Whether it was browsing the web or reading blog posts right here, you’ve run into it:
An absolutely unfamiliar term.
Too many times were you forced to rely on a Wikipedia definition (your high school teacher would be so upset) or live with it’s mystery for eternity.
From this day forward, you can consider yourself freed from that dilemma. Welcome to the beginner’s essential geek glossary for web design and marketing.
A
A/B Testing
Comparing two variations of a website or web design feature to determine which achieves the highest conversion rate.
Analytics
Points of data and patterns that reveal something about a website; often where website traffic is coming from. Many analytics are found in Google Analytics.
B
B2B
Business to business. Companies that sell to other companies versus the public.
B2C
Business to consumer. Companies that sell to consumers.
Blog
Many businesses now market to their target audience through blogs which educate readers on their services and lead them through the sales funnel. Not to be confused with a personal blog without any marketing goals behind it.
Bounce Rate
The percentage of users who leave your website after viewing only one page.
Brand Identity
How a brand is perceived by its audiences. Apple is an example of a company with an established brand identity. Their uncomplicated, modern, cutting edge style flows right through their website.
Buyer Persona
A representation of your target audience based on market research and data.
Buyer’s Journey
The steps consumers take to make a purchase decision. It usually looks something like this:
They recognize a problem ➔ Research a solution ➔ Make a purchase decision
C
Call-to-Action (CTA)
Something (button, pop-up, image) that encourages users to click and convert. It includes a link that brings the user to a landing page where they fill out their contact information in order to claim whatever is being offered.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
Responsible for fonts, colors, background images, and making your website unique.
Churn Rate
A metric used to measure customer retention. To calculate:
Customers you lost during a time period / Customers you had at beginning of time period.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
When users click through the steps in your marketing campaign, from one webpage to another. To calculate:
Clicks your page receives / Chances users had to click (pageviews etc.)
Closed-Loop Marketing
The ability to track marketing campaigns, measure their success and how they’ve impacted the bottom-line.
Conversion
When your target audience moves into the next stage of the path you want them to take. For example:
User clicks Call-To-Action and fills out contact information ➔ User is now converted to a lead
Content
Comes in many different forms (white papers, blogs, videos, infographics). It’s purpose is to educate users during their pre-purchase research and help them arrive at a purchase decision. It also can help with search engine optimization when written correctly.
Content Offer
When you attach content to a call-to-action, it becomes an offer users give their contact information to claim. A content offer is a prize and should be more enticing than usual content.
Cost-Per-Lead (CPL)
The amount of money it costs your business to convert a visitor into a lead.
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
The cost of your sales and marketing. To calculate:
Add up all marketing expenses during a time period / Number of new customers during that time period
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
System used to track all interactions with existing customers and leads.
D
Direct Marketing
Advertising directly to consumers rather than through retailers.
E
Ebook
Longer than a whitepaper or blog, an Ebook is generally used as a content offer that goes in depth on a topic.
Editorial Calendar
This is how you (or your marketer) keep your marketing organized. Campaigns, social posts, blogs, topics, buyer personas; they’re all in here.
Engagement Rate
A metric referring to the amount of interaction users have with your material. Generally gauged by social media likes, comments, shares.
Evergreen Content
Content that has no expiration date. It continues to deliver value to readers regardless of when they find it. For example:
Evergreen: 7 Ways to Raise Happy, Healthy Kids
Not evergreen: 5 Reasons Your Teen Will Love the New IPhone 7
F
One of the best social networks to market your business. Besides connecting with existing leads, customers, and their social circles, you now have the ability to advertise to target audiences. Learn more about Facebook marketing here.
Form
Commonly used on landing pages and contact pages, this is where users fill out their contact information and become a lead.
G
Google+ (Google Plus)
A social network owned by Google. Not only is this a great addition to your social media marketing, it can help boost SEO.
Growth-Driven Design (GDD)
Website design that minimizes the risks associated with traditional website design. The process is spread over the course of a year and changes are based on data. Here’s an article about GDD if you’d like to learn why it’s increasingly more effective.
Check out the second half here with terms H-Z!
