Cynthia Oswald

Surface Design, Fine Art + Branding for Creatives

Web & SEO

Understanding Your Site Services

Website Terms Defined: A Beginner’s Guide to Web Basics

One of the things I love about the web is how it constantly evolves. But that same quality can also make it feel complex and overwhelming. With so many moving parts, it’s easy to feel lost.

As both a business owner and web designer, I believe in empowering my clients by breaking down key website terms in a way that makes sense. I like to compare a website to a physical space—think about your home:

  • Your domain is your home address—whether you have a PO Box or a mailbox at your physical location, it directs people to you.
  • Hosting is the land your house sits on—defining the space your website occupies online.
  • Security is like a home security system—an extra layer of protection beyond doors and locks.
  • Your website’s content is the furniture and decor—what makes your space unique and inviting.
  • Each page is a different room, serving a distinct purpose.

By breaking it down into tangible comparisons, the digital world becomes much easier to navigate. Below is a list of commonly used website terms to help you better understand your web services.

Essential Website Terms

Domain/URL

Your domain name (or URL) is the web address people type into a browser to find your site (e.g., yourbusiness.com). While a domain points to a numerical IP address behind the scenes, its main purpose is branding—making your website memorable instead of just a string of numbers.

DNS (Domain Name System)

DNS is like a phone book for the internet. It translates human-friendly domain names (e.g., yourbusiness.com) into the IP addresses that computers use to find websites.

IP Address

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a unique set of numbers assigned to your website’s hosting server. Your domain name is connected to this IP address, allowing users to access your site.

Hosting (Web Host/Hosting Provider)

Web hosting is where your website lives—it’s the physical space where all your site’s files and data are stored. Think of it as the plot of land where your house (website) is built. Reliable hosting is essential for speed, security, and uptime. Some reputable hosting providers include SiteGround, Bluehost, and WP Engine.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

FTP is a tool used to upload, edit, or download website files directly from your hosting server. It’s like having a key to a storage unit where your site’s files are kept.

CName (Canonical Name Record)

A CName helps map domain names to the right IP addresses. If your website is hosted on one platform but you want to connect your domain from another provider, a CName ensures everything points in the right direction.

Content Management System (CMS)

A CMS is the backend framework that allows you to build and manage your website without coding. It’s like hiring an architect to design your home’s structure. Examples include WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix.

Control Panel (cPanel/Plesk)

A control panel is your website’s command center. Provided by your hosting service, it allows you to manage your website’s files, email accounts, security settings, and more—all in one place.

SSL Certificate (Secure Sockets Layer)

An SSL certificate encrypts the connection between your website and visitors, keeping sensitive information like passwords and credit card details safe. Websites with SSL have “HTTPS” in their URL, and search engines favor secure sites.

Cache & Caching

Caching temporarily stores copies of website data to make pages load faster for returning visitors. Browser caching saves images and scripts, while server caching helps reduce website load times.

Analytics (Google Analytics, etc.)

Website analytics track user behavior—how people find and interact with your site. Tools like Google Analytics provide data on visitor demographics, page views, bounce rates, and conversions to help you optimize performance.

Bounce Rate

The percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate can indicate poor user experience, slow load times, or irrelevant content.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search results, making it easier for people to find you. It involves using the right keywords, improving site speed, and creating quality content. Think of it as setting up signs and pathways that lead visitors to your website.

Call to Action (CTA)

A CTA is a prompt encouraging users to take a specific action, like “Sign Up,” “Download Now,” or “Contact Us.” Strong CTAs are crucial for converting visitors into customers.

Responsive Design

Responsive design ensures your website adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes, from desktops to mobile phones. A well-designed responsive site prevents content from looking distorted on smaller screens.

User Experience (UX)

UX is all about how visitors interact with your website. A good UX design ensures that users can easily find information, navigate smoothly, and have a positive experience on your site—just like having a well-organized home where guests feel welcome.

