Marketing and Business Glossary

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When you’re new to running a business and it’s the first time dealing with marketing and sales and advertising etc. it can be hard to keep a tab on all of the different words that you’re hearing thrown around. To make it easier for you to understand what is going on I’ve compiled a glossary so you can easily look up different terms.

You can use the search function on the table below to look for any words that you’re not clear on. If you want me to add something specific then drop me an email to team [at] jessicadornieden.com and I’ll get it added.

Term	Definition
A/B Testing	Comparing two versions of a marketing element, such as an email subject line or website design, to determine which performs better.
Ad Impressions	The number of times an ad is displayed to a potential audience.
Ad Network	An online platform that connects advertisers with websites and apps that display ads.
Ad Placement	The location where an ad appears, such as at the top of a webpage or within a social media feed.
Affiliate Marketing	A form of marketing where a company pays affiliates to promote their products or services, and the affiliate earns a commission for each sale or lead generated.
Analytics	The process of collecting and analyzing data in order to inform marketing strategies and decisions.
Attribution	The process of assigning credit to a specific marketing channel or campaign for a customer's conversion or purchase.
B2B (Business-to-Business)	Marketing that takes place between businesses, rather than between a business and an individual consumer.
B2C (Business-to-Consumer)	Marketing that takes place between a business and an individual consumer, rather than between businesses.
Behavioural Targeting	Targeting advertising to individuals based on their online behavior and activity.
Brand Awareness	The level of recognition and familiarity that a target audience has with a company's brand.
Brand Equity	The value that a company's brand adds to its products or services, beyond their functional or tangible attributes.
Brand Identity	The visual and verbal elements that make up a company's brand, such as its logo, colour scheme, and messaging.
Branding	The process of creating and promoting a company's brand, with the goal of increasing brand awareness and loyalty.
Buyer Persona	A fictional representation of a company's ideal customer, based on demographic and psychographic data.
Call to Action (CTA)	A phrase or button on a website or in an email that encourages the visitor to take a specific action, such as "Buy Now" or "Learn More."
Call Tracking	The process of tracking phone calls generated through marketing efforts, in order to measure their effectiveness.
Churn Rate	The percentage of customers who stop using a company's product or service over a given time period.
Click Fraud	The practice of artificially inflating the number of clicks on an ad, in order to increase the amount of money paid by the advertiser.
Click Rate	The percentage of email recipients who clicked on a link within an email.
Click to Open Rate	The percentage of email recipients who clicked on a link within an email, out of those who opened the email.
Competitive Analysis	The process of gathering and analysing information about a company's competitors, in order to inform marketing strategies and decisions.
Content Marketing	Creating and sharing valuable content to attract and engage a target audience, with the goal of driving profitable customer action.
Contextual Advertising	Advertising that appears on websites or apps based on the content of the page or the user's search history.
Conversion Funnel	The stages that a potential customer goes through before making a purchase, from awareness to consideration to decision.
Conversion Rate	The percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action on a website, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)	The amount of money an advertiser pays for each new customer acquired through their marketing efforts.
Cost Per Click (CPC)	The amount of money an advertiser pays each time someone clicks on their ad.
Cost Per Conversion (CPC)	The amount of money an advertiser pays for each customer conversion, such as a purchase or form submission.
Cost Per Impression (CPI)	The amount of money an advertiser pays each time their ad is displayed to a potential audience.
Cost Per Lead (CPL)	The amount of money an advertiser pays for each new lead generated through their marketing efforts.
CPM	Cost Per Thousand impressions. The amount of money an advertiser pays for one thousand views or impressions of their ad.
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)	The total cost a company incurs in order to acquire a new customer.
Customer Journey	The path that a potential customer takes from their initial contact with a company to becoming a paying customer.
Customer Lifetime Value	The estimated amount of money a customer will spend on a company's products or services over the course of their lifetime.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)	A system used to manage a company's interactions with customers, including tracking customer interactions and managing sales leads.
Customer Segmentation	The process of dividing a target audience into smaller groups based on shared characteristics, such as demographics or behaviour.
Data Analytics	The process of collecting and analysing data in order to inform marketing strategies and decisions
Demographics	Characteristics of a population, such as age, gender, income, and education level.
Digital Marketing	Marketing that takes place on digital platforms, such as social media, email, and search engines.
Direct Mail	Marketing materials, such as letters or postcards, sent directly to a target audience through the mail.
Direct Marketing	Marketing that takes place through direct communication with a target audience, such as through mail or email.
Display Advertising	Advertising that appears on websites or apps in the form of banners or other graphical ads.
Display Network	A network of websites and apps that display ads from advertisers.
Earned Media	Media coverage or mentions of a company or brand that are earned through public relations efforts, rather than paid advertising.
Email Marketing	Marketing that takes place through email, such as newsletters or promotional emails.
Engagement Marketing	Marketing that focuses on engaging and interacting with a target audience, rather than simply promoting products or services.
