GRAPHIXFLO INDUSTRY RESOURCE
Understand the language used across websites, WordPress, search optimization, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, branding, printing, packaging, advertising, hosting and security.
Search 170 current definitions or browse by industry. Every term is explained for business owners in clear, practical language.
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01 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
Core terms used when planning, designing and developing a modern business website.
The practice of making websites usable by people with different visual, hearing, motor and cognitive abilities, commonly guided by WCAG accessibility standards.
An application programming interface is a defined way for two software systems to exchange information or trigger actions.
The server-side code, database and administration tools that operate behind the visible part of a website.
Software such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge that retrieves and displays websites for visitors.
Temporary website files stored by a browser so repeat visits can load more quickly.
Cascading Style Sheets control the visual presentation of HTML, including colours, typography, spacing, layouts and responsive behaviour.
An organized collection of information used by a website to store content, users, products, orders, settings and other records.
The memorable website address people type or click, such as graphixflo.com, which points to the website’s hosting.
The Domain Name System connects domain names to services such as website servers, business email and verification records.
The visible and interactive portion of a website that visitors use in their browser.
HyperText Markup Language provides the content structure of a web page, including headings, paragraphs, images, links and forms.
A programming language used to add interactivity and dynamic behaviour to websites and web applications.
A design approach that adapts content and layouts to desktop, tablet and mobile screen sizes.
A Uniform Resource Locator is the complete address of a specific online resource, page, image or file.
The visible controls, layouts, menus, forms and visual elements through which a person interacts with a website or application.
The overall experience a visitor has while finding information, navigating pages and completing tasks on a website.
Browser-based software that performs tasks such as booking, account management, quoting, collaboration or online purchasing.
02 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
The platform, components and workflow terms used to manage a WordPress website.
Software that lets authorized users create, organize and update website content without editing every page as raw code.
An open-source content management system used to build and manage websites, blogs, online stores and custom digital experiences.
The main WordPress software maintained by the WordPress project, separate from installed themes and plugins.
A collection of templates and styles that controls a WordPress website’s overall appearance and layout behaviour.
A theme that inherits another theme’s functionality while safely storing custom code and design changes separately.
An add-on that extends WordPress with features such as forms, SEO controls, security, backups or e-commerce.
A visual editing system used to arrange website layouts and content components with less direct coding.
A WordPress page builder that uses visual controls and shortcodes to create responsive page layouts.
A bracketed WordPress instruction that inserts or configures dynamic content, layouts or plugin features on a page.
A private copy of a website used to test design, content, plugins and updates before changes reach the live site.
A reusable content or function block placed in supported WordPress areas such as sidebars, footers or dashboards.
A newer version of WordPress, a theme or a plugin that may include security fixes, compatibility changes, improvements or new features.
03 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
Terms connected to Google visibility, local rankings, technical SEO and useful search content.
A permanent instruction that sends visitors and search engines from an old URL to the most relevant new URL.
A response indicating that the requested page or file could not be found at its URL.
A concise written description of an image that supports accessibility and helps search engines understand the image’s purpose.
A link from another website to your website, which may help discovery, referral traffic and search authority when it is relevant and trustworthy.
The preferred URL identified for content that may be available through more than one similar address.
An online mention of a business’s name, address and phone number, often found in directories and local business listings.
Google performance measurements that evaluate loading speed, visual stability and responsiveness during a user’s visit.
The process search engines use to discover and retrieve accessible website pages, links and files.
A free Google listing that can display a local business in Maps and local search with its services, hours, reviews, photos and contact information.
The process of storing and organizing an eligible web page so it can potentially appear in search results.
A link from one page of a website to another page on the same website, helping visitors and search engines understand related content.
A word or phrase people use while searching that helps guide the topic and language of a relevant page.
The map-based group of nearby business results that commonly appears for local searches on Google.
A short page summary supplied to search engines that may be displayed beneath the page title in search results.
