A search engine is a program or tool that searches the Internet for information relating to the search term applied. It indexes websites, analyses their content and applies an algorithm to create its search results. Its sole purpose is to bring the user the most relevant results based on their search term.

Each search engine has its own algorithm, and that is why searches vary from search engine to search engine. The most popular search engines currently used are Google, Yahoo & MSN.

Search Engine Optimisation (or SEO) is the method of selecting relevant keywords and phrases for a website, and Web pages, and ensuring that they rank well in the search engines. This will ensure highly targeted and relevant website traffic and will increase enquiries, or direct orders, from your website.

This is a term that describes making the search engine engines aware of your web site, or any new or refreshed Web page content. Once the search engines are aware of your request they will index your content and rank it for relevancy. This process will give your site a ranking in the natural or organic results in the search engines.

Shopping Carts are part of the e-commerce process. They allow visitors to order, select and view products before moving through to the Payment Gateway to purchase the items.

Site search refers to the opportunity to search the indexed content of the site you are on rather than that of a search engine, such as Google or Yahoo.

Splash pages became popular with the increased use of Flash. Highly complex animated sequences began to load before you entered the proper site. Before broadband became widely available, these pages took an age to load, and were often not worth waiting for. Less prevalent these days, but if you do come across one – just remember, Skip Intro!