Glossary of Digital Marketing Terms

A/B Testing

A method of comparing two or more versions of a webpage or ad to see which one performs better. Visitors are split between version A and version B (and C/n if multiple), and conversion rates or other metrics are measured to determine which variant yields the best results. This data‑driven approach helps optimize marketing elements for improved performance.

Affiliate Marketing

A performance‑based marketing strategy where partners (affiliates) promote your product or service in exchange for a commission. Affiliates use special links or codes to refer customers to your business, and they earn a reward only when their referral results in a conversion (such as a sale or lead). It’s a scalable way to expand your sales force online, as affiliates only get paid for actual results.

Analytics (Web Analytics)

The collection and analysis of data about website traffic and user behavior. By using tools like Google Analytics or other platforms, marketers track metrics such as page views, bounce rate, conversion rate, and more. Analytics insights help AOK Marketing understand what’s working or not, enabling data‑driven decisions to improve campaigns and ROI.

Bounce Rate

The percentage of visitors who enter a website and leave (“bounce”) without interacting with a second page. A high bounce rate can indicate that visitors didn’t find what they were looking for or had a poor user experience. Reducing bounce rate – through better content, design, or landing page relevance – is often a goal of Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), since keeping visitors engaged longer can lead to more conversions.

Call to Action (CTA)

A clear instruction on a webpage or ad that tells the user what action to take next. Common CTAs include phrases like “Buy Now,” “Sign Up,” or “Contact Us Today.” An effective CTA is visually prominent and compelling, guiding visitors toward the desired conversion (whether that’s making a purchase, filling out a form, etc.). Strong CTAs are crucial for driving user action and improving conversion rates.

Click‑Through Rate (CTR)

The percentage of people who click on an ad or link out of the total who see it. For example, if 100 people see an online ad and 5 people click it, the CTR is 5%. CTR is a key metric in evaluating the performance of PPC ads and email campaigns – a higher CTR means your message and creative are resonating well enough to prompt users to click. Optimizing headlines, visuals, and targeting can help improve CTR.

Conversion

In marketing, a conversion is any desired action that a user completes on your website or campaign. Conversions can be a purchase, form submission, signing up for a newsletter, calling your business, or any other key action defined as a goal. Essentially, it’s when a visitor “converts” into a lead or customer. AOK Marketing’s efforts in SEO, PPC, and CRO are all geared towards increasing conversions that align with your business goals.

Conversion Rate

The percentage of users who complete a desired action out of the total number of users who visit a page or campaign. For instance, if 1,000 people visit a landing page and 50 of them make a purchase, the conversion rate is 5%. This metric helps evaluate the effectiveness of marketing efforts and website pages. Improving conversion rate means getting more results (sales, sign‑ups, etc.) from the same amount of traffic – a primary aim of Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO).

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

The practice of improving a website or landing page to increase the percentage of visitors who take a desired action (convert). CRO involves analyzing user behavior, identifying where visitors drop off in the funnel, and running A/B tests to try new headlines, layouts, forms, or calls‑to‑action. The goal is to make data‑driven changes that lead to more conversions (leads, sales, etc.) without needing to attract more traffic.

Cost Per Click (CPC)

A metric that represents the amount you pay for each click in a Pay‑Per‑Click (PPC) advertising campaign. For example, in Google Ads or Facebook Ads, you might bid on keywords or target audiences, and you pay a certain cost every time someone clicks your ad. Lowering CPC through optimizations can allow your budget to generate more clicks and, potentially, more conversions.

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

Also known as Cost Per Action, this metric measures how much you spend in advertising to acquire a conversion (often a customer or lead). It’s calculated by dividing the total ad spend by the number of conversions. For example, if you spent $500 on a campaign and got 10 sales, your CPA is $50 per sale. AOK Marketing focuses on optimizing campaigns to lower the CPA, meaning you’re paying less to gain each new customer – a critical factor in improving Return on Investment (ROI).

Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)

The total revenue you expect to earn from a customer over the entire duration of your relationship. Instead of just looking at a single purchase, LTV considers repeat purchases, subscription renewals, or upsells that a customer might generate. Knowing the lifetime value of your average customer helps in budgeting and strategy – for example, if a customer’s LTV is $1,000, spending $100 to acquire that customer (CPA) is likely worthwhile. AOK Marketing uses LTV alongside acquisition costs to help determine profitable marketing strategies.

Digital Marketing

An umbrella term for marketing efforts that use digital channels to reach customers. This includes search engine marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, online advertising, and more – essentially, any marketing on the internet. Digital marketing allows for targeted, data-driven campaigns and real-time measurement of results. AOK Marketing specializes in key digital marketing areas (SEO, PPC, social ads, CRO, etc.) to help businesses grow online.

Funnel (Sales Funnel)

The step-by-step path a potential customer takes from first learning about your business to finally converting (making a purchase or becoming a lead). It’s often visualized as a funnel because many prospects enter at the top (awareness), and a smaller number make it to the bottom (conversion). Stages might include Awareness, Interest, Decision, and Action. By analyzing each stage of the funnel, AOK Marketing identifies where prospects drop off and applies strategies (like nurturing campaigns or CRO) to guide more people toward conversion and even repeat business.

