The rise of digital marketing has brought about so many new opportunities for small-to-medium size businesses that did not exist not too long ago. As the online world continues to evolve, SMB’s have to be aware of the basics in marketing to be able to participate in conversations and plan ahead for a marketing strategy.  However,  if you have just started to get your feet wet with digital marketing,  you might have already been thrown (by that super hipster colleague of yours!) a dizzying number of terms that you were completely unfamiliar with…which is why we have compiled this short glossary of most common marketing lingo used nowadays.

Without further ado…

An SMB’s must-know basic marketing glossary

Digital Marketing encompasses the range of activities and tactics that are borne from the online realm. Official websites, social media pages and activities, social media marketing, search engine marketing, engaging with online influencers and bloggers, and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) are common forms of this.

Experiential Marketing is the live experience of a brand; it is special events and often invokes the five senses in the audience.

The Digital Marketing Ecosystem amalgamates the digital and social assets that make-up a brand online. The interaction of these assets should be aligned with the product or service’s brand.
Original content is anything produced by the brand, such as a blog post, video, article, behind the scenes photo, to support the brand.

Curated content is the selection of content made by oneself or another party for the same purpose (ex: sharing a user review on your social media page) for use in marketing campaigns.

Content marketing is a strategy that leverages both originally produced and curated content for the purpose of promoting a brand, some examples of pieces include: blog posts, articles, videos, e-newsletters, podcasts, whitepapers and visuals. It typically does not sell directly but seeks to establish a reputation. The pieces produced are published and promoted via social channels.

Paid media is all advertising that is paid for, such as banners, TV and radio spots, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), and paid searches like Google Adwords. Typically, paid media looks to increase or create brand awareness and acquire new customers.

Owned media refers to anything owned and controlled by oneself, such as a website, an app, and social media channels that have been opened by the company.

Earned media is content produced by third parties without direct coercion or compensation. Examples include fan web and social media pages, homage videos, user reviews, or sharing of paid or owned media content. Fan-based marketing (fan created) is a form of earned media.

Crowdfunding is a digital marketing tactic that seeks to raise funds for a product or service directly from individuals interested in procuring it. It can start before or during the production cycle.

Crowdsourcing is the inclusion of fans/customers in the production of your product/service through feedback, idea generation, and active participation during the creative stages.

When a campaign or marketing activity goes viral, it refers to the degree of popularity it has reached relative to its objective or budget. It has ‘caught on’ with audiences and is gaining attention organically (i.e. without paid support).

Influence marketing is another form of (typically) digital marketing that seeks to get authorities on a given topic or industry to engage with and involve your product/service in their regular activities. It is a way to gain brand endorsement from social media “stars” or industry experts.

Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning (STP) is a fundamental exercise all marketing campaigns are built upon. It identifies who your prospective customers are, when, where, and ho

w to reach them, and what you want them to think of your product/service.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are the tactics employed to have your website rank more highly in search engine results and includes paid search tactics (such as Pay Per Click [PPC] listings and ads such as Google Adwords) and non-paid, such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is the component of SEM that uses coding and original content to attract more users to your page, thereby improving its search engine ranking.

Integrated Marketing Communication is the comprehensive and cohesive action plan that guides all marketing activities; it ensures the traditional, digital, and experiential marketing tactics are aligned in message and goals.

A Call-to-Action is the desired action to be undertaken as a result of a given marketing activity. It can vary from a purchase to sharing a link to submitting an original contribution. It is the step beyond the physical or psychological reaction evoked by the activity.

If you’re looking for someone to help you navigate the waters of social media marketing, content marketing or building a digital marketing strategy, reach out to us.