Digital Marketing Glossary 2023

Digital marketing is a discipline that uses digital technologies to promote and communicate the products, services or brands of a company or business.

Its objective is to reach potential and current customers, generate trust and loyalty, increase sales and return on investment , and measure and optimize the performance of the actions taken.

It also covers many aspects and requires specific knowledge and skills to apply it correctly.

That's why MHA has created a 2023 marketing glossary, where we explain the most important and current concepts that you should know to master digital marketing. Here are some of them:

• AI (Artificial Intelligence) : AI is the ability of machines or computer systems to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, perception or decision-making. AI is increasingly used in digital marketing, as it allows for automating processes, personalizing offers, segmenting audiences, predicting behaviors, generating content or optimizing campaigns. 
• Customer Service : Customer service is the service or process that is responsible for resolving the doubts, problems, complaints or suggestions of current or potential customers of a company or business, before, during or after the purchase or use of a product or service. Customer service is essential for digital marketing, as it improves customer satisfaction, trust and loyalty, as well as the reputation and value of a brand. Customer service can be offered through different channels, such as telephone, email, chat, social networks or chatbots.
• Banner : A banner is a type of online advertisement or advertising consisting of an image or graphic displayed on a website or digital platform, in order to capture the attention and interest of users and direct them to another website or a landing page. A banner can have different sizes, shapes, colors and locations, as well as contain text, animations, sounds or videos. A banner can be used in digital marketing to promote and communicate the products, services or brands of a company or business, as well as to generate traffic, leads and sales.
• B2B (Business to Business) : B2B or business to business is a type of business model that involves the sale or exchange of products, services or information between companies or businesses, without the intervention of end consumers. B2B is characterized by a longer, more complex and rational purchasing process, a closer and more lasting relationship with customers, and greater specialization and market segmentation. B2B requires specific digital marketing strategies, such as email marketing, content marketing, SEO or social media marketing.

How to create a social media marketing strategy?

• B2C (Business to Consumer) : B2C or business to consumer is a type of business model that involves the sale or exchange of products, services or information between a company or business and end consumers. B2C is characterized by a shorter, simpler and more emotional purchasing process, a more impersonal and fleeting relationship with customers, and greater competition and market diversity. B2C requires specific digital marketing strategies, such as SEM, video marketing, influencer marketing or email marketing.
• Branding : Branding is the set of visual, verbal and emotional elements that identify and differentiate a company, business, product or service in the market. Branding includes aspects such as the name, logo, slogan, colors, typography, tone or personality of a brand. Branding aims to create a positive, unique and memorable image of a brand in the minds of consumers, as well as to generate trust, loyalty and value. Branding can be enhanced through the use of digital marketing strategies, such as content marketing, social media marketing or video marketing.
• Big data : Big data is the set of massive and complex data that is generated at high speed and variety in the digital environment, such as user data, transactions, social networks or connected devices. Big data is used in digital marketing to analyze and extract valuable information about the market, customers, competitors or trends, as well as to make strategic decisions, improve efficiency and profitability, and create differential value.
• Blog : A blog is a type of website or section within a website that is used to publish and share content on a regular and chronological basis, on a specific topic or theme. A blog can be for personal or professional purposes, and can be written by one or more people. A blog can be used in digital marketing to attract, educate, and entertain users, as well as to improve the SEO, branding, and reputation of a website or brand.
• Buyer persona : A buyer persona is a fictitious and representative profile of an ideal or potential client of a company or business, based on real data and market research. A buyer persona is defined by demographic, psychographic, behavioral and motivational characteristics, as well as by their needs, problems, objectives and preferences. A buyer persona is used in digital marketing to segment and personalize marketing, communication and sales strategies, according to the target audience they are aimed at.
• Chatbot : A chatbot is a computer program that simulates a human conversation via text or voice, using natural language processing and artificial intelligence techniques. A chatbot is used in digital marketing to offer customers automated, fast and personalized customer service, as well as to generate leads, encourage interaction, facilitate purchases or provide useful information.
• Content marketing : Content marketing is a digital marketing strategy that consists of creating and distributing relevant, useful and attractive content for a target audience, in order to attract, educate, entertain and convert them into loyal customers and prescribers. Content marketing can take different formats, such as articles, videos, podcasts, infographics or ebooks, and can be distributed through different channels, such as blogs, social networks or email.
• Conversion : A conversion is the action or result you want to obtain from users who visit a website or a digital marketing campaign, such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a service, downloading a file or filling out a form. A conversion is measured by the conversion rate, which is the percentage representing the number of users who perform the desired action among the total number of users who visit the website or campaign. A conversion can be improved by techniques such as CRO, A/B testing or remarketing.
• CMS (Content Management System) : A CMS or content management system is a software or application that allows you to create, edit, organize and publish content on a website or digital platform, without the need for technical or programming knowledge. A CMS facilitates the administration and maintenance of a website or digital platform, as well as optimization for SEO and digital marketing. Some examples of CMS are WordPress, Joomla, Drupal or Magento.
• CPA (Cost Per Action) : CPA or cost per action is an online advertising model that consists of paying a certain amount each time a user performs a specific action after clicking on an advertisement or a sponsored link, such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a service, downloading a file or filling out a form. CPA is used in digital marketing to measure the profitability or return on investment of an advertising campaign, as well as to optimize the budget and performance of the campaign.
• CPC (Cost Per Click) : CPC or cost per click is an online advertising model that involves paying a set amount each time a user clicks on an advertisement or sponsored link. CPC is primarily used in SEM or search engine marketing, where advertisers bid to appear in search engine results based on the keywords they choose. CPC allows you to attract qualified and targeted traffic to a website, as well as accurately measure the return on investment.
• CPL (Cost Per Lead) : CPL or cost per lead is an online advertising model that consists of paying a certain amount each time a user becomes a lead or a qualified contact for a company or business, after clicking on an advertisement or a sponsored link and filling out a form with their data. CPL is used in digital marketing to generate a database of potential customers, as well as to measure the profitability or return on investment of an advertising campaign.
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) : CRM or customer relationship management is a system or tool that allows you to store, organize and analyze data and information about current and potential customers of a company or business. CRM is used in digital marketing to improve communication, customer service, satisfaction and loyalty, as well as to optimize sales, marketing and customer service strategies.

