Glossary

Artefact

In a digital image, an artefact refers to pixels whose colour is generated randomly. Parts of the image then show bands or flickers of colour. In audio, artefacts can be heard as unwanted noise or crackling. These effects can be created deliberately to give a deconstructed or worn look. When they occur naturally, they can be removed during recording or in post-production to achieve high image or sound quality.

Benchmark

Benchmarking is an in-depth analysis of the strategies used by direct, indirect and generic competitors to stand out in their market. This kind of study should not be overlooked: it is an essential step towards an objective view of what is and is not done in a given sector. It is used in particular to find the inspiration needed to fill competitors’ gaps, adapt your offer and your strategic communication priorities, and develop new ideas to improve your performance. Benchmarking is essential for the search engine optimisation of a website, for brand guidelines and for any other communication or marketing project.

Bokeh

The term bokeh comes from the Japanese "boke" (ボケ), meaning "blur" or "haze". It is a blurred area in the background behind the subject being photographed or filmed. The effect results from focusing on the subject at a given distance while the elements behind it fall out of focus. This "blur" contrast naturally separates the subject in the foreground from what lies in the background.

Bounce rate

In web analytics, the bounce rate is a marketing indicator that measures the percentage of visitors who landed on a web page and then left the site, having seen only one page. It is used to assess the qualitative performance of the site, its relevance and the interest generated by the page viewed. Websites with a bounce rate below 25% are rare: they are often well-known websites and brand sites with a large share of direct traffic. The bounce rate measures how well the site’s offer and content quality match users’ expectations and needs, so that the content can be adjusted if necessary.

Bracketing

Bracketing is a photographic technique that consists of taking several successive photos of the same scene while varying one or more shooting parameters, notably exposure, focus, white balance or flash. It is often recommended in situations where a satisfactory image is hard to obtain in a single shot.

Brief

The brief, or specifications, is the founding document of the relationship between agency and advertiser. It is a written document drawn up by the client (the advertiser) that sets out the main points of an advertising or communication project. It contains essential elements such as the objectives of the assignment, the advertiser’s strategy and its time and budget constraints. It also allows the client to clarify all its intentions from the outset and to frame the work ahead, limiting possible misunderstandings between the client and its partners.

Writing a good brief requires the partners to exchange as fully as possible. It is even more important that the information exchanged is perfectly aligned with the objectives, so that agencies can work effectively and make the best recommendations.

Captcha

CAPTCHA stands for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart". These are small programs that generate a series of tests designed to tell humans and computers apart. Their aim is to block automated actions in website forms and to make sure users are not robots ("spam").

Chatbot

A chatbot, also called a "conversational agent", is a small computer program that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate a conversation with one or more people, by voice or text. In text mode, it often appears at the bottom right of websites, like an instant messaging window.

Cost per click

With CPC, or cost per click, an advertiser who runs a traffic acquisition campaign online is billed according to the number of visits other users make to their website through the advert. Each visit corresponds to a click on the ad, and each click corresponds to one unit of advertising space purchased.

Crawlers

Crawlers (also called spiders, agents, robots or bots) are highly efficient browsing programs that constantly visit the pages and links of every website on the web, in order to index their content and record any changes on the search engine’s hard drives.

Elevator pitch

An "elevator pitch" is a lightning-fast pitch that should last no longer than 30 seconds to a minute. It is a spoken communication exercise that consists of presenting a project or yourself very briefly and with impact to someone more senior. It is symbolised by the idea of a conversation that lasts as long as a ride in a lift.

Framework

A framework is a software infrastructure designed to simplify developers’ work when building a website. It provides a ready-to-use architecture made up of configured tools that help structure the website’s code.

Golden hour

In photography and film, the golden hour is the first hour of light after sunrise or the last hour before sunset. These are very short periods when the light is softer and warmer in colour (golden). Images captured then are softer and lighter, adding emotion and atmosphere. Shadows are also less harsh and longer. It is the ideal time for outdoor shooting.

Incentive

In business, an "incentive" is a group activity that helps employees or customers build and maintain their motivation, through a reward and an encouragement to keep up a proactive effort by working as a team. This motivation is sustained by an exceptional, original experience that gives each participant a strong sense of being valued.

Index

The index is a directory in which a search engine copies thousands of web pages at a given moment onto its hard drives. This indexing (or crawl phase) is carried out by a small robot called a spider, crawler or bot. It is the search engine’s database, and it is from there that it carries out its searches, giving users relevant results for their queries. To speed up the indexing of newly updated pages, some frameworks (such as WordPress) can send a "ping" to alert search engines that new content has been published.

Logging rushes

Logging comes between shooting and editing. The video editor selects the most relevant footage from the shots taken (called "rushes") to transfer it to the editing system and assemble it according to the director’s instructions.

