A
A/B testing - a method in marketing research where variables in a control scenario are changed and the ensuing alternate strategies tested, in order to improve the effectiveness of the final marketing strategy.

above the fold - the section of a Web page that is visible without scrolling.

ad blocking - the blocking of Web advertisements, typically the image in graphical Web advertisements.

ad space - the space on a Web page available for advertisements.

Add URL - (see Search Engine Submission)

AdSense - a text-based advertisement service provided by Google.com.

advertising network - a network representing many Web sites in selling advertising, allowing advertising buyers to reach broad audiences relatively easily through run-of-category and run-of-network buys.

affiliate - the publisher/salesperson in an affiliate marketing relationship.

affiliate directory - a categorized listing of affiliate programs.

affiliate forum - an online community where visitors may read and post topics related to affiliate marketing.

affiliate fraud - bogus activity generated by an affiliate in an attempt to generate illegitimate, unearned revenue.

affiliate marketing - revenue sharing between online advertisers/merchants and online publishers/salespeople, whereby compensation is based on performance measures, typically in the form of sales, clicks, registrations, or a hybrid model.

affiliate merchant - the advertiser in an affiliate marketing relationship.

affiliate network - a value-added intermediary providing services, including aggregation, for affiliate merchants and affiliates.

affiliate software - software that, at a minimum, provides tracking and reporting of commission-triggering actions (sales, registrations, or clicks) from affiliate links.

ALT text - HTML attribute that provides alternative text when non-textual elements, typically images, cannot be displayed.

animated GIF - a graphic in the GIF89a file format that creates the effect of animation by rotating through a series of static images.

anonymous FTP - an option in FTP that allows users to download files without having to establish and account.

Apache - an open source web server software.

application service provider - provider of applications/services that are distributed through a network to many customers in exchange for a stream of smaller payments as opposed to one fixed, upfront price.

ASP Hosting - Web hosting that supports Active Server Pages, a server-side scripting environment from Microsoft.

autoresponder - a program that sends an automatic form response to incoming emails.

B
B2B - business that sells products or provides services to other businesses.

B2C - business that sells products or providse services to the end-user consumers.

bandwidth - how much data can be transmitted in a time period over a communications channel, often expressed in kilobits per second (kbps).

banner ad - a graphical web advertising unit, typically measuring 468 pixels wide and 60 pixels tall (i.e. 468x60).

banner blindness - the tendency of web visitors to ignore banner ads, even when the banner ads contain information visitors are actively looking for.

banner exchange - network where participating sites display banner ads in exchange for credits which are converted (using a predetermined exchange rate) into ads to be displayed on other sites.

barter - to exchange goods or services directly without the use of money.

beyond the banner - online advertising not involving standard GIF and JPEG banner ads.

blog - A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links.

blogger - 1. a person who publishes content on the web using a blog 2. a blog service powered by Google.com

blogosphere - the community of blogs and everything else related to them.

blogroll - a section of a blog page that contains a list of links to recommended blog sites.

bookmark - a link stored in a Web browser for future reference.

bounce rate - 1.) In web analytics, the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing a single page. 2.) In email marketing, the percentage of emails in a campaign that are undeliverable.

browser - (see Web browser)

burstable bandwidth - a hosting option that allows sites to use the available network capacity to handle periods of peak usage.

business hosting - Web hosting geared towards the mission-critical functions demanded by business-class customers.

button ad - a graphical advertising unit, smaller than a banner ad.

button exchange - network where participating sites display button ads in exchange for credits which are converted (using a predetermined exchange rate) into ads to be displayed on other sites.

buzzword - a trendy word or phrase that is used more to impress than explain.

C
caching - the storage of Web files for later re-use at a point more quickly accessed by the end user.

cascading style sheets (CSS) - a data format used to separate style from structure on Web pages.

click-through - the process of clicking through an online advertisement to the advertiser's destination.

click-through rate (CTR) - The average number of click-throughs per hundred ad impressions, expressed as a percentage.

ColdFusion hosting - Web hosting that supports ColdFusion, a web application language introduced by Allaire and currently owned by Macromedia.

colocated hosting - when one party houses their web server(s) at another company's location for Internet connectivity.

contextual advertising - a method of serving advertisements based on the content (i.e., overall context or theme) of a web page.

conversion rate - the percentage of visitors who take a desired action.

cookie - information stored on a user's computer by a Web site so preferences are remembered on future requests.

cost-per-action (CPA) - online advertising payment model in which payment is based solely on qualifying actions such as sales or registrations.

cost per click (CPC) - the cost or cost-equivalent paid per click-through.

CPM - cost per thousand impressions.

customer acquisition cost - the cost associated with acquiring a new customer.

