I have constantly found myself having to walk people through what a website is and why certain things are important. I find using a house as the best metaphor for describing the process to people. It seems to help people better understand and breakdown what a website is and what the different parts do. Feel free to use these to help others understand the process. If there are words that you feel should be added feel free to reach out let me know.
Analytics Monitoring the activity in and around your house; tracking visitor behavior and engagement on your website to make informed decisions and improvements.
Back-end and Front-end The inner workings and outward appearance of your house; the back-end is like the plumbing and wiring hidden behind walls, while the front-end is what visitors see and interact with.
Blog Adding a bulletin board to your house; a section of your website where you can regularly publish articles, updates, and insights to engage with visitors and attract new ones.
Bounce Rate The percentage of website visitors who leave after viewing only one page, without taking any further action, akin to guests who visit a house briefly and then leave immediately.
Cache Creating a quick-access closet in your house; storing temporary copies of web pages or files on your visitors’ devices to speed up loading times and improve performance.
Call-to-Action (CTA) Putting up a signpost in front of your house; prompts or buttons strategically placed on your website to encourage visitors to take a specific action, like making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
CMS (Content Management System) The toolbox you use to build and maintain your house; it’s a software application like a hammer or screwdriver, allowing you to create, edit, and organize content on your website without coding.
Conversion Rate The percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form, analogous to the proportion of guests at a house who participate in intended activities.
Domain Name The address of your website, like the street address of your house, directing visitors to your online presence.
DNS (Domain Name System) Like a phonebook for your house; a system that translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses, directing internet traffic to the correct server hosting your website.
E-commerce Setting up a shop in your house; enabling online transactions and sales of goods or services directly from your website.
Hosting Renting land to build your house; it’s the space on a server where your website files reside, providing the foundation for your online presence.
Media Queries: Adjustable windows in a house. They determine how your website looks and behaves based on the size of the screen it’s being viewed on. Just as windows can be opened or closed to let in light or air depending on the weather, media queries adjust the layout and styling of your site to fit different devices, like computers, tablets, or phones.
Plugins and Extensions Extra features and amenities for your house, enhancing the functionality of your website like adding a swimming pool, security system, or home automation.
Responsive Design Building a house that adjusts to different weather conditions; designing your website to adapt and display correctly on various devices like desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Planting a garden around your house to make it more attractive and visible; optimizing your website’s content and structure to increase its visibility on search engines like Google.
Session A period during which a visitor interacts with a website, starting when they arrive and ending when they leave, comparable to a visit to a house where guests explore and engage with various rooms.
SSL Certificate Installing a security system in your house; it encrypts data transmitted between your website and visitors, ensuring sensitive information remains private and secure.
UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) Designing the layout and functionality of your house; UI is like arranging furniture for easy navigation, while UX focuses on creating a seamless and enjoyable experience for visitors.
Website Platform The blueprint for your house, determining the structure and design of your website, such as WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace.
Web Hosting Provider Renting land from a landlord; a company that provides the server space and infrastructure needed to host your website, ensuring it’s accessible on the internet.
