Web design terminology: a glossary for business owners.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by web design terminology. And if you’re a business owner looking to get a website designed, techy jargon can leave you feeling very confused.

That’s why we’ve created this website design glossary. From 404s to favicons, cookies to breadcrumbs, we give easy-to-understand definitions for the lingo you’re most likely to come across on your web design journey.

Grab a brew and read through the whole glossary list to hone your knowledge. Or search the page for specific web design terms that have you stumped.

General web design terminology

Here’s an A to Z of general website terminology. These are a few of the basics you’re likely to hear when working with a web design agency.

B2B website

A B2B (business-to-business) website is a site designed for companies selling products or services to other businesses rather than individual customers. The content and functionality are tailored to professional buyers — and the structure supports the buyer journey of multiple stakeholders.

Below the fold

This is a term borrowed from the newspaper industry. And it refers to the way readers (or users) tend to look at the top half of a page first. In terms of a web page, the fold is the bottom part of a device screen. Users have to scroll down to see content below the fold.

Branding

Website branding is a strategic process. It means designing a website so it reflects a company’s identity and values. Distinctive branding can help your business stand out online and stick in the memory of website visitors.

Brochure website

A brochure website doesn’t have an e-commerce function. Like a printed brochure, it simply advertises your products or services to users — and encourages them to get in touch.

Content

Website content is the text, images, video and audio content you include on your website. The quality of your content affects how a user feels about your site and it also influences SEO.

E-commerce site

An e-commerce site is a website that allows you to sell products or services online. Users select a product, check out and make payment, all via your website.

Homepage

Your homepage is the main or introductory page of your website. This page uses your root domain name.

Landing page

A landing page is a standalone web page that is purely focused on conversion. Users usually arrive at your landing page via an email, an ad or a QR code. Content on the landing page then encourages them to take the desired action, such as buying a product or signing up to your mailing list.

Mobile-first design

Mobile-first design means designing your website primarily for mobile devices, then scaling up for tablets and desktops. This approach ensures your site looks great and works well across all devices. Mobile-first, responsive design is also good for SEO.

Multi-page website

A pretty straightforward web design term. A multi-page website has multiple pages. That might include a homepage, an about page, a contact page and any number of product or service pages.

Responsive design

People use a wide range of devices to access the internet. Responsive design means designing websites that can adapt automatically to fit any screen size.

Single-page website

A single-page website is just one long page with different sections. Users can click links at the top of the page and are taken straight to the relevant section. This approach is simple and streamlined — but you can’t share a lot of information or use your website to target lots of different keywords.

Sustainable web design

Sustainable web design is all about building websites that are efficient and eco-friendly. They use energy-efficient coding, design and hosting, so they make a minimal impact on the environment.

UX

UX stands for user experience. It’s how a user feels when interacting with your website. User experience web design is all about giving users the best possible website experience. By responding to their needs and their goals, we create sites that people love to visit again and again.

Web design

Web design is the art and science of creating the front end of a website. It covers layout, colours, fonts, image and site structure — dictating how a website looks and how users interact with it.

Web development

Web development is the technical side of building a website — writing code, setting up servers and making sure everything works smoothly behind the scenes. Generally, web design comes before web development.

Terms for web design elements

The following web design terminology all relates to elements that appear on a webpage. So you’re likely to hear them when deciding what you want your website to do and what you want it to look like.

Accordion

An accordion is a type of webpage menu. You see a stack of headings, one on top of the other. But when you click a heading, the accordion expands to reveal related content. Web designers use accordions to break large sections of text into more manageable chunks.

Animation

Animation is movement on your website. It can make your site feel more dynamic and help to guide user attention. You can use animation as part of an animated video or as micro-animations.

Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs help users find their way back to another webpage. You’ll find breadcrumbs at the top of a page, usually in this type of format:

Home page > Category > Subcategory

Each page in the breadcrumb is hyperlinked. So users can simply click on the text to navigate back to a previous page.

Call to action

A call to action — or a CTA — is an instruction to your website users to do something. You might be asking them to read more, to buy a product or to get in touch with your team. The design and location of your CTA buttons are really important in getting users to take the desired action.

Contact form

A contact form is a section on your website where users can send you a message directly — usually asking questions, requesting quotes or arranging an appointment.

Explainer video

An explainer video is a short website video that shows your product, service or process in a simple way that is easy for new website visitors to understand.

Footer

Your website footer is the section of content at the bottom of a webpage. Usually, the same footer appears at the bottom of every page on your site. And it tends to contain things like your copyright notice, a link to your privacy policy, a site map and social media icons.

Header

A website header appears at the top of a web page. This is where you tend to find a business logo and navigation links.

