, a click or a purchase.

The small icon in the browser tab and next to your website's name in Google results.

A post that appears in followers' main feed. Portrait images in 4:5 take up the most space on a phone.

Your free listing on Google Maps and Search, with opening hours, photos, reviews and contact details.

A word with # in front that groups posts by topic. It helps a little; the post itself matters much more.

The first line or first second of a post or video, which decides whether people stop scrolling.

Renting space on a server that is always on, so your website can be reached day and night.

The secure version of a web address. Everything between the visitor and the website is encrypted, shown by a padlock.

One time your page or ad was shown to someone, whether they clicked or not.

When Google adds a page to its index, the huge list of pages it can show in search results.

How sensitive the camera is to light. A higher ISO gives a brighter picture with more grain.

An event you mark as important in GA4, such as a call, a WhatsApp message or a purchase. Formerly called a conversion.

A word or phrase people type into Google. In Google Ads, the searches you choose to pay for.

A key performance indicator: one number that tells you whether a goal is on track.

The page someone arrives on after clicking an ad or a link, built around one clear goal.

Making a business show up on the map and in searches that include a place, such as dentist Rijeka.

Harmful code hidden on a website, often added through an outdated plugin.

How closely a search must match your keyword for your ad to show: broad, phrase or exact.

The short text under your title in Google results. It does not change your ranking, but it changes who clicks.

A word you exclude so your ads do not show for searches you do not want, such as free or jobs.

Where a WooCommerce order stands, such as pending payment, on hold, processing or completed.

Results and visits you do not pay for, such as normal Google results or unpaid social posts.

A visual editor, such as Elementor, for designing pages by placing and arranging blocks.

The service that takes card payments for your shop, such as Stripe or PayPal.

An add-on that gives WordPress a new feature, such as a cookie banner or an online shop.

The place you want to hold in customers' minds, such as the fastest, the most local or the most specialised.

Google's rating from 1 to 10 of how well your keyword, ad and landing page match the search. Higher means cheaper clicks.

How many different people saw your post or ad.

Sends visitors and Google from an old address to a new one. A 301 redirect is permanent.

A layout that adapts to every screen, from a small phone to a large monitor.

Showing ads to people who have already visited your website.

Dividing a picture into a 3 by 3 grid and placing the subject on the lines or where they cross.

The part of a story or reel that is not covered by the app's buttons, names and captions.

Code that describes a page to search engines, such as opening hours, prices or questions and answers.

What someone really wants when they search: to learn, to find a place, to compare or to buy.

One visit to your website, from arriving until leaving, or until 30 minutes pass without any activity.

How long the camera lets light in. Fast freezes movement, slow blurs it.

A file that lists your pages so Google can find them. WordPress creates one for you.

The file that makes HTTPS work and proves the website is the one it claims to be. Free from Let's Encrypt.

The design layer of a WordPress website: its layouts, fonts and colours.

A second check after your password, such as a code from an app on your phone.

The user interface: everything people see and touch, such as buttons, text and menus.

Small additions to a link, such as ?utm_source=newsletter, that tell analytics where a visit came from.

The user experience: how easy and pleasant it is to do what you came to do.

Why customers should choose you over the alternatives, said in one sentence.

A version of a WooCommerce product, such as a size or a colour, with its own price and stock.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, the international standard for websites everyone can use. Level AA is the usual goal.

A modern image format that is much smaller than JPEG at the same quality. AVIF is smaller still.

A simple grey layout of a page, made before the design, to agree on structure and content.