D
data transfer - The total amount of outbound traffic from a website*, typically measured in gigabytes (Gb).

dedicated hosting - hosting option whereby the host provides and is responsible for the equipment, dedicating an entire server to the client's websites.

dedicated IP - an IP address dedicated to a single website.

deep linking - linking to a web page other than a site's home page.

deep Web - (see invisible Web)

description tag - an HTML tag used by Web page authors to provide a description for search engine listings.

directory (see Web directory)

disintermediation - the elimination of intermediaries in the supply chain, also referred to as "cutting out the middlemen."

domain name - location of an entity on the Internet.

doorway domain - a domain used specifically to rank well in search engines for particular keywords, serving as an entry point through which visitors pass to the main domain.

doorway page - a page made specifically to rank well in search engines for particular keywords, serving as an entry point through which visitors pass to the main content.

E
email - the transmission of computer-based messages over telecommunication technology.

email marketing - the promotion of products or services via email.

email spam - unwanted, unsolicited email.

exclusivity - contract term in which one party grants another party sole rights with regard to a particular business function.

ezine - an electronic magazine, whether delivered via a Web site or anemail newsletter.

ezine directory - directory of electronic magazines, typically of the email variety.

F
Facebook - a social networking site located at facebook.com.

favicon - a small icon that is used by some browsers to identify a bookmarked Web site.

FFA - free-for-all links list, where there are no qualifications for adding a link.

first-mover advantage - a sometimes insurmountable advantage gained by the first significant company to move into a new market.

Flash - multimedia technology developed by Macromedia to allow much interactivity to fit in a relatively small file size.

forum - an online community where visitors may read and post topics of common interest.

frames - a structure that allows for the dividing of a Web page into two or more independent parts.

free - without monetary cost.

freemium - a technique where a business offers a free basic product,

giving the customer an option to use an advanced version for a premium cost.

frequency cap - restriction on the amount of times a specific visitor is shown a particular advertisement.

G
guerilla marketing - unconventional marketing intended to get maximum results from minimal resources.

H
hit - request of a file from a Web server.

home page - the main page of a Web site.

house ad - self-promotional ad a company runs on their own site/network to use unsold inventory.

HTML banner - a banner ad using HTML elements, often including interactive forms instead of (or in addition to) standard graphical elements.

HTML email - email that is formatted using Hypertext Markup Language, as opposed to plain text email.

hybrid model - a combination of two or more online marketing payment models

I
impression - a single instance of an online advertisement being displayed.*

inbound link - a link from a site outside of your site.

incentivized traffic - visitors who have received some form of compensation for visiting a site.

interactive agency - an agency offering a mix of Web design/development, Internet advertising/marketing, or E-Business/E-Commerce consulting.

interstitial - an advertisement that loads between two content pages.

invisible Web - the portion of the Web not indexed by search engines.

J
JavaScript - a scripting language developed by Netscape and used to create interactive Web sites.

K
keyword - a word used in a performing a search.

keyword density - keywords as a percentage of indexable text words.

keyword marketing - putting your message in front of people who are searching using particular keywords and keyphrases.

keyword research - the search for keywords related to your Web site, and the analysis of which ones yield the highest return on investment (ROI).

keywords tag - META tag used to help define the primary keywords of a Web page.

L
link checker - tool used to check for broken hyperlinks.

link popularity - a measure of the quantity and quality of sites that link to your site.

link text - the text contained in (and sometimes near) a hyperlink.

linkrot - when Web pages previously accessible at a particular URL are no longer reachable at that URL due to movement or deletion of the pages.

log file - file that records the activity on a Web server.

long domain name - domain names longer than the original 26 characters, up to a theoretical limit of 67 characters (including the extension, such as .com).

M
manual submission - adding a URL to the search engines individually by hand.

marketing plan - the part of the business plan outlining the marketing strategy for a product or service.

media kit - a resource created by a publisher to help prospective ad buyers evaluate advertising opportunities.

meta search engine - a search engine that displays results from multiple search engines.

META tag generator - tool that will output META tags based on input page information.

META tags - tags to describe various aspects about a Web page.

moderator - at a forum, someone entrusted by the administrator to help discussions stay productive and within the guidelines.

mousetrapping - the use of browser tricks in an effort to keep a visitor captive at a site, often by disabling the "Back" button or generated repeated pop-up windows.

N
navigation - that which facilitates movement from one Web page to another Web page.

netiquette - short for network etiquette, the code of conduct regarding acceptable online behavior.

network effect - the phenomenon whereby a service becomes more valuable as more people use it, thereby encouraging ever-increasing numbers of adopters.

O
opt-in email - email that is explicitly requested by the recipient.

opt-out - (1) type of program that assumes inclusion unless stated otherwise. (2) to remove oneself from an opt-out program.

outbound link - A link to a site outside of your site.

