Marketing

30 Important Digital Marketing Terms Every Small Business Owner Should Know

If you’re a busy small business owner or nonprofit leader, keeping track of all the marketing lingo can be challenging. If you’re looking for a one-stop solution that explains the most important digital marketing terms, you’ve come to the right place.

Digital marketing is a rapidly evolving field, and keeping up with the latest trends and terminology can be difficult for even experienced marketers. In this post, we’ll outline some key digital marketing terms that every small business owner should know to help them stay on top of their game.

By the way, if you missed our last post be sure to check that out as well: Digital Marketing 101: Invest Heavily in These Tactics for Big Long-Term Payoffs

1. A/B Testing — A/B testing, or split testing, is a widely used method in marketing and advertising. This process involves running two different versions of a product or service to a targeted audience and assessing which version performs best. The goal of A/B testing is to identify opportunities to increase conversion rates, boost engagement, or improve other key metrics. This allows companies to fine-tune their marketing strategies, optimize their products and services, and ultimately improve their bottom line. Whether you’re launching a new campaign or looking to polish an existing one, A/B testing is essential for determining what works and what doesn’t.

2. Google Analytics — Google Analytics is a free web analytics tool that helps website owners track and analyze their visitors. This data reveals where traffic is coming from, which pages are being visited, and how users are interacting with the site. Use this information to improve website design and content as well as identify potential areas of improvement. Google Analytics is a powerful tool that can help website owners make data-driven decisions about their business.

3. Backlinks — Backlinks are one of the most powerful tools any website can use to increase its search engine ranking. These links, which come from websites with high authority in a specific subject area, serve as vital endorsements that let search engines know your site is relevant and trustworthy. High-quality backlinks not only improve your ranking on major search engines like Google and Bing, but they also drive more traffic to your site, helping you earn more customers and grow your business. Whether you’re trying to establish your brand online or simply boost your visibility, building a solid backlink strategy is key to achieving success.

4. Bounce Rate — Bounce rate is the percentage of people who leave your website after viewing only one page. So, if 100 people visit your site and 50 of them immediately click away, your bounce rate would be 50%. The bounce rate is significant because it’s a good indicator of whether or not your website is engaging. If people are bouncing away quickly, it means they’re not finding what they’re looking for, or they’re not interested in what you have to offer. Either way, it’s something you should aim to reduce. There are several ways to do this, such as making sure your site loads quickly, ensuring that your content is relevant and interesting, and making it easy for visitors to navigate your site. By reducing your bounce rate, you can make your site more effective and increase the chances of converting visitors into customers or leads.

5. Buyer Persona — A buyer or marketing persona is a fictional character that represents your ideal customer. When creating a buyer persona, you’ll want to give them a name, age, occupation, and other relevant details. Once you’ve got your buyer persona fleshed out, you can use them as a reference point when making marketing and product decisions. For example, if you’re trying to decide whether to invest in a new marketing campaign, you can ask yourself, “would my buyer persona be interested in this?” By keeping your buyer persona in mind, you can help ensure that your marketing efforts are focused on the right people.

6. Call to Action — A call to action, or CTA, is a request or suggestion that directs the reader to take a specific course of action. This could involve engaging with a product or service, donating to a cause, or simply changing one’s behavior. For example, if the goal is to encourage people to vote in an upcoming election, one might include a CTA urging people to register before the deadline. Or, if your goal is to raise money for a charitable cause, you might provide information about how to make donations through your website or social media account. Regardless of what kind of CTA you use, your message must be clear and concise so that people will know what you’re asking them to do and how they can do it.

7. Click-through Rate — A click-through rate (CTR) is a marketing term that measures the success of an online advertising campaign. CTR is the number of times an ad is clicked divided by the number of times it is seen. For example, if an ad is clicked 100 times and seen 1,000 times, its CTR would be 10%. CTR is used to measure an ad campaign’s effectiveness and determine how much money to spend on future campaigns. A high CTR means that people are interested in the advertised product or service. A low CTR means that people are not interested in the advertised product or service. Or perhaps you need to change up your ad copy or visual to appeal to your ideal prospect.

