Digital Marketing Terms Glossary
A
A/B testing – also known as split testing, is a method of comparing two versions of a web page, email, app, or other digital asset to determine which one performs better. In A/B testing, two versions of the same asset are shown to different groups of users randomly, and their interactions and responses are measured and compared.
above the fold – the portion of a webpage or email message that is visible to a user without having to scroll down. It is the content that is immediately visible when a page loads, usually in the top portion of the page or email.
ad extension – additional information, such as a phone number or location, that can be added to an ad to provide more context and increase click-through rate.
ad group – a group of ads that share a similar theme or target a specific set of keywords.
ad position – the placement of an ad on a search engine results page or other online platform, usually determined by bidding and relevance.
ad space – the space on a Web page available for advertisements.
AdSense – a contextual advertisement service provided by Google.
advertising network – is a platform that connects advertisers with publishers who have ad space available on their websites or other digital properties. Ad networks enable advertisers to reach a wider audience than they would be able to by placing ads on individual websites or properties, and allow publishers to monetize their content by serving ads on their properties.
algorithm – A complex mathematical formula used by search engines to rank web pages in search results.
ALT text – HTML attribute that provides alternative text when non-textual elements, typically images, cannot be displayed.
animated GIF – a graphic in the GIF89a file format that creates the effect of animation by rotating through a series of static images.
autoresponder – an automated email or message that is sent in response to a specific trigger or event. Autoresponders are commonly used in email marketing to deliver pre-written messages to subscribers or customers at specific intervals or in response to specific actions.
B
B2B – business that sells products or provides services to other businesses.
B2C – business that sells products or provides services to the end-user consumers.
backlink – A link from one website to another. Backlinks are a key factor in search engine rankings.
bandwidth – how much data can be transmitted in a time period over a communications channel, often expressed in kilobits per second (kbps).
banner ad – a type of online advertisement that is displayed on a website or mobile app in the form of a rectangular graphic or image. Banner ads are designed to promote a product, service, or brand, and are usually placed in prominent locations on a webpage, such as at the top or side of the page.
banner blindness – the tendency of web users to ignore banner ads, even when the banner ads contain information visitors are actively looking for.
bid – the amount an advertiser is willing to pay for a click or impression.
blog – a website or section of a website that features regularly updated content in the form of individual entries or posts. The content of a blog can cover a wide range of topics and can be written by individuals or organizations. Blog entries are typically displayed in reverse-chronological order, with the most recent post appearing first.
bounce rate – a metric used to measure the percentage of website visitors who navigate away from a website after viewing only one page. In other words, a bounce occurs when a user visits a website, views a single page, and then leaves the site without taking any further action or navigating to any other pages on the site.
buzzword – a term or phrase that has become popular in a particular industry or field, often due to its use in marketing or advertising. Buzzwords are often used to describe new trends, technologies, or concepts, and are typically used to make a product or idea sound more innovative or cutting-edge.
C
cache – a temporary storage location that is used to speed up access to data or instructions that are frequently accessed. When data is retrieved from a cache, it can be accessed much more quickly than if it had to be retrieved from its original source, such as a hard drive or server.
call to action (CTA) – a statement or directive that is designed to prompt a user to take a specific action. CTAs are commonly used in marketing and advertising to encourage users to engage with a brand or take a specific action, such as making a purchase, subscribing to a newsletter, or signing up for a service.
canonical URL – A preferred URL for a web page that may have multiple versions due to duplicate content issues.
click-through – the action of clicking on a hyperlink or advertisement that leads to a website or landing page. In online marketing, click-through rate (CTR) is a metric used to measure the percentage of users who click on a specific link or ad, compared to the total number of impressions or views.
click-through rate (CTR) – a metric used in online advertising to measure the ratio of clicks to impressions for a particular ad or link. CTR is calculated by dividing the number of clicks on an ad by the number of times the ad was displayed (impressions), and then multiplying the result by 100 to express it as a percentage.
comment spam – the practice of posting unsolicited or irrelevant comments on a website or blog, typically for the purpose of promoting a product, service, or website. Comment spammers often use automated software or bots to generate large numbers of comments that are unrelated to the content of the website or blog.
