Marketing Glossary

A method of comparing two versions of a web page, email, or ad to determine which performs better. Traffic is split between the two variants and conversion data is used to select the winner.

The use of artificial intelligence technologies — including machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics — to improve marketing efficiency and personalisation.

The visible, clickable text in a hyperlink. Anchor text provides context to both users and search engines about the content of the linked page.

The process of identifying which marketing channels or touchpoints contributed to a conversion. Attribution models include last-click, first-click, linear, and data-driven.

Business-to-Business — marketing and sales activities directed at other businesses rather than individual consumers. B2B marketing typically involves longer sales cycles and multiple decision-makers.

Business-to-Consumer — marketing and sales activities directed at individual consumers. B2C marketing typically involves shorter sales cycles and emotional purchase triggers.

A hyperlink from one website pointing to another. Backlinks are a key ranking factor in SEO — links from authoritative, relevant sites signal trust and authority to search engines.

The percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page without taking any action. A high bounce rate may indicate poor content relevance, slow page speed, or a bad user experience.

The extent to which consumers recognise and recall a brand. Building brand awareness is typically the top-of-funnel goal of marketing campaigns.

A prompt that encourages users to take a specific action, such as 'Get a Free Quote', 'Book a Call', or 'Download Now'. CTAs are critical conversion elements on landing pages and emails.

An AI-powered software application that simulates human conversation. Marketing chatbots qualify leads, answer FAQs, and book appointments 24/7 without human intervention.

The percentage of email recipients who click on a link within an email. Also called Click-Through Rate (CTR) in email context.

A strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant content to attract and retain a target audience. Includes blog posts, videos, podcasts, and whitepapers.

The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action (purchase, form submission, phone call). Calculated as (Conversions ÷ Total Visitors) × 100.

A set of Google metrics measuring real-world user experience: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction to Next Paint (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). These are ranking factors.

Cost Per Acquisition — the total cost to acquire one paying customer. Calculated by dividing total marketing spend by the number of new customers acquired.

Cost Per Click — the amount paid each time a user clicks on a paid advertisement. CPC varies by industry, competition, and ad quality score.

Cost Per Lead — the total advertising spend divided by the number of leads generated. A key efficiency metric for lead generation campaigns.

Cost Per Mille (thousand impressions) — an advertising pricing model where advertisers pay for every 1,000 times their ad is shown. Common in display and social media advertising.

The ability of search engine bots to access and navigate a website's pages. Poor crawlability — caused by broken links, robots.txt errors, or JavaScript issues — prevents pages from being indexed.

Customer Relationship Management — software used to manage a company's interactions with current and potential customers. CRMs track leads, deals, and customer communications.

Conversion Rate Optimisation — the systematic process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action. Involves A/B testing, user research, and UX improvements.

Click-Through Rate — the percentage of people who click on an ad or link after seeing it. Calculated as (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100. A higher CTR generally indicates more relevant ads.

The ability of an email to reach the recipient's inbox rather than being filtered into spam. Affected by sender reputation, authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and list hygiene.

A score (1–100) developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search engine results. It is calculated based on the number and quality of backlinks pointing to a domain.

A series of automated emails sent to subscribers over time, triggered by specific actions or time intervals. Drip campaigns nurture leads through the sales funnel.

The use of email to promote products or services, nurture leads, and build customer relationships. Includes newsletters, automated sequences, and transactional emails.

A selected search result displayed at the top of Google's results in a special box, often called 'Position Zero'. It directly answers a user's query and can significantly increase organic click-through rates.

A model representing the customer journey from awareness to purchase. The marketing funnel typically includes stages: Awareness → Interest → Consideration → Intent → Purchase → Loyalty.

A single instance of an ad being displayed to a user. Impressions measure reach but not engagement — they count every time an ad appears, regardless of whether it is clicked.

A marketing strategy that attracts customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them. Contrasts with outbound marketing (cold calling, paid ads).

