Marketing Jargon Buster

We Marketers have a language all of our own – which, to non-Marketers, isn’t always easy understand. Cariad Marketing always try to speak in plain English and not use ‘techno babble’ – but in case you need to check anything, use our easy reference guide (it’s not exhaustive!).

a
Above-the-linesearch for term

Out-of-date jargon derived from traditional accounting practice that treated advertising through television, radio or published media as 'above-the-line' expenditure. Other advertising, such as direct marketing, was accounted for 'below-the-line'.

See also: Below-the-line
Added Valuesearch for term

The act of giving the customer more than they think they are getting included in the purchase price.

Advertorial search for term

An advertisement that is designed to look like an editorial article. It has to be identified as an advertisement in a publication but is not necessarily on a website.

Affiliate Marketingsearch for term

Third-party website ad serving model under which affiliates get compensated on a per sale/click/registration model.

Avg. Time on Sitesearch for term

How long the average visitor stays on your website. You may want users to have a long time on site or short time on site depending on your goals.

Awarenesssearch for term

Advertising or other promotional activity (e.g. Public Relations) whose primary purpose is to increase general knowledge of the company and to make people feel more positive towards it.

b
Backlinksearch for term

Backlinks are one way links from one website to another and are often also called incoming links or inbound links. The quality of the link is determined by the quality and traffic of the website sending the visitors. Therefore a link from a relevant website with a high traffic will always be of more value than any others.

See also: Link Building
Banner Adsearch for term

This form of online advertising entails embedding an advertisement into a web page. It is intended to attract traffic to a website by linking to the website of the advertiser via a creative.

Below-the-linesearch for term

Opposite to above-the-line. Advertising media that used to be considered more as promotional channels, including direct mail, telemarketing, electronic media, displays, leaflets and brochures and sales promotion and other media.

See also: Above-the-line
Bingsearch for term

World's third largest search engine owned by Microsoft. This search engine was formally called 'Live' and 'MSN'

See also: Google
Black Hat SEOsearch for term

The SEO practice of using techniques such as keyword stuffing, cloaking or hidden text as a method to improve website rankings. These methods are considered 'unethical' and contravene search engine guidelines, therefore website owners that practice black hat SEO methods beware, as you run the risk of being penalised (or in extreme cases banned) by the search engines.

See also: Search Engine Optimisation, SEO, White Hat SEO
Blogsearch for term

A web log often used as business or personal diary.

Bounce Ratesearch for term

How many visitors bounced off your website. A bounce is a visitor who enters your website from any entry page, then exits the website without visiting pages deeper within the site or clicking on any links. For example: a visitor who enters your website from a search engine, spends 35 seconds on that page, then exits without clicking on any links is considered a bounce.

Brandsearch for term

Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, and are often described as cultural accessories and personal philosophies.

Brand Equitysearch for term

Brand equity is a set of perceptions, knowledge and behaviours on the part of customers that creates demand and/or a price premium for a branded product—in other words, what the brand is worth to a customer. Brand equity may also be defined as a set of elements such as brand associations, market fundamentals and marketing assets that help distinguish one brand from another.

Brand Guidelinessearch for term

A document which gives instructions for the use of a brand within communications and marketing collateral. The Guidelines give precise direction for the tone of voice, fonts, colour palette etc and also include the Brand Values, USPs and competitor information. Put simply, they are the ‘bible’ which all staff members within a company (or its agents) should refer to in order to consistently promote a brand.

Brand Valuesearch for term

Brand value is the net present value of future cash flows from this branded product minus the net present value of future cash flows from a similar unbranded product—or in simpler terms, what the brand is worth to management and shareholders. Whilst measuring the brand value of a product or corporation has its usefulness, the act of measurement by itself will not make a brand more valuable or less risky.

Briefsearch for term

Written instructions given to the supplier or suppliers before commencement of a project. This document details the project objectives, reporting procedures, timescales etc.

