There are some technical terms that are vital to understand for anyone who is interested in browsing the web efficiently. It can be frustrating to find a page full of tips that only make sense if you first understand the terms used, so for those unfamiliar with these terms we have provided a short explanation. If you are familiar with all of these concepts, feel free to skip this section.

"Web Browser"

A Web browser, commonly just called a "browser," is the program on your computer, tablet, or phone that you use to view Web pages and Web sites. Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari may sound familiar. These are all browsers made by different companies for the purpose of displaying Web sites.

"Web page"

A Web page is a single page, like the one you are currently viewing, that contains information.

"Web site"

A Web site is a collection of Web pages that are organized and connected, usually with some sort of navigation, located at a specific Web address. For instance, you are reading this on a "Browsing Tips" Web page that is part of the "RachelHeldEvans.com" Web site.

"Web address"

"Web address", "URL", or "Domain name" are all terms indicating text you can place into your browser's address bar in order to make it show you a specific Web page of a given Web site.

"Web link" or "Hyperlink"

A "Web link" is commonly referred to as a just a "link" for short. Instead of having to type in the entire Web address, URL, or Domain name into your browser's address bar, you can click a "Web link," using your computer's cursor (or just touch it with your finger if you use a tablet) in order to visit a new Web page. Links can take you to another page on the same site or to a completely different site altogether.

"Context Menu"

A good example of a context menu would be the list of options that is displayed if you "right click" or "two finger touch" on a link within a web page.

You can "right click" using a mouse that has more than one button. You can "two finger touch" using a trackpad found on most laptops.

It's called a context menu because the options it displays change depending on what you click on, meaning the menu's options change based on context.

If you activate a context menu on a picture you'll have the option, among others to "save" or "download" it to your computer.

If you activate a context menu on a link, you'll have, among other options, the option to open that link in a new tab.

"Browser tabs" or "Tabs"

Most modern browsers use tabs to allow you to have multiple Web pages open at once in one Browser window and easily switch between each page. This makes it possible for you to browse multiple sites, or multiple pages on a single site without losing your place on any of them.

Tip #1 Use "Open link in new tab" to avoid losing your place.

To avoid losing your place on one page when you want to open another, consider opening the new page with your browser's "Open link in new tab" feature.

This feature is typically found in modern browsers by "right clicking" the link you'd like to follow and choosing "Open link in new tab." from the context menu that appears. If you use a trackpad instead of a mouse, try two-finger touching to bring up the context menu.

Once you are finished with the new page, you may close the tab to return to the original page that you started from.

Tip # 2 Searching the Blog

Use the "Search" feature at the top of the "Blog" page to quickly find articles that contain content that matches a term you're interested in. As soon as you start typing, the search will begin. As you type more letters of the term you're searching for, the search results will update automatically until you either find what you're looking for or no results can be found that match your term or phrase.

Tip # 3 Find a specific word in an open page or article

Modern Web browsers include a "Find in page" feature, typically located under the "Edit" menu of the browser. This feature can be useful to find a specific word or phrase on a Web page that you are browsing. On a Mac, press the "Command + F" keys to quickly start this feature without visiting the Edit menu. On a Windows PC, press "Ctrl + F" to do the same thing.