contextual advertising – a form of targeted advertising that displays ads to users based on the content of the webpage or app they are currently viewing. Contextual advertising uses automated systems to analyze the webpage or app content and determine the most relevant ads to display.
conversion rate – the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
cookie – also known as an HTTP cookie, is a small text file that a website or web application saves on a user’s device when they visit the site. Cookies are designed to store information about the user’s preferences, actions, and behavior on the website, and can be used to personalize the user’s experience, keep them logged in, or track their activity.
cost per action (CPA) – a metric used in online advertising to measure the cost of a specific action, such as a sale or lead, compared to the total number of actions generated by an ad campaign. CPA is calculated by dividing the total cost of the ad campaign by the number of actions generated.
cost per click (CPC) – the cost or cost-equivalent paid per click-through. CPC is calculated by dividing the total cost of an ad campaign by the number of clicks generated.
cost per lead (CPL) – a metric used in online advertising to measure the cost of generating a new sales lead for a company or organization. CPL is calculated by dividing the total cost of an ad campaign by the number of leads generated.
CPM – cost per thousand impressions.
crawl – The process by which search engine bots visit and analyze web pages to understand their content and relevance.
customer acquisition cost – a metric used in business to measure the cost of acquiring a new customer. CAC is calculated by dividing the total cost of sales and marketing efforts by the number of new customers acquired during a specific period.
D
Data Studio – a web-based data visualization and reporting tool developed by Google. It allows users to connect to a wide range of data sources, including Google Analytics, Google Ads, and other third-party data sources, and create custom reports and dashboards to visualize and share data.
data transfer – the process of moving data from one location or device to another. This can involve transferring data between computers, mobile devices, servers, or any other type of electronic device.
dedicated hosting – a type of web hosting service where an entire physical server is dedicated to a single website or application. This means that the resources of the server, including CPU, memory, and storage, are entirely allocated to the single customer using the service.
deep linking – the practice of linking to a specific page or content within a website, rather than linking to the homepage of the site. This allows users to navigate directly to the content they are interested in, rather than having to navigate through multiple pages to find it.
description tag – also known as the meta description, is an HTML tag that provides a brief description of the content of a webpage. It appears in search engine results pages (SERPs) below the title tag and provides additional information about the page’s content.
domain authority – A metric developed by Moz that predicts the likelihood of a website ranking in search results.
domain name – a unique identifier that is used to locate a website on the internet. It is essentially the web address that users enter into a browser to access a website.
doorway page – also known as a bridge page, is a web page that is designed to rank highly in search engine results for a particular keyword or phrase, but provides little or no value to users. The primary purpose of a doorway page is to redirect visitors to another website, often for the purpose of generating advertising revenue or increasing affiliate sales.
E
eCPM – or effective cost per mille (thousand), is a metric used to measure the effectiveness of online advertising campaigns. It represents the estimated revenue generated for every 1,000 ad impressions, regardless of the type of ad unit or pricing model used.
email marketing – a digital marketing strategy that involves sending promotional messages, advertisements, or newsletters to a group of subscribers via email. The primary goal of email marketing is to build a relationship with the subscribers, promote brand awareness, and encourage customer loyalty.
email spam – unwanted, unsolicited email.
exclusivity – contract term in which one party grants another party sole rights with regard to a particular business function.
F
Facebook – a social networking site located at facebook.com.
favicon – a small icon or image that is displayed in the browser tab next to the title of a webpage. It is also known as a shortcut icon, website icon, or bookmark icon. The favicon provides a visual representation of the website and is typically a small, square image that is usually 16×16 pixels in size, although it can be larger.
forum – an online community where visitors may read and post topics of common interest.
frequency cap – a setting in digital advertising that limits the number of times a particular advertisement is shown to a specific user during a given time period. This is done to prevent overexposure of the ad to the user, which can lead to decreased effectiveness, annoyance, and ad fatigue.