Landing Page

A landing page is a standalone webpage designed for a specific purpose—like capturing leads, promoting a product, or encouraging sign-ups. It’s often linked to marketing campaigns, making it an essential tool for conversions.

Website Maintenance

Maintaining a website involves updating software, fixing bugs, improving security, and keeping content fresh. Think of it as regular home upkeep—cleaning, repairs, and making sure everything runs smoothly.

Site Backup

A site backup is a saved copy of your website that can be restored if your site is hacked, crashes, or faces an error. Just like having an emergency home insurance plan, backups protect your online presence from unexpected disasters.

301 Redirect

A 301 redirect permanently forwards one URL to another, preserving SEO value. It’s commonly used when changing domains or restructuring a site.

Permalink

A permalink is the permanent URL of a specific webpage or blog post. Good permalink structures improve SEO and make links easier to share.

Alt Text (Alternative Text)

Alt text is a written description added to images on a website. It improves accessibility for visually impaired users and helps search engines understand image content for SEO.

Favicon

A favicon is the small icon displayed in a browser tab next to a website’s title. It helps reinforce brand identity and improve site recognition.

Widgets & Plugins

  • Widgets are small applications or tools that add functionality to a website (e.g., a social media feed in a sidebar).
  • Plugins are add-ons used to extend the capabilities of a CMS like WordPress, such as SEO tools, e-commerce features, or security enhancements.

CDN (Content Delivery Network)

A CDN distributes website data across multiple servers worldwide, helping pages load faster by serving content from the closest server to the visitor.

Need More Clarity?

This is a growing list, and I’m happy to expand it! If there’s a web-related term you’d like explained in simpler terms, send me a message, and I’ll update this guide.

Is your website optimized to reach its fullest potential in search engines? Whether you’re looking to improve your site’s SEO strategy or start building a strong online presence from the ground up, I’m here to help. Let’s discuss how we can increase your visibility and attract more of your ideal customers. Reach out for a personalized SEO consultation, and together, we’ll ensure your website not just exists but stands out and attracts the audience it deserves.

Book Your Web Design Consultation

8 Important Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Designer/Developer

How to know if you’re hiring the right web developer:

I have always been intrinsically drawn to the beauty and freedom in artistic expression. Over time, that artistic expression has evolved to embrace the evolution and influence of technology, and it has taken my career down paths I never thought possible. When I was dreaming up my place in the world, I never imagined that my art would consist of HTML code, responsive design, CMS platforms, etc. In 2008, I took an evening class at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia that went over basic CSS and HTML. I was hooked. I loved the idea of creating interactive visuals that could grow and change over time. What I didn’t realize is how rapidly the changes would occur—making the possibilities almost endless. After 10+ years of experience working on websites, I have ascribed a particular set of steps and preferences that I implement when working on a site. Much like the possibilities of any medium, a website will look and feel different depending on who created it. That said, I’d like to share with you a few key questions that will help you find the right web designer/developer for your next project. 

What platform will you be working within? What are the benefits and limitations of that platform? Nowadays, anyone can design a website using the page-building tools that are available. From WordPress to Wix, or Squarespace to Shopify—there are so many options available. Some of these tools are seriously awesome, while others can potentially cause long-term issues. No two are created equal, so depending on your product, service, or industry, you’ll want to work with someone who can help guide you and recommend the platforms and page-building tools that make the most sense for your unique needs. Before you begin any project, ask your potential web designer/developer what platforms they are experienced in. Share your website functionality and technical requirements with them, so they can suggest an appropriate platform. And listen for a clear explanation of how they have arrived at choosing their preferred platform for your site.

Do they have branding experience? If you are not a designer yourself, I highly recommend that you work with a web designer with some branding experience or a brand expert on their team. When you’re investing in a marketing tool for your business, it needs to represent your brand aesthetic. This means that it represents your brand voice and is cohesive with the rest of your marketing material. If you already have a style guide, you can pass that off to your web designer. If not, I recommend working with your web designer to start the project with a mood board to indicate color, fonts, photography, and illustration. In the absence of a style guide, this will provide the foundational look and feel for your project.