Digital Marketing Strategy: What is it, strategies and how to create one?

• CTA (Call To Action) : A CTA or call to action is an element or message used to incite or motivate users to perform a desired action, such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a service, downloading a file, or filling out a form. The CTA can be presented in different formats, such as a button, a link, an image, or text, and should be placed in strategic and visible places on a web page, an advertisement, or an email. The CTA should be attractive, clear, and urgent, and contain an imperative verb and a benefit for the user.
• CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) : CRO or conversion rate optimization is the process of improving and increasing the percentage of users who take a desired action on a website or digital marketing campaign, such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a service, downloading a file, or filling out a form. CRO is based on analyzing user behavior and preferences, as well as conducting tests and experiments to improve the design, content, usability, and persuasiveness of a website or campaign.
• Email marketing : Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy that consists of sending personalized and segmented messages to users who have given their prior consent to receive them. Email marketing aims to create and maintain a direct and close relationship with customers, as well as inform, educate, entertain and persuade them to take action. Email marketing can improve traffic, conversion and loyalty for a website or brand.
• Engagement : Engagement is the degree of connection and interaction that exists between a brand and its customers or followers in the digital environment. Engagement is measured by indicators such as the number of visits, the time spent, the number of comments, the number of likes, the number of shares or the number of subscribers. Engagement is key for digital marketing, as it indicates the affinity, loyalty and recommendation of customers or followers towards a brand, as well as its conversion and loyalty potential.
• Digital marketing strategy : A digital marketing strategy is a plan or set of actions that are designed and implemented to achieve the marketing objectives of a company or business in the digital environment. A digital marketing strategy must be based on a prior analysis of the market, competition, customers and trends, as well as on the definition of goals, resources, channels, tools and metrics to be used. A digital marketing strategy must be flexible, adaptable and measurable, in order to be optimized and improved according to the results obtained.
• Inbound marketing : Inbound marketing is a digital marketing methodology that consists of attracting, converting, closing and retaining customers by creating and distributing valuable, useful and relevant content for them, at each stage of the purchasing process. Inbound marketing is based on customer permission and trust, rather than interruption or pressure. Inbound marketing is supported by techniques such as SEO, content marketing, email marketing or social media marketing.
• Influencer marketing : Influencer marketing is a digital marketing strategy that involves collaborating with influential people or opinion leaders in a certain niche or sector, who have a large audience and credibility on social media or other digital platforms. Influencer marketing aims to leverage the power of persuasion and trust that influencers generate among their followers, to promote and recommend the products or services of a company or business, as well as to increase the visibility and reputation of a brand.
• KPI (Key Performance Indicator) : A KPI or key performance indicator is a metric or numerical value used to measure the degree to which the objectives of a company, business, project, strategy or digital marketing campaign are met. A KPI must be specific, relevant, measurable, achievable and time-bound, and must be aligned with the vision, mission and values ​​of a company or business. Some examples of KPIs are web traffic, conversion rate, ROI, CTR or engagement.
• Landing page : A landing page is a web page that users arrive at after clicking on a link or advertisement. A landing page aims to capture the attention and interest of users and persuade them to take a desired action, such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a service, downloading a file or filling out a form. A landing page should be attractive, clear and relevant to users, as well as being optimized for SEO and SEM.
• Lead : A lead or contact is a user who has shown interest in a company or business's product, service or brand by providing their personal or contact information, such as their name, email or phone number, through a form, subscription or download. A lead is considered a potential customer who is in an initial stage of the purchasing process, and who can be converted into a real customer through nurturing techniques, such as email marketing, content marketing or remarketing.
