Digital Marketing Terms Glossary 2023
Digital marketing can be a complex and ever-changing field, with new technologies, trends, and jargon emerging all the time. You will encounter several digital marketing phrases that are essential for building and maintaining your online presence, whether you're a novice or an expert marketer. Understanding the importance of various techniques and succeeding in digital marketing depends on being familiar with these essential terms.
This article will explore some of the key terms used in digital marketing, providing you with a comprehensive glossary of terminology frequently used by marketers. So, let's dive in!
Digital Marketing Terms
Digital Marketing Basics - Q&A
Search Engine Optimization Terms
Pay Per Click Terms
Click Through Rate Terms
Conversion Rate Optimization Terms
Social Media Marketing Terms
Content Marketing Terms
Email Marketing Terms
Web Terms
Page Status Code Terms
Core Web Vitals Terms
Digital Marketing Basics - Q&A
1. What is digital marketing?
Digital marketing refers to the use of digital technologies and online channels to advertise and promote brands, products, or services. Its main aim is to engage with target audiences by providing relevant and appealing digital content, such as videos, images, text, and audio, through various digital platforms such as social media, search engines, email, and websites.
The importance of digital marketing has grown considerably as more consumers turn to the internet to research and purchase products and services. As a result, it has become a critical component of the marketing strategies for businesses across different industries and sizes.
2. Why is digital marketing important?
Digital marketing offers businesses a range of benefits and opportunities to reach and engage with their target audience, build brand awareness, and drive business growth. It is important for multiple reasons:
Ability to reach large audience regardless of geographic location or time zone.
Ability to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors of their target audience, resulting in more efficient and effective marketing campaigns.
Ability to increase brand awareness and engage with target audience in a more meaningful way, leading to stronger customer relationships and loyalty.
Digital marketing requires lower investment and has a better ROI compared to traditional marketing.
Digital marketing campaigns can be easily tracked and measured, providing businesses with valuable insights into the success of their campaigns and areas for improvement.
Ability to respond quickly to changes in customer behavior, preferences, and trends.
3. What are the benefits of digital marketing?
Businesses can reach a wider audience by utilizing various digital channels like social media, search engines, email, mobile apps, and websites.
Targeting specific demographics, interests, behaviors, and locations of audience, will result in more effective and efficient marketing campaigns.
Requires lower investment and has a higher return on investment.
Digital marketing efforts are simple to track and measure.
Increased brand recognition and deeper interaction with the target audience will result in more solid client relationships and enduring brand loyalty.
Digital marketing is adaptable and flexible in response to shifting market conditions, consumer preferences, and trends.
4. What are some of the different types of digital marketing?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): This strategy involves optimizing websites and web content to improve the visibility and ranking on search engines like Google and Bing.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM): SEM is the use of paid advertising to drive traffic to a website or landing page. It's a form of online marketing that involves the promotion of websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). In general, SEM provides you with an opportunity to reach a large audience through various channels such as Google AdWords or Facebook Ads.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is a type of internet marketing that allows you to pay for each click on your ad. You only pay when someone clicks through to your website, so it's a great way to get people interested in what you have to offer without having to pay an upfront fee.
Social Media Marketing: This strategy involves promoting brands, products, or services on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Content Marketing: Content marketing involves creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract and engage with a target audience, with the aim of building brand awareness and driving customer engagement.
Email Marketing: This strategy involves sending promotional emails to a list of subscribers to build customer relationships, promote products or services, and increase sales.
Affiliate Marketing: Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based advertising in which an online retailer pays commissions to its affiliates for referring customers. Affiliates are paid a commission on sales made by their referrals' actions, such as clicks or purchases.
Video Marketing: Video marketing involves creating and sharing videos to promote products or services, engage with a target audience, and increase brand awareness.
Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing involves partnering with influencers or individuals with a large social media following to promote brands, products, or services to their followers.
