PL · G/ Glossary

Plain-English, definitions.

Every term we use, defined the way we'd define it for a friend over coffee. Bookmark this and forward it any time an agency starts speaking in acronyms.

API: An Application Programming Interface, the contract that lets one piece of software talk to another. Most modern integrations happen over APIs.
Automation: Software that performs a repeatable task on a trigger, without human intervention. Sending a reminder SMS the day before an appointment is automation.
AI Agent: Software that can read, decide, and act on your behalf. Different from a chatbot in that it takes real actions inside your systems.
Backend: The server-side part of an application, databases, business logic, integrations. Invisible to users but where most of the work happens.
CMS: Content Management System, software that lets non-technical people edit a website's content without touching code.
CRM: Customer Relationship Management, the system of record for your leads, customers, and the history of every interaction with them.
Conversion Rate: The percentage of visitors who take a desired action, booking, calling, buying, filling a form.
CTA: Call to Action, the button or link asking a visitor to do something specific. 'Book a free audit' is a CTA.
DNS: Domain Name System, the internet's phone book. Translates your domain (buildsiteright.com) into the IP address of the server it lives on.
E-commerce: Selling products or services online through a checkout flow with payment processing.
Frontend: The part of an application a user sees and interacts with in their browser. Design, layout, animation, forms.
Hosting: The servers that store and serve your website to the world. Without hosting, your code is just files on a laptop.
HTTPS / SSL: The encryption layer that turns http:// into https://, required for security, trust, and search ranking.
IDX: Internet Data Exchange, the standard real estate agents use to display MLS listings on their own websites.
Integration: A connection between two systems that lets them share data automatically. Stripe paying out to your QuickBooks is an integration.
JSON-LD: A structured data format Google reads to understand your pages better. Powers rich results like ratings, FAQs, and event listings.
Landing Page: A standalone page built for a single purpose, usually capturing a lead or selling one specific thing. Different from your homepage.
Lead: Someone who has expressed interest in your business, by filling a form, calling, or starting a chat.
Local SEO: The discipline of ranking on Google for searches with local intent, 'plumber near me', 'best taco shop in Austin'.
MLS: Multiple Listing Service, the regional database where real estate agents post properties for sale.
NAP: Name, Address, Phone, the three pieces of business info that must be identical everywhere you appear online for local SEO.
Open Graph (OG): The metadata that controls how your page looks when shared on social media, image, title, description.
Page Speed: How fast your site loads. Measured by Google as part of Core Web Vitals; affects ranking and conversion.
PII: Personally Identifiable Information, names, emails, addresses, phone numbers. Handled with care, by law.
Plugin: An add-on that extends a CMS like WordPress. Useful but each one is a maintenance and security liability.
PMS: Practice Management System, the operational backbone of medical, dental and legal practices. Stores patient/client records and runs scheduling.
RESO / RETS: Real estate data standards used to syndicate listings from MLS feeds into agent websites.
Schema Markup: Structured data added to your HTML that tells search engines what your content actually means. The reason FAQ snippets appear in Google results.
SEO: Search Engine Optimization, the work of making your site rank higher on Google for the searches your customers are doing.
Server-side Rendering (SSR): Rendering a page on the server before sending it to the browser. Faster initial load and better SEO than pure client-side rendering.
SMS: Text messaging. The highest-open-rate channel for transactional and timely business communication.
Stack: The collection of tools and technologies a piece of software is built with. 'Our stack is TanStack Start, React, Postgres'.
Webhook: An automatic HTTP callback fired when something happens in one system, so another system can react. The glue of modern integrations.
Widget: A self-contained piece of functionality embedded in a page, a booking calendar, a chat box, a review feed.

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