G
geo-targeting – a digital advertising strategy that involves delivering content, advertisements, or promotions to users based on their geographic location. Geo-targeting is made possible by gathering information about a user’s location through their IP address, GPS coordinates, or other location-based data.
guest blogging – the practice of creating content, such as blog posts, articles, or other written materials, for publication on another person or company’s website. Guest blogging is a common strategy used in content marketing, as it allows individuals or businesses to reach new audiences, build brand awareness, and establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry.
H
heatmap – a graphical representation of data that uses color-coding to indicate the intensity of values in a particular area. In web design and digital marketing, a heatmap is often used to track and analyze user behavior on a website. Heatmaps are generated by recording and aggregating user interactions, such as clicks, scrolls, and mouse movements, and displaying the data as a color-coded overlay on a visual representation of the webpage.
hit – also known as a page hit, is a term used to refer to a request made by a web browser for a file from a web server. Whenever a user opens a web page, the browser sends a request to the server to load the page and its contents, such as images, scripts, and other files. Each time a request is made, it is counted as a hit on the website.
HTML banner – a type of digital banner ad that is created using HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), the standard markup language used to create web pages. Unlike static banner ads that use image files, HTML banners are interactive and can contain animated graphics, text, and multimedia elements such as videos and audio.
HTML email – email that is formatted using Hypertext Markup Language, as opposed to plain text email.
I
impression – the display of a digital advertisement on a web page, mobile app, or other online platform. In digital advertising, an impression is counted each time an ad is displayed on a user’s screen, regardless of whether or not the user clicks on the ad or takes any other action.
inbound link – also known as a backlink, is a hyperlink on one website that directs users to a different website. Inbound links are important to search engine optimization (SEO) because search engines like Google use them as a factor in determining a website’s authority and relevance.
inbound marketing – a marketing strategy that focuses on attracting customers to a business or brand through the creation of valuable content and experiences that are tailored to the needs and interests of the target audience. The goal of inbound marketing is to provide potential customers with useful information and resources that they find relevant and engaging, in order to build trust, establish thought leadership, and ultimately drive leads and sales.
incentivized traffic – a type of web traffic that is generated by offering users an incentive or reward in exchange for visiting a website or performing a specific action, such as filling out a survey or installing an app. This traffic is often acquired through incentivized advertising networks or platforms, where advertisers can offer users incentives like virtual currency, free downloads, or other rewards to encourage them to engage with their ads.
interstitial – in the context of digital advertising, refers to a type of ad that appears between two content pages, such as when a user is navigating from one web page to another. Interstitials are often full-page ads that may include rich media, video, or interactive elements and are designed to capture the user’s attention during the transition between pages.
invisible web – also known as the deep web, refers to parts of the internet that are not indexed or easily accessible through traditional search engines like Google, Yahoo, or Bing. This includes content that is behind paywalls, password-protected pages, dynamically generated content, or content that requires specific software or plugins to access.
J
JavaScript – a popular programming language used to create dynamic and interactive web pages. It is a client-side scripting language, meaning it is executed on the client-side (i.e., in the user’s web browser), rather than on the server-side. JavaScript is commonly used to create interactive elements such as drop-down menus, pop-up windows, and form validation, as well as to manipulate the content of web pages in real-time.
K
keyword – In digital marketing, a keyword is a term or phrase that a user enters into a search engine or online platform in order to find relevant content. Keywords are important for search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, as they help websites and advertisers target specific audiences by using keywords that are relevant to their products or services.
keyword density – the percentage of times a particular keyword or phrase appears on a webpage in relation to the total number of words on that page. It is used as a measure of how often a keyword or phrase is used on a webpage in order to help determine its relevance to search engine queries.
keyword marketing – also known as keyword advertising, is a form of online advertising that targets specific keywords or phrases in order to reach a particular audience. Advertisers bid on keywords that are relevant to their products or services, and their ads are displayed on search engine results pages (SERPs) or other web pages where those keywords appear.
keyword research – the process of identifying and analyzing the specific search terms or keywords that people use to find information, products, or services online. The goal of keyword research is to determine which keywords are most relevant and valuable to target for a particular website, product, or service.
keyword stuffing – a black hat SEO technique in which a web page is loaded with keywords or phrases in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings. The excessive use of keywords in content, meta tags, or other areas of a web page can make the content difficult to read and appear spammy to users.
keywords tag – an HTML meta tag that is used to provide search engines with a list of relevant keywords or phrases that are associated with a particular web page. The keywords tag was once an important part of SEO strategy, but it is no longer widely used or considered to be a significant ranking factor by search engines.
