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Digital Marketing Glossary from A to Z

Digital Marketing Glossary — 136 definitions

7Ps
Extension of the mix to services: + People (staff/relationships), Process (journey/processes), Physical evidence (proof: reviews, packaging, premises).
A/B testing
Comparing two versions (A and B) of an element with equivalent audiences to identify the best performer.
Hook
The first sentence/first visual that grabs attention and makes people want to read on.
3-second hook
The first seconds that decide whether viewers stay or scroll. Decisive on short formats.
Content asset
Content that keeps attracting traffic over time, like an investment earning interest.
AIDA
Persuasion framework: Attention (hook) → Interest → Desire → Action (call to act).
Algorithm
The system that decides which content to show to whom. It generally favors engagement and relevance.
Call to action (CTA)
A button or link inviting visitors to act ("Request a quote", "Sign up"): it turns visits into results.
Customer review
Ratings and comments left by customers. Volume and score weigh heavily on local ranking and trust.
B2B
Business to Business: selling to other companies (as opposed to B2C, the general public).
B2B / B2C
Business to Business (selling to companies, e.g. LinkedIn) vs Business to Consumer (to the general public, e.g. Instagram/TikTok).
Bad buzz
A wave of negative comments that can harm your image. Prevented through monitoring and a fast, calm response.
Title tag / meta description
The title and summary shown in Google. They influence ranking and click-through rate.
Batching
Producing several pieces of content in one dedicated session rather than piecemeal: saves time and improves consistency.
Benefit vs feature
The feature describes the product ("500 GB"); the benefit is what it brings the customer ("all your music in your pocket").
SEO blog
A set of articles optimized to rank in Google on your audience's searches, generating lasting traffic.
Media budget
The amount allocated to advertising, to split across channels and campaigns based on performance.
CAC (customer acquisition cost)
Total marketing spend divided by the number of customers acquired: what a new customer costs.
Editorial calendar
The schedule of upcoming publications: date, network, topic, format. It organizes and secures consistency.
Call to action (CTA)
A clear, single invitation to act ("Download the guide", "Book now").
Marketing channel
A way to reach your audience: SEO, social media, emailing, advertising, etc. Choose based on your goal.
Canva
Simple online graphic design tool, rich in templates: social visuals, documents, presentations, with no designer skills needed.
Brand guidelines
The brand's visual rules: colors, fonts, logo, style. Ensures consistency and recognition.
Targeting
Defining an ad's audience (age, location, interests, behaviors, lookalike audiences).
Target audience
The group of customers you want to reach, defined by criteria (demographics, needs, behaviors).
Communication
All the actions that make the offer and brand known and valued. One link of marketing, not the whole of it.
Community management
Running and managing an online community: replying, engaging, moderating, building bonds around the brand.
Consent
The internet user's free, informed and prior agreement before any non-essential tracking/cookie. Mandatory.
Content marketing
Attracting and retaining by creating useful content (articles, guides, videos) rather than through advertising alone.
Value content
Useful, inspiring or entertaining content that serves the audience before selling: the basis of trust.
Conversion
The desired action after the click (purchase, form). Tracking it measures the campaign's true profitability.
Copywriting
Persuasive writing geared toward conversion: getting people to read, convincing and triggering action.
CPC (cost per click)
The price paid for each click on the ad. The dominant SEA model: you pay for real interest, not display.
Creative
The ad's content (visual, video, copy). The most decisive performance factor on social networks.
CRO
Conversion Rate Optimization: optimizing pages to increase the conversion rate (often more profitable than more traffic).
Trigger
The event that launches a scenario: signup, click, purchase, abandoned cart, date.
Deliverability
The ability of emails to reach the inbox (not spam). Depends on reputation and sending practices.
Place
The channels through which customers access the offer: store, e-commerce site, marketplaces, sales network.
Personal data
Any information identifying a person (email, IP, behavior). Its processing is regulated and must be secured.
Email automation
Email sequences sent automatically based on triggers (signup, behavior): the engine of nurturing.
Emailing
Sending marketing emails to a subscriber list: newsletters, promotions, news. A high-ROI channel.
E-reputation
A brand's or person's image and reputation online, shaped by reviews, mentions and content.
Bidding
The mechanism determining ad display and position based on the bid amount and quality.
Engagement
Interactions generated by content (likes, comments, shares, saves). A key signal for the algorithm.
Funnel
Representation of the journey in narrowing stages: discovery → consideration → conversion. TOFU/MOFU/BOFU.