5. What are some of the best digital marketing tools?
Google Analytics: A free tool that tracks website traffic and provides insights into user behavior.
SEMrush: A paid tool that provides keyword research, competitor analysis, and SEO optimization recommendations.
Mailchimp: An email marketing tool that allows businesses to create and send email campaigns to subscribers.
Canva: A design tool that allows businesses to create visually appealing graphics for social media, email campaigns, and other marketing materials.
Google Keyword Planner: A free tool that helps users research and choose the right keywords for their PPC and SEO campaigns.
Google My Business: Google My Business is a platform provided by Google that enables marketers to generate a Google business page. It enables you to input details such as the name of the company, website link, hours of operation, etc. in order to appear in various search results such as location searches, map pack, search page results, etc.
Google Search Console: Google Search Console is a free web service provided by Google that helps you monitor and maintain your website's presence in Google search results. It provides information and tools to help you understand how your site is performing in search, identify and fix issues, and optimize your site for better visibility in Google search results. This includes data on search queries, indexing status, crawl errors, and more.
Microsoft Clarity: a free web analytics tool provided by Microsoft. It offers insights into user behavior on a website by tracking user interactions and displaying data such as click tracking, session recordings, and heatmaps. This tool can help you better understand your audience and make data-driven decisions to improve user experience and increase conversions.
Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager or GTM is another free tool from Google that allows you to manage and implement tags (snippets of code) on your website, without having to modify the site code.
SEO Terms:
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is the practice of optimizing your website and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords and phrases.
Keyword: A keyword is a word or phrase that a user types into a search engine to find specific information.
Organic Search: Organic search refers to the search results that appear on a search engine results page (SERP) based on their relevance to the search query, as opposed to paid advertising.
SERP: SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. It is the page of search engine results that is displayed when a user enters a query into a search engine.
Backlink: A backlink is a link from one website to another. Backlinks are an important factor in determining a website’s ranking in search engine results.
Anchor Text: Anchor text is the text that is used to create a hyperlink. It is often used to indicate the content of the page being linked to.
Title Tag: A title tag is an HTML tag that is used to specify the title of a web page. It is an important on-page SEO factor.
Meta Description: A meta description is a brief summary of a web page’s content that appears below the title tag in search engine results.
Alt Text: Alt text is the text that is used to describe an image on a web page. It is important for accessibility and can also help with SEO.
Sitemap: A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on a website. It helps search engines to crawl and index a website’s content.
Robots.txt: Robots.txt is a file that is used to communicate with search engine robots or spiders. It specifies which pages on a website should be indexed and which should be ignored.
Page Speed: Page speed refers to the amount of time it takes for a web page to load. It is an important factor in determining a website’s ranking in search engine results.
Canonical URL: A canonical URL is the preferred URL for a web page. It helps to avoid duplicate content issues and can improve a website’s ranking in search engine results.
Keyword Density: Keyword density refers to the percentage of times a keyword or phrase appears on a web page compared to the total number of words on the page.
Crawling: Crawling is the process by which search engine spiders or bots visit a website to collect information about its content.
Indexing: Indexing is the process by which search engine spiders or bots add web pages to their database.
H1 Tag – A H1 tag is the main heading tag on a webpage
PPC terms:
PPC stands for Pay-Per-Click. It is a form of online advertising where advertisers pay a fee each time a user clicks on one of their ads. PPC ads are commonly displayed on search engine results pages and social media platforms.
Advertiser: An advertiser is a business or individual who creates and runs a PPC ad campaign.
Campaign: A campaign is a set of ads that are created and managed together to achieve a specific marketing goal.
Ad group: An ad group is a set of ads that target a specific theme or audience within a campaign.
Keyword: A keyword is a word or phrase that is targeted by an ad campaign to trigger the display of an ad on a search engine results page (SERP) or website.
Ad copy: Ad copy is the text or content of an ad. It is designed to persuade users to click on the ad.
