Understand Online Terminology

"Geek" TERMINOLOGY

Affiliate
An affiliate is someone who sells another business's product in exchange for a percentage of the profits. Running an affiliate programme is a great way to boost your sales revenue. You can recruit affiliates to sell your products- at just a small cost to you.

Algorithms
An algorithm is simply a series of steps that must be taken in a certain order to accomplish a given task.

Audioblog
An audioblog is a blog that is presented as an a audio file, so people can listen to it instead of reading it. Bloggers record themselves expressing useful or interesting information and then post the audio file on their website.

Authentication
Authentication is the term given to a set of processes that allow email senders to confirm to email providers and ISPs that they are who they say they are. This allows them to sidestep junk email filters and make sure their messages arrive in inboxes where they belong.

Autoresponders
An autoresponder is a program that automatically sends an email message at a set time or in response to an action taken by a computer user.

Bandwidth
In internet terms, bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted between computers over the internet in a fixed amount of time. Many web hosts measure your bandwidth usage in gigabytes and charge accordingly for excess use.

Banner ads
A banner ad is simply an advertisement displayed on your web page in a traditional banner shape. A banner can display virtually anything, although in e-commerce it is primarily used as an advertising tool that acts as a link to an advertiser's website.

Black hat tactics
Black hat tactics are manipulative search engine optimisation strategies that are frowned upon or forbidden by search engines. One such strategy is keyword spamming.

Blacklist
A blacklist is a list of known or suspected senders of a spam. Blacklists are maintained by ISPs and spam-fighting organizations and if your name gets on a blacklist, it can be very difficult to have it removed.

Blog
Basically, Blogs (short for "web logs" ) are a type of online journal. Blogging is a form of online communication that is taking the internet by storm, "Bloggers" use their sire to express their thoughts, opinions, or any other information they think people might find interesting or useful. Bloggers update their frequently so that visitors will regularly return to their site to see what new information they've posted, and to optimize their site for search engines.

Bookmark
A bookmark is a feature offered by most browsers that allows you to say the address (URL) of favourite websites or web page, so you can easily revisit it later on. Many browsers call the bookmark feature "Favourite" or "My Favourites."

Bounce back
A bounce back occurs when an email that you've sent to someone is returned to you ("bounced back") without ever showing up in the intended recipients' inbox.

There are two kinds of bounce backs: "hard" bounces and "soft" bounces.

Browser
A browser is a type of software that locates and read a web page at an internet address like http://www.geekitgroup.com.au the browser reads computer code (HTML, JavaScript, CGI scripts, etc)

Call to action
A call to action is the copy on your site that encourages your visitors to take a specific action. For example, "click here to purchase your new website at half price" is a call to action.

Chat room
A chat is an online forum where people gather to talk about their interests or hobbies, or simply to meet new friends online.

Click-through
A click- through occurs when a user responds to an online advertisement by clicking on a link that takes them to the advertisers website. Counting click-throughs gives advertiser's better measurements of website traffic then recording hits (also called page views)

Click-through rate
The click through rate is the measurement of the success of an online promotion. It expresses the percentage of viewers of a webs page who click through to an advertiser's site.

Code
A code is a set of symbols that represent something else. The written instructions that a computer programmers use to design websites are usually referred to as code.

Confirmed opt-in
"Single opt-in," "notified opt-in " and "confirmed opt-in" are ways to collect opt-in email addresses and protect yourself from accusations of sending spam.

Copy
Copy is simply another word for "text" or "writing". The words you use on your site, sales letters, newsletters, and advertisement are all referred to as copy.

Database
A database is a sort of electronic filing system that lets you store and organizes information. Customer information stored in a database is often organized into separate fields according to name, email address, types of product purchased, and so on.

Directory
A directory is a listing of millions of websites - Yahoo and LookSmart are two examples.

Directories are not search engines, though many people confuse the two. In a directory, sites are reviewed by editors who organize them into categories like "Business", "Education" and "Entertainment".

