A plain-language glossary for web, design, marketing, data and artificial-intelligence projects. Each definition adds a practical use or caution to support clearer briefs and conversations.
Use these definitions to prepare a brief, review a proposal or ask a more precise question.
Terms are ordered alphabetically and explained for project decisions rather than as isolated technical theory.
Answer Engine Optimisation describes work that makes an answer clear, reliable and usable by answer engines.
It does not replace SEO: the page must still be helpful, accessible, indexable and supported by evidence.
↑ Back to topAlternative text describes the purpose or essential information of an image for people who cannot see it.
Its wording depends on context: a decorative image may have an empty alt attribute, while an informative chart needs an explanation.
↑ Back to topAn API is an interface that lets software exchange data or trigger actions through documented rules.
It can connect a website to a payment service, CRM or trusted data source.
↑ Back to topAttribution is the method used to connect a conversion to earlier marketing touchpoints.
No model fully explains a complex decision, so document assumptions and limitations.
↑ Back to topAutomation delegates repeatable tasks to a system that follows defined triggers and rules.
A maintainable automation has an owner, monitoring, documented exceptions and a manual fallback.
↑ Back to topA canonical URL is the preferred version indicated to search systems when several addresses contain the same or very similar content.
It supports consistent redirects and internal links, but cannot repair a confused architecture by itself.
↑ Back to topCumulative Layout Shift measures unexpected movement of visible elements while a page is being used.
Reserving space for images and late-loading components helps prevent jumps.
↑ Back to topA content management system helps teams create, organise and publish pages without editing every page in code.
Selection depends on editorial workflow, permissions, integrations, maintenance and customisation needs.
↑ Back to topConsent is a freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of agreement to a particular processing purpose.
It is not the only possible legal basis; collection and withdrawal must match the real use.
↑ Back to topContent provenance explains who created or published information and which sources support it.
Visible authorship, dates, methods and corrections help readers assess reliability.
↑ Back to topContextual linking connects one page to another where a reader needs a related explanation.
Descriptive link text makes the destination clear and helps important pages be discovered.
↑ Back to topA conversion is a useful action completed by a visitor, such as an enquiry, sign-up, download or purchase.
Its value depends on a clearly defined outcome, not on the number alone.
↑ Back to topCore Web Vitals assess loading, responsiveness and visual stability through LCP, INP and CLS.
They are useful experience indicators but do not describe the complete quality of a service.
↑ Back to topA CRM centralises information and interactions concerning prospects, customers or partners.
It supports follow-up and shared history when access, quality and retention are governed.
↑ Back to topData governance defines who may create, access, change, secure and delete organisational data.
It also sets ownership, quality rules, retention and trusted sources.
↑ Back to topA design system combines shared principles, interface components and usage rules for consistent experiences.
It improves collaboration but does not replace user research or context-specific design decisions.
↑ Back to topDigital accessibility means designing content and services that more people, including disabled people, can use.
It covers structure, keyboard use, contrast, forms, media and assistive-technology compatibility.
↑ Back to topDuplicate content is identical or very similar material accessible through several URLs.
Identify the version useful to readers, align links and canonicals, and consolidate variants without distinct value.
↑ Back to topE-E-A-T groups experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust concepts used when assessing content quality.
It is not a public score or meta tag; show responsibility, sources, evidence, limits and relevant first-hand experience.
↑ Back to topAn editorial review checks whether a page still meets its purpose and whether facts, links and visuals remain accurate.
An updated date should reflect a real review rather than a timestamp change alone.
↑ Back to topField data describes the experience of real visitors on their own devices and networks.
It complements laboratory tests and requires a clear collection method and respect for privacy.
↑ Back to topFirst-party data is collected directly by an organisation through its own relationships and services.
It still needs a defined purpose, proportionate collection, protection and respect for people’s rights.
↑ Back to topThe GDPR governs personal-data processing in the European Union and strengthens people’s rights.
Organisations need clear purposes, proportionate collection, secure access and transparent information.
↑ Back to topGenerative AI produces text, images, audio, code or other material from instructions and learned patterns.
Outputs require risk-based checking because they can be incorrect, incomplete or unsuitable.
↑ Back to topGenerative Engine Optimisation aims to make content understandable, reliable and usable in generative answer experiences.
Clear entities, direct answers, original evidence, sources and crawlable technical foundations support this work.
↑ Back to topHreflang connects equivalent language or regional versions so search engines can present the appropriate page.
Each page should reference itself and its equivalents with accessible, canonical and reciprocal URLs.
↑ Back to topImage compression reduces the bytes needed to store and deliver a visual.
Compare the result at the real display size; a small file is useful only when important details remain legible.
↑ Back to topAn image licence states which uses the rights holder permits for a visual.
Check alteration, distribution and credit conditions before using a photo in a guide, card or social preview.
↑ Back to topImage metadata is information embedded in a file, such as its creator, description or camera settings.