Landing page: A landing page is the web page that a user is directed to after clicking on an ad. It is designed to convert visitors into customers or leads.
Cost per click (CPC): Cost per click is the amount that an advertiser pays each time a user clicks on their ad.
Click-through rate (CTR): Click-through rate is the percentage of users who click on an ad after viewing it. It is calculated by dividing the number of clicks by the number of impressions.
Impressions: Impressions are the number of times an ad is displayed on a SERP or website.
Quality score: Quality score is a metric used by search engines to measure the relevance and quality of an ad. It is based on factors such as click-through rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience.
Ad rank: Ad rank is a value that is used by search engines to determine the position of an ad on a SERP. It is calculated based on the ad’s bid and quality score.
Bid: A bid is the maximum amount that an advertiser is willing to pay for a click on their ad.
Ad extensions: Ad extensions are additional features that can be added to an ad to provide more information or to encourage users to take a specific action, such as making a call or filling out a form.
Display network: The display network is a network of websites, blogs, and apps where advertisers can display their ads.
CPM: CPM stands for Cost Per Thousand. It is a metric used in online advertising to measure the cost of displaying an ad one thousand times.
Google Ads: an online advertising service offered by Google, which enables marketers to connect with consumers by displaying their ads on Google search pages and other Google display networks.
CTR Terms:
CTR stands for Click-Through Rate. It is the percentage of users who click on a specific link or ad compared to the total number of users who saw the link or ad.
Click: A click occurs when a user clicks on an ad or a link.
Impression: An impression is a view of an ad or a webpage. It is counted each time an ad or webpage is loaded.
Ad position: Ad position refers to the position of an ad on a search engine results page (SERP) or a webpage. Ads that appear higher on the page tend to have a higher CTR.
Ad copy: Ad copy refers to the text or content of an ad. It is designed to persuade users to click on the ad.
A/B testing: A/B testing is a technique used to compare the performance of two versions of an ad or a landing page. It involves showing one version to one group of users and another version to another group of users and comparing the results.
Impressions per user: Impressions per user is the average number of impressions that a user sees during a specific period. It is used to measure the frequency with which users see an ad.
Cost per click (CPC): Cost per click is the amount that an advertiser pays each time a user clicks on their ad. It is calculated by dividing the total cost of the campaign by the number of clicks.
Quality score: Quality score is a metric used by search engines to measure the relevance and quality of an ad. It is based on factors such as click-through rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience.
Ad extensions: Ad extensions are additional features that can be added to an ad to provide more information or to encourage users to take specific action, such as making a call or filling out a form.
CRO Terms:
CRO stands for Conversion Rate Optimization. It is the practice of optimizing your website and content to increase the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
Conversion rate: Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors to a website who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
Above the Fold: The part of a webpage that is visible without scrolling down.
Call-to-action (CTA): A call-to-action is a button or link that encourages website visitors to take specific actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
Heatmap: A heatmap is a graphical representation of user activity on a webpage. It shows where users are clicking and how far they are scrolling down the page.
Conversion funnel: A conversion funnel is a series of steps that a visitor takes on a website in order to complete a desired action, such as making a purchase.
Exit intent pop-up: An exit intent pop-up is a pop-up that is triggered when a user is about to leave a webpage. It is designed to encourage the user to take specific action, such as subscribing to a newsletter.
Micro Conversion: A small, incremental action that moves a user closer to completing a desired conversion, such as adding an item to a cart.
Multivariate testing: Multivariate testing is a technique used to test multiple variations of different elements on a webpage at the same time. It is used to identify which combination of elements leads to the highest conversion rate.
Personalization: Tailoring content and experiences to individual users based on their behavior, preferences, or other data.
Split Testing: Another term for A/B testing.
User Experience (UX): The overall experience a user has when interacting with a website or app, including the design, navigation, and ease of use.
User Testing: Gathering feedback and insights from real users about a website or app to identify areas for improvement.
