Terms and Expressions You Should Know
This chapter is not to make you an expert, or at least sound like one when you talk to a website designer. After all, if you knew all the correct terminology, you are probably in the business and can design your own website!
You should however, know some of the terms that will likely come up in the conversations during the shopping and planning stages. Here are a few to get you started…
Domain Name:
The physical name of your website. This is what folks will type in to the address bar on their computers to access your website. Example: http://www.albanymuffler.com.
Website:
The directories and files that hold your site content. This will include the pages of the site, the images displayed, documents that can be viewed or downloaded etc.
Search Engine Optimization:
A variety of enhancements, procedures and coding techniques that are used to make your site easier to find. The goal is to have your site listed near the top with certain popular key words or phrases that folks will likely use to find someone who does what you do or sells what you sell.
Hosting:
The place where your website is physically located. Ideally it will be with a dedicated hosting company your website designer has contracted with to host his clients’ sites. Be leery of locals who say they do their own hosting. Good to ask upfront who they host with, and actually check out the company if you have the time and ambition to do so.
Graphic Design:
This is what the designer is likely to charge the most for, as it should involve a unique design of graphics and page layout that will showcase your products or services in the most effective manner. The goal is to come up with a design that most accurately captures the spirit of your business or venture.
Content Management System (CMS) The ability to make basic to intermediate changes to your site on your own. Price changes, new text content, some image work etc., have generally been the sacred domain of the webmaster himself, with the client having to pay the hourly rate for any and all work required. Be sure to ask your website designer about the provision of a CMS on your site.
If you are not comfortable with touching anything on your site, be sure to ask what would be involved with minor to intermediate changes on the site as they become necessary.
HTML, CSS, PHP, Cold Fusion etc. If these don’t mean anything to you, don’t despair. If when talking to your website designer he keeps reverting to “tech?speak” on you, don’t be afraid to ask him to please speak in the language you have both agreed to and are both conversant with. It may be good to spend a little time on your own however, “Googling” some of these expressions to round out your personal knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes.
Much of what follows is a review of what I’ve covered in previous chapters. Here’s a quick recap for you.
Backgound, images, flash elements (animated content) should enhance not overpower the site. Text should be clear and easy to read. Flowery text or text that is too large or too small can be irritating to the reader. The message should be clear and bold and easily recognized in the top section of the home page. People searching for something may click on your site, but if they don’t see a solution to their problem within about 3 – 4 seconds, they’ll click back and keep searching. The site must get to the point quickly. The menu or navigation buttons should be clear and easy to read. They should accurately convey the subject matter of where they will take you. Contact information should be clear on every page. The phone number should be prominent and clear. Email address should be clear and provide a “one?click” access to you if at all possible. All links must be clearly discernable. It should be obvious that they provide some additional information. Links should open up in a separate window. A link should never take someone away from your site. All graphic images should have alternate labels intact. If the site starts with an introductory flash film and musical background, make it clear how to by?pass the baggage and get to business. Be cautious as to the use of music playing in the background. It quickly becomes annoying. Pages should download quickly. Images should be sized properly rather than being forced to resize while the page loads which dramatically increases load time. Each page should be named individually. Page names should accurately reflect the content of the page in as few words as possible. Each page should provide clear indication of how to return to “Home”. Each page in the site should look like they have been cut from the same cloth. Visitors should feel the ambiance of the site throughout its content. Content should get to the point quickly and early on each page. Users don’t read very long, they usually scan over text until they find what they are looking for. If there is too much text, they’ll lose interest.
