The IE Glossary is here to help! Every week we will post up one of the latest terms along with a translation into plain English. We’ll not only tell you what the term means but also how it can help your organisation to get ahead. Keep an eye out for our weekly update to the IE Glossary on our blog.

Got your own term you would like our brand, marketing and digital consultants to demystify? Ask us using the hashtag #IEGlossary and we will get back to you with a definition.

Here are some of the latest buzzwords in the creative industries at the moment...

Responsive Website Design – A responsive website is a website that responds to the screen size users are viewing it on, whether a phone, tablet or a desktop PC. Instead of creating different websites for different devices your responsive website rearranges the elements to fit any screen. 

Wireframe - A wireframe is an image which displays the functional elements of a website or page. Wireframes are used by our digital consultants to plan out how your website will look.

User Journey - A user journey is the path a user takes on your website to find the content they want. Researching user journeys can improve the way you direct users to the content they need on your website. Find out more of the benefits of researching user journeys in our project update of our work at the University of Nottingham.

Smartphone - A smartphone is a mobile phone that can perform many of the functions of a computer. There are currently 5 times as many smartphones sold per day (1.8 million) as children born per day.

Content Management System - A Content Management System website allows users to publish their own images, text and content without having to learn code. This means that the website can be continually maintained by staff inside your organisation. Many of IE’s website developments use the Open Source Drupal CMS, and we also train up to 4 staff in how to manage the CMS ensuring client's websites are always up to date.

Infographic - An infographic is a visual representation of information or data, e.g. as a chart or diagram. Infographics help you to convey dry data in a visually engaging and exciting way. 

Mobile App - A native mobile application, most commonly referred to as an app, is a type of application software designed to run on a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer. Mobile applications frequently serve to provide users with similar services to those accessed on PCs.

Paperless DD - Paperless direct debit is a method of payment that allows donators to set up direct debit payments to the charity via their website - without needing to speak to an operator. This can be a fantastic way for charities to increase their donor acquisition - 

Guerilla Marketing - Guerilla marketing involves the concept of an unconventional system of promotion that relies on patience, energy and imagination rather than a big budget. It oftens describes advertising techniques that are executed outside such as street giveaways of products.

User Experience - User experience describes the overall experience of a person using awebsite or computer application, especially in terms of how easy or pleasing it is to use. It's important to know how your users find your website.

Integrated Marketing Communications - Integrated Marketing Communications refers to the application of consistent brand messaging all channels of the communications and promotional mix - that's radio, TV, magazines and more. With the range of new media, it is now more important than ever to keep you messaging consistent. The more consistent your messaging - the higher the recall amongst your audiences. 

Tone of Voice - Tone of voice is an important part of brand personality, it's not only important what your communications say about your brand, but also how they say it. Vocabulary, grammar and style are a big part of an organisation's tone of voice. IE's brand storytellers are experts at creating stringent brand guidelines documents to police and protect your brand and tone of voice.

Advergame - An advergame is an online video game that promotes a particular brand, product, or marketing message by integrating it into the game.

Backend Website - The section of the website or application that you or your developers work with. The back end handles the dynamic parts of the site, such as a newsletter, an administration page, a registration database, a contact page or more complicated Web applications. 

Vine - Vine is a video sharing social network, allowing users to record six-second looping video clips and share them along with a caption. Due to the young audience using the network, Vine has become a key marketing tool for many organisations including the likes of: Samsung, Puma and VW. In some instances companies have sponsored top Viners, paying them to incorporate their brand into videos.

Alt Text - Alternate Text is a text description that can be added to an image's HTML tag on a Web page. It is used when the mouse hovers over the image and when the image cannot be displayed. Do you include alt text on your website images?

Viral Marketing - Viral marketing is a marketing technique whereby information about a company's goods or services is passed electronically between users. In the age of social media, there is a lot to gain from an effective and shareable Viral Marketing campaign. Who told their friend about this famous viral marketing ad from Cadbury's?