Webmaster

A webmaster is a person responsible for maintaining one or many websites. The title may refer to web architects, web developers, site authors, website administrators, website owners, website coordinators, or website publishers. The term is sometimes heard in tongue-in-cheek feminine form webmistress. The duties of the webmaster may include ensuring that the web servers, hardware and software are operating accurately, designing the website, generating and revising web pages, replying to user comments, and examining traffic through the site. Webmasters "must also be well-versed in Web transaction software, payment-processing software, and security software." Webmasters may be generalists with HTML expertise who manage most or all aspects of Web operations. Depending on the nature of the websites they manage, webmasters typically know scripting languages such as JavaScript, PHP and Perl. They may also be required to know how to configure web servers such as Apache or IIS and serve as the server administrator. An alternative definition of webmaster is a businessperson who uses online media to sell products and/or services. This broader definition covers not just the technical aspects of overseeing Web site construction and maintenance but also management of content, advertising, marketing, and order fulfillment for the Web site. The term "webmaster" has become increasingly archaic in professional contexts. According to Merriam-Webster, the first known use of the word was in 1993, but data from books shows its use is in sharp decline. A user experience study conducted by Google revealed that very few web professionals identify themselves as webmasters anymore, with most preferring titles such as "web developer," "blogger," "online marketer," "SEO provider," or "site owner." In 2020, Google rebranded its "Google Webmasters Central" to "Google Search Central" to reflect this shift in terminology.