IT'S ALL GEEK TO ME: Tech Dictionary
by ZAc woolFolk & MAry tAIruA, rocketFuel
like ‘responsive,’ ‘SEO’, and ‘VPN.’ Tis widespread use means it’s time to understand what these tech words mean. Below is a list of eight terms that you may be familiar with, or maybe you’ve never heard before. Learning about these terms could make you think about your website, your internet presence, and your internet marketing strategies in a different light.
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RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN—Tis new type of web design showed up in the web design world in the past year. Te approach in responsive web design (RWD) is to craft a website for optimal viewing experience across a wide range of devices. When using a tablet or a smartphone we often see a different website than we do on our computer. In the past this has usually been a mobile version of the website, but with RWD there is no need for more than one website, no matter the device it is optimized for.
SEO—SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Want to be at the top of Google for “Memphis lawyer”? Ten you want to focus on SEO on your site. You can read an entire article on how to optimize your website for search engines, but often it’s best to seek out the resources and experts that deal in search engine optimization everyday.
CMS—Here we are with another acronym. CMS stands for Content Management System. A content management system is the system that allows the administrator of the website to control the content of the website. A content management system allows you to login and control the information on the site. In the old days, when lawyers, contractors, freelancers, and many others had websites they would have to contact someone to change information or content on their site. Using a CMS eliminates the need to contact your webmaster every single time you want to make a change to your website.
COOKIES—Tis definition doesn’t include chocolate chips, sorry. Have you ever gone shopping for a product online, and you notice as you continue to browse the internet that product seems to be following you everywhere? Cookies, also sometimes known as web cookies or browser cookies, is data from a website stored in your browser that is often reused by the same website in the future. It’s a very smart cookie.
ISP—Another acronym on the list, one which many people have already heard, is still often misunderstand. An ISP is an Internet
ech talk” isn’t something for the nerds anymore. Te more you read the business section of the paper, Mashable, or other news sources you’ll see words
Service Provider. Your ISP is the company you pay for your internet services. If you pay Comcast every month for internet service in your office or house, then Comcast is your ISP.
EXCHANGE SERVER—A Microsoft Exchange Server is a contact manager, calendaring software, and mail server that was developed by Microsoft in the early 1990s. Te server runs on Windows server. An exchange server is a great way for enterprises to keep all of their calendars, contacts and emails in sync with their Blackberrys, PCs, and work computers. iCloud is Apple’s answer to a ‘personal’ Exchange server. Customers with an iPhone, PC, and iPad can keep all mail, contacts, calendars, and more in sync within all devices.
FTP—An FTP is a File Transfer Protocol, which is a way to transfer files from one person to another person over a network, such as the internet. It can also be done on an intranet, or any other TCP-based network. (You can look up TCP-based network if you need to.) For years, this was a common way for people to share files with one another, but the growth of ‘cloud computing’ has caused the decline of FTP sharing with the ease of use with Dropbox or Box.
VPN—A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a way to extend a private network across a public network, again, such as the internet. Tis is ideal for business people on the move that need to access their private network in a remote location. With a VPN you have login credentials to access the private network whether in a hotel room, a conference, or anywhere else with an internet connection.
Now that you’re familiar with more terms that we use on
a daily basis, this may help you make more informed decisions about your web presence. Maybe you realize that iPhone use has grown, but your site looks horrible on an iPhone. Now you know it is something you need to change with responsive web design. Or maybe you notice that your competitors show up when you search for a keyword you’d like to rank for on Google. Maybe they’re doing SEO and you’re in the dark? Tink about it. t
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Zac Woolfolk and Mary Tairua are Internet Marketing Strategists with RocketFuel, a Memphis web design agency that provides web design and internet marketing services to clients nationwide. Zac graduated from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor
of Arts in Communications. Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Union University.
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