The process of identifying search terms that users enter into search engines. Effective keyword research informs content strategy, on-page optimisation, and PPC campaigns.

Key Performance Indicator — a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a business is achieving its objectives. Common marketing KPIs include ROAS, CPL, organic traffic, and conversion rate.

A standalone web page designed for a specific marketing campaign. Visitors 'land' on it after clicking an ad or link. Effective landing pages have a single, clear call to action.

The process of attracting and converting strangers into prospects who have expressed interest in your product or service. Includes content marketing, paid ads, SEO, and outbound outreach.

The process of building relationships with potential customers at every stage of the sales funnel by providing relevant content and personalised communication.

A methodology for ranking leads based on their perceived value to the organisation. Scores are assigned based on demographic data and behavioural signals (page visits, email opens, form submissions).

Optimisation strategies designed to improve a business's visibility in local search results and Google Maps. Critical for businesses serving specific geographic areas.

A longer, more specific search phrase (typically 3+ words) with lower search volume but higher conversion intent. Long-tail keywords are less competitive and often easier to rank for.

Software that automates repetitive marketing tasks such as email sending, social media posting, and lead scoring. Enables personalised communication at scale.

Marketing Qualified Lead — a lead that has engaged with marketing content and is considered more likely to become a customer than other leads, but is not yet ready for direct sales contact.

Optimisation techniques applied directly to a web page to improve its search rankings. This includes title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, keyword usage, internal linking, and content quality.

The percentage of email recipients who open an email. Calculated as (Emails Opened ÷ Emails Delivered) × 100. Influenced by subject lines, sender name, and send time.

Website visitors who arrive through unpaid search engine results. Organic traffic is driven by SEO and is considered high-quality because users are actively searching for relevant content.

Organic marketing refers to unpaid strategies (SEO, content, social media) that build visibility over time. Paid marketing involves paying for placement (PPC, display ads, sponsored content) for immediate visibility.

Pay-Per-Click — an online advertising model where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. Google Ads and Meta Ads are the most common PPC platforms.

The use of statistical algorithms and machine learning to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data. Used in marketing to predict customer behaviour and optimise campaigns.

A Google Ads metric (1–10) that measures the relevance and quality of your keywords, ads, and landing pages. Higher Quality Scores reduce CPC and improve ad positions.

An advertising technique that shows ads to users who have previously visited your website or interacted with your brand. Retargeting keeps your brand visible to warm audiences and improves conversion rates.

Return on Ad Spend — a metric measuring the revenue generated for every pound spent on advertising. A ROAS of 4x means £4 in revenue for every £1 spent on ads.

Return on Investment — a measure of the profitability of an investment. In marketing, ROI is calculated as (Revenue from Marketing − Marketing Cost) ÷ Marketing Cost × 100.

Structured data code added to a web page that helps search engines understand its content. Schema can enable rich results like star ratings, FAQs, and event listings in SERPs.

The underlying goal or purpose behind a search query. The four main types are informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional. Matching content to search intent is critical for ranking.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the practice of improving a website's visibility in organic (unpaid) search engine results. It involves technical improvements, content creation, and link acquisition to rank higher for relevant search queries.

Search Engine Results Page — the page displayed by a search engine in response to a user's query. SERPs typically include organic results, paid ads, featured snippets, and local map packs.

The average amount of time users spend on a website during a single visit. Longer session durations typically indicate higher engagement and content relevance.

Sales Qualified Lead — a lead that has been vetted by both marketing and sales teams and is considered ready for direct sales engagement.

The process of optimising a website's infrastructure so search engines can crawl, index, and render it effectively. Covers site speed, mobile-friendliness, Core Web Vitals, structured data, and XML sitemaps.

Unique Selling Proposition — the factor or consideration presented by a business as the reason why its product or service is different from and better than the competition.

A clear statement that explains how a product or service solves a customer's problem, what benefits it delivers, and why the customer should choose it over alternatives.