Working with a digital agency can sometimes feel like you are working with a group of people from another planet. There are so many acronyms and terms used in the digital world, it is hard to keep up. Trust me; it’s my second month working for jump! and I am still learning all of the terminology! So, here is a list of terms that can help you better understand what your digital agency vocabulary means and what they are talking about.
Site Map
Definition: A site map is an organized interpretation of a website’s content. Site maps are created to help users and search engines navigate the site.
When you might hear this term: Often times, you will hear designers or developers talk about the site map because typically they are the ones creating the site map to help organize the website content to enhance user experience.
Wireframes
Definition: A visual representation of the functionality of the website.
When you might hear this term: You will most likely hear the term wireframes from designers. Once the sitemap is complete, designers will create wireframes that show the navigation, buttons, and where certain elements will be placed. The wireframes help the client understand the user experience before full mockups are done.
Mockups
Definition: A visual representation of the website. Mockups are used to give the client and agency a visual reference for the website design and layout.
When you might hear this term: Most of the time, designers will talk about mockups. Based off of the branding and desired functionality, designers will create mockups as a visual, flat representation of how the site will look. This gives you an interface view so they know the look and feel of the site.
SEO- Search Engine Optimization
Definition: Search Engine Optimization is used to increase the number of visitors to a website by making sure that the website is at the top of the list of results generated by a search engine.
When you might hear us use this term: You will most likely hear your marketing or digital strategists talk about search engine optimization as they are the masterminds behind driving traffic to your website.
Landing Page
Definition: A page that is accessed by clicking a hyperlink on another web page or from an ad. A landing page can be any page within your website. So technically that means that the homepage, contact page, about us page, etc. are all considered landing pages.
When you might hear this term: Developers and designers will often talk about creating and/or designing a landing page. The landing pages are designed to drive traffic to one specific page which gives the user specific information that they are looking for.
CMS- Content Management System
Definition: A content management system is an application that organizes client content. A content management system also enables publishing and content editing from one central interface.
When you might hear us use this term: CMS is a term often used by developers. The developers will create a CMS that is custom for each client. It allows an easy and manageable way for clients to update their website.
Bounce Rate
Definition: The percent rate at which users navigate away from the site after viewing only one page. This means that you want a low bounce rate because you want people to stay on your site for a long time and visit multiple pages.
When you might hear us use this term: You will often hear your marketing or digital strategists use this term when reviewing Google Analytics. They are able to see how long a user stays on one page before leaving that page. From this information, they can develop strategy to help lower the bounce rate.