Event
Any measured interaction (page view, click, purchase). GA4 is entirely event-based.
Format
The content type: text post, carousel, short video, article, story, infographic. Vary by message and network.
Vertical short format
Brief video (15–60 s) in vertical format: Reels, TikTok, Shorts. A strong organic reach lever.
Frequency
Publishing pace (e.g. 3 posts/week). Calibrate to what you can SUSTAIN over time.
Friction
Anything slowing conversion (overlong form, doubt, slowness, lack of proof). Reduce to a minimum.
Lead generation (lead gen)
Capturing the contact details of interested prospects (form, lead magnet) to follow up with them.
Review management
Collecting, answering and showcasing customer reviews, positive and negative alike, professionally.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Google's free tool for measuring a site's or app's traffic, sources, behaviors and conversions.
Google Business Profile
Free business listing shown in Google Maps and local results (name, address, hours, reviews, photos).
Visual hierarchy
Organizing elements to guide the eye: strong headline, secondary information, breathing room. Makes the message clear at a glance.
Hypothesis
What you assume ("a more visible CTA will increase clicks"), which the test validates or invalidates.
Inbound / Outbound
Inbound: attracting customers with useful content (they come to you); Outbound: going to customers (advertising, prospecting).
Search intent
The goal behind a query (learning, comparing, buying). A good article answers it precisely.
KPI
Key Performance Indicator: a metric tied to a goal (e.g. conversion rate, CAC, qualified traffic).
KPI (key indicator)
A measure tracking goal achievement (traffic, conversion rate, cost per lead). A goal without a KPI can't be managed.
Landing page
A page dedicated to a single goal, designed to convert, with no menu or distractions.
Lead
A prospect: a contact who has shown interest (form filled in, email left), to convert into a customer.
Lead magnet
High-value content (guide, checklist, template) offered in exchange for an email: turns a visitor into a prospect.
Qualified lead
A prospect matching the target audience with real purchase potential, as opposed to a mere contact.
Editorial line
Your content's identity: positioning, tone of voice, topics and angle. It ensures consistency.
LinkedIn
The professional social network: business relationships, expert content, recruitment, personal branding. The heart of B2B.
List (opt-in)
A base of subscribers who have CONSENTED to receive your emails (GDPR requirement). Quality beats quantity.
LTV (customer lifetime value)
The total revenue a customer brings over their whole relationship with you. Compare with CAC to judge profitability.
Marketing
The practice of understanding a market and needs to design and offer the right product, to the right audience, at the right price.
Marketing automation
Automating marketing actions triggered by rules/behaviors (emails, segmentation, follow-ups).
Digital marketing
Applying marketing to online channels: website, SEO, social media, emailing, advertising, analytics.
Marketing mix
The combination of marketing levers (the 4Ps/7Ps) adjusted together to form a consistent offer.
Evergreen event
A recurring, predictable event (holidays, seasons, industry key dates) to plan for in the calendar.
Meta Ads
Facebook and Instagram's ad platform: campaigns targeted by profiles, interests and behaviors.
Template
A ready-made, customizable visual that speeds up creation while ensuring a professional result.
Moderation
Managing comments: replying, framing, removing abusive posts. Protects the community and your image.
Vertical editing
Editing adapted to 9:16: subtitles, fast pace, on-screen text (many watch with the sound off).
Keyword / search intent
What users type and the goal behind it: looking for info, comparing, buying. SEO answers these intents.
NAP
Name, Address, Phone: consistent information everywhere online strengthens local search ranking.
Link building (backlinks)
Links from other sites pointing to yours. Seen as votes of confidence, they strengthen popularity (authority).
Domain name
Your address on the web (mycompany.com): an element of identity and credibility.
Awareness / traffic / leads / sales
The four broad goal families, from top of funnel (getting known) to bottom (selling).
Nurturing
"Feeding" prospects with useful content over time to mature them toward purchase.
SMART goal
A Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound goal (e.g. "+20% leads in 3 months").
Continuous optimization
Chaining small improvement tests: successive gains compound over time.
Organic vs paid
Organic: the free reach of your posts; paid: advertising (level 4). The two combine.
Emailing tool
A sending and management platform (Brevo, Mailchimp): lists, templates, automations, statistics, compliance.
Local pack
The box of 3 businesses with a map shown atop local results: highly coveted.
Company page vs profile
The page represents the brand; the personal profile (more engaging) carries the human voice. The two complement each other.