Hero section

The hero section is the big, eye-catching part at the top of a web page (above the fold). It usually includes a headline, image or video that shows visitors what your site and business are all about.

Hover state

This is the subtle animation that a user sees when they hover their cursor over a webpage link. It helps to show users that text or an icon is clickable.

Icons

Icons are small graphics used on your website to visually represent actions, features or content. For example, you could include an icon of a magnifying glass for search.

Micro animations

Micro animations are tiny movements on your web page, like buttons that wiggle or icons that bounce when you hover. They add interest and give subtle feedback to users, so it’s easier for them to navigate your website.

Motion design

Motion design adds movement and sounds to static design elements — like text, logos and illustrations. You can add motion design to your website to boost user experience and engagement.

Navigation

Website navigation is the collection of website elements that help a user travel around your site. With good navigation — through menus, buttons and link text — a user can find everything they need, without getting lost or frustrated.

Social proof

Social proof works on the basis that people copy the actions of others when deciding how to behave. You can use social proof to increase conversions on your website. Examples of social proof include product reviews, testimonials and user-generated content.

Sticky elements

Sticky elements are webpage elements that stay in the same position on a screen, even as a user scrolls down the page.

Trust signals

Website trust signals are website elements — like client logos, customer reviews and security badges — that encourage users to trust in your website and business. Social proof is a type of trust signal. Case studies, product guarantees and media mentions are also trust signals.

UI

UI stands for user interface. It’s how users interact with a website, app or other digital product. User interface design means building interfaces that users find easy and exciting to use.

User-generated content (UGC)

User-generated content is website content — including text, videos, images and reviews — created by your users, customers or fans of your brand. UGC is a type of social proof.

White space

White space is the empty space on your website. This negative space (which doesn’t have to be white) gives web design elements space to shine. It prevents your website from feeling visually cluttered and overwhelming.

Branding and visual identity terms

If your brand identity is getting an overhaul as part of your website design, here are the terms you need to know.

Brand guidelines

Brand guidelines are the rules for how your brand should look and feel. When it comes to your website, that means colours, fonts, tone, logos, imagery and messaging.

Colour scheme

Your website colour scheme is the selection of colours you use consistently across your website (and the rest of your marketing materials). The best colour schemes include a neutral colour for website backgrounds and an accent colour that helps calls to action stand out on the page.

Favicon

A favicon is a small icon that represents your website. You tend to see your favicon in browser tabs, bookmark lists and search engine result pages.

Imagery

Your website imagery is the photos, graphics and illustrations you use on your website to visually communicate your brand. All imagery should convey a cohesive brand identity.

Logo

Your logo is the visual symbol of your brand. It appears on your website, social media and marketing materials to make your brand instantly recognisable and tell people what your brand is about.

Social media assets

Social media assets are the images, graphics and videos you share on social platforms. These assets should fit with your website branding to create a consistent brand image across all touchpoints.

Typography

Website typography is the art of arranging and styling text on a web page. The best website typography supports the user experience by making text readable and by using fonts that say something about your brand.

Hosting and web development terms

Onto the techy stuff. When deciding how to host your website and when chatting with your web development team, you may come across the following web development terms.

301 redirect

A 301 redirect is a way to permanently redirect users from an old web page to a new one. We tend to use it when we’re moving or removing a page from a website. With a 301 redirect in place, even if users click on a link to the old web page, they’ll be sent straight to the new one.

404 error

A 404 error occurs when someone searches for a page that doesn’t exist on your website. Users tend to get 404 errors when they follow a broken link or make a mistake when typing a website address.

404 error page

When a 404 error occurs, the best practice is to present users with a 404 error page. This page tells them that the page they’re looking for doesn’t exist — and points them back in the direction of a functional webpage.

Some businesses use their 404 error page as an opportunity to delight their users with a creative, on-brand message. Take a look at these clever examples to see how it’s done.

Accelerated mobile pages (AMP)

AMP is a way to make web pages load super-fast on mobile devices. It strips down some of the heavier web elements so users don’t have to wait around. This helps to improve user experience and can support your SEO efforts, too.

Back end

The back end of a website is the part of a website that your website users can’t see. It’s the place where all website data is stored and organised. The back end tells the front end of a website what to display to users.

Browser

A browser is the program a website visitor uses to view your website. Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer are all web browsers. A website should look great and function beautifully across all browsers.

Cache/Caching

Caching is when copies of files are stored in a temporary location, called a cache. This makes it quicker and easier for a server to retrieve website information and present it to a user.

CAPTCHA

CAPTCHA is a test on forms to make sure a real person, not a bot, is submitting information. Sometimes users have to click pictures, check a box or type a code. Modern alternatives, like Cloudflare Turnstile, work in the background so they don’t disrupt the user experience.