8. Content Marketing — Content marketing is the process of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience—and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action. Sounds simple enough, right? But if you’ve ever tried your hand at content marketing, you know that it’s anything but easy. Developing a successful content marketing strategy requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and creativity. But if you can crack the code, the rewards can be pretty sweet. After all, there’s nothing quite like seeing your hard work pay off in the form of increased traffic, engagement, and conversions.

Read More: 5 Must-Haves for a Successful Content Marketing Campaign

9. Content Management System (CMS) — A content management system, or CMS, is a vital tool for businesses and organizations that need to keep their website up-to-date. A CMS is essentially a centralized location where all of the content for a website can be stored and managed. This includes text, images, videos, and unique metadata like tags, titles, and descriptions that help search engines index the site’s content. With a CMS, it is easy to make changes to your website without worrying about editing code or other technical details. Whether you are posting new blog posts, tweaking your product descriptions, or updating your contact information, a CMS makes managing your website simple and efficient.

Read More: 10 WordPress Pros and Cons To Help You Choose the Best Website Builder

10. Conversion Rate — A conversion rate measures the effectiveness of a website, product, or marketing campaign. It refers to the number of people who take the desired action after interacting with some sort of digital or physical medium. This might mean purchasing a product, downloading an app, signing up for a newsletter, or clicking on an ad. While there are many different ways to calculate conversion rates, they all provide important insights into how well your marketing efforts resonate with your target audience and whether your business is on track to meet its goals.

Read More: UX/UI 101: How User Experience Strategy Helps Improve Conversions

11. Engagement Rate — When it comes to social media, engagement is everything. An engagement rate is a metric that measures how often users interact with your content, and it’s a good way to gauge the success of your social media strategy. Many factors can affect your engagement rate, including the quality of your content, the frequency of your posts, and the size of your audience. But one thing is for sure: if you want to succeed on social media, you need to make sure your engagement rate is high.

Read More: Simple Ways to Get More Engagement on Facebook

12. Google Ads (Adwords) — Google Ads is a platform that allows businesses to advertise their products and services on Google’s search engine results pages. Through this platform, advertisers can create targeted text, image, and video ads, which will appear alongside relevant search results when online users search for keywords related to those products or services. Because Google Ads is such a popular advertising channel, businesses of all sizes can use it to promote their offerings to a wide range of potential customers. Whether you are looking to generate leads or boost sales, Google Ads has the tools and analytics you need to achieve your marketing goals.

Read More: Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits: 5 Tips for Success

13. Google Algorithm — Google Algorithm is the name given to the mathematical formula that decides what order websites are displayed when someone uses the Google search engine. The algorithm considers several factors, including the relevancy of the website to the search term, the number of other websites linking to it, and the age of the domain. While the exact details of the algorithm are a closely guarded secret, Google periodically releases updates that can have a major impact on how websites are ranked. As a result, SEO experts spend a lot of time staying ahead of the curve and ensuring that their clients’ websites are as visible as possible.

14. Google My Business — Google My Business is a free tool that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. Businesses can control their business information by claiming and verifying their business listing, such as their hours of operation, website URL, and category. In addition, businesses can post photos and messages to engage with their customers. Google My Business is an essential tool for any business that wants to be visible on Google. Not only does it help businesses to control their online information, but it also provides an easy way for customers to find and connect with businesses. As a result, Google My Business is a valuable tool for businesses and customers.

Read More: 10 Common Google My Business Problems and Tips to Help You Fix Them

15. Google Search Console — Google Search Console is a free platform that helps you monitor and improve your website’s performance in Google Search. It provides detailed insights into your website’s SEO, including keyword rankings, organic search traffic, and backlinks. With Google Search Console, you can identify and fix errors on your site that could be damaging your SEO. You can also use it to submit your website to Google for indexing and to track your progress over time. In short, Google Search Console is a powerful tool that every serious web administrator should be using.

