How to use this glossary
Marketing has a lot of jargon, and the same word is sometimes used differently by different people or tools. These definitions are short and general. Where a platform defines a term in its own way, its current documentation is the better guide. Terms are grouped by theme rather than alphabetically, so related ideas sit together.
Planning and strategy
Target audience. The group of people you most want to reach, described by their needs and habits rather than only by age or location.
Customer segmentation. Splitting an audience into groups with shared characteristics or needs, so messages can be tailored.
Marketing funnel. A simple picture of the path people take from first hearing about you to buying. Stages are often called awareness, consideration and decision.
Customer journey map. A fuller record of what a person does and feels at each step from first contact to repeat purchase.
Marketing budget. The money and time set aside for marketing in a period.
Content and search
Content marketing. Publishing useful material, such as articles, videos or guides, to attract and help potential customers.
Search engine optimization (SEO). Improving a site and its content so it can appear in unpaid search results. Results are never guaranteed.
Keyword. A word or phrase people type into a search engine.
On-page SEO. Changes made on the page itself, such as titles, headings and clear text, to help search engines and readers understand it.
Content calendar. A schedule of what you will publish, where and when.
Paid advertising
Pay per click (PPC). An ad model where you pay when someone clicks your ad.
Cost per click (CPC). The amount paid for a single click.
Cost per acquisition (CPA). The amount spent to gain one customer or one defined action, such as a sign-up.
Return on ad spend (ROAS). Revenue earned divided by ad spend. For illustration, 300 in sales from 100 of ads is a ROAS of 3.
Return on investment (ROI). Profit compared with cost. A campaign costing 100 that earns 250 has a profit of 150, so its ROI is 150 percent. This is an illustration only.
Websites and conversion
Landing page. A page built for a single purpose, usually reached from an ad, email or search result.
Call to action (CTA). The instruction that tells a visitor what to do next, such as “Book a call”.
Conversion. A visitor completing a goal you defined, like buying, signing up or filling in a form.
Conversion rate. The share of visitors who convert. If 5 of 200 visitors sign up, the conversion rate is 2.5 percent.
A/B testing. Showing two versions of something to different people to see which performs better.
Lead magnet. A free item, such as a checklist, offered in exchange for contact details.
Email, CRM and automation
Email marketing. Sending messages to people who have agreed to receive them.
Open rate and click rate. The share of recipients who open an email or click a link. Open rates are affected by privacy features in some email apps, so treat them with care.
Customer relationship management (CRM). Software or a system that stores contact details and a record of interactions.
Lead. A person or business who has shown some interest in what you offer.
Lead nurturing. Staying helpfully in touch with leads until they are ready to decide.
Marketing automation. Using software to send messages or perform tasks based on rules, such as sending a welcome email after sign-up.
Data and privacy
Analytics. The collection and review of data about how people use your site and respond to your marketing.
First-party data. Information people give you directly, such as an email address or purchase history.
Third-party cookies. Small files set by a site other than the one you are visiting, often used for tracking across sites. Browser support has been changing.
Consent. A person’s clear agreement to how their data is used or to being contacted. Rules, including GDPR and similar laws, differ by country and change, so check the ones that apply to you. This glossary is not legal advice.
Social and partnerships
Organic reach. The people who see your content without paid promotion.
Engagement. Interactions such as likes, comments, shares and replies.
Influencer marketing. Working with people who have an audience to promote a product. Paid partnerships should be disclosed.
Account-based marketing (ABM). A B2B approach that focuses effort on a defined list of target companies instead of a broad audience.
A note on definitions
Definitions drift. If you use a term in a report or with a supplier, agree what it means first, especially for words like “lead” or “conversion” that businesses define differently. Writing your own short definitions into your marketing plan avoids confusion later.