It helps manage an asset but can be removed by processing; visible context and alternative text remain essential.
↑ Back to topIndexNow is a protocol for notifying participating search engines when a URL is added, changed, moved or deleted.
It complements an XML sitemap, which remains the durable inventory of discoverable preferred URLs.
↑ Back to topInteraction to Next Paint assesses a page’s overall responsiveness during user interactions.
Slow responses may call for less JavaScript work or better scheduling of tasks.
↑ Back to topInternal linking connects pages on the same site so people and crawlers can understand their relationships.
Descriptive anchors and contextual links make important material easier to discover.
↑ Back to topJSON-LD adds machine-readable structured data without mixing it into the visible HTML content.
Declared entities and properties must match information people can actually see on the page.
↑ Back to topA KPI is an indicator selected to track a specific objective and support a decision.
A useful KPI has a definition, owner, context and possible action.
↑ Back to topLazy loading delays retrieval of a media item farther down the page until it becomes useful.
Avoid delaying the main image visible on arrival because that can slow its appearance.
↑ Back to topLargest Contentful Paint measures how long it takes to display the largest visible element in the initial viewport.
The main image, server response and blocking resources can influence this measure.
↑ Back to topA large language model is trained to process and generate language from large collections of data.
It can summarise or classify material but does not guarantee factual accuracy or human understanding.
↑ Back to topA mobile crop adapts an image composition to a narrow screen while keeping its essential subject.
Check the face, object or central information at several widths before publishing a variant.
↑ Back to topA minimum viable product is a deliberately limited but useful version built to test an assumption with real users.
It is a learning scope, not an excuse for unreliable quality.
↑ Back to topA named entity is an identifiable person, organisation, place or concept in content.
Consistent naming, precise descriptions and links to official sources reduce ambiguity.
↑ Back to topNo-code uses visual interfaces and configurable components to build sites, applications or automations.
It can accelerate delivery but still needs decisions about data, security, ownership and maintenance.
↑ Back to topA performance budget sets limits for transferred weight, requests or time on a page template.
It helps govern new images and third-party services, using representative mobile checks.
↑ Back to topA primary source directly publishes data, a rule, research or documentation for which it is responsible.
Trace claims to the source where possible and check its date, scope and limitations.
↑ Back to topRetrieval-augmented generation combines a generative model with information retrieved from selected sources.
Quality depends on retrieval, document freshness, access rights, citations and answer verification.
↑ Back to topResponsive design adapts a layout to different screen sizes and device capabilities.
The interface should remain readable, operable and complete across mobile, tablet and desktop.
↑ Back to topA responsive image offers a suitable size or crop for the screen and layout.
Srcset or a picture element can supply variants while an img element provides a fallback URL.
↑ Back to topRGAA is the French reference framework used to assess digital accessibility and organise compliance work.
It provides test criteria and methods within the applicable French legal context.
↑ Back to topRobots.txt tells crawlers which areas of a site they may or may not request.
It does not secure private information or replace a noindex directive on an accessible page.
↑ Back to topReal User Monitoring measures the experience of authorised real visits to a website.
It complements laboratory tests by reflecting varied devices, networks, pages and interactions.
↑ Back to topSearch intent is the need a person is trying to meet behind a query.
A useful page addresses that need with suitable depth, examples and a clear next step.
↑ Back to topSearch engine optimisation helps relevant pages be crawled, understood and found in search.
It combines useful content, architecture, technical quality, internal links and credible evidence.
↑ Back to topStructured data explicitly describes entities and relationships with a shared vocabulary such as Schema.org.
It can improve understanding but does not guarantee a rich result or ranking.
↑ Back to topSearch experience optimisation connects discoverability with the quality of the journey after a visit begins.
It aligns search intent with clarity, trust, speed and task completion.
↑ Back to topUser interface refers to the visual and interactive elements through which someone uses a digital product.
Controls, typography, colour and states should form a coherent accessible language.
↑ Back to topA user journey describes the steps a person takes to complete a goal in a service.
It reveals questions, obstacles and information needed at each point.
↑ Back to topUser experience describes the overall quality a person experiences before, during and after using a service.
It depends on usefulness, ease, accessibility, trust and real context.
↑ Back to topWCAG are W3C recommendations for making web content more perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.
They underpin many accessibility standards and should be combined with human testing and governance.
↑ Back to topCrawling is the process through which a robot discovers and requests URLs, links and resources to understand a site.
Clear HTML links, current sitemaps and reliable server responses support discovery.
↑ Back to topA webhook sends information from one service to another when a defined event occurs.
It can report a payment or form submission so another process begins automatically.
↑ Back to topAn XML sitemap lists the canonical URLs a site wants search engines to discover.
It helps signal new or changed pages but does not guarantee crawling or indexing.
↑ Back to topExplore the expertise families, then use the practical guides to prepare a clearer request.