Business Listssearch for term

Lists of business contact details used for marketing purposes, e.g. telemarketing. These lists are available in either electronic format or on labels

Business to Businesssearch for term

Marketing activity directed from one business to another (as opposed to a consumer).

c
Campaignsearch for term

A term given to advertising, promotions or sales. It describes a co-ordinated series of efforts built around a theme and designed to reach an identified goal, usually identified by a time period.

Click-Throughsearch for term

The process of clicking through an online advertisement to the advertiser's destination

Cloakingsearch for term

Cloaking refers to the practice of websites presenting different content (or URLs) to users and the search engines such as the Google Bot. Serving up different results based on user agent may cause your site to be perceived as deceptive and removed from the Google index.

CMSsearch for term

Content Management System - a CMS is a web based interface that allows a website owner to update and/or create new content without the need for web programming skills

See also: Content Management System, Drupal
Cold Listsearch for term

A list (database) of people who have no prior relationship with the advertiser. Cold lists are used as a method of generating sales leads

Consumer Listssearch for term

Lists of names (address and telephone number) of private individuals. These lists are available in either electronic format or on labels.

Content Management Systemsearch for term

A Content Management System is a web based interface that allows a website owner to update and/or create new content without the need for web programming skills

See also: CMS, Drupal
Contextual Marketingsearch for term

Contextual marketing is marketing that occurs when a person is more likely to be interested in a product or service.

Conversion Ratesearch for term

Percentage of website users that Take a Desired Action

CRMsearch for term

Customer Relationship Management.

Cross-Sellingsearch for term

Using a customer's buying history to select them for related offers, e.g. a car alarm for new car buyers.

Customer Segmentationsearch for term

Customers are grouped according to their needs and value and different offerings delivered to each.

d
Data Capturesearch for term

The process of keying-in or scanning data into an electronic format.

Data Cleansingsearch for term

Detecting and removing and/or correcting a database’s dirty data (i.e., data that is incorrect, out-of-date, redundant, incomplete, or formatted incorrectly).

Data Hygienesearch for term

Ensuring that data is clean, up-to-date and complies with the Data Protection Act.

Databasesearch for term

This can range from a simple list of names and addresses (on paper or in electronic format) to detailed profile data.

De-Duplication (de-dupe)search for term

System of removing names and addresses which appear in a list more than once.

Direct Mailsearch for term

Mail sent through the letterbox either to advertise or to sell goods or services

Direct Responsesearch for term

Advertising or selling through any medium inviting the consumer to respond to the advertiser

Display Advertisingsearch for term

Advertiser pays an online company for space to display a static or hyperlinked banner or logo on one or more of the online company's pages.

Double-Page Spread - (DPS)search for term

Print which continues over two facing pages, as if they were one page

DRTVsearch for term

Direct Response Television, or DRTV for short, includes any TV advertising that asks consumers to respond directly to the company, usually either by calling an 800 number or by visiting a web site. This is a form of direct response marketing.

Drupalsearch for term

Drupal is the powerful and extendable open source CMS (content management system) which Cariad Marketing have selected as our software for developing high performance websites.

See also: CMS, Content Management System
e
E-Marketingsearch for term

The use of the internet and related digital information and communications technologies to achieve marketing objectives. Broadly equivalent to digital marketing.

ECRMsearch for term

Customer relationship management using or incorporating digital marketing and communications techniques.

Editorialsearch for term

The contents of a publication, apart from advertising space.

Ezinesearch for term

Electronic magazine

f
Flashsearch for term

Multimedia interactive technology developed by Macromedia.

Focus Groupsearch for term

A technique in which a group of participants are brought together to provide feedback on ideas, products and services.

Fulfilment Housesearch for term

The place where the processing of an order takes place. This usually includes the acknowledgement of the order, dispatching of goods and the collecting of payment.

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Gone-Awaysearch for term

The term used to describe that a person mailed has moved address.

Google search for term

World's largest search engine. In the UK roughly 80% of all search is conducted via Google

See also: Bing, Search Engine, Yahoo
h
Headlinesearch for term

Large text carrying the main selling message

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In-Housesearch for term

To carry out business processes within a company rather than employing an outside supplier.