An abbreviation for business name, address and phone number, which should remain accurate and consistent across important local listings.
Unpaid search-engine results ranked according to relevance, quality, location, authority and other search-system signals.
A website file that gives search-engine crawlers instructions about areas they may or may not request.
Structured data that labels page information so search engines can better understand entities, services, products, events and other content.
The ongoing work of improving a website’s technical quality, relevance, content, authority and search visibility.
The goal behind a search, such as learning, comparing, finding a local provider or completing a purchase.
The page a search engine displays after a person submits a query, including organic, local, paid and enhanced results.
A machine-readable list that helps search engines discover important website URLs and understand when they were updated.
The HTML page title used by browsers and commonly used by search engines as the main clickable search-result heading.
04 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
Plain-language explanations of current AI tools, limitations and business automation concepts.
A broad term for computer systems that perform tasks associated with prediction, language, recognition, reasoning or decision support.
A conversational website or messaging tool that uses AI to answer questions, locate information or collect inquiry details.
Search experiences that use generative models to summarize or synthesize information, often alongside traditional web results and citations.
OpenAI’s conversational AI product, which can assist with writing, analysis, brainstorming, coding and other tasks when used with suitable review.
AI that creates new text, images, audio, video or code based on instructions and patterns learned from data.
A confident-sounding AI response that is inaccurate, unsupported or invented, making verification and human review essential.
A workflow in which a person reviews, approves or corrects AI output before an important decision or action is completed.
An AI model trained to recognize and generate language patterns for tasks such as answering, drafting, summarizing and classifying text.
The instruction, context, examples and constraints given to an AI system to guide its response.
A method that lets an AI system retrieve information from approved sources before generating an answer grounded in that material.
A small unit of text processed by a language model; usage limits and API costs are often measured in tokens.
A connected process that moves information or triggers actions between systems, sometimes using AI for classification, drafting or decision support.
05 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
Online-store terms covering products, payments, checkout, inventory and sales performance.
A shopping cart containing items that a visitor added but did not purchase before leaving the store.
The online store area where a customer reviews selected products, quantities, prices and estimated totals before checkout.
The sequence in which a customer supplies contact, delivery and payment information to complete an online order.
The percentage of visitors who complete a defined action such as purchasing, requesting a quote or submitting a form.
The online sale of products, services, subscriptions, registrations or digital items through a website or connected platform.
The quantity and status of products available for sale, often tracked by an e-commerce platform or connected management system.
An account or service arrangement that enables a business to receive funds from processed card transactions.
A secure service that authorizes and processes online payments between the customer, merchant and financial providers.
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard requirements designed to protect cardholder information during payment processing.
A selectable version of a product, such as a different size, colour, material or configuration.
A hosted e-commerce platform that provides store management, checkout, hosting and an ecosystem of compatible apps.
A stock keeping unit is a unique internal code used to identify and track a specific product or product variation.
A recurring purchase arrangement that bills a customer on an agreed schedule for continued products, access or services.
An open-source WordPress e-commerce platform used to add products, orders, payments and store functionality to a WordPress website.
06 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
Visual-communication terms used in logos, brand systems, layouts and professional artwork.
The recognizable visual and verbal system representing a business, including its logo, colours, typography, imagery and tone.
A reference document explaining how approved brand elements should be used consistently across digital, print and physical applications.
A selected group of colours used consistently to create a recognizable visual style and appropriate contrast.
The visual difference between elements that improves hierarchy, separation, emphasis and readability.
Legal protection for original creative work; ownership, licensing and permitted use should be confirmed for every project’s text, images, fonts and artwork.
A specific digital file and style used to display a typeface, often subject to licensing terms for desktop, web or application use.
An underlying alignment system that helps organize text, images and spacing into a consistent layout.
The use of size, weight, colour, contrast and spacing to guide attention through information in the intended order.
