This glossary explains the most important technical, business, marketing, and security concepts related to talking websites used across our articles in simple, business-friendly language.
A
A/B Testing (Split Testing)
A performance testing method where two versions of a conversational element (such as prompts, scripts, or CTAs) are shown to different user groups to determine which performs better.
AI – Artificial Intelligence
Technology that enables machines and systems to simulate human intelligence, including understanding language, recognizing patterns, and making decisions.
API – Application Programming Interface
A set of rules that allows different software systems to communicate with each other. Talking websites use APIs to connect with CRMs, analytics tools, and databases.
B
B2B – Business to Business
A business model where companies sell products or services to other businesses.
B2C – Business to Consumer
A business model where companies sell directly to individual consumers.
C
CAC – Customer Acquisition Cost
The total cost of acquiring a new customer, including marketing and sales expenses.
CAPTCHA – Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.
A security mechanism used on websites to distinguish between human users and automated bots or malicious software.
CCPA – California Consumer Privacy Act
A data privacy law in California that gives consumers rights over how businesses collect and use their personal information.
CRM – Customer Relationship Management
A system used to manage customer interactions, leads, and sales pipelines. Talking websites often integrate directly with CRM platforms.
CRO – Conversion Rate Optimization
The practice of improving a website’s performance to increase the percentage of visitors who take desired actions.
CSAT – Customer Satisfaction Score
A metric used to measure customer satisfaction, often collected through surveys or feedback systems.
CTA – Call to Action
A prompt that encourages users to take a specific action, such as “Book a Demo” or “Get Started.”
D
DPA – Data Processing Agreement
A legal contract outlining how personal data is handled between a business and a service provider.
E
E2E Encryption – End-to-End Encryption
A security method where data is encrypted from the sender to the receiver, preventing unauthorized access during transmission.
Engagement Rate
A metric measuring how actively users interact with a website.
G
GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation
A European Union regulation designed to protect personal data and privacy for individuals within the EU.
H
HTTPS – Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
A secure version of HTTP that encrypts communication between a user’s browser and the website server.
K
KPI – Key Performance Indicator
A measurable value used to evaluate the effectiveness of a strategy or system.
L
LLM – Large Language Model
An advanced AI model trained on large datasets to understand and generate human-like language. Often used in conversational systems.
Lead Qualification
The process of determining whether a potential customer is likely to convert.
M
MQL – Marketing Qualified Lead
A lead that has shown interest through marketing engagement and is considered more likely to become a customer.
N
NLP – Natural Language Processing
A branch of AI that enables machines to understand, interpret, and respond to human language in a meaningful way.
R
ROI – Return on Investment
A performance metric used to evaluate the profitability of an investment.
S
SaaS – Software as a Service
A cloud-based software delivery model where users access applications online rather than installing them locally.
SQL – Sales Qualified Lead
A lead that has been evaluated by the sales team and deemed ready for direct engagement.
SSL – Secure Sockets Layer
A standard security technology for establishing encrypted links between servers and browsers.
T
TLS – Transport Layer Security
The modern successor to SSL, used to secure data transmission over the internet.
U
UI – User Interface
The visual and interactive elements of a website or application.
UX – User Experience
The overall experience a user has while interacting with a website or digital product.