Impressions

The number of times an ad or piece of content is displayed or seen by users. An impression is counted each time your ad appears on a user’s screen (even if they don’t click it). For example, 1,000 impressions means your ad was shown 1,000 times. Impressions are a basic visibility metric in advertising – while they don’t guarantee engagement, a higher number of impressions increases the chance for clicks and conversions, especially when combined with a strong CTR and targeting strategy.

Influencer Marketing

A form of marketing where businesses partner with influential individuals (influencers) who have a dedicated audience, typically on social media, to promote their product or service. The influencer might create content (like a review, post, or video) featuring the brand, leveraging the trust and rapport they have with their followers. Influencer marketing helps increase brand awareness and credibility by having a respected voice endorse your business. AOK Marketing’s Affiliate & Influencer Marketing services connect brands with the right influencers to drive authentic engagement and sales.

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

A measurable value that indicates how well a campaign or business objective is achieving key goals. In digital marketing, common KPIs include conversion rate, CTR, CPA, number of leads, or revenue generated. For example, if your goal is lead generation, a KPI might be “number of qualified leads per month.” AOK Marketing defines KPIs at the start of a campaign – these indicators are tracked and reported so you can clearly see progress and success over time.

Keyword

A word or phrase that users type into search engines (like Google) to find information. In SEO, optimizing your website for relevant keywords means using those terms in your content so that search engines rank your site higher for those queries. In PPC advertising, you bid on keywords so your ads appear when people search for them. For example, a plumbing business might target the keyword “emergency plumber Toronto.” Choosing the right keywords – ones that your target audience is searching and that match your offerings – is fundamental to successful search marketing.

Landing Page

A specific webpage designed to receive traffic from a marketing campaign and drive a particular action. It’s often the page a user “lands” on after clicking an ad or email link. Unlike a general webpage, a landing page is focused on a single offer or goal (like signing up for a consultation, downloading an e-book, or purchasing a product) and usually features a prominent call to action. AOK Marketing creates and optimizes landing pages as part of campaigns to improve relevance and boost conversion rates, ensuring that visitors are more likely to convert once they click through.

Lead Generation

The process of attracting and converting prospects into someone who has indicated interest in your company’s product or service – typically by submitting contact information (becoming a lead). Digital marketing campaigns often aim at lead generation through tactics like offering free resources (e.g. e-books, webinars) or running targeted ads that encourage users to sign up or request a quote. AOK Marketing helps businesses set up effective lead generation funnels, using channels like SEO, PPC, and social media to drive interested traffic to optimized landing pages where those visitors can be captured as leads for follow-up.

Microsoft Ads (Bing Ads)

Microsoft’s Pay‑Per‑Click advertising platform, which serves ads on the Bing search engine and its partner networks (formerly known as Bing Ads). Like Google Ads, it allows advertisers to bid on keywords so that their text ads appear in search results. While Google dominates search traffic, Microsoft Ads can be a valuable additional channel, as it reaches a portion of search users (Bing, Yahoo, AOL) that might not be using Google. AOK Marketing manages Microsoft Ads alongside Google Ads to help clients capture as much search audience as possible and maximize overall reach.

Organic Search (Organic Traffic)

Website visitors that come to you through unpaid, natural search engine results. “Organic” means you didn’t pay for the listing (as opposed to paid ads). This traffic is earned by having relevant, high-quality content and strong SEO so that your site ranks well for certain keywords. Organic search traffic is highly valuable because users often trust the unbiased search results and clicks don’t incur any direct cost. AOK Marketing’s SEO services focus on increasing your organic visibility, thus driving more free traffic from interested prospects who find you in search engines.

Pay‑Per‑Click (PPC) Advertising

A form of online advertising where you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. This model is used on platforms like Google Ads and social media ads. Advertisers bid on keywords or target audience criteria, and their ads are shown to users; you incur cost only when a user clicks (hence “pay per click”). PPC offers immediate visibility and can drive traffic quickly to your site or landing pages. AOK Marketing specializes in managing PPC campaigns – choosing the right keywords, crafting compelling ads, and optimizing bids – to ensure you get quality traffic and conversions while controlling costs.

Remarketing (Retargeting)

An online advertising strategy that targets people who have previously visited your website or engaged with your content. After someone leaves your site without converting, remarketing allows you to show them tailored ads as they browse other websites or social media, reminding them of your brand or offering a new incentive to return. For example, if someone viewed a product but didn’t buy, they might later see an ad for that product on another site. Remarketing (often called retargeting) helps re-engage interested prospects and can dramatically improve conversion rates by keeping your business top-of-mind. AOK Marketing sets up remarketing campaigns via Google and social platforms so warm prospects are continually nudged toward becoming customers.

