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Advertising & Marketing Glossary (A–Z)

A complete alphabetical glossary explaining CPM meaning, CPC, CTR, RPM, Page RPM, and essential digital marketing and advertising definitions. This page provides accurate terminology for ad metrics, helping users understand how CPM, RPM, CTR, Page RPM, and CPC work across campaigns.

A

Ad Impression

An instance of an ad being shown to a user, regardless of clicks.

Ad Exchange

A marketplace where publishers and advertisers trade ad inventory programmatically.

Ad Rank

A score determining an ad’s position in Google Ads auctions.

Attribution Model

A method of assigning credit for conversions across user touchpoints.

Ad Rotation

How ads alternate during delivery to users in campaigns.

Ad Server

A platform that stores ads and delivers them to websites or apps.

Audience Segmentation

Dividing users into groups based on behavior or demographics.

Ad Recall Lift

Increase in the percentage of users who remember an advertisement.

A/B Testing

A comparison test between two versions of an element to determine which performs better.

Ad Scheduling

Choosing specific times and days when ads should appear.

B

Bounce Rate

Percentage of visitors who leave a site after viewing only one page.

Brand Awareness

A measure of how well a brand is recognized by users.

Bid Strategy

Rules determining how platforms bid in ad auctions.

Backlink

A link from another website pointing to your site.

Brand Lift

Increase in perception or awareness caused by advertising.

Behavioral Targeting

Using user activity data to deliver relevant ads.

Broad Match Keyword

A Google Ads setting that matches searches containing similar terms or variations.

C

CPM (Cost Per Mille)

The cost an advertiser pays per 1,000 impressions.

CPC (Cost Per Click)

Amount paid each time a user clicks an ad.

CTR (Click-Through Rate)

Percentage of impressions resulting in a click.

Conversion

A completed action such as purchase, signup, or download.

CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)

Cost of acquiring a user who completes a conversion.

CBC (Cost Based Click)

A pricing model where advertisers pay based on a predefined cost per click.

CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

Total cost spent to acquire a new customer.

CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization)

Improving website elements to increase conversions.

Content Marketing

Creating valuable content to attract and engage audiences.

Canonical Tag

A tag that prevents duplicate content issues by pointing to the preferred URL.

Contextual Advertising

Ads displayed based on the content of a webpage.

Call-To-Action (CTA)

A prompt that encourages users to take a specific action.

D

Display Ads

Banner, video, or rich media ads displayed on websites.

Demand-Side Platform (DSP)

Software enabling automated purchase of ad inventory.

Data-Driven Attribution

An attribution method based on real performance data.

Dynamic Ads

Ads that automatically update content based on user behavior.

Dwell Time

Time a user remains on a page before returning to search results.

E

Engagement Rate

Total interactions such as clicks, comments, and shares.

EPC (Earnings Per Click)

Revenue generated per click in affiliate marketing.

Exit Rate

Percentage of users who leave the site from a specific page.

Evergreen Content

Content that remains relevant for a long period.

Email Open Rate

Percentage of email recipients who open a campaign.

F

Frequency

Average number of times a user sees an ad.

Funnel

A model describing the customer journey from awareness to conversion.

Featured Snippet

Google’s top highlighted result answering user queries.

Footer Link

SEO-relevant links included in the website footer.

First-Party Data

User data collected directly by the website owner.

G

Google AdSense

A program allowing publishers to monetize via display ads.

Google Ads

Google’s advertising system enabling pay-per-click bidding.

Geo-Targeting

Delivering ads based on geographic location.

Google Tag Manager

A tool for deploying tracking tags without editing code.

Google Knowledge Panel

Information box displayed in search results for entities.

H

Heatmap

A visual representation showing where users click or scroll.

Header Bidding

An advanced auction method allowing multiple advertisers to bid simultaneously.

Hyperlink

A clickable link that directs users to another webpage.

HTML Meta Description

A short description shown in search results.

Hreflang Tag

A tag used to specify language versions of pages.

I

Impressions

Number of times an ad is displayed.

Inventory

Available ad space a publisher can sell.

Inbound Link

A link pointing to your website from another site.

Indexing

The process by which search engines store and organize webpage data.

Interest Targeting

Delivering ads based on user interests.

J

JavaScript Tag

A script used to track analytics or serve ads.

Journey Mapping

Visualizing user steps toward completing a goal.

K

Keyword

A phrase used in SEO or advertising to target users.

Keyword Density

Percentage of times a keyword appears in content.

KPI (Key Performance Indicator)

A measurable value showing progress toward goals.

