API (Application Program Interface): Consists of ready-made libraries that allow software to communicate with other software. Just like a mouse and keyboard give input to the computer to perform certain tasks, some software applications use the API to perform tasks and complete functions.
Back End: The back end of a website is the administrator side that allows access to change settings or content. In WordPress, the back end can be found at www.yourwebsite.com/wp-admin
Bed and Breakfast: Generally, has one to five guest rooms with common spaces such as a living room, dining room, or garden. Owners of a Bed and Breakfast typically live on the property and prepare breakfast in the morning for their guests. Bed and Breakfasts have a homey feeling.
Bounce: A bounce occurs when someone opens a page on one of our websites and leaves without interacting with the site at all. A high bounce rate is never good and can be caused by numerous reasons such as site design or incorrect implementation.
Client-Server Model: In the client-server model, a client requests information from a server and the server responds by sending the client information. Typically, a client is a smart phone, laptop, tablet or any other device that is used to request information from a server.
Dedicated Server: A dedicated server that is leased through a hosting service is not shared by anyone else and only contains the lease holder’s files.
DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM): DKIM is apart of the DNS records and it is designed to validate emails and prevent email spoofing by allowing mail exchangers to check that incoming mail from a domain comes from a host authorized by that domain’s administrators.
DNS (Domain Name Server): DNS is a directory that converts domain names into IP addresses. A web browser does not know what website to go to when you type in a website name into the address bar because web pages are indexed by IP addresses and not English URL names. DNS is the internet equivalent of a phone book. Just like you would look up a name in a phone book to find their phone number, your web browser asks domain name servers to find the IP address of the URL that you typed into your web browser.
Domain: A domain, often referred to as domain name or web address, is an alphabetical name that is used to find a website and/or email account.
Framework: A framework is a template used for our website to easily create the features that we often use for our websites. Using a framework speeds up the website creation process.
Front End: The front end of a website is everything you see when navigating the website on a web browser. This includes everything from fonts, colors, navigation menus, sliders, etc.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol): FTP is one of many standards that are set to control the way files and other data are sent over the internet. FTP is used to get files from a server or put files on a server. Putting files on a server or getting files from a server can be done by using a Unix command prompt or Secure Shell program.
Hero Image: The hero image is a large image that is usually placed in the center of a web page. The hero image is usually an eye catching image that grasps the user’s attention.
Hosting (Web Hosting): A web hosting provider such as GoDaddy or Host Gator, lease space on their servers to hold website files. The host then assigns the website files with a proper address by using DNS so that others can access the website by typing in the URL in the address bar.
Hotel: A hotel is large lodging establishment that has tens to hundreds rooms.
Inn: An Inn is usually bigger than a bed and breakfast and typically offers eight or more guest rooms. Generally, breakfast and dinner is provided.
LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing): LSI refers to synonymous terms or similar terms of keyword or keyword phrase.
Lead Generation: The process of turning anonymous users into customers with contact information (e.g. names, email addresses, phone numbers). Lead generation tools that we use are vacation guides, and other call-to-actions that will make potential customers place a booking.
MX Record (Mail Exchange Record): The mail exchange record is a function of DNS and it specifies how email messages should be routed.
Server: A server contains information/data of various types of online mediums (e.g. websites, games, images, files, etc.). The server sends its data to any machine that requests information from the server. This is known as the client-server model. The client requests information from the server and the server responds by sending the requested data.
Shared Hosting Service: A shared hosting service allows multiple users to store their files on one shared server. Q4Launch hosts their websites through a shared hosting service. This means the server that hosts our websites also hosts other websites that are unaffiliated with Q4Launch which has the potential to cause some issues which are out of our control.
Sender Policy Framework (SPF): SPF is apart of the DNS records and it is designed to validate emails and prevent email spoofing by allowing mail exchangers to check that incoming mail from a domain comes from a host authorized by that domain’s administrators.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Search Engine Optimization is the process of optimization a webpage in order to make the webpage rank higher on the search engine results page.
SERP (Search Engine Results Page): The search engine results page is a list of results presented by the search engine with the best responses from the search query.
Subdomain: A subdomain is a subset of a larger domain. A subdomain can divide a website up into different subdomains. For example a domain for a website would like this, www.example.com and a subdomain of the website that contains the blogs could be found at blogs.example.com or www.example.com/blogs
OTA (Online Travel Agencies): Online Travel Agencies organize a large collection of hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, etc. all into one place. These OTA’s provide more exposure for these places in exchange for a commission of the booking charges. Popular online travel agencies include Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, Booking, and many others.
Vacation Rental (VR): A vacation rental can rent out various properties such as beach houses, cabins, apartments and more. Vacation rentals are ideal for customers that are looking for an extended stay with a homey atmosphere.