Whether you are looking into hiring a designer for your first website ever or for a redesign of an existing site, we've come up with this essential client's guide to web design which will facilitate better client-designer communication by de-mystifying some of the most common web design terms and concepts. It's always a good idea to be on the same page as your web designer, but sometimes that is easier said than done - especially if you don't know what in the world they are talking about. Once you understand a few key terms we've defined below in plain English, you will be able to have a knowledgeable conversation about web design with any web designer.

What's a Domain Name and How Do I Get One?

A domain name acts as an address allowing you arrive directly at a website. A domain name, also know as a URL, usually looks something like this: cmcconnell.com. When it comes to domain names, the shorter they are the better, although it is increasingly difficult to find available word combinations shorter than seven letters. Register a new domain name.

What's Hosting?

Think of hosting as the place where your web content will live online. Your hosting provider is similar to a landlord in that you will rent space from them where your content will live and be accessible to the rest of the internet community. Each designer probably has a hosting company they prefer to work with, so it's a good idea to check with them before purchasing a hosting package. Here are some sample web hosting packages.

What's a CMS?

CMS is an abbreviation for the term Content Management System. These systems come in many varieties and let you login to a secure administrative area to change content such as text and pictures within your site without ever even having to talk with the designer who set your site up. Not all content management systems are created equal however. Some are free and some are premium. Many include more than just basic content editing features such as online store management, customer relationship management and email marketing tools. As with hosting, each designer probably prefers to work with a certain CMS so you'll want to pick a designer and CMS combination that works great for you.

What are Analytics?

Analytics is a fancy term for website statistics. They allow you to track how many visitors have come to your site, what pages they were interested in, how long they stayed and how they found your site in the first place. While good content management systems will have built-in analytics, you can also install Google Analytics for free.

What is HTML and CSS?

HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language and is used to structure web pages. CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is used in conjunction with HTML and lets designers easily change the look of a website.

How Can I Put Animation On My Site?

Most web designers use a program called Flash to create animations for websites. Flash is not always search engine friendly, so many designers will use CSS and HTML as the foundation of the site and insert Flash animation in specific areas of the site.

How Can I Put Videos on My Site?

Adding video content to a site can be a great way to generate interest in your company or organization. Your video will need to be stored online for people to view and in most cases you will want to upload your video to a site such as Youtube, Brightcove or Vimeo. Once your video has been uploaded to one of these sites, you or your web designer can grab the necessary code to embed the video directly in your website.

What's a Blog and Why Should I Have One?

A blog is an online journal that allows you to keep fresh content flowing through your site. Blogs are a great way to increase traffic to your site and engage your audience. Blogs are also a great way to share news. While there are many stand-alone blogging solutions available, such as Wordpress or Blogger, you may want to use a CMS that has a blogging function built-in to limit having to login to multiple sites to manage your online content.

What Is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO means building your website in a way that makes it easier to be found by search engines such as Google and Bing. A good web designer will be current on the latest SEO trends which are constantly changing and can make a huge difference in how visible your site is online.

How Can I Get More Visitors to My Website?

The best way to attract more visitors to your site is of course to advertise. There are many ways to advertise online, but the most popular service is Google's AdWords. If you don't want to spend money on advertising, you will have to grow your audience through "organic" means (getting found in the search engines).