CDN

CDN stands for content delivery network. It’s a network of servers that supports your host server. CDN servers store copies of your website. When a user tries to access your website, the nearest CDN server responds to the request. This helps to speed up your site.

Cloudflare

Cloudflare is a company that provides CDN, domain name system (DNS), CAPTCHA and a range of other website security services. It makes websites faster and helps keep them secure.

Cloud hosting

Cloud hosting is a type of web hosting that uses multiple interconnected servers to store and deliver a website. Instead of relying on a single, physical server (like in traditional hosting), cloud hosting spreads resources across a network of servers. This ensures better uptime and improves website performance.

CMS

CMS stands for content management system. It’s a software application that allows you to change your website without using any code. As a business owner, you’ll use your website’s CMS to edit page content, upload new product pages and create new blog posts.

Cookies

Cookies are used on the majority of websites to store information about a user visit. They can tell a business owner how users are arriving at their site and whether they’ve visited the site before.

These cookies don’t contain any information that can personally identify a user. But, because of GDPR rules, you need to ask users for cookie consent.

CSS

CSS stands for cascading style sheets. It’s a file that describes how HTML elements will look on screen.

Dedicated server

A dedicated server is a server that is dedicated to just one organisation and its website(s). Dedicated servers reside with your host (not in-house). They usually cost more than other server options. But they’re the gold standard in terms of server performance.

Domain name

Your domain name is your website’s unique address. Our domain name is radicalwebdesign.co.uk. Choosing a domain name is one of the most important decisions you make as a business owner.

Domain suffix

Your domain suffix is the bit that comes at the end of your domain name, after the last dot. Some common domain suffixes include .co.uk and .com — but there are lots of other alternatives available. The domain suffix you choose will depend on availability, price, credibility and your target market.

Front end

The front end of your website is the graphical user interface that a website visitor sees and interacts with.

Hosting

All websites are hosted on a server. Some companies have their own server. But most outsource hosting responsibilities to another company. The web hosting service you choose affects things like site speed, security and downtime.

HTML

HTML stands for hypertext markup language. It’s the main coding language used to write web pages.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a coding language that can be used alongside HTML and CSS. It’s useful when developers want to create dynamic, interactive elements for a website.

Plugin

A plugin is a piece of software that adds functionality to an existing website. You can install a plugin on a WordPress site without using code.

Plugins are a useful solution for business owners looking to improve their websites without the help of a web developer. But use too many plugins and you can actually hurt site speed and website performance.

Progressive web applications (PWA)

A progressive web application is a website or app that delivers an app-like experience to users. A PWA acts more like a native app than a website. It loads fast, works offline and can receive push notifications.

Schema markup

Schema markup is code that tells search engines about the elements on your website. It helps search engines provide rich results. These are results that contain extra information — like review ratings and product prices.

Sitemap

A sitemap is a file that lists the most important pages on your website. Search engines use sitemaps when deciding which pages to include in search engine results.

XML sitemaps are the preferred format for search engines. They contain information about URLs, any local URL variants and when the page was last updated.

WordPress

WordPress is one of the most popular platforms for building a website. It’s an open source content management system that gives web developers and designers lots of flexibility. Some web designers (like us!) specialise in WordPress websites.

Terms for the web design and development process

A lot happens in between your initial enquiry and the launch of your website. These are the website terms you need to know relating to the web design and development process.

Brief

A website brief is the information and instruction a client gives to a web design agency before they start work on a website. A good brief includes information on your brand, customers, competitors and website goals. You should also talk about the technical features your website needs.

Figma

Figma is a design tool used to create website layouts, mockups and prototypes. It lets designers collaborate in real-time before the site is built — and it allows business owners to comment on website designs as they progress.

Mockup

A mockup is a static visual design that shows what your website will look like. Unlike a prototype, you can’t interact with a mockup.

Prototype

A website prototype comes after a mock-up. It’s an interactive and clickable version of your website. A client can navigate the prototype, getting to grips with the structure and suggesting any changes before the real site is built.

Quality assurance

Quality assurance is the process of checking a website to make sure everything works as it should before the site goes live. That means no broken links, design errors or bugs.

Wireframe

The wireframe is one of the first steps in web design. It’s a simple, non-technical outline of a website that uses lines and boxes to show where elements are going to go and how pages will be structured.

SEO terms

If you want to get your website seen on search engines, get your head around this SEO jargon.

Alt text

Alt text is the words used to describe an image on your website. Most CMSs give you the option to add alt text when you upload an image. Descriptive alt text is important because it helps visually impaired users to understand your site content. It can also impact your SEO.

Anchor text

Anchor text is the clickable text of a hyperlink. It usually appears in a different colour to the surrounding text so users know they can click on it. When deciding which anchor text to use, pick words that accurately reflect the content you’re linking to and avoid vague phrases like “click here”.

