Marketing & Tech
Dictionary.
Common terms and definitions to help you navigate the digital landscape.
Strategy & Growth Operations
B2B (Business-to-Business)
B2B refers to commerce and marketing between businesses, where the buyer is an organization rather than an individual consumer.
View Definition →B2B Marketing
B2B marketing is the discipline of generating demand, pipeline, and revenue for products and services sold to other businesses.
View Definition →Churn Rate
The percentage of customers who stop doing business with you.
View Definition →Content Marketing
Content marketing is the discipline of creating and distributing valuable content to attract, engage, and convert a defined audience.
View Definition →Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is the total cost of winning a customer to purchase a product or service. It includes all sales and marketing costs.
View Definition →Customer Advocacy
Strategies to turn satisfied customers into vocal promoters.
View Definition →Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) refers to the technology and strategies used to manage all your company's relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers.
View Definition →Fractional CMO
An experienced marketing executive hired on a part-time retainer.
View Definition →Fractional Leadership
Fractional leadership is the practice of hiring senior executives on a part-time, retained basis instead of as full-time employees.
View Definition →Growth Loop
A self-reinforcing system where user actions fuel further growth.
View Definition →Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
An Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is a detailed description of the company or individual that would get the most value from your product or service, and provide the most value to your company.
View Definition →Lead Velocity Rate (LVR)
The growth speed of qualified leads month-over-month.
View Definition →Lifetime Value (LTV)
Lifetime Value (LTV) is the total revenue a business can expect from a single customer account throughout the business relationship.
View Definition →Market Sophistication
The level of competition and buyer awareness in a market.
View Definition →Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)
A lead who has engaged with your marketing efforts and is more likely to become a customer than other leads, but isn't quite ready to buy yet.
View Definition →Marketing Technology (MarTech)
Marketing technology is the stack of software tools used to plan, execute, measure, and optimize marketing programs across channels.
View Definition →MRR / ARR (Recurring Revenue)
Monthly and Annual Recurring Revenue.
View Definition →North Star Metric
The single metric that best captures core value delivered to customers.
View Definition →Opportunity Cost
The potential benefit missed when choosing one alternative over another.
View Definition →Payback Period
The time it takes to recover the cost of acquiring a customer.
View Definition →Pipeline Velocity
The speed at which leads move through your sales process and convert into revenue.
View Definition →Revenue Operations (RevOps)
Revenue Operations (RevOps) is the strategic convergence of sales, marketing, and customer success operations to drive full-funnel accountability and predictable growth.
View Definition →Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)
A lead that has been vetted by your team and is ready for a direct sales conversation or proposal.
View Definition →TAM / SAM / SOM (Market Sizing)
A framework for estimating the potential revenue opportunity of a market.
View Definition →Unit Economics
The direct revenues and costs associated with a business model on a per-unit basis.
View Definition →Value Proposition
A statement explaining why a customer should choose you over competitors.
View Definition →Web Architecture & Performance
ADA Compliance
Ensuring digital content is accessible to people with disabilities.
View Definition →API-First
Designing the API before the UI or other components.
View Definition →Astro
Astro is a modern web framework for building fast, content-driven websites that ship zero JavaScript by default.
View Definition →Brotli / Gzip Compression
Methods to reduce file size for network transmission.
View Definition →Caching Strategy
Rules for storing file copies to serve future requests faster.
View Definition →Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a geographically distributed group of servers which work together to provide fast delivery of Internet content.
View Definition →Content Management System (CMS)
A Content Management System (CMS) is software that helps users create, manage, and modify content on a website without the need for specialized technical knowledge.
View Definition →DNS (Domain Name System)
The phonebook of the internet.
View Definition →Edge Computing
Bringing computation and data storage closer to the user.
View Definition →Headless CMS
A Headless CMS is a content management system that provides a way to author content, but the content is separated (decoupled) from the way it is displayed (the 'head').
View Definition →Information Architecture (IA)
The structural design of shared information environments.
View Definition →Islands Architecture
Islands Architecture is a web architecture pattern where most of the page is static HTML and only specific interactive components ('islands') ship JavaScript.
View Definition →Minification
Removing unnecessary characters from source code.
View Definition →Mobile-First Design
Designing for mobile screens before desktop.