16. Hashtags — If you’re new to the social media world, you might be wondering: what are hashtags? Hashtags are a way of categorizing posts on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. They look like this: # Hashtags are used to help people find posts about topics that interest them. For example, if you’re interested in fashion, you might search for the hashtag #fashion. If you’re interested in politics, you might search for the hashtag #politics. And if you’re interested in cute animal videos, you might search for the hashtag #cuteanimalvideos (we all have our priorities). Hashtags can be used to start or join conversations about any topic. So if you see a post with a hashtag that interests you, don’t be afraid to chime in!

Read More: Fundamentals of a Successful Social Media Content Plan (and How to Follow Through)

17. Impressions — In the world of online analytics, an “impression” is defined as a single instance of your content being seen by a user. This could be viewing a webpage, watching a video, or seeing an ad. Impressions are important metrics to track because it shows how far your content is reaching. However, it’s important to remember that not all impressions are created equal. For example, an ad that appears on a website for just a fraction of a second is not likely to have the same impact as an article that someone takes the time to read. As such, analysts often look at other measures in addition to impressions when trying to assess the effectiveness of their content. Still, impressions provide a valuable starting point for understanding how well your content is performing.

18. Keywords — Most people have heard of keywords, but they may not be entirely sure what they are. In a nutshell, keywords are the words and phrases that people use when searching for information online. When it comes to SEO (search engine optimization), keywords are essential because SEO is all about ensuring that your website ranks high in the search engine results pages (SERPs). And one of the main factors that determine your ranking is the keywords you use on your website. If you want to attract more visitors to your site, you need to choose the right keywords and use them strategically. With a little effort, you can make sure that your website shows up at the top of the SERPs for the keywords that matter most to your business.

19. Landing Page — A landing page is a single web page where visitors can enter their information in exchange for a free offer or other rewards. These pages typically have a simple user interface designed specifically to persuade users to complete the desired action. Landing pages are used for a variety of purposes, including lead generation, email sign-ups, product promotions, surveys, contest entries, and more. By intelligently crafting your landing pages around your target audience and desired outcomes, you can boost your conversion rates and get more out of your online marketing efforts. So if you’re looking to increase your reach and capture more leads with less effort, consider investing in a powerful landing page today!

Read More: The Purpose of Landing Pages (And The Guidelines for a Good One)

20. Lead Magnet — A lead magnet, or lead capture device, is a content marketing tool that attracts potential customers by offering something of value in exchange for an email address or other contact information. It can take many different forms, such as an e-book, video tutorial, discount code, or free trial. Typically, it serves as an incentive for prospective customers to engage with a brand, thereby opening the door for further interactions and conversions. The effectiveness of a lead magnet depends on its ability to provide real value to its audience and stand out from the competition. But no matter what form it takes, a strong lead magnet can be one of the most effective tools in any marketer’s arsenal.

Read More: Lead Generation Hacks That Can Save You Time and Money

21. Meta Tag — A meta tag is an HTML element that provides information about a web page. Meta tags are not visible to users, but search engines and other web-based applications can read them. The most common type of meta tag is the title tag, which specifies the title of a document. Other popular meta tags include the description tag, which provides a brief summary of a page’s content, and the keywords tag, which specifies a list of keywords associated with a page. While meta tags are not required for all web pages, they can be useful for improving the visibility of a site in search engine results pages (SERPs).

22. Online Directories — An online directory is a website that allows businesses and individuals to list their contact information. This can include their name, address, phone number, email address, and website URL. Online directories are similar to traditional print directories, but they are easier to search and update. Although some may charge a listing fee, many online directories are free to use. Businesses can also pay to have their listing featured more prominently on the site. Online directories can be an invaluable tool for promoting a business, as they make it easy for customers to find the company’s contact information.

Read More: What’s a Digital Footprint and Why Does It Matter to My Business?

