Digital Marketing Glossary – Key Acronyms

28 September 2022

As if digital marketing wasn’t already complex enough with all its branches, techniques and tools. Add a whole bunch of abbreviations to this mix and you’ve guaranteed yourself a headache. But worry not. Our Glossary of Digital Marketing Terms desonstructs all the key acronyms you need to know.

SEO

search engine optimization

Refers to the set of adjustments aimed at improving the quality and quantity of unpaid organic traffic from search engines to a website. One example are the keywords you add to your blog posts, so they can be better indexed by Google and other search engines, and come up higher in user searches. Other SEO techniques include upgrading website speed, optimizing images, writing meta descriptions and assuring good internal linking.

Check out our series of posts for more tips on improving SEO.

LSEO

local search engine optimization

A strategy aimed at improving the visibility of your business in local search engine results. The best you can do for LSEO is create a Google Business account. If you’re interested in learning how to make the best of this Google service, we have the answers here.

SEM

search engine marketing

Refers to increasing a website’s visibility in search engine results mainly through paid advertising. The most popular form of SEM are Google Ads.

SERP

search engine results page

A SERP is the page you see after you perform a search on Google, Yahoo, Bing or other search engine. SERPs include organic search results, as well as paid ones like those from Google Ads.

UGC

user-generated content

Refers to brand-centered content, created by users, instead of the brand itself. It could be a social media post, a review, a video, or some other form.

PPC

pay per click

A model of internet advertising, in which the advertiser pays the publisher each time an ad is clicked on.

CPC

cost per click

The fee which an advertiser pays to a publisher each time an ad is clicked on.

CPA

cost per action

A model of internet advertising, in which the advertiser is charged only for a specific action performed by a potential customer.

CPM

cost per mille or per 1000 impressions

The cost an advertiser pays for 1000 impressions on their ad.

CTR

click through rate

The ratio between users who click on a specific link and those who have viewed the respective ad, page, post or email.

CRO

conversion rate optimization

A set of techniques aimed at increasing the rate of conversion, i.e. increasing the number of people who buy, subscribe or perform any other action previously defined as a conversion.

BR

bounce rate

The percentage of visitors on a website that only view one page (the one they landed on) and then leave the website without taking any action (like visiting another webpage or clicking a button).

CMS

content management system

A software allowing users to create, modify, publish and store digital content.

The most popular example of a CMS is WordPress. Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of using WordPress.

CRM

customer relationship management

The combination of strategies, processes and technologies aimed at analyzing and managing the interaction with customers on the basis of data analysis. In digital marketing, CRM often refers to a software such as Salesforce and HubSpot.

ESP

email service provider

Used to refer either to email marketing software or to email services such as Gmail and Outlook.

UX

user experience

A user’s interaction and perception of a product, system or service. UX design is essential for websites as it increases the chances of the users interacting with the content and ultimately – of converting into customers.

UI

user interface

The space of interaction between humans and machines. In website and app design, it refers to the set of all visual elements, with which a user interacts directly: typography, icons, colors, forms, and buttons, among others.

CTA

call to action

A prompt for a user or audience to take an action. For example “Buy now” button, “Comment below” text in social media post.

ROPO

research online, purchase offline

Consumer behaviour in which the buyer researches for product information online but makes the actual purchase offline.

GA4

Google Analytics 4

The newest edition of the web analytics service offered by Google which tracks and reports website traffic.

UA

Universal Analytics

The previous edition of Google’s web analytics service. Will be replaced by GA4 in July 2023.

GTM

Google Tag Manager

Google’s tag system which allows you to configure and assign tags (tracking pixels) on your website or app. Tags help with site analytics and collecting more accurate data, as well as with conversion and activity tracking across websites and apps.

GBM

Google Business Manager

Sometimes used to refer to Google’s business listing service. It’s one of the most useful tools for SEO and in general for raising online brand visibility, in addition to being super easy to use. Learn more about Google Business and how to make the most of it.

GSC

Google Search Console

A service by Google allowing you to measure a website’s search traffic and performance, obtain valuable insights and fix issues (such as non-indexed pages).

ROI

return on investment

In marketing, ROI is the profit which marketing campaigns and initiatives generate for the business.

MQL

marketing qualified lead

A lead, or in other words a potential customer, who is considered by a marketing team to be qualified for sales. Such a lead is deemed more inclined to buy and become a customer.

SQL

sales qualified lead

A lead, who is considered by a sales team to be qualified to become a customer. An MQL becomes an SQL when the sales team agrees with the marketing team that a lead has sufficient buying intent and is a good fit for pursuing.

YoY (MoM, QoQ)

year over year / month over month / quarter after quarter

A measure of how a number has changed compared to the same period a year, month or quarter earlier.