Incentivessearch for term

'Extras' designed to increase response rates to a marketing message, e.g. a prize draw.

Incoming Linksearch for term

One way links from one website to another and are often also called backlinks or inbound links. The quality of the link is determined by the quality and traffic of the website sending the visitors. Therefore a link from a relevant website with a high traffic will always be of more value than any others.

See also: Link Building
Interviewsearch for term

An interview is any form of contact intended to obtain information from a respondent or group of respondents

Interviewersearch for term

Person involved in the collection of data for market, opinion and social research purposes

l
Lapsed Customer Reactivationsearch for term

The process of re-contacting 'former' customers and following up on 'lost orders/old quotations' with the objective of generating new leads.

Lead Generationsearch for term

The process of finding people (consumer or business) with a qualified interest in a certain product or service.

Link Buildingsearch for term

The process of developing the number of one way links into your website.

See also: Backlink, Incoming Link
List (mailing list)search for term

This can range from a simple list of names and addresses (on paper or in electronic format) to detailed profile data.

List Brokersearch for term

A specialist who acts as an intermediary between the list owner and the list buyer.

List Buildingsearch for term

The process of gathering names and addresses and compiling them into a database for direct marketing purposes (e.g. telemarketing).

List Cleaning/List Cleansingsearch for term

The process of telephoning an individual/business to verify the contacts name, job title and address prior to a mailing.

List Rentalsearch for term

The process of renting a list of names from a broker or list owner.

m
Mail Mergesearch for term

Merging a mailer template with contact details in order to personalise a mailer.

Mailersearch for term

Often described as 'salesmanship in print'. Direct mail (or a mailer as it is known in the marketing industry) is a personally addressed advertising piece sent through the post. A personalised advertisement sent through the post.

Market Research search for term

Research which seeks and analyses information from the market as a basis for decision making

Marketing Mixsearch for term

The unique blend of products, pricing, promotion and distribution targeting a specific group of people.

Mystery Shoppingsearch for term

The use of individuals trained to experience and measure any customer service process, by acting as potential customers and in some way reporting back their experiences in a detailed, objective way.

n
Networkingsearch for term

A business referral network established with the objective of providing a structured environment for the growth and development of the business membership through the exchange of quality referrals.

o
Off-Page SEOsearch for term

Off-Page SEO (search engine optimisaton) includes all the marketing activity you do to promote your website outside the design of the website itself. Getting more inbound links to your site, registering with directories relevant to your industry, and getting more pages into the search engine indexes are all parts of Off-Page SEO.

See also: Search Engine Optimisation
On-Page SEOsearch for term

On-page SEO (search engine optimisation) is the process of placing your selected keywords in the right places on your web pages. On-page SEO involves optimising page titles, headings, content, and URLs to improve search engine rankings,

See also: Search Engine Optimisation
Opt-Insearch for term

When users give marketers explicit permission to send them information

Opt-Outsearch for term

When users do not give marketers explicit permission to send them information.

p
Page Rankingsearch for term

This refers to the importance placed by the search engines on each individual web page, which determines where it will appear within organic search results

Page Viewssearch for term

The number of web pages within your website have been viewed. This is the total amount of page views from all visitors within a given amount of time.

Pages/Visits (online)search for term

The number of pages the average visit generates. This is an average number

Permission Marketing search for term

Marketing to customers who have opted-in.

Podcastingsearch for term

Broadcasting of rich media files over the internet (i.e. video or audio).

Pop-Up Adsearch for term

Ad displaying in a separate browser window

Portalsearch for term

A website gateway to other websites

PPCsearch for term

Pay-Per-Click

PPLsearch for term

Pay-Per-Lead

PPSsearch for term

Pay-Per-Sale

Prospectssearch for term

A list of contacts who have been identified and/or qualified as being a potential customer

q
Qualitative Researchsearch for term

Research that is not subjected to quantitative analysis

Quantitative Researchsearch for term

Research conducted for the purpose of obtaining empirical evaluations

r
Readershipsearch for term

The total number of readers of a publication as distinct from its circulation.