L
landing page – the specific web page where a user is directed after clicking on an ad or link.
lead magnet – an incentive or offer that businesses use to attract potential customers or leads to provide their contact information, such as their email address or phone number. The goal of a lead magnet is to convert website visitors into leads by offering them something of value in exchange for their contact information.
link building – the practice of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own website. The goal of link building is to improve the visibility and ranking of your website in search engine results pages (SERPs) by demonstrating to search engines that your website is a reliable and authoritative source of information.
link checker – tool used to check for broken hyperlinks.
link popularity – a measure of the quantity and quality of inbound links or backlinks that a website or webpage has from other websites. It is an important factor in determining the ranking of a website or webpage in search engine results pages (SERPs).
link text – also known as anchor text, is the visible and clickable text in a hyperlink that leads to another webpage or resource. It is usually underlined and appears in a different color than the surrounding text to indicate that it is a clickable link.
linkbait – a piece of content created with the primary purpose of attracting inbound links.
log file – file that records the activity on a Web server.
long domain name – domain names longer than the original 26 characters, up to a theoretical limit of 67 characters (including the extension, such as .com).
M
managed WordPress hosting – a service provided by web hosting companies that specialize in hosting WordPress websites. With managed WordPress hosting, the hosting company takes care of all the technical aspects of running a WordPress site, such as software updates, security, backups, and performance optimization.
manual submission – the process of manually submitting a website or webpage to search engines, directories, or other websites for inclusion or indexing. This is typically done to increase the visibility and traffic to a website or webpage.
marketing plan – a strategic document that outlines a company’s overall marketing efforts and activities to achieve its business goals. It includes a thorough analysis of the target audience, the company’s marketing objectives, and a detailed action plan to achieve these objectives. The marketing plan may also outline the marketing mix, including product, price, promotion, and distribution strategies, and include a budget and timeline for the execution of marketing activities. The marketing plan serves as a roadmap for a company’s marketing activities and helps to ensure that marketing efforts are aligned with business objectives.
media kit – a resource created by a publisher to help prospective ad buyers evaluate advertising opportunities.
meta search engine – a search engine that uses another search engine’s data to produce results. Rather than crawling the web itself, a meta search engine sends the user’s query to multiple search engines and then compiles the results. Meta search engines can be useful because they provide a wider range of results, but they may also be less accurate because they are relying on other search engines’ algorithms and data. Examples of meta search engines include Dogpile, Yippy, and MetaCrawler.
meta tag generator – a tool or software program that creates meta tags, which are snippets of HTML code that provide information about a web page. Meta tags are placed in the head section of an HTML document and help search engines and other web crawlers to understand the content of a web page. A meta tag generator makes it easy to create meta tags for web pages by automatically generating the HTML code for the tags based on user input. This can save time and effort when optimizing web pages for search engines and other web-based applications.
meta tags – HTML tags that provide information about a web page to search engines and website visitors. They are typically placed in the head section of an HTML document and include details such as the title of the page, a brief description, and relevant keywords that describe the content of the page. Meta tags are used by search engines to index and categorize web pages, and they can also be used to improve the presentation of search engine results by displaying a summary of the page content.
moderator – at a forum, someone entrusted by the administrator to help discussions stay productive and within the guidelines.
mousetrapping – a deceptive web design practice that prevents users from leaving a webpage by disabling the “back” button or generating an endless series of pop-up windows. It is often used to drive traffic to a website or increase ad revenue by artificially inflating pageviews. Mousetrapping is considered a highly unethical practice and is often associated with spam, phishing, and other online scams. It can also be harmful to user experience and may result in penalties or other legal consequences for website owners.
multivariate testing – a method in marketing research where multiple variables in a control scenario are simultaneously changed and the ensuing alternate strategies tested, in order to improve the effectiveness of the final marketing strategy.