Low light

Low light refers to situations where there is not enough light to shoot bright, well-exposed videos or photographs. It corresponds to the least lit areas, which are the darkest parts of an image. The term is used for certain shooting conditions: sunset, dim lighting, poorly lit indoor scenes.

Motion design

Literally "design in motion", motion design is also known as motion graphics or animated graphics. It brings graphic elements (photos, typography, shapes, etc.) to life through movement. Present today on most media, it is used as a communication tool on television, on the web and on digital advertising screens. The public’s growing appetite for audiovisual content makes motion design a real opportunity for brands.

MySQL (RDBMS)

MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS). The SQL in its name stands for "Structured Query Language", a computer language used to manage and manipulate relational databases. MySQL is one of the most popular database management systems in the world and is often used to store, organise and retrieve data in web applications, business software and many other applications. It is used in particular with platforms such as WordPress to store site information, posts, comments, users and so on.

Naming

Naming is the creation of the name of a brand, a company, a product or a service. A good name is short, easy to pronounce and remember, distinctive from the competition and consistent with the brand’s positioning. It must also work internationally (meaning and pronunciation in other languages) and be available: a trademark clearance search with the INPI (the French intellectual property office) checks that it has not already been registered, and the availability of the domain name and social media accounts is verified. Naming takes place in several stages: analysis of the brand and its target audiences, creative exploration, shortlisting, testing, then trademark registration.

Organic links

Organic (or natural) links are links that appear in search engine results without the need for an advertising campaign.

POS advertising (point-of-sale advertising)

POS advertising, or point-of-sale advertising, covers all the forms of advertising that can be used at the place of sale.

Push notifications

A push notification is an alert sent by a server (which "pushes" the information) to a user through an app or a website. It is a message (usually short) sent from a server to the device (smartphone, tablet or computer) of the app’s or website’s users to deliver information instantly.

Responsive

A responsive website is one designed, using various principles and techniques, to be comfortable to view on screens of different sizes (such as computers, tablets and mobiles). The size of the elements adapts to the size of the screen on which they are displayed.

ROI or return on investment

Return on investment (ROI), sometimes called yield, rate of return or profit rate, is a financial ratio that measures the return on a sum invested, that is, the amount gained or lost on that sum.

Rough cut

A rough cut is a first audiovisual assembly in which all the raw footage is put together end to end. It gives a first overall view of the scenes, even if it remains very subjective.

SEA

SEA, or Search Engine Advertising, is a system of sponsored links that complements a natural or organic search engine optimisation strategy. SEA has nothing to do with an SEO strategy!

Search Console

Google Search Console is a free Google service that lets webmasters check whether their website is indexed by Google and optimise its search ranking.

Search query

A search query is a set of keywords typed into a browser’s address bar or search box to obtain a number of matching results.

SEM

SEM, or Search Engine Marketing, is the combination of SEO (natural links) and SEA (paid sponsored links). SEM = SEO + SEA: natural and sponsored links are independent, but that does not mean they have no influence on each other.

SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the strategy for ranking a website naturally (or organically) in search results, that is, without a paid advertising campaign (Google Ads). It is also called natural search optimisation.

Shooting script

The shooting script is a key writing stage of a film before shooting. It comes between the screenplay and the storyboard. It is a document that translates the director’s vision after reading the screenplay. For each scene to be filmed, it contains all the technical details of shots, angles and camera movements, and sometimes even sound directions. It provides a written overview of the whole film. The storyboard follows this stage.

Specifications

(see "Brief")

Team Building

Through a range of fun, sporting or creative activities, team building strengthens the cohesion of team members and develops a shared company culture. In each challenge, mutual support and appreciating others’ strengths and weaknesses are key. It helps people get to know one another and builds solidarity, and at the same time it can help a new member quickly join the company’s "circle". With team building, efficiency gets a boost and everyone’s work combines performance with enjoyment. Companies that offer a healthy working environment embrace this concept.

Terminal

A terminal is an application for communicating with your computer by typing command lines. It is one of the tools developers use most. Most computers come with at least one terminal in their operating system. The terminal is used to navigate a file tree, create, delete and move folders and files, and launch programs simply by typing lines of code.

Timelapse

A technique that consists of making a video from a series of photos taken at regular intervals. It is generally used to speed up a naturally slow phenomenon (a plant growing, the movement of the sun or the stars, etc.).

Top ranking

Top ranking is the best position obtained in search results after a user has typed their query. Ideally, the website should appear on the first page of results.

White balance

White balance is a setting that adjusts colours so that the image looks natural and does not drift towards other colours (such as blue, green, yellow or red). An electronic camera can calibrate the image by adapting the colour cast to the lighting of the scene, either with preset settings or manually using a white sheet photographed in front of the subject. The camera then handles the whites and greys of the image so that it matches what the human eye perceives.