View Definition →Partial Hydration
Partial hydration is a rendering technique where only the interactive components of a page are hydrated with JavaScript, instead of the entire page.
View Definition →SSG (Static Site Generation)
Pre-building web pages at compile time for speed and security.
View Definition →SSL Certificate
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates a website's identity and enables an encrypted connection.
View Definition →SSR (Server-Side Rendering)
Generating web pages on the server for each request.
View Definition →Technical Debt
The implied cost of rework caused by choosing an easy solution now.
View Definition →TTFB (Time to First Byte)
A metric for the responsiveness of a web server.
View Definition →Web Design
Web design is the discipline of planning and creating the visual layout, structure, and user experience of a website.
View Definition →Modern Search & Visibility (SEO/AEO)
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the process of optimizing content to be cited by AI search assistants and chatbots like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini.
View Definition →B2B SEO
B2B SEO is the process of improving a business-to-business website's visibility in search engines to attract qualified decision-makers and pipeline-driving traffic.
View Definition →Backlink
A link from one website to another. Think of these as 'votes of confidence' that tell search engines your site is a trusted authority.
View Definition →Canonical URL
An HTML element to prevent duplicate content issues.
View Definition →Citation Building
Mentions of business info on directories.
View Definition →Content Cluster
A content cluster is a group of interlinked pages built around a central pillar page that comprehensively covers a topic for SEO and AEO.
View Definition →Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are a set of specific factors that Google considers important in a webpage's overall user experience, including loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability.
View Definition →DR / DA (Domain Authority)
A metric predicting ranking potential.
View Definition →E-E-A-T
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. The criteria Google uses to judge the quality of content.
View Definition →Entity-Based SEO
Focusing on concepts and relationships rather than keywords.
View Definition →GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
Optimizing content for visibility in AI search responses.
View Definition →Google Business Profile (GBP)
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free tool that allows business owners to manage how their business appears on Google Search and Maps.
View Definition →Hyper-Local Content
Content targeting specific neighborhoods or communities.
View Definition →Internal Linking
Hyperlinks that point to another page on the same website.
View Definition →Keyword Research
Keyword research is the process of identifying the search terms and questions a target audience uses, in order to plan content and SEO strategy.
View Definition →Local Map Pack
The top local business listings in Google search.
View Definition →Local SEO
Local SEO is the practice of optimizing a business's online presence to attract customers from a specific geographic area.
View Definition →Long-Tail Keywords
Specific, longer search phrases with high intent.
View Definition →NAP Consistency
Consistency of Name, Address, and Phone number.
View Definition →Programmatic SEO
Creating landing pages at scale using code and data.
View Definition →Schema Markup
Code that helps search engines understand your content.
View Definition →Search Generative Experience (SGE)
Google's AI-powered search results that provide direct answers at the top of the page, changing how users interact with websites.
View Definition →Search Intent
The 'why' behind a search query. Understanding if a user wants to buy (Commercial), learn (Informational), or find a specific site (Navigational).
View Definition →Semantic Search
Search that focuses on meaning and intent.
View Definition →SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing web content to improve its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
View Definition →Share of Voice
Share of voice is the percentage of total category visibility — across search, social, AI citations, or media — that a brand owns relative to its competitors.
View Definition →Structured Data
Structured data is machine-readable markup (typically JSON-LD using schema.org vocabulary) that describes the content of a page to search engines and AI systems.
View Definition →Topic Clusters
Organizing content around a central pillar page.
View Definition →Zero-Click Search
A search result where the user's question is answered directly on the Google page, meaning they never click through to a website.
View Definition →Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
A/B Testing
Comparing two versions to see which performs better.
View Definition →Above the Fold
Content visible without scrolling.
View Definition →Activation Rate
Percentage of users taking a key initial action.
View Definition →Click-to-Call
A mobile button to call with one tap.
View Definition →Cognitive Load
The mental effort required to use a product.
View Definition →Conversion Rate Optimization
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the systematic process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action—be it filling out a form, becoming a customer, or otherwise engaging with your content.
View Definition →CTA (Call to Action)
A prompt telling the user what to do next.
View Definition →Exit Intent
Detecting when a user is about to leave.
View Definition →Form Friction
Elements that make forms hard to complete.
View Definition →Friction
Any element on a website that prevents a user from completing an action, such as a long form or a slow-loading page.