N
navigation – that which facilitates movement from one Web page to another Web page.
netiquette – short for network etiquette, the code of conduct regarding acceptable online behavior.
network effect – the phenomenon where the value of a product or service increases as more people use it. In other words, the more users a network has, the more valuable it becomes for each user.
O
opt-in email – email that is explicitly requested by the recipient.
opt-out – a type of email message that provides recipients with the option to unsubscribe from future communications. Opt-out emails typically contain an “unsubscribe” link or button that allows recipients to indicate that they no longer wish to receive emails from the sender.
organic search – the process of obtaining search engine traffic naturally, without paying for it. When a user enters a query into a search engine like Google, the search engine returns a list of results that are deemed most relevant and useful for that query. Organic search results are the non-paid listings that appear on the search engine results page (SERP) based on their relevance to the search query.
outbound link – A link to a site outside of your site.
P
page rank – An algorithm developed by Google that assigns a numerical value to web pages based on the number and quality of links pointing to them.
page view – also known as a page impression, is a metric that measures the number of times a web page has been viewed or loaded in a web browser. A page view is counted each time a web page is loaded by a user or a web crawler, regardless of whether the user interacts with the page or not.
pay per click (PPC) – a type of online advertising model where advertisers pay each time a user clicks on one of their ads. In this model, advertisers bid on specific keywords or phrases relevant to their target audience, and the ad is displayed to users who search for those keywords or browse websites that match the criteria set by the advertiser.
pay per lead (PPL) – an online advertising model in which an advertiser pays a publisher for each lead generated. In this model, a lead is defined as a potential customer who has shown interest in the advertiser’s product or service by providing contact information or completing a specific action, such as filling out a form or signing up for a free trial.
PayPal – an online payment service that lets its users make purchases and receive payments via a user-defined email address.
permission marketing – a marketing approach that emphasizes obtaining the consent of potential customers before sending them promotional messages or content. The idea is to create a relationship with customers that is based on trust and mutual respect, rather than simply bombarding them with unsolicited ads or messages.
podcast – a series of audio or video files that are syndicated over the Internet and stored on client computing devices for later playback.
pop-under ad – a marketing approach that emphasizes obtaining the consent of potential customers before sending them promotional messages or content. The idea is to create a relationship with customers that is based on trust and mutual respect, rather than simply bombarding them with unsolicited ads or messages.
pop-up ad – a type of online advertising format that appears in a new browser window or tab that opens on top of the current window when a user visits a website or performs a specific action on a website. Pop-up ads often appear without the user’s consent or permission and can be considered intrusive.
portal – a website that serves as a starting point or gateway to a variety of information, resources, and services on the internet. Portal websites typically offer a range of features and services, such as email, news, weather, search engines, online shopping, and social media, all in one convenient location.
premium WordPress theme – a theme coded for the WordPress content management system that costs money.
Q
quality score – a rating system used by search engines to evaluate the relevance and quality of ads and keywords.
R
reciprocal links – a type of mutual link exchange between two websites where each website provides a hyperlink to the other website. This is a commonly used strategy in search engine optimization (SEO) to increase the visibility and ranking of both websites in search engine results pages.
return on investment (ROI) – a measure of the profitability of an investment. It is calculated as the ratio of the net profit generated by an investment to the cost of the investment.
rich media – a type of online advertising format that incorporates multimedia elements such as audio, video, animation, and interactive features. Unlike static image or text-based ads, rich media ads are more engaging and interactive, allowing users to interact with the ad and explore the product or service being advertised.
run of network (RON) – ad buying option in which ad placements may appear on any pages on sites within an ad network.
run of site (ROS) – ad buying option in which ad placements may appear on any pages of the target site.