Website Optimization: The process of improving website performance, often through CRO techniques, to increase conversions and revenue.
ROI Terms:
ROI stands for Return on Investment. It is a measure of the profitability of a marketing campaign or investment. ROI is calculated by dividing the net profit of a campaign by the total cost of the campaign.
Cost per acquisition (CPA): The amount an advertiser pays for each desired action (e.g. sale, lead) resulting from an ad campaign.
Customer lifetime value (CLV): The total amount of money a customer is expected to spend on a product or service over the course of their relationship with a business.
Attribution: The process of assigning credit to a marketing channel or touchpoint for a sale or conversion.
Multi-channel marketing: The use of multiple marketing channels (e.g. email, social media, paid ads) to reach and engage with customers.
Social Media Marketing Terms:
Social media marketing is the practice of using social media platforms to promote a brand or product.
Social Media: Platforms that enable users to create, share, and engage with content, as well as connect with other users.
Platform: A specific social media website or application, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
Profile: A user's personal or business account on a social media platform, where they can share information, post content, and connect with other users.
Feed: A chronological stream of content, including posts, updates, and other information, that appears on a user's social media profile or home page.
Hashtag: A word or phrase preceded by the "#" symbol that is used to categorize and organize content on social media platforms.
Like: A feature on social media platforms that allows users to indicate that they enjoy or approve of a particular piece of content.
Share: A feature on social media platforms that allows users to repost or distribute content to their own followers or connections.
Follower: A user who subscribes to a particular social media profile or account to receive updates and content.
Engagement: Any type of interaction or response from users, including likes, shares, comments, and other forms of feedback.
Influencer: A user or individual on social media who has a significant following and can influence the opinions and behaviors of their audience.
Facebook Advertising: refers to the Facebook Ad Network, which enables users to advertise their brand, product, or service to reach Facebook Community consumers. The platform provides various ad types that are specific to the marketer's goals, and the audiences are based on vast demographic information from Facebook user information, unlike Google and other ad networks that use keywords.
Facebook Audience Insights: a Facebook tool used by marketers to target audiences, providing aggregate information regarding demographics, geography, consumer purchase behavior, and more. It offers marketers insights into their current and potential customers' trends across Facebook.
A Facebook Business Page: a marketer's business profile page on the Facebook social media platform, dedicated to promoting their brands, products, and services. Any type of business can use a Facebook Business Page for promotion.
Facebook Live: a basic feature that provides live streaming video capability to Facebook users.
A Featured Snippet: a search result box that appears within the search results page to answer the user's query before they click on a search result. You can achieve featured snippets by answering specific questions concisely.
Content Marketing Terms:
Content marketing is the practice of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and engaging content to attract and retain a target audience.
Content: Any type of media or material created and shared by a brand or organization to inform, educate, or entertain its target audience.
Content Strategy: A plan or framework for creating, publishing, and managing content to achieve specific business objectives.
Blog: A website or section of a website that regularly publishes articles or posts on a specific topic or niche.
Whitepaper: A detailed and authoritative report or guide that provides information on a particular subject or topic.
Infographic: A visual representation of information or data that makes it easy to understand and share.
E-book: An electronic book or digital publication that provides in-depth information on a specific topic or subject.
Case Study: A detailed analysis of a real-life scenario or situation that showcases how a brand or organization solved a particular problem or challenge.
Content Distribution: The process of promoting and sharing content through various channels, such as social media, email, and paid advertising.
User-Generated Content (UGC): Content created by users or customers, such as reviews, testimonials, and social media posts, that can be leveraged by brands for marketing purposes.
Evergreen content: Evergreen content is supporting content on a webpage that is consistently relevant and up to date for a business's product or service. This type of content, such as case studies and how-to guides, is always of interest to readers.
Email Marketing Terms:
Email marketing is the practice of sending commercial messages to a group of people via email to promote a brand or product.