Relationship Marketingsearch for term

Marketing that helps companies develop long-term relationships with its customers.

Respondentsearch for term

A respondent is any individual or company from or about whom data is collected or is approached for interview

Response Ratesearch for term

The level of replies to a particular campaign. Usually portrayed as a percentage

Return on Investment (ROI)search for term

The measurement of the business generated in relation to the amount of money spent on a marketing campaign.

RSSsearch for term

Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication. Technique used to distribute dynamic content (i.e. news headlines).

s
Salutationsearch for term

The addressing of a mailer to a particular individual, e.g. Dear Mr White

Search Enginesearch for term

A programme that indexes documents, then attempts to match documents relevant to the user's search requests. The primary UK Search Engines are Google, Yahoo, Live (MSM) and AltaVista

See also: Google
Search Engine Optimisationsearch for term

Search Engine Optimisation is the marketing discipline of ensuring that your web pages rank highly with the search engines via the application of best practice web build techniques, keyword placement and copywriting. There are two types of search engine optimisation practices, a combination of which is essential for a website to perform well in 'organic' or 'natural' search results generated by search engines:- (a) On-page SEO and (b) Off-Page SEO

See also: Black Hat SEO, Off-Page SEO, On-Page SEO, SEO, White Hat SEO
Secondary Researchsearch for term

The use of information collected through primary research

Seedssearch for term

The list owner's own details placed into a mailing list in order to identify whether a rented list is being used more than the agreed level

SEFsearch for term

Search Engine Friendly - a website that complies to best practice SEO (search engine optimisation) web build standards

SEMsearch for term

Search Engine Marketing. Marketing that focuses on helping companies rank higher in search engine results using a variety of techniques

SEOsearch for term

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. This is the art of ensuring that your web pages rank highly with the search engines via the application of best practice web build techniques, keyword placement and copywriting. There are two types of search engine optimisation practices, a combination of which is essential for a website to perform well in 'organic' or 'natural' search results generated by search engines:- (a) On-page SEO and (b) Off-Page SEO

See also: Black Hat SEO, Search Engine Optimisation, White Hat SEO
SERPsearch for term

Search Engine Results Page - this is the results page that appears when you input a search term into a search engine such as Google, Yahoo or Bing

SMSsearch for term

Short Message Service (same as text message).

Social Mediasearch for term

Information content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies and often refers to the use of popular websites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube etc. At its most basic sense, social media is a shift in how people discover, read and share news, information and content

Spidersearch for term

Software used by search engines to identify web pages.

Splash Pagesearch for term

Page that leads to the home page of a website

t
Telemarketing (Telephone Marketing)search for term

Outbound telemarketing is the process of telephoning potential customers from a targeted list of names (database).
Inbound telemarketing is where respondents reply to a telephone number, usually as a response to a mailer or an advertisement

Telesalessearch for term

The process of using the telephone as a medium to sell products and/or services. Where 'telemarketing' is used to market products and/or services over the phone, 'telesales' is the process of actually 'closing' the sale over the phone. Telesales is often associated with low value sales.

Trick Bannersearch for term

Banner ads that trick people into clicking them

u
Unique Selling Proposition (USP)search for term

The defining reasons that provide a competitive advantage over the competition

v
Viral Marketingsearch for term

Marketing that leverages customers to promote a company's products or services.

Visitssearch for term

The number of visitors entering your website. Keep in mind that visits are recorded by IP address, so this figure is not unique

w
White Hat SEOsearch for term

White Hat SEO is the term given to the execution of ethical SEO practices which embrace search engine guidelines and enhance a website's ranking and traffic.

See also: Black Hat SEO, Search Engine Optimisation, SEO
Word of Mouth Marketing (WOM)search for term

A form of viral marketing

y
Yahoosearch for term

World's second largest search engine.

See also: Google