If you're starting a business or planning a new website, you'll quickly come across technical words that can sound more complicated than they really are.
The good news is that you don't need to become a web developer to understand the basics.
This guide explains some of the most common website-related terms in plain English, so you can make better decisions when discussing your website with a designer, developer or marketing agency.
Before you can build a website, you need to understand the basics of domain names and web addresses. Your domain name is your unique identifier on the internet and it's often the first impression customers have of your business.
Domain name
Your website's address on the internet, such as yourbusiness.ie or yourbusiness.com. People type it into their browser to visit your site.
Top-level domain (TLD)
The ending part of a domain name, such as .ie, .com, .org or .net. For example, .ie is often a strong choice for businesses based in Ireland.
Domain registrar
The company where you buy and renew your domain name. They give you access to manage your DNS settings for domains like .ie and .com. See Domain registrars and web hosting companies in Ireland blog post.
DNS (Domain Name System)
Connects your domain name to the correct server — like the internet's phone book. Instead of remembering a numerical IP address, DNS directs visitors using your domain name.
To get your website online, you need hosting and infrastructure services. These terms explain how your website is stored, accessed and kept running reliably for your visitors.
Web hosting
The service that stores your website files and makes them available online. Your website cannot be accessed on the internet without web hosting.
Server
A computer that stores your website files and delivers them to visitors when they load your pages. This may be a shared server, VPS, cloud server or dedicated server.
Bandwidth
How much data your website can transfer to visitors. If your site receives a lot of traffic or uses large images and video, bandwidth becomes more important.
Uptime
The amount of time your website is available and working properly. Hosting companies often advertise uptime guarantees such as 99.9% uptime.
Understanding how a website is built helps you make better decisions about the type of site your business needs. These terms explain the building blocks of a website — from the technology behind it to the pages and prompts your visitors see.
Static website
Made up of fixed pages that usually don't change often. Can be fast, secure and simple, but updates may require a developer. See Static Website vs CMS Website.
CMS (Content Management System)
A platform that lets you manage website content without editing code. Popular examples include WordPress, Drupal and Joomla. Useful when you want to update pages yourself.
Homepage
The main page of your website and often the first page visitors see. It gives an overview of your business and directs people to important pages.
Landing page
A page designed for a specific purpose — generating enquiries, selling a service or supporting an advertising campaign. Unlike a general page, it is focused on one clear goal.
Navigation
The menu system that helps visitors move around your website. Good navigation should be clear, simple and easy to use on both desktop and mobile devices.
Call to action (CTA)
A prompt that tells visitors what to do next, such as Contact Us, Get a Quote or Book Now. Strong CTAs help turn visitors into leads or customers.
How a website looks and feels has a direct impact on whether visitors stay, trust your business and take action. These terms describe the design and usability principles that shape a good user experience.
Responsive design
Your website automatically adapts to different screen sizes, including phones, tablets, laptops and desktops. Responsive design is essential because a large percentage of users now browse on mobile.
User experience (UX)
How easy and pleasant your website is to use. If visitors can quickly find information, read content easily and complete actions without frustration, the UX is likely good.
User interface (UI)
The visual parts of the website that users interact with, such as buttons, forms, menus, colours and layouts. UI focuses on presentation and interface elements.
Accessibility
Making your website usable for as many people as possible, including people with disabilities — readable text, keyboard-friendly navigation, good colour contrast and descriptive alt text for images.
A secure website protects both your business and your visitors. These terms explain the security measures that keep data safe, build trust with users and help ensure your site stays online and up to date.
HTTP and HTTPS
HTTP is the standard way data is transferred between a browser and a website. HTTPS is the secure version, encrypting the connection to protect user data. Visit What is HTTPS and why your website needs it for more information.
SSL certificate
Helps enable HTTPS on your website and confirms that the connection between the visitor and the website is encrypted.
Backup
A saved copy of your website files and data. If something goes wrong — hacking, accidental deletion or a failed update — a backup can help restore the website.
Website maintenance
Updates, backups, security checks, fixing broken links and general care to keep the website running properly. See The importance of website maintenance blog post.
Getting found online is one of the most valuable things a website can do for your business. These terms cover how search engines work, how visitors discover your site and how you can measure and improve your results.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
The process of improving your website so it can appear more prominently in search engines such as Google — including content, page titles, technical fixes and mobile usability.
Keywords
The words and phrases people type into search engines when looking for information, services or products. Good website content should match the language your customers actually use.
Meta title and meta description
Information used by search engines and shown in search results. The meta title is the clickable headline; the meta description is the short summary underneath.
Internal links
Links that connect one page on your website to another. They help users navigate and help search engines understand your content structure. See Links in HTML: types and uses.
robots.txt
A file that gives instructions to search engine crawlers about which areas of your site they can or cannot access. Learn more in What is robots.txt?.
Sitemap
A file, usually named sitemap.xml, that lists the pages of your website and helps search engines discover and index your content. Submitting it to Google Search Console can support your SEO efforts.
Canonical tag
Helps search engines identify the main version of a page when similar or duplicate pages exist, avoiding duplicate content issues. See What is a Canonical Tag blog post.
Analytics
Tools that help you measure how people use your website — where visitors come from, which pages they visit, how long they stay and whether they complete actions such as submitting a form.
Conversion
When a visitor completes a desired action — sending an enquiry, making a purchase, booking an appointment or signing up to a mailing list.
Here are some additional terms that can help you better understand and manage your website.
Favicon
The small icon shown in browser tabs and bookmarks beside your website name. Read more in What is Favicon and why do you want to get one blog post.
Page speed
How quickly a webpage loads and becomes usable. Faster websites provide a better user experience and can also support SEO.
Contact form
A form on your website that allows visitors to send you a message without opening their own email app, making it easier for people to get in touch.
IP address
A unique numerical label assigned to every device and server on the internet. When you type a domain name into your browser, DNS translates it into an IP address to locate the correct server.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A network of servers spread across different locations that delivers your website content from the server closest to each visitor. This reduces load times, particularly for visitors who are far from your main server.
404 error and redirect
A 404 error appears when a page cannot be found — because it was deleted or the URL changed. A redirect automatically sends visitors from an old URL to a new one, preventing broken links and protecting your SEO.
Cookie and GDPR notice
Cookies are small files stored in a visitor's browser to remember preferences or track behaviour. Under GDPR, websites must inform visitors about cookies and obtain their consent before using non-essential ones.
Alt text
A short written description added to an image on your website. It helps search engines understand what the image shows and makes your site more accessible to people using screen readers.
When you understand basic website terminology, it's much easier to:
You don't need to know everything, but knowing the difference between a domain, hosting, CMS, SEO and HTTPS can save you time, money and confusion.
Website terms can sound technical at first, but most of them describe practical parts of how a website works, how people use it and how your business benefits from it.
If you're planning a new website and want help choosing the right setup for your business, feel free to get in touch.