S
search engine – an online tool that allows users to search for information on the internet by entering keywords or phrases related to their query. The search engine then returns a list of relevant websites, documents, images, videos, and other online content based on the search query.
search engine optimization (SEO) – the practice of improving the quality and quantity of traffic to a website or web page from search engines through organic search results.
search engine submission – the process of submitting a website or web page to a search engine in order to be indexed and included in the search engine’s results pages.
search retargeting – a type of online advertising that targets users with ads based on their previous search behavior. It involves using data from a user’s search queries, such as the keywords they have searched for, to display relevant ads to that user as they browse other websites or use other apps.
SERP – stands for Search Engine Results Page, which is the page displayed by a search engine in response to a user’s search query. The SERP typically displays a list of web pages, images, videos, and other content that are relevant to the user’s query.
shopping cart – software used to make a site’s product catalog available for online ordering, whereby visitors may select, view, add/delete, and purchase merchandise.
site search – the search function on a website that allows users to search for specific content or information within the website. The site search feature can be implemented using various methods, such as a search box or a search bar located on the website’s homepage or other pages.
snack pack – also known as “Local Pack”, is a feature on Google’s search engine results page (SERP) that displays a set of three local business listings relevant to the user’s search query. The Snack Pack typically includes the name, address, phone number, and website of the businesses, as well as their ratings and reviews.
social media marketing – the use of social media platforms to promote a brand, product or service.
social networking – the use of online platforms and tools to connect and interact with other people and to share information, content, and experiences. Social networking platforms allow users to create profiles, share updates and messages, join groups, and connect with other users who share similar interests or backgrounds.
spam – unsolicited and unwanted messages, often sent in large quantities, typically through email, messaging, or comments on websites. Spam messages can include advertising, scams, malware, or other types of unwanted content.
splash page – a branding page before the home page of a Web site.
stickiness – the ability of a website or app to keep users engaged and on the platform for longer periods of time. A “sticky” website or app has features or content that encourage users to spend more time on the site, interact with the content, and return to the platform repeatedly.
T
target audience – the specific group of people that a marketing campaign is aimed at.
text ad – also known as a text-based ad, is a form of online advertising that consists of a short, text-based message displayed on a website or search engine results page. Text ads typically include a headline, a description, and a call-to-action (CTA) that encourages the user to click on the ad and visit the advertiser’s website.
title tag – HTML tag used to define the text in the top line of a web browser, also used by many search engines as the title of search listings.
trick banner – a banner ad that attempts to trick people into clicking, often by imitating an operating system message.
U
unique visitors – the number of individual users who have visited a website or web page during a specific period of time, regardless of how many times they may have visited the site or page.
URL – stands for Uniform Resource Locator, and it is a string of characters that identifies the location of a resource on the internet. A URL typically includes the protocol (such as HTTP or HTTPS), the domain name, and a path to a specific resource, such as a web page, image, video, or file.
V
viral marketing – a type of marketing strategy that aims to spread a message or promote a product through word-of-mouth or social sharing on the internet. The goal of viral marketing is to create content that is so interesting, funny, or valuable that people are compelled to share it with others, leading to exponential growth in reach and engagement.
vlog – short for video blog, is a type of blog that features video content instead of written articles. Vlogs can cover a wide range of topics, from personal experiences and opinions to tutorials, reviews, and entertainment. Vlogs are typically hosted on video-sharing platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, or TikTok.
W
web browser – a software application that is used to access and view websites and other content on the internet. The browser retrieves and displays web pages, images, videos, and other online content from remote servers using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or its encrypted version, HTTPS.
web design – the process of creating the visual and functional aspects of a website or web application. It involves the use of various design elements such as layout, color, typography, images, and interactive features to create an engaging and user-friendly website that meets the needs of the target audience.
web directory – organized, categorized listings of Web sites.
web hosting – the service of providing storage space and access for websites on servers that are connected to the internet. Web hosting companies offer a variety of hosting plans, ranging from shared hosting, where multiple websites share a single server, to dedicated hosting, where a website has its own server.
website traffic – the number of visitors and vists a website receives during a given period of time.
website usability – the ease with which visitors are able to use a website.
word-of-mouth marketing – a marketing method that relies on casual social interactions to promote a product.
