Understanding website design terminology can feel like learning a new language. Suddenly, you’re hearing unfamiliar words during your meeting with a web designer. You might try to nod along, but that can lead to misunderstandings.
As you dive into your website project, it’s important to stay informed. Just like any big project, there are plenty of details to grasp. And with an enthusiastic designer like the Website Designs Brisbane team, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement. That’s why we’ve put together this mini dictionary of web development lingo to help clear up some of the confusion
Call to action (not just fancy web lingo)
If you’re not familiar with it, a call to action, or CTA, is about encouraging potential customers to take action on your site.
You’ll recognise a call to action as a button, arrow, or other visual element that prompts users to do something specific.
Want visitors to stick around longer? Craft a compelling call to action. Use friendly language that feels like a chat between you and the visitor.
Home page (Why great looking, high performing ones count)
We’ve discussed the importance of your website’s home page before. It’s like the welcome sign for your business.
Your home page is crucial for making a good first impression. It’s where your website designer begins working on your project.
A good home page should be easy to use and attractive (known as ‘the user experience’ or UX). It should also have great content, like videos, images, and prompts to take action.
Engagement is key. That’s why many home pages have prompts asking visitors to share their details.
Landing page (Pages built to sell)
While every page on a website is a place to land, in website design lingo, a landing page is slightly different.
A landing page contains specific promotional content or information and is reached when a user clicks on an advertisement, or an internal or external link.
Usually, a landing page has its own unique design, different from the standard layout of the full website. It may borrow elements from the style guide but presents a slightly different focus. Designed to a specific audience, a landing page aims to capture interest and drive sales.
Looking to highlight a special promotion? A landing page is the perfect solution. The good news is, it can be seamlessly integrated into your website without appearing on the main navigation menu.
Drop-down (Give me ten….)
In website design, a drop-down refers to one of two elements.
Firstly, a drop-down menu functions as a navigational tool on your website, featuring sub-menus or categories positioned beneath it. Upon clicking, these sub-menus “drop down,” presenting themselves to the user.
For instance, imagine your business offers a variety of services. Within the main navigation bar of your website, you might find a tab labelled “Services.” With a simple click on this tab, the full list of your services appear.
On the other hand, a drop-down list or field is commonly seen in areas where users need to make a choice, such as in a form. It functions similarly to a drop-down menu but requires the user to choose an option from a larger selection.
For instance, you want a lead generation contact form on your website. In this case, offering various contact options to potential customers could prove beneficial. For example, your drop-down list might present options for selecting the best day, time, and method of contact as well as an option to select the service that the customer is interested in. This way, when you follow up, you’re reaching out at a time convenient for them and you are prepared.
White space (Not a new minimalist design aesthetic)
For those new to website projects, the term “white space” is often mistaken as actual white-coloured space.
The truth is, white space can be any colour—red, green, or others. It simply refers to the space around elements on a page. White space helps elements stand out for the user. So when your designer suggests adding more white space to your website, it means there are too many elements crammed into the available space.
On the other side, too much white space can result in elements being pushed too far down the page, making them ineffective.
So, what’s the solution?
A perfect balance.
Working with you, the website developer should strive for precisely the right mix of space and elements to create a great looking, high performing web page design.
Style (Branding) Guide
Creative design plays a crucial role in crafting your website, and having a style guide can make a world of difference. It streamlines the process, saving time, effort, and avoiding confusion along the way.
A style guide, usually created by a graphic designer, serves as a roadmap for your brand’s visual identity. It includes details like your business logo, preferred colours, fonts, and branding guidelines. This document also serves as a valuable reference for other collaborators, such as website developers, ensuring consistency in the use of your brand elements.
At Website Designs Brisbane, our creative website development team values working with client style guides. Why? Because they provide clear instructions on how to incorporate branding elements like logos and colours into the website design. This clarity saves us time and minimises the need for revisions.
Design artwork (a.k.a. the mock up)
Design artwork is a big part of website design. Before jumping into full development, your web developer should have listened to your design ideas and followed your style guide. They then create visual mock-ups, giving you a sneak peek of how your website will look.
These mock-ups, also known as design artwork, are like sketches of your website. They set the direction for the development process. Once you give your thumbs up on the design, the team can proceed with building your website.
Feeling lost in website design terms? Don’t worry. You don’t need to be a pro in web dev lingo – that’s what your website designer is for. But it’s totally okay to ask questions if there’s something you don’t understand.
Your web designer is there to guide you through the project and ensure you get a website that fits your vision. Asking questions helps keep communication clear and ensures you end up with a website you’re happy with.