View Definition →Heuristic Evaluation
A usability inspection method.
View Definition →Landing Page Optimization (LPO)
Improving a specific page to ensure it matches the ad or link that brought the user there, reducing 'bounce' rates.
View Definition →Lead Magnet
A lead magnet is a free asset (like a PDF, checklist, or consultation) offered to prospective customers in exchange for their contact information, usually an email address.
View Definition →Micro-Conversions
Small steps toward a primary goal.
View Definition →Online Reputation Management (ORM)
Monitoring and influencing brand perception.
View Definition →Review Velocity
The rate at which a business gets new reviews.
View Definition →Social Proof
Evidence that other people have purchased and found value in your product (e.g., reviews, testimonials, logos of past clients).
View Definition →Trust Signals
Elements that build credibility.
View Definition →User Experience (UX)
How a person feels and interacts when navigating your website. Good UX leads to higher trust and better conversions.
View Definition →User Intent
What a user wants when visiting a page.
View Definition →Value-Based Pricing
Pricing based on perceived value, not cost.
View Definition →Data Intelligence & Analytics
Attribution Modeling
Assigning credit to touchpoints in a sale.
View Definition →Bounce Rate vs. Engagement Rate
Old vs. New metrics for session quality.
View Definition →Call Tracking
Attributing offline calls to digital ads.
View Definition →CAPI (Conversion API)
Sending data directly from server to ad platform.
View Definition →Conversion Rate (CVR)
Percentage of visitors completing a goal.
View Definition →Data Layer
A JavaScript object passing data to tags.
View Definition →Data Silo
Isolated data controlled by one department.
View Definition →Event-Based Tracking
Tracking specific interactions beyond pageviews.
View Definition →First-Party Data
Data you collect directly from your audience.
View Definition →GDPR / CCPA (Data Privacy)
Laws protecting personal data.
View Definition →Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Google Analytics 4 is Google's event-based web and app analytics platform, the successor to Universal Analytics.
View Definition →KPI Tree
A map of business metrics relationships.
View Definition →Looker Studio
A tool for custom data visualization.
View Definition →PII (Personally Identifiable Information)
Data identifying a specific individual.
View Definition →Server-Side GTM
Running Google Tag Manager on a server.
View Definition →Session Recording
Video-like replays of user behavior.
View Definition →Store Visit Conversions
Linking digital clicks to foot traffic.
View Definition →UTM Parameters
Tags added to URLs to track traffic sources.
View Definition →Paid Media & Demand Gen
Ad Rank
Value determining ad position.
View Definition →Broad Match vs. Exact Match
Controlling which queries trigger ads.
View Definition →CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)
Cost to acquire a paying customer.
View Definition →CPM (Cost Per Mille)
Cost per 1,000 impressions.
View Definition →Creative Fatigue
Performance drop from seeing same ad.
View Definition →Demand Capture
Targeting active buyers.
View Definition →Demand Generation
Creating awareness and interest.
View Definition →Geofencing
Triggering ads within a virtual perimeter.
View Definition →Intent Tiers
Categorizing keywords by purchase readiness.
View Definition →Lookalike Audiences
Targeting people similar to your customers.
View Definition →LP Match (Landing Page Relevance)
Matching ad promise to page content.
View Definition →LSA (Local Services Ads)
Google Guaranteed ads for pros.
View Definition →Negative Keywords
Words or phrases you prevent your ads from appearing for, ensuring you don't waste budget on irrelevant searches.
View Definition →Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) is an online advertising model where an advertiser pays a publisher every time an advertisement link is 'clicked' on.
View Definition →Quality Score
Metric for ad relevance.
View Definition →Radius Targeting
Ads within a specific distance.
View Definition →Retargeting / Remarketing
Showing ads specifically to people who have already visited your website but did not convert.
View Definition →Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) is a marketing metric that measures the amount of revenue earned for every dollar spent on advertising.
View Definition →Revenue & Growth Operations
Technical Foundations (Performance/Infrastructure)
technical SEO
Technical SEO is the practice of improving a website's infrastructure so search engines can efficiently crawl, index, and rank its pages.
View Definition →website performance
Website performance is the measure of how quickly and reliably a website loads, responds, and renders content across devices and network conditions.
View Definition →