23. Organic Traffic — Organic traffic is free traffic that your website gets because you’ve shared useful content optimized with specific keywords. This is different from paid traffic that comes from pay-per-click advertising. If you’re familiar with the PR world, this is similar to earned media versus paid media.

24. Page Speed — Page speed measures how quickly a web page loads.  Many factors contribute to page speed, including server response time, file sizes, images, and scripts. Server response time is the time it takes for a web server to receive and process a request from a browser. Page load time is the time it takes for a page to load in a browser fully. Page speed is important because it affects both the user experience and the search engine optimization of a website. A faster page load time usually results in a better user experience, as users are less likely to get frustrated and leave the site. In addition, faster page speeds can improve SEO.

Read More: Six Questions to Help You Evaluate Your Website

25. Pay-Per-Click — Pay-per-click, or PPC, is an advertising model in which advertisers pay a fee each time a user clicks on their ad’s link. Advertisers bid on keywords that they believe users will enter into the search engine when they are looking for products or services that the advertiser offers. When a user types a query that matches the advertiser’s keyword list, the advertiser’s ad appears next to the search results. The advertiser only pays when the user clicks on the ad. Pay per click can be an effective way to drive traffic to your site, but it’s important to remember that you’re essentially paying for each visit, so it’s important to make sure that those visits are valuable. In other words, don’t just focus on getting as many clicks as possible – focus on getting clicks from users who are likely to be interested in what you have to offer.

26. Retargeting — Retargeting ads are digital advertisements aimed at customers who have already engaged with a particular brand or website. These targeted ads typically appear on other websites that the customer visits and are designed to draw their attention back to the brand in question. Retargeting has become incredibly popular as companies seek more innovative ways to reach prospective customers. By targeting audiences who already have some level of interest in their product or service, advertisers can significantly increase their rate of conversions and improve overall ROI.

27. Search Engine Results Page (SERP) — A search engine results page (or SERP) is simply a list of the results returned by your search. These results may take various forms, including links to web pages, related images, videos, and more. The SERPs are generated automatically by complex algorithms that analyze hundreds of different factors, all in order to deliver the most relevant, up-to-date results for any given query. Several key strategies are available to improve your standing, enjoy higher clickthrough rates, and increase traffic from search engines. For example, optimizing your meta descriptions and using keywords effectively can make a big difference in your ranking on the SERP. And consistently creating fresh content tailored to specific keyword targets can help boost your visibility on the page.

28. SEO — Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the process of optimizing a website for Google’s search algorithm. In other words, it’s a way to make your site more visible in Google’s search results. There are a number of factors that contribute to a website’s SEO, including the quality of its content, the structure of its URL, and the strength of its backlinks. By tweaking these and other elements, web administrators can improve their site’s ranking in Google’s search results. And that can lead to more traffic and more customers.

Read More: Why You Need SEO in Your Digital Marketing Strategy (& How We Can Help!)

29. Video Marketing — Video marketing is creating and sharing engaging videos to promote a product, service, or brand. While that may sound simple enough, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye. For starters, videos can be shared across a variety of platforms, including social media, email, and websites. Additionally, they can be used to generate leads, drive website traffic, and boost sales. In other words, video marketing is a powerful tool that can be used to achieve a variety of marketing goals. If you’re looking to promote your business, consider giving video marketing a try.

Read More: 10 Digital Video Advertising Best Practices for a Competitive Edge

30. Website Visits — Website visits are defined as the number of unique visitors who come to a site over the course of a given time. This metric is vital for understanding how popular a site is and how much traffic it receives. Website visits are measured in several ways, including page views, unique visitors, and time spent on site. By understanding website visits, businesses can better gauge the success of their online marketing efforts and adjust their strategies accordingly. Additionally, website visits can provide insights into customer behavior, such as what type of content is most popular or what products are viewed most often. By tracking website visits, businesses can gain valuable insights that can help them drive more sales and grow their online presence.

There you have it! A solid 101 on all the important digital marketing terms you need for a competitive edge. If you have questions or need assistance with digital marketing, please contact us to schedule a meeting today!