The adjustment of space between individual letter pairs to improve the visual balance of typography.
A distinctive wordmark, symbol or combination that identifies a business, organization, product or service.
A realistic presentation showing how a design may appear on a website, sign, package, garment or printed piece.
A pixel-based image with a fixed resolution, commonly saved as JPG, PNG, TIFF or WebP.
The original editable design file containing the structure, layers, vectors, text or linked assets used to produce final artwork.
Scalable Vector Graphics is a web-friendly vector format that can resize cleanly and can support accessibility and animation.
The selection and arrangement of typefaces, sizes, weights, spacing and line lengths for communication and readability.
Artwork built from mathematical paths that can scale to different sizes without becoming pixelated.
Intentional open space around content that improves focus, hierarchy, balance and readability; it does not have to be white.
07 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
Production terms that affect colour, trimming, finishing, image quality and final printed results.
Artwork extended beyond the final trim edge so cutting variation does not leave an unwanted unprinted border.
Cyan, magenta, yellow and black are the standard process inks combined to reproduce most full-colour commercial printing.
Paper with a smooth surface coating that generally produces sharper detail and stronger ink holdout than uncoated stock.
A protective or decorative finish such as aqueous, ultraviolet or varnish applied to a printed surface.
Small production marks indicating where a printed piece is intended to be trimmed to its final size.
A custom cutting process used to create shapes, windows, slots or contours that cannot be produced with simple straight trimming.
A plate-free printing method often suited to shorter quantities, quick turnaround, personalization and variable data.
DPI describes printed dots while PPI describes image pixels; commercial print images are commonly prepared near 300 PPI at final size.
Finishing processes that create a raised or recessed impression in paper, board or another suitable material.
A process that applies metallic, coloured or specialty foil to a surface using heat, pressure or compatible digital equipment.
Production performed after printing, including cutting, folding, binding, laminating, coating, embossing, drilling and packaging.
Grams per square metre is a paper-weight measurement commonly used to compare the mass of different paper and board stocks.
The arrangement of pages or repeated designs on a press sheet so they appear correctly after printing, cutting, folding and binding.
A clear film bonded to a printed surface for protection, durability or a gloss, matte, soft-touch or specialty appearance.
A plate-based commercial printing process often efficient for longer quantities and projects requiring broad stock, ink and finishing options.
A standardized spot-colour reference used to communicate and reproduce specific colours across compatible production methods and materials.
The technical review of artwork before production to identify issues involving size, bleed, fonts, colour, images, links and finishing.
A review sample or simulation used to check content, layout, positioning and, when appropriate, colour before final production.
A deep black built from black plus selected CMY inks for large areas; small black text normally uses black ink alone.
The area inside the trim where important text and logos are kept away from normal cutting, folding or binding variation.
A separately prepared ink or colour applied independently from standard CMYK process printing.
The final width and height of a printed piece after it has been cut to its finished dimensions.
Paper without a surface coating, often selected for a natural feel, easy writing and a softer printed appearance.
Digital printing in which text, images, barcodes or offers can change from one printed piece to the next.
08 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
Terms used for packaging structures, labels, decorated merchandise, apparel and displays.
Machine-readable symbols that encode product or inventory information; UPC is a common retail product-identification standard.
A production template showing the cut, fold, bleed and safe areas of packaging, labels or custom-shaped printed pieces.
A decoration method that stitches thread into apparel, hats, bags and other compatible textile products.
Paperboard packaging printed, cut, creased and folded to form a box for retail or product presentation.
The process of assembling multiple products, printed pieces or promotional items into a coordinated package or distribution set.
Printed or digitally produced information applied to a product, package, container or surface for branding, identification and required details.
Printing produced at sizes larger than common commercial sheets for signs, banners, wall graphics, displays and vehicle applications.
The smallest quantity a supplier or production method will accept for a specific product, customization or price level.
