Considering that every industry has its own language, concepts, and acronyms, try to familiarize yourself with this list if you are interested in the Marketing Communications industry. The list of need-to-know terms will continue to grow as time, techniques, and technologies advance, so feel comfortable asking about a term or acronym if you are unfamiliar with it because chances are that others are also in the dark when they hear “UX,” “KPI,” or “CTA.”
General Marketing Terms
- Analytics: In marketing, analytics refers to the process of analyzing data to determine the return on investment of a particular marketing activity. Marketers may also use the term “analytics” to talk about the dashboard or system they use to review and track this data.
- B2B: Business-to-business marketing refers to companies that market their products or services to other businesses rather than individual consumers. (See also B2C below for comparison.)
- B2C: Business-to-consumer marketing refers to companies that sell their products or services directly to the end customer.
- Brand: A brand is the way a company is perceived and experienced by potential customers. Pieces of a brand include its logo and other design elements, the voice it uses when interacting with customers, and the target customers it’s known for serving.
- Brand awareness: The extent to which potential customers are familiar with your company and the distinct images or qualities that are associated with what you are selling.
- Buyer persona: Imaginary profiles of ideal customers based on real-life consumer data, which are used to inform the audience, tactics, and tone of marketing activities.
- Call to Action (CTA): A prompt encouraging website visitors to take a specific action, such as signing up for an email newsletter or making a purchase. CTAs guide potential customers through the next step in the sales funnel.
- Campaign: A cohesive set of marketing activities designed to achieve a specific goal, such as spreading awareness of a product or increasing sales.
- Case study: A type of content showcasing a company’s work with a past customer, often using statistics or other quantifiable results to highlight the value provided.
- Cold calling/emailing: Outreach by phone or email to potential customers with whom the company has had no prior contact.
- Content: Any piece of information created to be viewed by an audience, such as blog posts, email newsletters, social media posts, videos, or print brochures.
- Customer journey: The process that describes the stages a potential customer goes through—from showing initial interest to completing a purchase or interaction.
- Engagement: Refers to the connection and relationship marketers build over time with their customers, often measured by actions like clicks, comments, or shares in digital marketing.
- Lead: A potential customer who has engaged with a brand and shows interest in its products or services.
- Qualified Lead: Leads identified as high-potential customers based on engagement or data, often passed along to sales teams for follow-up.
- Return on Investment (ROI): A core metric of whether a marketing campaign yielded enough success to justify its cost.
- Sales funnel: The process that potential customers go through before making a purchase, starting with awareness and leading to conversion.
- Unique Selling Proposition (USP): The standout feature, quality, or value that differentiates a product or service from its competitors.
Media, PR, and Communications Terms
- Byline: An article written for a publication, often ghostwritten to appear under a client’s name.
- Earned Media: Publicity or exposure a company receives from third-party sources, such as journalists or influencers, without paying for it.
- Media Relations: Managing the relationship with members of the media to secure press coverage and maintain a positive brand reputation.
- Media Training: Prepping clients to effectively handle media interviews, ensuring they deliver the desired messaging while maintaining confidence and composure.
- Newsjacking: Injecting your brand, service, or client into trending or breaking news to gain publicity or visibility.
- Owned Media: Media channels directly controlled by a business, such as its website, blog, or LinkedIn profile.
- Pitch: A proposed story idea shared with journalists, often used to secure media coverage. This is typically sent in an email or via direct outreach on social platforms.
- Press Release: An official statement or announcement sent to the media to share important news about a business, product, or event.
- Share of Voice (SOV): A metric that evaluates how much visibility or market presence a brand, product, or service has compared to its competitors.
- SME (Subject Matter Expert): An authority on a topic, often used as a spokesperson for a company or specialized projects.
- Stakeholder: Any individual or group—internal or external—who has an interest in a business’s success.
- Thought Leadership: Positioning oneself or a brand as an expert in a specific discipline through content, speaking engagements, or other authoritative statements.
- Top-Tier: Industry jargon referring to the most prestigious national news outlets, such as The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times.
Digital Marketing Terms
- Content Management System (CMS): A tool marketers and web developers use to create and manage digital content on websites (e.g., WordPress).
- Keyword: Words or short phrases used in search engines by users, often incorporated into content to increase search engine visibility (SEO).
- Landing Page: A standalone web page used as part of a marketing campaign, often featuring a strong CTA like signing up for a service.
- Lead Magnet: A free item or resource offered in exchange for contact information, such as a free PDF guide or discount code.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Strategies and techniques for improving how a webpage ranks in search engine results pages (SERPs), often by using relevant keywords and high-quality content.
- Social Proof: The phenomenon where potential customers are more likely to trust a brand or product if they see other users recommending or endorsing it (e.g., testimonials, reviews).
Social Media Marketing Terms
- Avatar: A profile image used for representation on social media.
- Boosted Post: A paid promotion for a social media post, typically used to target specific demographics and increase visibility.
- Cross-Channel: The use of consistent messaging and creative assets across multiple marketing channels, such as combining social media, email, and traditional marketing efforts.
- Dark Post: Targeted social media advertisements that do not appear on the company’s formal profile or page but are shown directly in targeted users’ feeds.
- Vlog: A “video blog” released regularly as part of a brand’s content strategy.
Market Research and Analytics Terms
- A/B Testing: Experiments comparing two versions of marketing material (e.g., webpages or email designs) to evaluate which performs better.
- Conversion Rate: Measures the percentage of users who take a specified action on a website or platform—this could range from completing a purchase to signing up for a newsletter.
- Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): The total expense incurred to acquire a new customer.
- Customer Segmentation: Dividing customers into distinct groups based on demographics, behavior, or other factors to tailor marketing strategies.
- Key Performance Indicator (KPI): Data points or metrics used to determine whether a marketing strategy is meeting specific goals.
- Metrics: Quantifiable indicators (like click-through rate or bounce rate) used to assess campaign performance.
- S.W.O.T Analysis: A strategic planning framework that evaluates a company’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
Additional Useful Concepts
- In-House vs. Agency: A comparison of working directly for one company (in-house) versus working for a third-party agency serving multiple clients.
- Whitespace: Refers to untapped market opportunities or unmet consumer needs where there is little competition.