What does their process or methodology look like? Websites should not be created in a vacuum. Your site should reflect your business, and in order to do that, your web designer/developer will need to become very familiar with the work you are doing. This means that there should be multiple touchpoints, thoughtful conversations, in-depth collaboration, proactive communication, deadlines that are delivered upfront, and so much more. If your web designer can’t share with you their process or doesn’t include this in the original agreement, then my advice is simple … run for the hills. Likewise, you should prepare yourself to commit and stick to a schedule to ensure your goals are met.

What type of SEO implementation is included with the package? When it comes to your web content—imagery, copy, and user experience—each element should be looked at through the lens of an SEO strategy. Your designer should have a base-level SEO package built into your web design package. Ask them to explain what this looks like. Listen carefully … high quality, relevant content is the key driver to successful Search Engine Optimization. SEO implementation should continue after the site is launched and when new content is added to the site. Ask them how you can best ensure the continued optimization of your site long term.

What type of on-going support do they have? Who will make the changes? Websites are fluid—they can and should grow and change over time. You’ll most likely have new ideas for added content the minute you launch the site. How quickly are they available to make changes? Do they have monthly or quarterly support packages so you can reserve time in advance? If you or someone in your team would like to make changes to the site after launch, make sure this is a discussion point early on. They should be able to provide you with a tutorial that will help you understand the fundamentals needed in order to make changes to the content on your site or publish new content in the future. 

What host do they recommend and why? No two hosting platforms are created equal. Your site speed is affected by many different components—the platform you’re running on, the size of your site, the interactive capabilities, and the overall form and functions. Your hosting account can make or break your website—literally—so you’ll want to ensure you are hosting your site on a trusted hosting platform, with excellent customer service, speed, and security. In addition to those features, it is always important to have a backup of your site. A good hosting platform will include a backup of your site, so double-check to be sure that feature is included. Two of my personal favorites are Rackspace.com (for multiple large sites) and Siteground.com.

What type of added security is available? Many hosting platforms have excellent security features built directly into their services. But to truly protect your site, prevent hacks, or reverse any damage caused by a site hack, you’ll need to implement a third-party security system. I like to compare this to a home security system. Is it mandatory to have a home security system? No. Will it protect you from break-ins or prevent damage. Yes. The same applies to our website. Your site might never get hacked, regardless of whether or not you have added security. But with malware and sophisticated site hacking nowadays, I strongly encourage all my clients to invest in added security—just in case. The security platform I recommend is sucuri.net. The good news is if something does happen to your site and you don’t currently have a system in place you can reach out to Sucuri and they will help you through the aftermath, getting you back up in running in no time.

What exactly is happening on the back end? In my opinion, it’s important for you to have control over your domain name, hosting, any added security or outside features, and access to your website files/backups. Imagine you had to contact your realtor every time you want to make a major change to your house. He or she would be in control of your insurance, your mortgage, your security system … you would be left in the dark without any control of your own property. The same logic applies to your website. You should own the domain, hosting, and added security so that you can make changes as your business grows and evolves over time. Transparency is key with your web services. If your web designer is reselling hosting to you, be sure to ask them what would happen if you ever wanted to move your site from their server. And make sure their contract specifies ownership details of everything that is “behind the scenes” of your website.

All in all, these questions will help you get the conversation started with a potential web designer and/or developer. Use them to spur helpful dialogue and to make sure you know exactly what you are getting. A good web designer will ask insightful questions in return to help you think through the content that should truly exist on your site. And they will bring much more to the table than user experience, SEO, and design. They’ll collaborate. They’ll guide. They’ll troubleshoot. And they’ll provide feedback, direction, visuals, and verbiage. And when you partner with the right web designer/developer, they’ll help you build a powerful marketing tool, extending beyond the device, and into the hands of your target audience.