Discussion Forum
A discussion forum is a website where people gather to discuss a particular topic - an interest or hobby or something related to a specific industry. Discussion forums can be free for anyone to join, or they can be member only subscription sites.

Domain names
A domain name describes one or more IP addresses. Domain names are used in URLs to identify specific web pages. For example, in the URL "www.geekitgroup.com/aboutus.html," "geekitgroup.com" is the domain name.

Download
When you download a file, you can transfer the file from another computer to your own. While there are a number of ways you can do this on the Internet, FTP, and email attachments are the most common. When you view a web page in your browser, you are essentially downloading the page from the server that is hosted on.

Dynamic content is content that changes on a regular basis. A news site for example, is filled with dynamic content - its article changes on a daily, and sometimes even an hourly basis.

eBook
An eBook (electronic book) is simply a book written in electronic format so that it can be downloaded on your computer. Depending of the format of an eBook, you can either read the content on your computer or print a portable hard copy. eBooks are revolutionising the world of online publishing because they are easy and affordable to publish and distribute.

Email promotion
An email promotion is a sales promotion that you introduce to your mailing list via email. for example, if you have a new product to offer, or if you are running a sale, you can alert your leads and customers to this by sending them an informative email message that explains the product or sale and encourages them to visit your site to learn more about it.

E-zine
In the terminology of email marketing, a field is a space in a web form where a user i.e. required to enter information. For example, an opt in form for your free newsletter will require that users fill in at least three fields: one for "First Names," "Last Name," and one for "Email Address."

Filter
A filter is a program that is set up to process incoming information. Email filters can be set up to sort incoming email and block messages that you may not wish to receive.

Firewall
A firewall is a programme that protects a computer or network from unauthorized access through the internet.

If your not using firewall software, web surfers may be able to access (through your Internet connection) information that is stored on your computer.

Flames
A flame is an insulting or offensive message, usually sent in response to someone who has broken the rules of "netiquette" (Internet etiquette). If you are running an email marking campaign, you may unintentionally offend someone at the some point- and as a result, you may receive angry email or be treated rudely in discussion.

FTP
FTP stands for "File Transfer Protocol," which is the method of uploading and downloading files through the internet. FTP used can be the only method available, but now there are simpler methods such as email attachments, PDF and HTML files.

GIF
GIF files (GIF stands for Graphic Interchange Format) are the most common type pf image files used on the internet. These files are compressed so they take up a minimum amount of space, and therefore can be downloaded much faster then other graphics files.

Gigabyte
A gigabyte is a unit that describes the storage capacity of a computer's memory or hard disk. One gigabyte of information is the equivalent of about one billion text characters (i.e. letters or numbers.)

Hit
Traffic to a website can be measurable in "Hits" which describes a number of times a file (like a page or a graphic) is downloaded from a web server. However, counting hits is a poor way of measuring web traffic.

HTML
HTML stands for "Hypertext Mark-up Language." It is the code that browsers read and translate into viewable web page. HTML tells the browser where to put text, graphics forms, tables, sound and video, colour etc.

Hyperlink
A hyperlink or "link" is a piece of text or a graphic that is "linked" to a web page (or to a specific location on a web page). When you click on a hyperlink, you are automatically transferred to its target page or location. Hyperlinks are usually blue and underlines like this.

Image <alt> tag
Image tags are place holders within your HTML source code that tell the browser where your images are located. They ensure that your image will get loaded to your web page so that your visitors will see them.

Impression
The number of times a banner ad is downloaded from a server (and possibly viewed) is referred to as the number of "impressions" it receives. Banner advertising is usually sold on a cost per thousand (CPM) bases.

Instant Messaging (IM)
Instant messaging is a type of communication service that allows you to communicate instantaneously with either people over the internet. You can also alert other people by using the same instant messaging service that you're online and want to chat with them, and they can respond immediately.

IP Address
IP stand for "Internet protocol." An IP address appears as asset of four numbers separated by periods (e.g., 10.123.45.678) and acts as a unique identifier for your computer when you are connected to a network on the internet. IP addresses are unique sets of registered numbers and are often referred to as "Internet address"

ISP
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. Your ISP is the company that provides you the Internet.

