Marketing can feel confusing with all the unfamiliar terms and acronyms, but it doesn’t have to be.
Here at LouD, we’ve put together a list of important marketing terms explained in plain English, so you can understand what’s what and make better decisions for your business.
Let’s get started!
A/B Testing
Running two versions of an ad, email or webpage to see which performs better, so you can optimise your marketing.
Analytics
Data and reports that show how your marketing is performing.
Attribution
Determining which marketing activity contributed to a sale or conversion.
Brand
The overall image, personality, and reputation of your business.
Buyer Persona
A detailed profile of your ideal customer, including demographics, behaviors, needs and challenges.
Bounce Rate
The percentage of people who visit your website but leave without interacting.
Call to Action (CTA)
A prompt that tells people what you want them to do next, like ‘buy now’ or ‘click here’.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The percentage of people who click on a link or ad.
Content Marketing
Creating helpful or interesting posts, videos or blogs to attract customers.
Cross-Promotion
Partnering with another business to promote each other’s products or services.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
A system to help you keep track of your customers.
Conversion
When someone takes a desired action, like buying or enquiring.
Customer Journey
The entire process a customer goes through from first hearing about your business to becoming a loyal customer.
Drip Campaign
A series of automated emails sent over time to keep you front of mind with customers or prospects.
Email Marketing
Sending emails to your customers or prospects to build relationships and drive sales.
Engagement
How people interact with your posts.
Evergreen Content
Content that stays relevant and useful over a long time, rather than being tied to trends or news from a certain time.
Impressions
How many times your ad or content is shown and seen.
Influencer
Someone with a large following who can promote your business to their audience.
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
A specific metric you track to measure success like sales, web visits or shares.
Landing Page
A web page designed for a specific reason, like getting people to sign up or buy.
Lead
A potential customer who’s shown interest in your business.
Lookalike Audience
A group of potential customers who have similar qualities to your existing customers.
Marketing Automation
Using software to automate repetitive marketing tasks like sending emails or posting on social media.
Opt-In
When someone gives permission to receive your marketing communications, usually by signing up.
Organic Growth
Increasing your audience or sales naturally, without spending money.
Organic Reach
The number of people who see your content without spending money on promoting it.
Paid Reach
The number of people who see your content because you paid to promote it.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click)
A type of online advertising where you pay each time someone clicks your ad.
Retargeting (or Remarketing)
Showing ads to people who have already visited your website or interacted with your brand to encourage them back.
ROI (Return on Investment)
How much money you make compared to how much you spend on marketing.
Segmentation
Dividing your audience into smaller groups based on certain criteria.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
Techniques to make your website show up higher on Google and other search engines.
Social Media Marketing
Using platforms like Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to promote your business.
Target Audience
The specific group of people you want to reach with your marketing.
USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
What makes your business different from competitors.
User-Generated Content (UGC)
Content created by your customers or fans that promotes your business, like reviews or photos.
Value Proposition
The clear benefit or solution your product or service offers to customers.
Webinar
An online learning session used to educate potential customers.
White Paper
An authoritative report or guide that educates your audience about a complex topic.
Understanding these marketing terms is a big step toward feeling confident in growing your business. Whenever you come across a new word, don’t let it hold you back! Refer back to this glossary or reach out if you need help. Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated and we’re here to make it easier for you.
For tailored marketing advice to push your business forward, contact LouD today!