Resources
The web, in plain English.
You're an expert in your business, not in websites. Here's what the jargon actually means.
The jargon buster
Fifteen terms, explained.
The words web people use as if everyone knows them.
- Domain
- Your address online, like alur.uk. You rent it yearly; pick one that's easy to say and hard to misspell.
- Hosting
- The computer your website lives on. If the domain is your address, hosting is the building. Bad hosting means a slow site.
- SSL (the padlock)
- The padlock in the browser bar. It keeps visits private. Without it, browsers warn people your site is "Not secure".
- SEO
- Search Engine Optimisation: helping Google recommend you when locals search for what you sell. Slow, but worth it.
- API
- How two bits of software talk, like a waiter carrying orders between your website and your booking system.
- CMS
- A dashboard for changing words, photos and prices on your site without touching code.
- Responsive design
- One website that reshapes itself for phones, tablets and big screens. Most visitors are on phones.
- Landing page
- A page with one job, usually where an advert sends people: book, call or claim the offer.
- Conversion
- When a visitor becomes a customer: they book, call, order or enquire.
- Call to action (CTA)
- The button that tells visitors what to do next, like "Book now". A clear one gets more bookings.
- Analytics
- Your website's footfall counter: who visited, from where, and what they did.
- Cache
- A ready-made copy of your pages so they load instantly, like prepping before service.
- Backup
- A spare copy of your whole website, so it can be restored if anything goes wrong.
- Google Business Profile
- Your free Google listing with map pin, hours and reviews. Some of the best free marketing there is.
- Domain email
- Email at your own address, like hello@yourbusiness.co.uk. A small detail that builds trust.
From the blog
Straight answers.
Why should I get a website? An honest answer for local businesses
Word of mouth hasn't died; it has moved. Someone recommends you, and the very next thing that person does is Google you. What do they find?
Read the articleWhat is SEO? A plain-English guide
SEO is everything you do to make Google confident enough to recommend you. Here is what that means in practice, and how to judge the promises that land in your inbox.
Read the articleWhat is an API? A plain-English answer
You already use APIs every day: every card payment, every online booking, every Deliveroo order. Here's what the word actually means, in the time it takes to make a brew.
Read the articleWhy Alur.ai instead of the other web designers near me?
AI can produce a decent-looking website in an afternoon now, and some firms do exactly that: prompt in, site out, invoice sent. The problem isn't the AI. The problem is what happens when you ask for your first change.
Read the articleGet in touch
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