JavaScript
JavaScript is a programming language that allows the web designers to incorporate dynamic, interactive graphics and other elements into the layout of the web page.

Keyword
Keyword is simply a word or phrase that people type into a search engine when seeking information. The results generated will include websites that include content related to those keywords. For example, when searching for websites about geeks, you might use the keywords "nerd" and so on.

Mail server
Your mail server is the computer (and the software it uses) that transmits, receives and stores your email messages. It is located on your email program and/or your ISP.

"Members only" Site
A members-only site, or the subscription site, is one that allows only registered subscribers to access the content available on the site. Most members-only site's cost more to join.

Meta search engine
A Meta search engine is one that searches the results listed in other search engines. The position of the website is calculated using its combined ranking in all of the engines included in the meta search engine's search.

MP3 file
An MP3 file is an electronics' audio file that can be downloaded from the internet.
Music is often stored as an MP3 file, as the sound quality of an MP3 is comparable to what you'd get on a regular CD track.

Niche Market
A niche market is a group of people who are searching the Internet for a solution to a problem and not finding many relevant search results. They share a need related to a common interest and therefore, are the perfect group of people to develop as a customer base. By developing a product or service that satisfies their shared need, you can build a profitable business.

Opt-in
When you opt in a mailing list, you give someone your email address, usually by entering it into a web form. By opting in, you give them permission to add you their opt-in mailing list and send you email usually in the form of a newsletter or e-zine. You might also fill out an opt-in form in order to be entered in a contest, or to receive a free eBook or whitepaper.

Organic listings
Organic or "natural" listings are the sites a search engine provides in its search results that appear to contain information relevant to the search query.

Pay-per-click
A pay-per-click search engine is like an auction. It allows you to bid for the top ranking positions under keywords of your choice. For each visitor who searches the keyword(s) you rank under and then clicks through to your website, you pay whatever you bid. Prices usually range from five cents to numerous dollars per click-through for popular keywords.
The two top pay-per-clicks are Google Adwords and Yahoo! Search Marketing.

PDF
PDF stands for "Portable Document Format," like HTML or text format; it is way of formatting a file. PDF is promoted and marketed by Adobe Systems Inc., and is widely used with eBooks, newsletters and e-zines and other online versions of print publications.

Perl
Perl stands for "Practical Extraction and Report Language," it is one of the most popular programming languages for writing programs and scripts (like those used for web forms)

Podcasts
A Pod cast is a music or talk show, or other audio recording, that is delivered to listeners who subscribe through an RSS feed.

Pop-up
A pop-up is a small window that appears on top of a website, covering information behind it. Pop-up are often used to advertise products or services, or to encourage website visitors top subscribe to a newsletter or for some other free service.

Portal
A portal is a website that offers its visitors a side range of information, resources, and services. A typical portal will feature regularly updated news articles, discussion forums, search engines online shopping malls, and free email service. Two of the Web's most popular portals are Yahoo and MSN.

Privacy Policy
A privacy policy is an essential tool for every marketeer. It is a public statement declaring that you will never share, sell, or give away the email addresses that the people on your mailing list have trusted you with. If you will be sending email to a mailing list, you must be develop a privacy policy and post it on your website. The following is an example of a typical privacy policy.

RSS feed
RSS stands for "Rich Site Summary" or "Really Simple Syndication," depending on who you ask. It's a format that allows you to take from your website, blog or email newsletter and "feed" it directly to a reader application that your recipients install on their computer desktops.

Scripts
In computer programming, a script is a programme or list of instructions that is interpreted or carried out by anther program. A script language is a programming language, like Perl or CGI, with which you can write scripts.

Search engine
Search engines are essential Internet tools, used for locating websites related to particular subjects. When you visit a search engine website, you type in keywords or key phrases, and the search engine locates websites that match your keywords.

Each search engine has different criteria by which it searches and lists websites-so you will get different results by searching for the same keyword combination in different search engines.