Is your website optimized to reach its fullest potential in search engines? Whether you’re looking to improve your site’s SEO strategy or start building a strong online presence from the ground up, I’m here to help. Let’s discuss how we can increase your visibility and attract more of your ideal customers. Reach out for a personalized SEO consultation, and together, we’ll ensure your website not just exists but stands out and attracts the audience it deserves.

Book Your Web Design Consultation

Your site is up and running, now what?

5 Things To Do After Launching Your New Site

Congratulations! You’ve made it through the messy middle and launched your website. There is probably so much more you’d like to do. Can I tell you a secret? That is a good thing. Your website is a living, breathing business asset and it can and should grow and change over time—just as your business does. Features like email marketing, payment processing, calendars, social media, and much more can seamlessly integrate with your website. As you’re working on your marketing and communication platforms as a whole, keep in mind that you may be able to connect them directly to your website to help streamline your efforts and save time. There are endless possibilities, so let’s just start with my top five …

1. SEO Strategy

If you don’t have an SEO Strategy now is the time to get one started. What do you want to be known for? Write about it. What new and relevant content can you share about within your industry? Building and sharing relevant content will enhance your SEO naturally. You’ll want to group like-minded pages or content on your site by linking and categorizing appropriately. This helps to show that there is relevant content throughout your site and helps search engines rank it accordingly. Incorporate your mission, values, and core marketing messages to attract your ideal client. Your core marketing messages typically correlate with your SEO Strategy. Building on your keywords over time looks like building content that is relevant to your core messaging and adding it throughout your site—whether it’s updating the main pages or building on your blog pages. Within your strategy include how you anticipate sharing your content throughout all of your communication platforms—outside of your website (i.e. social media, email marketing) as well as within.

2. Google Analytics & Search Console

Reviewing your Google Analytics and Search Console week over week, month over month, year over year, will help to inform you on which marketing efforts are working. Make a note of the pages that users are staying on the longest, navigating to other pages, and generally visiting the most. How can you utilize those locations to obtain your goals? Are there pages that users are dropping off quickly or not navigating to other pages? How can you develop relevant content and an opt-in that will enable users to reengage? Pay attention to where users are coming from—both in location and referral. What keywords are you being found for? Are users clicking through to your site when it appears on a Google search? There is so much that you can dive into with Google Analytics and Search Console. I recommend reviewing reports either monthly or quarterly to optimize your content and be aware of how your site is working for you. Then make changes to the site accordingly based on your business goals.

3. Opt-ins, Automated Emails & Landing Pages

Sync your site with your email marketing provider and ensure that you have locations for the user to opt-in or sign up for your list. I recommend setting up an automated email sequence so that when a user signs up to receive news they’ll receive a few informative emails that include some of your most important content. This way they feel welcomed and you already begin to build trust. Explore utilizing the opt-ins in different locations on the site. Remove the ones that have been there a while and experiment to see what works both visually and verbally. Streamline your goals through creating landing pages. These would be simple pages, targeted specifically to one of your audiences. They can help to achieve a specific goal by engaging the users to take action—sign up for your list, contact you, purchase your offering, follow you on social media, etc. Users could arrive to the landing page via social media, an email blast, another webpage, a digital ad, etc. This is just another way you can build on your site and engage your audience.

4. Social Media

As you develop your website content share it on social media platforms in smaller, digestible chunks, that link back to your site. While you are working on your strategy consider the goal that each of your social media platforms aim to achieve. Be mindful of that goal when sharing socially. For example, let’s say your business Facebook page serves as a fun, informative way, to connect with your current and potential customers. While your LinkedIn account may be acting as a place for you to connect with like-minded businesses or potential partnerships. In this case you may share smaller, lighter imagery and posts that align with your mission and values on Facebook. On LinkedIn you may be writing articles that share more about your process and business development. This is only one example. Understanding the goal and your audience on the platform will help you to determine the types of content you should be sharing.