Customer journey
The stages a customer goes through, from becoming aware of a need to purchase and beyond (loyalty, recommendation).
Persona
A semi-fictional portrait of a typical customer: first name, situation, goals, barriers, preferred channels. Makes the target tangible.
Personal branding
Building a person's image and reputation (founder, expert) to serve their business and credibility.
Personalization
Adapting the message to each contact (first name, interests, behavior): automation makes it possible at scale.
Content pillars
The 3 to 5 broad topics around which all your publications revolve.
Pixel
A small piece of code on your site measuring visitor actions, enabling conversion tracking and retargeting.
Touchpoint
Each interaction between the customer and the brand (ad, site, review, email) along the journey.
Reach
The number of people who saw a piece of content. It depends on the algorithm, format and engagement.
Social proof
The tendency to trust others' opinions: reviews, ratings and testimonials reassure and influence purchase decisions.
Price
The amount charged and the pricing strategy: positioning, margins, promotions, perceived value.
Product
What you offer: features, quality, range, associated service. It answers an identified need.
Scheduling
Preparing posts in advance so they publish automatically at the chosen time (Meta Business Suite, Buffer…).
Local SEO
Optimizing visibility on geolocated searches ("bakery near me", "plumber Lyon").
Profitability
A lever is profitable as long as what it brings in (LTV, margin) exceeds what it costs (CAC). The compass of investment.
Reporting
Regularly tracking and communicating results. Effective when concise and decision-oriented.
Social network
An exchange and content platform (LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube…), each with its own culture and audience.
Responsive
A site adapting to all screen sizes (mobile, tablet, desktop). Essential: most traffic is mobile.
Retargeting
Re-showing ads to people who already interacted (visited the site, abandoned a cart): highly effective.
Retention
The share of a video actually watched. Good retention pushes the algorithm to distribute further.
GDPR
The European regulation on data protection: governs the collection and use of personal data.
ROAS
Return On Ad Spend: revenue generated per €1 spent on advertising (e.g. a ROAS of 4 = €4 earned per € invested).
Scenario (workflow)
An automated chain "trigger → conditions → actions" (e.g. signup → welcome email series).
Quality score
Google's score assessing ad and landing page relevance. A good score lowers costs.
SEA / Google Ads
Search engine advertising: paid ads atop results, triggered by keywords.
Segmentation
Splitting your base into homogeneous groups (behavior, profile) to send more relevant messages.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization: optimizing a site to appear naturally (without advertising) in search results.
SERP
Search Engine Results Page: Google's results page, where you want to rank well.
Significance
A result's statistical reliability: enough data is needed to conclude without error (avoiding chance).
Website
A set of pages online under your domain name. A digital asset you own, unlike social networks.
Social selling
Using networks (especially LinkedIn) to build relationships and generate business opportunities, without aggressive prospecting.
Source / channel
Where visitors come from (Google search, social, email, direct, ads). Shows which levers bring traffic.
Content strategy
The plan defining what to publish, for whom, to what end: topics, formats, tone, frequency.
Overall digital strategy
The consistent assembly of levers (SEO, social, email, ads, analytics) serving unified goals and customer journey.
Channel synergy
The knock-on effect when channels reinforce each other (content feeds SEO, email follows up, ads amplify).
Dashboard
A concise view grouping key KPIs to manage at a glance and decide fast.
Engagement rate
The ratio of interactions to audience: measures relationship quality, often more telling than follower count.
Open / click rate
The share of emails opened / the share of recipients who clicked. A campaign's key indicators.
Conversion rate
The share of visitors completing the desired action. The key indicator of a page's or funnel's effectiveness.
Trend
A currently popular sound, format or concept. Following it (thoughtfully) can boost reach.
Conversion funnel
The staged journey turning a visitor into a customer (discovery → interest → action).
User Generated Content (UGC)
Content created by customers/subscribers (photos, reviews, testimonials): valuable social proof to showcase.
Vanity metric
A flattering but barely actionable number (follower count, raw views) that doesn't reflect real performance.
Tested variable
The single element changed between A and B (a headline, a button, a visual), to isolate its effect.
Monitoring
Watching what is said about the brand (Google alerts, mentions, review platforms) to react in time.
Sale
Closing the transaction with the customer. At the end of the chain, often made easier by good upstream marketing.
Loading speed
Page display time. A slow site drives visitors away and penalizes search ranking.
Web analytics
Analyzing a site's traffic and visitor behavior to guide marketing decisions.