Engagement Rate	The percentage of social media followers who interact with a company's content, such as liking or commenting on a post.
Frequency	The number of times that a target audience is exposed to a marketing message or ad.
Funnel	The stages that a potential customer goes through before making a purchase, from awareness to consideration to decision.
Gamification	The process of adding game elements, such as points or rewards, to marketing campaigns in order to increase engagement.
Geo-Fencing	Targeting advertising to a specific geographic location, such as a store or event venue, using GPS technology.
Geotargeting	Targeting advertising to a specific geographic location, such as a city or state.
Hashtag	A keyword or phrase preceded by the # symbol, used to categorize and search for content on social media.
Impression Share	The percentage of total ad impressions that a particular ad or campaign receives.
Impressions	The number of times a piece of content is displayed to a potential audience.
Inbound Marketing	Marketing that focuses on attracting potential customers through valuable content and resources, rather than through direct advertising.
Influencer	An individual who has a large social media following and the ability to influence their followers' opinions and behaviour.
Influencer Marketing	Marketing that involves partnering with individuals who have a large social media following, in order to reach a wider audience.
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)	A strategic approach to marketing that integrates multiple channels and tactics in order to achieve a unified message and experience for the target audience.
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)	A metric used to measure the success of a marketing campaign or strategy.
Keyword	A word or phrase that is used in online searches, and that advertisers can target with their ads.
Landing Page	A webpage designed specifically to encourage a visitor to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
Landing Page Optimisation	The process of optimising a landing page to increase the likelihood of a visitor completing a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
Lead	A potential customer who has shown interest in a company's product or service and has provided their contact information for follow-up.
Lead Generation	The process of attracting and collecting potential customers' contact information, with the goal of converting them into paying customers.
Lead Nurturing	The process of building relationships with potential customers, with the goal of converting them into paying customers over time.
Local Search	Online searches that are focused on a specific geographic location, such as "restaurants near me."
Long-tail Keyword	A specific, niche keyword that is less competitive than broader, more general keywords.
Market Research	The process of gathering and analysing information about a target market in order to inform marketing strategies and decisions.
Market Share	The percentage of total sales in a particular market that a company or brand holds.
Marketing Automation	The use of software to automate repetitive marketing tasks, such as sending emails or posting on social media.
Marketing Funnel	The stages that a potential customer goes through before making a purchase, from awareness to consideration to decision.
Marketing Mix	The combination of marketing elements, such as product, price, promotion, and placement, used to achieve a company's marketing goals.
Marketing Plan	A document outlining a company's marketing goals, strategies, and tactics.
Media Buying	The process of purchasing advertising space or time on various media channels, such as TV, radio, or online.
Mobile Marketing	Marketing that takes place on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
Mobile Optimisation	The process of optimising a website or content for viewing on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
Native Advertising	Advertising that blends in with the content of a website or app, such as sponsored content or product placement.
Open Rate	The percentage of email recipients who opened an email.
Organic Reach	The number of people who see a piece of content without it being promoted or sponsored.
Outbound Marketing	Marketing that focuses on reaching out to potential customers through direct communication, such as cold calling or direct mail.
Paid Search	Advertising that appears at the top of search engine results pages, based on specific keywords.
Pay Per Click (PPC)	A form of advertising where the advertiser pays each time someone clicks on their ad.
Persona	A fictional representation of a company's target customer, based on demographic and psychographic data.
Podcast Advertising	Advertising that takes place on podcasts, either through host-read ads or pre-recorded ad spots.
Public Relations (PR)	The practice of managing a company's reputation and relationships with the public and the media.
Remarketing	Advertising to people who have previously interacted with a company's website or content, with the goal of encouraging them to take further action.
Retargeting	Advertising to people who have previously interacted with a company's website or content, with the goal of encouraging them to take further action.
Return on Investment (ROI)	The amount of profit generated from a marketing campaign, compared to the amount of money spent on the campaign.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)	The process of optimising a website or content to appear higher in search engine results pages, based on specific keywords.
Social Media Marketing	Marketing that takes place on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Split Testing	Comparing two versions of a marketing element, such as an email subject line or website design, to determine which performs better.
Target Audience	The group of people who are most likely to be interested in a company's product or service.
Unique Visitor	An individual who visits a website for the first time, without having visited before.
User-Generated Content (UGC)	Content that is created and shared by customers or fans of a brand, such as social media posts or product reviews.
Viral Marketing	Marketing that takes advantage of social networks and other online platforms to create buzz and increase brand awareness.
Web Analytics	The process of collecting and analysing data about website visitors and their behaviour, in order to inform marketing strategies and decisions.