Web Design Dictionary

Clear Definitions of Common Web Design Terms

At Solutionarian Marketing & Web Design, we know web design can sometimes sound like a foreign language. That’s why we created this Web Design Dictionary — a simple, easy-to-understand guide to the most common web terms you might hear during your project.

Knowing these terms will help you feel confident and informed as we work together to build your new website.

A

Anchor Text
Words in a hyperlink that you can click on. Good anchor text tells you exactly what you’ll get if you click (like “Contact Us” or “View Our Work”).

API (Application Programming Interface)
A tool that lets two apps or websites talk to each other and share information automatically.

B

Back-End
The “behind-the-scenes” part of a website where coding, databases, and servers live. You don’t see this part — but it makes everything work.

Bounce Rate
The percentage of visitors who leave your website after looking at just one page. A high bounce rate often means your site needs improvement.

C

Call-to-Action (CTA)
Words or buttons that encourage visitors to take action, like “Book a Free Consultation” or “Get Started Today!”

CMS (Content Management System)
A software (like WordPress) that makes it easy for you to edit your website without knowing how to code.

Conversion
When a visitor does what you want — like calling you, filling out a form, or buying something.

D

Domain Name
Your website’s address on the internet (like www.solutionarianmarketing.com).

Dropdown Menu
A navigation menu that opens downwards to show more choices when you hover or click.

E

E-Commerce
Selling products or services directly from your website, usually with a shopping cart and checkout page.

Element
A part of a webpage, like a button, image, or headline.

F

Favicon
The tiny icon that shows up next to your website’s name in the browser tab.

Front-End
The parts of your website that visitors see and interact with, like pages, photos, and buttons.

G

Google Analytics
A free tool that tracks who visits your website, where they came from, and what they do while they’re there.

H

Header
The top section of a webpage. It often includes your logo, navigation menu, and maybe a call-to-action.

Hosting
The service that stores your website files and makes them available on the internet.

I

Internal Link
A link from one page of your website to another page on the same website (important for SEO).

J

JavaScript
A programming language that makes websites interactive — like drop-down menus, forms, or moving slideshows.

K

Keyword
Words or phrases people type into Google. Using good keywords on your website helps it show up in search results.

L

Landing Page
A special page designed to encourage a visitor to take a specific action, like signing up for a free consultation.

Local SEO
Strategies to help your business appear in local Google searches — especially important if you serve a specific city or area.

M

Meta Description
The short summary that appears under your website link in Google search results. Good meta descriptions attract more clicks!

Mobile-Responsive
A website design that adjusts automatically to look great on phones, tablets, and computers.

N

Navigation Bar
The menu visitors use to move around your site. Usually found at the top of the page.

O

Optimization
Making your website work better — faster, easier to use, and ranking higher on Google.

P

Page Speed
How fast your webpage loads. A slow website can turn visitors away — studies show 53% of users leave if a mobile page takes longer than 3 seconds to load.

Plugin
An extra feature you can add to your website — like a contact form, a calendar, or a security tool.

R

Responsive Design
A way of building websites that automatically fit any screen size, whether it’s a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

S

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Making changes to your website so it ranks higher in Google and other search engines.

SSL Certificate
A security feature that protects information on your website. If your site has SSL, you’ll see a little padlock in the browser bar — and Google gives you a ranking boost!

T

Tagline
A short phrase that tells visitors what your business is about.

Template
A pre-made website design. Some companies use templates to build sites faster, but at Solutionarian Marketing, we prefer creating custom designs that are unique to your brand.

U

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
The web address you type to visit a page (like https://solutionarianmarketing.com/contact/).

User Experience (UX)
How a person feels when they use your website — good UX means your site is easy and pleasant to navigate.

V

Viewport
The area of a webpage that’s visible on a screen without scrolling.

W

Wireframe
A simple blueprint of your website’s layout — like an architect’s drawing for a building.

WordPress
A very popular CMS (Content Management System) that powers about 43% of all websites.

Why This Matters

If you understand these basic terms, you’ll have a smoother, faster, and more successful experience building your website. Plus, you’ll know when someone is truly helping your business — or just throwing around jargon!

Ready to Build a Site You Actually Understand?

At Solutionarian Marketing & Web Design, we make web design simple, personal, and powerful for businesses just like yours.

👉 Book Your Free Website Consultation Today

FAQs

Q1: Do I need to know all these terms before getting a website?
A: No! We’ll walk you through everything. This dictionary is just here to help you feel more confident.

Q2: Why is mobile-responsiveness so important?
A: Because over 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices — and Google ranks mobile-friendly sites higher!

Q3: What’s the difference between a template and a custom design?
A: Templates are pre-built designs. Custom designs are built from scratch, uniquely for your brand (which is what we do).

Q4: How can SEO help my business grow?
A: SEO helps your website show up when people search for businesses like yours on Google — bringing you more traffic, leads, and customers.