L

Landing Page

A page designed to convert users after clicking an ad.

Lead

A user expressing interest by submitting information.

Link-Building

The process of acquiring backlinks from other sites.

Long-Tail Keyword

A specific, low-competition keyword phrase.

Lifetime Value (LTV)

Projected revenue a customer generates during the entire relationship.

M

Monetization

Earning revenue through ads, subscriptions, or traffic.

Marketing Funnel

Stages showing how users move from awareness to purchase.

Meta Tags

HTML tags describing a page’s content to search engines.

Mobile-First Indexing

Google’s practice of indexing mobile versions first.

Multi-Channel Attribution

Analyzing the impact of multiple touchpoints on conversions.

N

Native Advertising

Ads designed to match the style of surrounding content.

Niche Audience

A targeted segment with specific interests.

NoFollow Link

A link that instructs search engines not to pass ranking value.

A recurring email sent to subscribers.

Negative Keyword

A keyword that prevents ads from showing for unwanted searches.

O

Organic Traffic

Visitors coming from unpaid search engine results.

Optimization

Improving performance through testing and analysis.

Open Graph Tags

Metadata that improves how content appears on social platforms.

Outbound Link

A link directing users away from your site.

Omnichannel Marketing

Providing seamless experiences across all platforms.

P

PPC (Pay Per Click)

A model where advertisers pay for each click.

Programmatic Advertising

Automated buying and selling of ad inventory.

Pixel

Tracking code used to measure user actions.

Page RPM (Revenue Per Mille Per Page)

Estimated earnings per 1,000 pageviews.

Page Load Speed

How quickly a webpage displays content.

Publisher

A website or app that sells ad inventory.

Product Listing Ads (PLA)

Shopping ads showing product images and prices.

Q

Quality Score

Metric evaluating ad relevance and landing page experience.

Query Intent

The purpose behind a user’s search query.

Qualified Lead

A lead showing strong interest in becoming a customer.

R

ROI (Return on Investment)

Measure of profitability comparing returns to cost.

Retargeting

Ads shown to users who previously visited a site.

Reach

Number of unique users who saw an ad.

RPM (Revenue Per Mille)

Estimated revenue earned for every 1,000 ad impressions.

Responsive Ads

Ads that automatically adjust size and format.

Referral Traffic

Visitors arriving from external websites.

Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA)

Google Ads targeting based on past website behavior.

S

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Improving visibility in search engine results.

SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

Paid advertising to increase search visibility.

Session Duration

Time a user remains active on a website.

Subscriber

User who opts in for updates or newsletters.

Schema Markup

Structured data that helps search engines understand content.

Search Volume

Number of times a keyword is searched monthly.

Social Proof

User trust signals such as reviews or testimonials.

T

Traffic

Total number of visitors accessing a website.

Tag Manager

Tool used to deploy tracking codes efficiently.

Target Audience

Group of users a campaign is designed to reach.

Time on Page

How long visitors stay on a specific page.

Thumb-Stopping Content

Content designed to grab attention quickly.

Tracking URL

A URL containing parameters for analytics.

U

UX (User Experience)

How users feel during interaction with a site or app.

Unique Visitor

A distinct user who visits a site in a given time period.

UTM Parameters

Tags added to URLs for tracking performance.

User Intent

The reason behind a user’s search.

User Acquisition

Bringing new users to an app or website.

V

Viewability

Measure of whether an ad had a chance to be seen.

Viral Marketing

Promotion that spreads rapidly from user to user.

Value Proposition

A statement explaining why a product is beneficial.

View-Through Conversion

A conversion after a user sees, but does not click, an ad.

Video Ads

Advertisements delivered in video format.

W

Web Analytics

Measurement and analysis of web data to improve performance.

Whitelist

List of approved websites for ad placements.

Web Crawler

Software that scans the web for indexing.

Wireframe

A layout blueprint used in UI/UX design.

Website Authority

A metric representing a site's credibility and ranking power.

X

XML Sitemap

File listing URLs to improve indexing by search engines.

Xen Marketing

Cross-platform marketing combining web, app, and offline data.

Y

Yield Optimization

Improving revenue from ad inventory through optimization.

YouTube Ads

Video-based ads delivered on YouTube.

YMYL (Your Money or Your Life)

Sensitive content categories requiring high-quality standards.

Z

Zero-Click Search

Searches where users get answers directly on the SERP.

Zone (Ad Zone)

A specific placement area on a webpage reserved for ads.

Zig-Zag Pattern

A common reading pattern in web scanning behavior.

Z-Index

A CSS concept indicating the stacking order of page elements.ِ