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Glossary

The language of high-converting SaaS websites

Design, development and conversion terms in plain English. Each one explained through what it does for your pipeline, not just what it means.

A

CRO & measurement A/B testing A/B testing is a method of comparing two versions of a web page by splitting visitors between them at random and measuring which one gets more conversions. Version A is usually the current page and version B has one change. It shows whether a change actually works, rather than relying on opinion. Page anatomy Above the fold Above the fold is the part of a web page that is visible on screen before the visitor scrolls. The term comes from newspapers, where the top half of the front page showed on the newsstand. Its exact size changes with the device, screen and browser window.

B

Design & brand Bento grid A bento grid is a web layout that arranges content in rectangular tiles of different sizes inside one neat grid, like the compartments of a Japanese bento box. SaaS sites often use it to show several features at once, with the most important ones in the largest tiles.

C

Conversion elements Call to action A call to action (CTA) is a prompt that tells a visitor what to do next, usually a button or link like "Book a demo" or "Start free trial". On a B2B SaaS website it turns interest into a measurable step, such as a signup, a demo request or a download. Conversion elements Comparison table A comparison table is a grid that sets options side by side so readers can see the differences at a glance. SaaS websites use it in two ways, to compare their own plans feature by feature, and to compare their product against a competitor on a "vs" page. CRO & measurement Conversion rate optimization Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the process of increasing the share of website visitors who take a specific action, such as booking a demo or starting a trial. It uses research, analytics and testing to find out why visitors don't act, then changes the page to fix it. Dev & performance Core Web Vitals Core Web Vitals are three metrics Google uses to measure real-world page experience. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures loading, Interaction to Next Paint (INP) measures responsiveness, and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures visual stability. They are measured from real Chrome users and feed into Google's page experience signals.

D

Design & brand Design system A design system is a shared set of reusable components, design tokens and rules that a team uses to build a product or website consistently. It usually includes colours, type, spacing, buttons and page sections, with guidance on how to use them. It lets teams build pages faster without the brand drifting.

E

Conversion elements Exit intent popup An exit intent popup is a message that appears when a visitor looks like they are about to leave a page. On desktop it is usually triggered by the cursor moving towards the browser tabs or close button. It makes one last offer, like a guide or a demo, before they go. Page anatomy Eyebrow text Eyebrow text is a short label that sits just above a headline on a web page. It is usually set small, in capitals or a brand colour, and tells the reader what the section is about before they read the headline. It sets context so the headline can focus on the promise.

H

CRO & measurement Heatmap A heatmap is a visual report that shows where visitors click, move their mouse or scroll on a web page, using warm colours for high activity and cool colours for low. It turns thousands of visits into one picture, so you can see which parts of a page get attention and which get ignored. Page anatomy Hero section A hero section is the first block a visitor sees at the top of a web page, above the fold. On a SaaS site it usually holds the headline, a short subhead, a primary call to action and a product visual. Its job is to tell visitors what you do and why it matters to them within a few seconds.

I

Conversion elements Interactive demo An interactive demo is a clickable walkthrough of a software product that visitors can try on a website without signing up or talking to sales. It is usually built from captured screens of the real product, with hotspots and short notes guiding each step.

L

CRO & measurement Landing page A landing page is a standalone web page built for one campaign and one action, such as booking a demo or downloading a guide. Visitors usually arrive from an ad, email or social post. It removes the main navigation and other distractions so more of those visitors take the action. Conversion elements Lead magnet A lead magnet is something useful a business offers for free in exchange for contact details, usually an email address. In B2B SaaS, common lead magnets include reports, templates, calculators, checklists and free tools that help a buyer before they are ready to talk to sales.

M

Page anatomy Mega menu A mega menu is a large dropdown panel in a website's main navigation that shows many links at once, grouped into columns. It often adds short descriptions, icons or a featured item. SaaS sites use mega menus to organise products, solutions and resources so visitors can find the right page quickly. CRO & measurement Message match Message match is how closely a landing page repeats the promise of the ad, email or link that brought the visitor there. Strong message match means the headline, offer and visuals confirm the click straight away, which keeps visitors on the page and lifts conversions. Design & brand Microcopy Microcopy is the small text that helps people use a website or product, such as button labels, form hints, error messages and the short notes under a call to action. Good microcopy answers questions and removes doubt at the exact moment someone is about to act. CRO & measurement Multivariate testing Multivariate testing is a method that changes several elements on a page at once, such as the headline, image and button, and tests every combination against each other. It shows which combination converts best and how much each element contributes. It needs far more traffic than an A/B test.

P

Conversion elements Pricing table A pricing table is the part of a pricing page that shows your plans side by side, with the price, what each plan includes and a button to buy or contact sales. Its job is to help buyers pick the right plan quickly, without needing to ask anyone.

R

Conversion elements Risk reversal Risk reversal is the practice of moving the risk of a purchase away from the buyer and onto the seller. On SaaS websites it usually takes the form of free trials, money-back guarantees, no credit card sign ups, monthly contracts and easy cancellation.

S

Conversion elements Social proof Social proof is evidence that other people already use and trust a product, such as customer logos, testimonials, reviews, ratings and case studies. On a B2B SaaS website it lowers perceived risk, because buyers feel safer choosing something their peers have already chosen.

T

Conversion elements Trust badges Trust badges are small logos or seals on a website that show an outside party has checked, audited or rated the company. On B2B SaaS sites they are usually security and compliance marks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001 and GDPR, plus review site awards like G2 badges.

U

Conversion elements Unique value proposition A unique value proposition (UVP) is a short, clear statement of the main benefit your product gives a specific customer, and why it beats the alternatives. On a SaaS website it usually becomes the homepage headline and subhead.

V

Design & brand Visual hierarchy Visual hierarchy is the way a design uses size, colour, contrast, spacing and position to show what matters most on a page. It controls the order in which people notice things. Strong hierarchy guides visitors from the headline to the key message to the call to action.

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