Glossary of Terms

above-the-fold - refers to the screen real estate of a webpage before the content is cut off at the bottom of the browser window (and before a user scrolls down).

assets - original content like graphics, photos, copy, etc that may be incorporated into or developed for a final project like a website or print piece. These can already be owned by a client or produced for a client, i.e. employee photos for the web.

beta - also known as "beta site", this is the first version of a site (or product) that can go public, but may still have to be tested and revised before being finalized or graduating to a second version.

beta testing - rigorous testing across platforms and browsers on beta sites to resolve any outstanding issues or bugs.

blog - short for "web log," this is online publication that is regularly updated (live) by authors on various topics, such as political commentary, current events, or personal anecdotes. Examples include Boing Boing, CNN Political Ticker, and of course, Loetus Exchange:)

branding - the process of creating a proprietary brand and brand culture (usually by visual means) uniquely associated to a company, organization, or product; often realized initially through core collateral, i.e. businesscards, letterhead, brochures, signs.

CSS - Cascading Style Sheet; used with a website to define and apply styles throughout the site, such as colors, fonts, margins, and so on.

campaign - refers to a unified marketing effort that is often realized across various media channels

change order - an amendment to the original project contract because of changes in the process that will necessarily affect hours or scope of project; this also justifies an adjustment to costs or a separate invoice for hours or costs.

collateral - promotional materials across which a brand is realized or that is associated with a particular marketing campaign; includes brochures, flyers, posters, etc.

color palette - refers to a set or combination of colors for a particular visual concept; can convey tone and attitude, i.e. "vibrant" or "feminine".

content audit - the process of organizing content as a way of tracking it and planning for needed content based on a [web] project's sitemap.

content inventory - the master document resulting from the content audit that is shared between designers/ developers and the client to be used in a website.

copy - text and written material to be printed or published.

creative brief - a short document at the beginning of a project that defines the task at hand and establishes the strategy for creative and conceptual direction for the project.

direct mail - promotional materials delivered by mail to consumers or a client base.

domain name - a unique address name used in the URL to identify a website.

dynamic - refers to a website that has changing information or interacts with the user and is often powered by a database; web pages often have a suffix of asp, jsp, php. Not to be confused with a Flash site—while a Flash movie can be described as having a dynamic effect, it is usually not database-driven.

e-newsletter - an online newsletter often distributed through email.

e-blast - a one-time digital flyer or announcement distributed through email.

FTP - File Transfer Protocol; a means of transferring data, usually larger files, between computers or hosts. Requires common FTP programs like WinFTP, Cutie, Fetch, Transmit.

Flash - an authoring software used to create animated and interactive content for websites; final files end in .swf.

fold - for websites, this refers to the bottom of a webscreen before a user scrolls down. See above-the-fold

forward-compatible - the ability of a website to withstand evolving web standards and maintain a longer online "shelf-life" that continues to be relevant across platforms and browsers.

greek text - makeshift content usually in Latin (though called Greek) to substitute in a layout for actual copy.

ISP - Internet Service Provider; a business that provides service to the Internet, such as ATT, Comcast.

logo - a unique symbol or icon used to identify an organization or product.

logotype - often part of a logo, this is the stylized lettering of a name.

mockup - a sample that emulates a final product or layout.

one-sheet - a single sheet promotional document.

outdoor - refers to advertising seen anywhere primarily outdoor such as on transit vehicles or stations, billboards, street banners.

PDF - Portable Document Format; an electronic proof developed by Adobe that preserves a graphical look of a document so that it can maintain visual consistency when shared and transferred.

print resolution - the resolution required to produce a high-quality image for print; this is typically much greater than screen resolution; this is measured in dpi or dots per inch and is generally 300dpi standard for most collateral.

raster - also known as raster image or bitmap, this is an image defined by dots or pixels and will lose quality as it is resized larger as opposed to a vector image. Most digital photographs are raster or bitmap images.

retainer agreement - a contract that retains services over a period of time based on a retainer fee (usually monthly or quarterly) paid ahead of time; typically terms will offer a greater value than normal rates in exchange for a consistent and extended service schedule; most appropriate for ongoing service projects.

SEO - Search Engine Optimization; a popular strategy that aims to improve a site's popularity on search engine rankings.

screen resolution - the resolution required for viewing content on a [computer] screen, currently 72dpi (dots per inch).

server - a file server or computer that stores documents and "serves up" information and content for computers to read; for many clients, this is where their web content files live so they are accessible online.

sitemap - an outline (sometimes visual) of a website and its pages to indicate a global view of hierarchy, relationship, and sometimes function among pages.

static - as opposed to a dynamic site, a static site is usually in HTML or XHTML and does not automatically change each time a visitor comes to a page, but instead stays the same unless otherwise programmed.

street team - refers to a group that conducts promotions on foot and distributes or posts collateral or flyers in targeted areas or neighborhoods.

UI design - design of a user interface and user experience for software, web application, or portal.

unique visitors - the number of visitors to a site from different computers as opposed to total visitors or pageviews which counts repeat visitors.

vector - a type of image that is based on mathematical formulas and shapes as opposed to dots like in raster images. As such, these images are more flexible than raster images and can be resized without losing quality; these are often graphic illustrations and not photographic images.

viral marketing - self-propagating marketing that often encourages people to pass on messages, thereby promoting a message on by word-of-mouth or email.

web standards - open standards and specifications on the web that are defined and promoted by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) to ensure consistency across browsers and platforms as the Internet evolves.

wireframes - a visual map of a webpage or a user interface that outlines layout and function of elements that helps define how pages appear and behave.

word-of-mouth - is marketing—incidental or intentional, that occurs when consumers or users pass messages or recommendations along informally from person to person.

XHTML - A hybrid of XML and HTML, XHTML is intended to improve upon HTML and enable consistency across platforms.