5. Perform Updates & Added Security

If you worked with me to design and develop your site then it is a WordPress or Shopify site. WordPress is an Open Source Platform that has many contributors from all over the world. There are updates to themes, plugins, and the WordPress platform often. Just as computers and phones perform updates your website should be updated to remain compatible and protected with technology as a whole. I recommend making these updates on a monthly or quarterly basis. Additionally, as time goes on you may decide to add another level of security to your site. This can be helpful if you notice there are frequent visitors from one location with an 100% bounce rate. In this instance you can assume they are trying to hack into your site. If you’re working with me I would have you set up with—SiteGround—which has an excellent security platform. Should you want to add another level I recommend Sucuri.net. This is not necessary from the start but it may be worth investing in as your site and audience grows.

If you don’t have the time or desire to invest in the above let’s connect. I’d love to chat with you about your business goals and see how we might be able to partner on a monthly or quarterly basis to achieve them! Schedule a connection call to get started.

5 Essential Steps For Building A Successful Website

5 Tips to set your website up for success

So you’d like to update your web design or create one from scratch? The task ahead of you is time-consuming. The middle is messy. And the end result, if not properly planned, can leave you feeling underwhelmed. I’d like to share some tips with you I’ve learned over time that can help set up your website for success right from the start.

1. The first and most important task is defining your goals for the website.

It could be that you’d like to generate new leads, target and attract a specific audience that you haven’t been able to reach, or maybe it’s an informative marketing tool that will save you time and money. Write out your desired outcome for how this site update or launch will aid your business goals and make your job easier. Websites are versatile and multi-faceted tools that will grow and change over time and therefore will continue to help you achieve your goals.

2. What basic or complex functions could your site include that will make your business run smoother?

This answer should reveal itself through defining your goals. I have many different types of customers that are all achieving a variety of goals through their site designs. Let me run you through a few examples that may help you come up with your own list:

• Defining a process or service visually to use as a sales or marketing tool
• Creating a map of locations that include where your products can be found
• Growing your email list through offering free tools and resources
• Creating a form that allows your customers to give you all of the information needed to generate an estimate
• Display your portfolio of work in an interactive and user-friendly way
• Creating a resource archive that customers have access to so that you only have to share information one time

I could keep going but the possibilities are endless so I’ll let you use your imagination.

3. How are you going to point your potential viewers, customers, clients, colleagues, buyers, friends, etc. to your site?

Whether your site is an informative resource or a storefront, part of the goal is to have viewers on the site. This could be your number one reason for developing a site in the first place. Honing in on your target audience will help you define an SEO strategy and develop a plan that ensures your site has visitors. You can have the most beautifully designed website but if you aren’t aware of how to integrate an SEO strategy before you structure your content and design, you may miss out on big opportunities. For tips on improving your SEO starting today click here.

4. Content will drive the design.

By now you have a clear picture of what the major goal of your website is, what basic or complex functions you’d like it to perform, and a rough idea of your target audience. It’s time to gather your content. A web designer or developer can help you through this process or you can gather some resources in advance. Start by creating an outline that includes your mission, values, product or services, body copy from your current marketing materials, brand elements, style guide, logo versions, and other brand resources. Having this all in one location will speed up the process and give your designer a head start on understanding your brand. For more information on gathering your site content click here.

5. Last but not least let’s dive into the web design.

This step is a process within itself but it should begin with wireframes. Once you are clear on steps 1-4 the goal of your designer should be to take all of that information and implement it into a user-friendly experience for your target audience. The best way to do this is to visualize the entire site through wireframes. This way you are thinking through the web of possibilities before you set anything into stone. Also, you create a visual guide for gathering content and building out the entire site. This saves you time and money in the long run and allows you to create a doable action plan from the start.

Is your website optimized to reach its fullest potential in search engines? Whether you’re looking to improve your site’s SEO strategy or start building a strong online presence from the ground up, I’m here to help. Let’s discuss how we can increase your visibility and attract more of your ideal customers. Reach out for a personalized SEO consultation, and together, we’ll ensure your website not just exists but stands out and attracts the audience it deserves.