Backlinks

Backlinks are links from other sites to yours. And they have a big impact on your SEO performance. A website with lots of links from high-quality sites will rank more highly in search engine results than one without.

Black hat SEO

Black hat SEO is any kind of SEO strategy that goes against search engine guidelines. These tactics were once rife. But a strict clampdown by search engines means any sites using black hat SEO are now penalised.

GEO

GEO stands for generative engine optimisation. It’s the process of optimising your website and content so it’s shared in AI output. It’s early days. But many long-standing SEO principles seem to support GEO, and increasing brand mentions across the internet may also help.

Internal linking

An internal link is a link on one page of your website that directs users to another page on your website. Internal links are useful for users. They help them to navigate your site more easily. A good internal linking strategy can also improve your site’s SEO.

Meta description

A meta description is the short section of text that appears in search results, just below your page title. It gives users a better idea of the content they’ll find on a particular webpage. Well-written meta descriptions encourage users to click and discover your website.

Meta title

A meta title is also known as a title tag. It’s the title of a web page and the blue, clickable text that shows up in search engine results. You can optimise your meta title by including the primary keyword phrase your page is trying to target.

On-page SEO

On-page SEO is the practice of optimising individual web pages to rank higher in search engine results. You can optimise your pages by doing keyword research, mapping keywords to pages and placing keywords naturally throughout page content.

SEO

SEO stands for search engine optimisation. Good websites are built with SEO in mind. This makes it more likely that search engines will place your site high up in search results, which means you’ll get lots of site visitors.

SERPs

SERPs stands for search engine result pages. These are the pages displayed by search engines — like Google or Bing — when a user types in a query. When your website appears on page one of SERPs (with the help of a solid SEO strategy), you get more clicks and more traffic to your website.

Technical SEO

Technical SEO is the stuff that goes on behind the scenes. It’s the process of optimising your website infrastructure, backend and code to help search engines crawl and index your pages more efficiently. Websites that are fast, mobile-friendly and easy to crawl tend to rank more highly.

Website performance & compliance terminology

In our final section of website design lingo, we’re covering the words you may hear when discussing site performance and compliance.

Accessibility

When we talk about accessibility, we’re talking about whether people with disabilities find it easy to use your website. Sites should be accessible to everyone, regardless of colour blindness, visual impairment and any other disability.

A/B testing

A/B testing is a way to find out which website changes make a positive difference to your business. You do this by showing two different versions of your website to users. Half of your users see Version A and the other half see Version B.

By looking at the analytics for both pages, you can see which version gets the best results. You can then make informed decisions about which changes to keep and which to discard.

Bounce rate

Bounce rate is a website performance metric. It’s the percentage of people who leave your website after visiting just one page. Ideally, you’re looking for a low bounce rate because this shows that people find your site content relevant and interesting.

Core Web Vitals

Google’s Core Web Vitals are available via Google Search Console. They tell you what kind of user experience your website is providing. You can use this tool as part of a website health check to assess the speed and performance of your site as it loads.

Conversion rate

Conversion rate is another website performance metric. This number tells you the percentage of users who have completed a desired action.

An e-commerce conversion rate usually measures sales. But you might like to track other conversions — including mailing list sign-ups and resource downloads.

GDPR

GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. It’s a law that aims to protect the data and privacy of website users. You need to understand GDPR before collecting any user information.

GA4

GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics. You can use Google Analytics to track website usage and user behaviour once your site has gone live. With GA4 insights, you can find ways to improve website performance.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free tool provided by Google. It tells you how your site is performing in search results. You can learn which keywords are driving traffic to your website, view search performance and identify indexing issues.

HTTPS

HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. This is a set of rules for transferring files. Unlike HTTP, this transfer takes place over a secure and encrypted connection.

When it comes to your website, you need to use the HTTPS protocol. That’s because it makes your site more secure, which reassures both website users and Google.

Loading speed

Loading speed (also known as page speed) is the speed at which your website becomes visible and functional for users. The speed of your website has a big impact on user experience and SEO.

SSL

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It’s a security protocol that protects a website (and its users) from cyber threats. An SSL certificate shows that your site is secure and allows you to use HTTPS at the beginning of your site URL.

Still confused by website design terminology?

We hope this website design glossary has given you a better understanding of website design terms and general industry jargon.

But if there’s any web design terminology you’re still struggling to get your head around, why not get in touch with the Radical Web Design team?

We’ve worked with hundreds of business owners over the years. And we know that complex web design terms just leave our clients feeling confused.

So we promise to leave web design jargon at the door and talk about our work and your website in terms everyone can understand.

Give us a call if a web design term has you baffled — or if you want to get started on a new web design project.