The strategic design of a product’s container, structure, graphics, information, materials and shelf presentation.
A printing method that transfers ink with a flexible pad onto small, curved or irregular promotional products.
A branded physical item such as a pen, drinkware product, bag, notebook or technology accessory used for marketing or recognition.
A method that pushes ink through a prepared mesh screen onto apparel, signs, containers and other suitable surfaces.
The material or surface being printed, decorated or converted, such as paper, vinyl, board, plastic, metal, fabric or glass.
A heat-transfer process in which special dye becomes gas and bonds with compatible polyester fabrics or coated products.
A portable branded structure, backdrop, banner or exhibit system used to present a business at events and exhibitions.
09 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
Campaign and measurement terms used in Google Ads, social advertising and website reporting.
A campaign subdivision that organizes closely related advertisements, keywords, audiences or products around a common theme.
The method used to assign credit for a conversion across the marketing interactions that occurred before the result.
In GA4, the percentage of sessions that were not engaged sessions; interpretation depends on the page’s purpose and measurement setup.
A coordinated marketing initiative with a defined goal, audience, message, channels, schedule and budget.
Technology that assigns trackable phone numbers to marketing sources so calls can be measured and attributed.
A valuable completed action such as a purchase, qualified form submission, phone call, booking or download.
The average or actual advertising cost incurred when a person clicks an advertisement.
The advertising cost for one thousand ad impressions, commonly used in reach and awareness campaigns.
The percentage of impressions that produced a click, calculated by dividing clicks by impressions.
Google’s event-based analytics platform for measuring website and app activity when it is configured with appropriate consent and privacy controls.
Google’s advertising platform for search, display, shopping, video, app and other paid campaign formats.
A Google service that reports search visibility, indexing, page experience and technical issues for a verified website.
One recorded display of an advertisement, listing or search result, whether or not the person clicks it.
A focused page designed around a specific audience, offer, campaign or conversion action.
A small code-based tracking mechanism used to record eligible visits, actions or audiences, subject to consent and privacy requirements.
Advertising to people who previously interacted with a website, app, video or other business property, where platform policies permit it.
Revenue attributed to advertising divided by advertising cost; it does not automatically account for profit, labour or operating expenses.
Paid campaigns delivered through platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok or other audience networks.
A label added to a URL to identify the source, medium, campaign and related details of marketing traffic in analytics reports.
10 · INDUSTRY GLOSSARY
Infrastructure terms connected to uptime, protection, business email and reliable website operation.
A separate recoverable copy of website files and databases created on a schedule and retained according to an agreed policy.
The amount of data a hosting account, network or connection can transfer during a defined period.
A distributed network that delivers cached website files from locations closer to visitors to improve speed and resilience.
A web infrastructure platform offering DNS, content delivery, security, performance and traffic-management services.
DomainKeys Identified Mail adds a cryptographic signature that allows receiving mail systems to verify that an email was authorized by its domain.
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance tells receiving servers how to handle messages that fail SPF or DKIM alignment and provides reports.
A security control that monitors and filters network or application traffic according to defined rules.
Malicious software or code designed to damage, disrupt, spy on, redirect or gain unauthorized access to a website or device.
Hosting combined with agreed operational support such as monitoring, backups, software updates, security assistance and performance management.
A login safeguard requiring an additional verification factor beyond a password, such as an authenticator code or security key.
A DNS record identifying the mail servers authorized to receive email for a domain.
A computer or software system that provides website files, applications, databases, email or other resources to connected users and devices.
Sender Policy Framework is a DNS record listing the mail systems authorized to send email on behalf of a domain.
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is the standard used to submit and relay outgoing email between applications and mail servers.
A digital certificate that enables encrypted HTTPS connections and helps visitors verify the domain they are communicating with.
The percentage of time a website or service remains available and able to respond during a measurement period.
A security service that filters HTTP traffic to help block common website attacks, malicious requests and abusive automation.
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