Book Your Web Design Consultation

Understanding SEO & Algorithms

website analytics

Understanding SEO and what it means for your site

I have to admit that it’s a bit hilarious that I work behind a computer. I barely watch TV and while I enjoy technology I’m much more drawn to the outdoors. That said, I absolutely love the time I spend on my computer developing brands and working on my own business. I look at it as a valuable tool that when used appropriately will enrich my customer’s business goals, my own business goals and my goals as an artist and illustrator. Since technology is so vast and always changing I find it important to hang on to tiny bits of information that come from credible sources—providing useful information quickly. That said, I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned about SEO and Algorithms in a quick and precise manner that can start pointing customers your way today.

Cynthia Oswald

SEO

SEO or Search Engine Optimization is simply maximizing the number of visitors to your website by ensuring your site appears high on search engine results (i.e. Google, Bing, Yahoo, Pinterest, etc.). This is done by using relevant content on your website and ensuring that the site is setup properly for present-day technology. For instance, if your website is not mobile friendly search engines will automatically push your site back in the rankings. When I work on a website I have a step-by-step process that I complete to ensure a site is set up properly from the start. This means that I am syncing the site to Google Analytics, Google Webmaster Tools, creating a site map, installing and setting up plugins that are optimized for keywords and metadata. One way you can continue optimizing your site after you launch is to pay attention to your customers. What questions are they asking? What words are they using when referring to your services? These are keywords that you’ll want to include on your site. You should continue developing relevant content that may be added to your site in order to improve searchability over time.

Algorithms

An algorithm is defined as “a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.” Algorithms are used in so many different ways but what is most important for you to understand is how the specific habits of your potential customers effects what they are seeing on the web. We’ve all been there, scrolling the web or a news feed and we’re getting sponsored content or advertising that is specifically targeted to our searches and interests on the web. In some ways it’s fascinating and in some ways a little scary. I choose to look at the bright side. I’m constantly delivered information that is specifically targeted to my personal preferences. That said, when you are thinking about your website you need to create and deliver content that is specifically targeted to your customer’s needs. This is going to transform the traffic and the searchability of your web content.

3 Ways To Improve Your Traffic Starting Today

1. Optimize Your Visibility On Google
Google is by far the most utilized search engine. Its platforms are continually updated and optimized. If your site was setup by me then you are already synced to Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools—which is a great start. Another way you can improve your ranking is to create a Google business page and retrieve some reviews from your customers. This is an excellent way to show Google that your business is relevant and almost immediately you’ll see an improvement in your search ranking. Make your page stronger still by adding an address and phone number. Be sure to include your website.

2. Create Links Back To Your Website
Since many search engines are ranking your site by relevance the more traffic your site has the better it will appear among search engines. Are you using social media, email blasts or blog posts to point customers back to your website? This is something you should definitely be doing. It’s easy to add your website link to your social media platforms and remind people through relevant content that they can visit your website for more information. This is an easy way to increase traffic organically while showing the search engines that you mean business.

3. Incorporate Relevant Content
By now you’re probably saying to yourself “she’s used the word ‘relevant’ one too many times.” That’s because adding quality (or relevant) content is the number one driver of your search engine rankings. Algorithms are so advanced that they are looking for words that relate to your keywords within your content. That said, if you’re adding one or two words to drive traffic to your site but the copy isn’t matching the keywords than search engines may overlook your site. Take a look at the overall content of your website and make a list of words that you can include that will help potential users find you and relate back to the content that you have published on your site.

Anytime I mention SEO or Algorithms I’m immediately bored myself. My goal here was to provide quick and useful information to help you make better decisions for your web content starting today. If you’d like more information feel free to contact me directly by filling out a form here.

Is your website optimized to reach its fullest potential in search engines? Whether you’re looking to improve your site’s SEO strategy or start building a strong online presence from the ground up, I’m here to help. Let’s discuss how we can increase your visibility and attract more of your ideal customers. Reach out for a personalized SEO consultation, and together, we’ll ensure your website not just exists but stands out and attracts the audience it deserves.

Book Your Web Design Consultation