Return on Investment (ROI)

A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment, in this case your marketing spend. ROI is calculated by comparing the profit gained from a campaign against its cost. In formula terms: ROI = (Revenue – Cost) / Cost, expressed as a percentage. For example, if a campaign cost $1,000 and generated $5,000 in new revenue, the ROI is 400%. A positive ROI means a campaign is profitable. AOK Marketing focuses on maximizing ROI for clients – not just bringing in more traffic or conversions, but ensuring that the value gained is many times higher than the money spent.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

A broad term that typically refers to marketing via search engines, encompassing both SEO (earning traffic through unpaid search results) and Paid Search Ads (like Google Ads). In practice, many use “SEM” to specifically mean paid search advertising. The goal of SEM is to increase your visibility on search engine results pages – either by optimizing your website to rank higher organically, paying for ads at the top, or both. AOK Marketing uses SEM strategies to ensure your business appears prominently when potential customers search for relevant keywords, combining the long-term benefits of SEO with the immediate impact of paid search when appropriate.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

The process of improving a website to increase its visibility in organic (non‑paid) search engine results. SEO involves on-page optimizations (like quality content, keyword usage, and meta tags), technical improvements (site speed, mobile-friendliness, proper indexing), and off-page factors (such as earning backlinks from other reputable sites). The higher and more often your site appears on the first page of search results for relevant terms, the more organic traffic you’ll receive. AOK Marketing’s SEO services focus on white-hat techniques to “dominate search results” – driving highly targeted free traffic to your site, which can lead to consistent sales and leads over time.

Social Media Marketing (SMM)

Using social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) to promote your brand, engage with your audience, and drive traffic or sales. This can include creating and sharing content, interacting with followers, as well as Paid Social Media Advertising. Due to algorithm changes, organic reach on social networks is often limited (only a small percentage of your followers may see unpaid posts), which is why paid social campaigns are important. Social Media Advertising (Paid Social) involves placing sponsored posts or ads targeting specific demographics, interests, or behaviors on platforms like Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, or LinkedIn Ads. SMM helps build brand awareness and trust through regular engagement, while paid social ads ensure your message reaches a larger, highly targeted audience to generate leads and sales. AOK Marketing combines organic social strategies with data-driven paid campaigns to maximize your impact on social networks.

User Experience (UX)

The overall experience a person has when interacting with your website or digital product, in terms of ease of use, aesthetics, speed, and how fulfilling it is to their needs. Good UX means visitors can find information quickly, navigate intuitively, and feel positive about the interaction – all of which contributes to higher engagement and conversion rates. For example, a mobile-friendly site with fast load times and clear calls-to-action provides a better UX than a slow, confusing site. AOK Marketing pays attention to UX factors (often alongside UI – User Interface design) when optimizing your website, because even strong marketing can be wasted if users get frustrated on your site. Improving UX (such as simplifying forms or enhancing page layouts) is a key part of CRO and SEO, helping to keep visitors on your site longer and prompting them to take action.

Large Language Model (LLM)

A type of AI model trained on vast text corpora to understand and generate human-like language. LLMs power advanced features like conversational agents, content generation, and semantic search, enabling marketers to automate copywriting, customer support, and personalized messaging at scale.

Artificial Intelligence for Search (AI for Search)

The application of AI techniques—such as semantic understanding, vector embeddings, and natural language processing—to improve search relevance and user experience. AI-powered search can interpret user intent, deliver better results for ambiguous queries, and surface personalized content across websites and applications.

Machine Learning (ML)

A subset of AI focused on algorithms that learn patterns from data and improve over time without explicit programming. In marketing, ML drives tasks like customer segmentation, predictive lead scoring, dynamic pricing, and campaign optimization based on historical performance data.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

A field of AI that enables computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language. NLP powers sentiment analysis, chatbots, automated translation, and keyword extraction—helping marketers analyze reviews, optimize content for search intent, and automate conversational experiences.

Generative AI

AI systems capable of producing new content—text, images, audio, or video—based on learned patterns from training data. Generative AI tools can generate blog posts, social media images, ad copy variations, and product descriptions, accelerating content creation workflows while maintaining brand voice.

Chatbot

An AI-driven conversational agent that interacts with users via text or voice. Chatbots can handle customer inquiries, qualify leads, schedule appointments, and provide 24/7 support, improving engagement and freeing human agents to focus on complex tasks.

Prompt Engineering

The practice of crafting effective input prompts to guide generative AI models toward desired outputs. Skilled prompt engineering can significantly improve the relevance, tone, and accuracy of AI-generated content, making it a critical skill for marketers leveraging LLMs.

Predictive Analytics

Techniques that use statistical models and machine learning to forecast future outcomes—such as customer churn, sales trends, or campaign performance—based on historical data. Predictive analytics helps marketers allocate budget, refine targeting, and anticipate market changes.

Recommendation Engine

A system that suggests products, content, or offers to users based on their behavior, preferences, and similarity to other users. Recommendation engines boost engagement, cross-sell/up-sell opportunities, and customer satisfaction by delivering personalized experiences.

Personalization

The process of tailoring content, offers, and experiences to individual users using data-driven insights. AI-powered personalization can dynamically adjust website content, email promotions, and ad creatives based on user profiles, behavior, and real-time context.