Search engines compile huge databases that contain millions of records, including the URL of a particular web page and information about its content. They also rank websites according to various criteria, such as the overall popularity of a site, or the number of pages on the web that link to that site. Getting a high search engine ranking is an important part of bringing in traffic to your site.

Popular search engines include...

Search Engine Optimisation
Search Engine optimisation or "SEO" is the process of making your website attract the search engine spiders in order to maximise its ranking in the search engine results. It includes many separate strategies, including using key words that people are searching for and getting other relevant sites to link to yours.

Search Engine Spiders
At their most basic level, search engines are computer programs that use spiders also known as crawlers, robots and "bots --- to crawl" the Web and index, or record the content of each page they encounter.

"Googlebot," Google's spider, indexes an estimated 100 web pages per second.

Secure Server
If you are planning to conduct credit card transactions or collect personal information at your website, you will need access to a secure server. A secure server encrypts personal information (i.e. ., converts it into a secret code) to make sure it cannot be viewed by unauthorised users.

Shopping cart
An online shopping cart is simply a software application that "collects" the products you want to purchase on a sale site and place your orders for them.

Sitemap
A sitemap is a web page that lists and provides links to all the pages on the website. Sitemaps can be organised alphabetically, in order of importance, or however the webmaster chooses. They help visitors as well as search engines to find individual pages on a website.

Source code
Source code is the original program instructions (usually written in HTML) that make up a web page. You can view the source code of any web page in Internet Explorer by selecting "View Source" from the View menu.

Spam
Spam is unsolicited uncommercial email. You are "spamming" people if you send email to people who have not given you permission to do so.

Static content
Static content is web page content that remains the same for long periods of time without changing, as opposed to dynamic content, which gets updated and changed frequently.

Subscription site
A subscription site, or "members only" site, is one that allows only registered subscribers to access the content available on the site. Most subscription sites cost money to join.

< Title > tag
A <title>tag is a simple piece of HTML code that is located in the "head", or top bar, of your own web page. You can find your <title>tag at the top of the source code of your web page inside the <head></head>tags. It looks something like this:

<Title>Insert keyword-rich site description here< / title>

Tracking
When we talk about "tracking your results," we're talking about monitoring things like...

UBE
UBE stands for "Unsolicited Bulk Email," In other words, spam-just a different way of saying it.

UCE
UCE stands for "Unsolicited Commercial Email," Spam!!

Unique visitor
This simply refers to the number of first time visitors to your site during a given period of time. A person is coyly counted as a "unique visitor" the first time he or she visits your site - repeat visitors are not tallied.

URL
URL stands for "Uniform Resource Locator." Your URL is the online address of your website or web page.

Video Blog
A video blog, or "vlog," is a weblog that has video based content. These video posts are usually accompanied by texts or images that provide context for, or analysis of the video presentation.

Viral Marketing
Viral marketing is any type of advertising that is "self perpetuating" compelling people to share it with others via email or word-of-mouth so that it spreads through a community like a virus.

WAV file
A WAV file is an audio file that has been specifically formatted to play on all Windows and IBM audio software applications.

Web form
A web form (also called an opt in form) is an HTML form that contains fields for all collecting information. To subscribe to an online newsletter or an e-zine, you are generally required to fill in the "Name" and "Email Address" fields on a web form.

Web host
A web hosting company sells online "space" where websites are stored (or "hosted"). A web hosts computers are connected to the internet 24 hours a day, so that web surfers around the world can access your page day or night.

Web log
A web log is a summary of all the activity that has taken place on your website over a given period of time. It can show you how many visitors have come to your site, where they were, and how much time they spent there, and what page they were on when they left your site. It's a rich source of valuable information.

Whitepaper
A whitepaper is a detailed, authoritative report on any aspect of a certain field or industry. Offering a free whitepaper on your websites is an excellent way to collect opt-in email addresses.

Widget
Widgets can be whatever you want them to be. It's a generic term used to refer to a product of some kind.

Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows multiple users to add and edit content easily.



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