P
page view - request to load a single HTML page.

pagejacking - theft of a page from the original site and publication of a copy (or near-copy) at another site.

pass-along rate - the percentage of people who pass on a message or file.

pay per click (PPC) - online advertising payment model in which payment is based solely on qualifying click-throughs.

pay per click search engine (PPCSE) - search engine where results are ranked according to the bid amount and advertisers are charged only when a searcher clicks on the search listing.

pay per lead (PPL) - online advertising payment model in which payment is based solely based on qualifying leads.

pay per sale (PPS) - online advertising payment model in which payment is based solely based on qualifying sales.

payment threshold - the minimum accumulated commission an affiliate must earn to trigger payment from an affiliate program.

permission marketing - marketing centered around getting customer's consent to receive information from a company.

pop-under ad - an ad that displays in a new browser window behind the current browser window.

pop-up ad - an ad that displays in a new browser window.

portal - a site featuring a suite of commonly used services, serving as a starting point and frequent gateway to the Web (Web portal) or a niche topic (vertical portal).

Q
No terms starting with the letter -Q- yet.

R
rate card - document detailing prices for various ad placement options.

reciprocal links - links between two sites, often based on an agreement by the site owners to exchange links.

rectangle ad - any one of the large, rectangular banner sizes suggested by the IAB.

rep firm - ad sales partner specializing primarily in single-site sales.

return days - the number of days an affiliate can earn commission on a conversion (sale or lead) by a referred visitor.

rich media - new media that offers an enhanced experience relative to older, mainstream formats.

run of network (RON) - ad buying option in which ad placements may appear on any pages on sites within an ad network.

run of site (ROS) - ad buying option in which ad placements may appear on any pages of the target site.

S
search engine - a program that indexes documents, then attempts to match documents relevant to the users search requests.

search engine optimization - the process of choosing targeted keyword phrases related to a site, and ensuring that the site places well when those keyword phrases are part of a Web search.

search engine spam - excessive manipulation to influence search engine rankings, often for pages which contain little or no relevant content.

search engine submission - the act of supplying a URL to a search engine in an attempt to make a search engine aware of a site or page.

search spy - a perpetually refreshing page that provides a real-time view of actual Web searches.

self-serve advertising - advertising that can be purchased without the assistance of a sales representative.

SEO (see search engine optimization)

shopping cart - software used to make a site's product catalogue available for online ordering, whereby visitors may select, view, add/delete, and purchase merchandise.

sig file - a short block of text at the end of a message identifying the sender and providing additional information about them.

site search - search functionality specific to one site.

skyscraper ad - an online ad significantly taller than the 120x240 vertical banner.

spam - inappropriate commercial message of extremely low value.

splash page - a branding page before the home page of a Web site.

sponsorship - advertising that seeks to establish a deeper association and integration between an advertiser and a publisher, often involving coordinated beyond-the-banner placements.

stickiness - the amount of time spent at a site over a given time period.

super affiliate - an affiliate capable of generating a significant percentage of an affiliate program's activity.

surround session - advertising sequence in which a visitor receives ads from one advertiser throughout an entire site visit.

T
text ad - advertisement using text-based hyperlinks.

text link exchange - network where participating sites display text ads in

exchange for credits which are converted (using a predetermined exchange rate) into ads to be displayed on other sites.

title tag - HTML tag used to define the text in the top line of a Web browser, also used by many search engines as the title of search listings.

top 10 - the top ten search engine results for a particular search term.

trick banner - a banner ad that attempts to trick people into clicking, often by imitating an operating system message.

two tier affiliate program - affiliate program structure whereby affiliates earn commissions on their conversions as well as conversions of webmasters they refer to the program.

U
underdelivery - delivery of less impressions, visitors, or conversions than contracted for a specified period of time.

unique visitors - individuals who have visited a Web site (or network) at least once in a during a fixed time frame.

URL - location of a resource on the Internet.

usability - (see Web site usability)

V
vertical banner - a banner ad measuring 120 pixels wide and 240 pixels tall.

viral marketing - marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message.

volunter directory - a Web directory staffed primarily by unpaid volunteer editors.

W
Web browser - a software application that allows for the browsing of the World Wide Web.

Web design - the selection and coordination of available components to create the layout and structure of a Web page.

Web directory - organized, categorized listings of Web sites.

Web hosting - the business of providing the storage, connectivity, and services necessary to serve files for a website.

Web ring - a means for navigating a group of related sites primarily by going forward and backward.

Web site traffic - the amount of visitors and vists a Web site receives.

Web site usability - the ease with which visitors are able to use a Web site.

whois - a utility that returns ownership information about second-level domains.

X
No terms starting with the letter -X- yet.

Y
Yahoo - portal located at www.yahoo.com

Z
zworks - metasearch engine located at www.zworks.com