Marketing Terms Everyone Should Know (A-B)

Marketing is everywhere!

Even if marketing isn’t your area of expertise, knowing the meaning of commonly-used marketing terms can be incredibly valuable.

Having a base comprehension of words frequently traded in business scenarios will open doors and help you to make the most out of your interactions with other professionals, regardless of industry. (You’d be surprised- marketing is everywhere!)

While not every occupation will be barraged with marketing-oriented terminology, being able to understand (more) of a conversation with a vendor, prospect, or coworker is worthwhile!

In the first part of our “Marketing Terms Everyone Should Know” series, we have listed some of the most commonly used marketing terms (beginning with A or B) that everyone should know:

 

A

A/B Testing (Split Testing)

“A/B testing” describes when two versions of a landing page are shown to visitors to see which one is received most favorably.

When testing newsletters, ads, and webpages, a/b testing proves invaluable.

Above the Fold

“Above the fold” refers to the section of a webpage that is visible without scrolling (the readily visible content and graphic design). The term used to almost exclusively refer to the information above the horizontal halfway point- “above the fold” – of a newspaper.  

Ad Group

In a typical marketing campaign, there are ad groups, which contain several ads with similar targets.

Each ad group’s ads are tested against specific keywords to determine their value to the objective/campaign.

Ads Manager (Facebook)

Ads Manager represents Point A in the process of creating Facebook ads. This is also the starting point for ads being run through Facebook and into Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network.

By accessing Ads Manager, you are able to 1) create new ad campaigns, 2) review/adjust campaigns, and 3) view real-time ad reporting results.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is an advertising model that enables third-party publishers to generate traffic and leads for a company’s products or services.

Of course, these individuals receive compensation for their efforts.

Affiliates promote a company’s products by running banner and text ads on their social media pages, websites, and via email.

Agile Marketing

“Agile marketing” refers to a marketing approach in which teams identify high value projects, work in short bursts of intense work, and follow up by measuring results.

Alt Tag

Also known as “alt attributes/descriptions”, alt tags are HTML attributes applied to images to aid in search engine discovery.

Because bots can’t “read” images, these text-based captions enable search engines to “find” your page by scanning the alt tags you attach to the images on your web page.

Algorithm

A sequence of steps that utilizes a set of inputs to produce a specific outcome.

Frequently used in: Search engines, social media pages.. pretty much everything online makes use of various “cause and effect” algorithms.

Analytics (Marketing Analytics)

Used to describe the various processes that measure, manage, and analyze marketing performance results, analytics are essential to optimize ROI (return on investment).

Analytics usually will offer incredibly detailed, in-depth statistics and insights that “surface level” types of information will not.

API (Application Programming Interface)

APIs allow for an application to take information from one source (software) and then translate and move that information back to home.

When you “copy and paste” a chunk of information from one place to another, you’re utilizing an API.

ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue)

“ARR” represents a monetary value that measures yearly revenue for subscription services.

Typically, this value is found by multiplying the monthly subscription fee by 12.

Attribution Modeling

Attribute models essentially track how various marketing channels impact the customer’s journey from discovery to conversion. In other words, an attribute model shows all the stops a customer took up until taking direct action with your company’s page, products, or services.

  

B

B2B (Business to Business)

B2B refers to any business conducted between two companies.

B2C (Business to Consumer)

B2C refers to business conducted between a business and an individual consumer, as opposed to another business.

Big Data

Simply put, big data refers to the gigantic amount of information that is available to companies and organizations. Due to its broad, generalized meaning, this term is generally used in an abstract sense.

This large volume of data is simply too much for traditional software to process.

Blogs/Blogging

In marketing, a blog is an online journal designed to generate leads and encourage consumers to buy your products and services.

Individual blogs typically discuss one topic or idea, expound upon and interpret the subject(s), and tie that information back to the services or products offered by the business with a CTA (call to action).

Blue Ocean Strategy (Theory)

Blue Ocean Strategy refers to a marketing theory discussed in the book of the same title written by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne.

As a theory, blue ocean strategy refers to the concept of “red oceans” (discovered markets) and “blue oceans” (undiscovered markets).

Basically, this theory ascertains that companies are frequently better off exploring blue oceans rather than battling other entities in red oceans.

Bookmarking (Social)

Bookmarking is a process that involves the storing, organizing, and management of “bookmarks” of web pages.

Bookmarking enables content to be publicly shared on a bookmarking site, which is then seen and shared by viewers.

Having your site bookmarked is a great way to gain exposure for your business since tags are used in the way keywords are used for SEO.

Boosts (Facebook)

“Boosting a Facebook Post” refers to the process of paying to “boost” a post on Facebook so that it 1) appears higher in your audience’s newsfeed and 2) is seen by users who aren’t yet fans of your page.

Bottom of Funnel

“Bottom of the funnel” refers to the content that provides consumers with an offer and reasons to follow through with the purchase.

Bottom of the funnel is associated with the purchase (action) stage of the sales process.

Bounce Rate

“Bounce rate” is a term used when analyzing web traffic that describes the percentage of visitors that enter a webpage and then leave before continuing on to the site’s other pages.

Brand Advocate

In online advertising, a brand advocate refers to a customer that passes on positive word-of-mouth messages about a brand to other consumers.

Brand advocates are loyal fans to your brand that transfer their enthusiasm about your products to their followers, friends, and associates.

Brand Awareness

“Brand awareness” refers to the extent of customers’ familiarity with your brand. Ideally, becoming a “household name” is the goal of many brands focusing on raising brand awareness.

Brand Identity

“Brand identity” refers to what makes you instantly recognizable by your customers.

Basically, it is the complete collection of all the various moving parts – such as logo, mission statement, and online personality – that combine to create the ‘image’ that is portrayed to customers.

Business Manager (Facebook)

Facebook’s Business Manager is a tool that enables businesses and organizations to manage their company’s page, client ad accounts, and various other programs all in one place.

Buyer Persona

A buyer persona is customer profile based on your ideal customer.

When creating this semi-fictional persona, the more detail, the better. Customer demographics, goals, and interest are essential to the formulation of a truly representative customer persona.

 

Fusion Group USA

Fusion Group USA understands that digital marketing is an incredibly powerful tool for today’s businesses. With so many social media platforms and ways to market your message, it’s incredibly easy to accidentally skip steps or neglect to pay attention to important processes.

From in-depth analysis of factors such as reach, exposure, and audience to “big picture” strategizing, Fusion Group USA is here to put your business on the center stage. Contact us today to learn how easy it is to help your business reach heights you’d only dreamed of!