Subscriber: An individual who has opted-in or agreed to receive emails from a particular brand or organization.
List: A collection of email addresses and contact information for individuals who have opted-in to receive emails from a brand or organization.
Opt-In: The process of obtaining permission or consent from an individual to receive emails from a brand or organization.
Open Rate: The percentage of subscribers who opened an email.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of subscribers who clicked on a link within an email.
Conversion Rate: The percentage of subscribers who completed a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form, after clicking on a link within an email.
A/B Testing: The process of testing two different versions of an email or campaign to determine which one performs better.
Automation: The use of software or tools to send pre-scheduled emails to subscribers based on their behavior, actions, or interests.
Unsubscribe: The process by which a subscriber removes themselves from a brand or organization's email list.
Web Terms:
Content Management System (CMS): A software application or platform that allows users to create, edit, and publish digital content on the web.
Content: Text, images, videos, and other digital assets used to create digital content.
Template: A pre-designed layout used to structure and present digital content in a consistent manner.
Theme: A collection of templates, styles, and design elements used to create a specific look and feel for a website or digital content.
Plugin: A software component that adds functionality to a CMS, such as a form builder, SEO optimizer, or social media sharing tool.
Widget: A small application or piece of code that adds specific functionality to a website or digital content, such as a search bar or weather widget.
Responsive Design: A design approach that ensures a website or digital content can be viewed and used effectively on any device, including desktop computers, smartphones, and tablets.
Content Editor: A tool used to create and edit digital content within a CMS, typically a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor.
Metadata: Information about digital content, such as title, author, and description, used by search engines and other applications to understand and categorize the content.
Version Control: The process of managing and tracking changes to digital content over time, typically used to maintain a history of edits and revisions.
CSS – CSS stands for “Cascading Style Sheet” and is used to format the layout and appearance of a web page. For example, you can define text style, font colour and tables using CSS.
Web crawler: A web crawler is a software program that is used to locate new and updated content on the internet. This is done by following links and then sending the content to an indexer, which evaluates the content's context, relevance, and trustworthiness. These crawlers are also known as "bots," "robots," "spiders," or "user-agents."
Ecommerce: Ecommerce is short for "Electronic Commerce" and refers to businesses that sell their products or services online. For instance, a typical ecommerce business could be an online retailer that directly sells products to its customers.
Page Status Code Terms:
200 OK: This is a standard response code indicating that the request was successful, and the server is returning the requested data.
301 Moved Permanently: This status code is used when a web page or website has permanently moved to a new location. The browser will automatically redirect to the new location.
302 Found: This status code is like the 301 code but indicates a temporary move to a new location.
404 Not Found: This status code is returned when the requested web page or resource is not found on the server.
500 Internal Server Error: This code indicates that there is an error on the server that is preventing it from fulfilling the request.
503 Service Unavailable: This code indicates that the server is currently unable to handle the request due to maintenance or overload.
301 vs 302 Redirect: These are two different types of redirects, where 301 indicates a permanent redirect and 302 indicates a temporary redirect.
Canonical URL: A canonical URL is the preferred version of a web page, used to prevent duplicate content issues and ensure that search engines correctly index the page.
Core Web Vitals Terms:
Core Web Vitals are a set of user-focused metrics that Google uses to measure the overall user experience of a web page. These metrics are divided into three categories:
Loading: Loading refers to how fast a web page loads and becomes interactive. The Core Web Vital metric for loading is Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), which measures the time it takes for the largest element on the page to load.
Interactivity: Interactivity refers to how quickly a user can interact with a web page after it has loaded. The Core Web Vital metric for interactivity is First Input Delay (FID), which measures the time it takes for a web page to respond to a user's first interaction.
Visual Stability: Visual stability refers to how stable a web page is during loading and interaction. The Core Web Vital metric for visual stability is Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), which measures the amount of unexpected layout shifts that occur during the loading and interaction of a web page.