• SMART Objectives : SMART objectives are a type of objectives that are characterized by being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. SMART objectives are used in digital marketing to define and plan the goals to be achieved with a digital marketing strategy or campaign, as well as to evaluate and optimize the results obtained. SMART objectives must be aligned with the vision, mission and values ​​of a company or business.
• Remarketing : Remarketing is a digital marketing technique that consists of showing personalized ads or messages to users who have already visited or interacted with a website or digital marketing campaign, but have not performed the desired action, such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a service, downloading a file or filling out a form. Remarketing aims to regain the interest and attention of users, as well as encourage them to complete the desired action. Remarketing can be done through different platforms, such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads or email marketing.
• ROI (Return On Investment) : ROI or return on investment is a financial metric used to measure the profitability or benefit obtained from an investment made in a project, strategy or digital marketing campaign. ROI is calculated using the formula: ROI = (Profit - Investment) / Investment x 100. ROI is expressed as a percentage and allows you to compare the performance and effectiveness of different investments made in digital marketing.
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) : SEO or search engine optimization is the set of techniques and strategies used to improve the visibility and positioning of a website in the results of search engines such as Google or Bing. The goal of SEO is to attract more organic (non-paid) and quality (relevant and segmented) traffic to a website, thereby increasing the chances of conversion and user loyalty. SEO is divided into two types: on-page SEO, which refers to actions performed within a website, and off-page SEO, which refers to actions performed outside a website.
• Social media marketing : Social media marketing is a digital marketing strategy that consists of using social media as channels for communication, promotion and relationships with current and potential customers of a company or business. Social media marketing aims to increase the visibility, reputation and loyalty of a brand, as well as generate traffic, leads and sales for a website. Social media marketing involves creating and sharing valuable content, interacting with users, listening to their opinions and needs, and measuring and optimizing results.

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• Bounce Rate : Bounce rate is a metric that indicates the percentage of users who leave a website or webpage after viewing only one page, without taking any action or interacting with any element. Bounce rate is used in digital marketing to measure the quality, relevance, and user satisfaction of a website or webpage. A high bounce rate may indicate that the website or webpage is not meeting users' expectations or needs, and can negatively impact SEO and website performance.
• Viral : Viral content is the phenomenon that occurs when content, such as a video, image, text or hashtag, spreads rapidly and massively in the digital environment, especially on social networks, generating great impact and popularity. Viral content can be used in digital marketing to create creative, original and emotional campaigns that capture the attention and interest of users, as well as to increase the visibility and reputation of a brand.
• Web analytics : Web analytics is the process of collecting, measuring and analyzing data and information related to user behavior and activity on a website or digital marketing campaign. Web analytics is used to understand the performance, effectiveness and return on investment of a website or digital marketing campaign, as well as to identify strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. Web analytics is based on tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console or Google Trends.

Written by Moises Hamui Abadi: I am an entrepreneur, founding partner of Viceversa and SoyMacho. After leading several digital businesses and advising several other businesses, I decided to form MHA Consulting, a digital marketing consultancy dedicated to growing and empowering digital businesses in more than 7 countries and generating more than 1,500 million pesos.

If you want more information on this topic or are looking for other options to profile your ideal client, you will find the solution you need at MHA. Schedule a call.