Laymen’s Guide to Web Service Terms

Web design refers to the creative design and user interface involved in the creation of a web page. We tackle web design by creating mock-ups of pages to ensure proper styles, as well as utilizing sidebars and widgets to create an easy to use website.

While similar to web design, web development refers to the implementation and coding of websites. During the web development phase, all mockups and UI choices are made into reality through creating code structures.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which refers to optimizing web pages for search engine results pages. The goal of SEO is to ensure your website and web pages are found on search engines like Google when a potential customer searches for a service or product that your company specializes in. By utilizing keyword research, backlinks, keyword density, and related content, your web pages can be optimized for SEO.

SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing and refers to a form of digital marketing in which ads are created for use in search engines like Google. Using platforms like Google AdWords, ads are created that can be displayed on search engines, banner ads on relevant websites, or as videos on YouTube.

Graphic design is the implementation of visual and textual content. Graphic design refers to both digital and print advertisements and creations as long as it includes images, texts, or graphics.

A graphic designer’s job is to combine images, texts, and graphics to communicate an idea. This make’s a graphic designer vital in creating a business’s brand and corporate identity. Graphic design is how a business communicates their branding and ideas to their customers.

Branding is how a company distinguishes itself. It is what comes to mind when a person thinks about your business, therefore branding is one of the most important pieces of building a successful business. Branding can be a name, symbol, design, or even a term that represents a company.

Branding represents the soul of a company, acting as the unique way in which your business interacts with and appears to your customers. It is important to have a consistent and recognizable brand to build consumer trust. A brand style guide can help keep brand consistency with images, logos, fonts, and styles.

Always keep branding as one of the most important aspects of your business.

Digital marketing is a catch-all term for advertisements created online. This can refer to SEM, e-mail marketing, and social media marketing.

The explosion of social media usage coupled with the ease of access to internet and online searching has made digital marketing one of the most fruitful forms of marketing for businesses.