Conversion Rate Optimization Glossary

Conversion Rate Optimization Glossary Image

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A/A Testing A/A testing uses A/B testing to evaluate two identical pages against each other. This is typically done to verify that the tool used for the experiment is statistically correct. An A/A test should show no difference between the control and the variation in the conversions, provided that the test was properly implemented.
A/B Testing A/B testing is also known as splitting testing or buck testing. It allows you to compare two versions of the same webpage or app and determine which one performs well. A/B testing is an experiment in which users are shown two or three versions of a page at random. From there, statistical analysis is done to determine which version is more effective for a particular conversion goal.
A/B/n Testing A/B/n testing is an extension of A/B testing. It’s a form of website testing in which multiple versions of a page are compared to each other to determine which one has the highest conversion rates. To determine which variation is the most effective, traffic is randomly divided and equally distributed among the pages.
Above the fold In the early days for publishing, content that appeared on the top-half of a newspaper’s first page was called “above it fold”. Newspapers were displayed on newsstands with their headlines and lead stories at the top of the page where it was most visible. For readers to be compelled to buy the paper they needed, it was common to use catchy headlines or vivid imagery. The term ‘above the fold’ refers to anything in the top half.
Account based marketing Account based marketing takes a more holistic approach to marketing. It’s a business marketing strategy that targets a specific set of accounts in a particular market. It creates personalized marketing campaigns that target each account and focuses on their specific needs.
Ad viewability Ad viewability is how visible ads are on a website/mobile app to users. An ad can be considered “viewed” if at least 50% must be displayed on screen for at most one second. This is as per the Internet Advertising Bureau’s (IAB), standard for what constitutes a visible impression.
Adaptive content Adaptive content is based on gathering data about every visitor, then interpreting that data and replacing certain parts with user-centric information. Text (aka dynamic content replacement) and images are the most popular types of adaptive text.
Affiliate marketing Affiliate marketing allows companies to pay third-party publishers to generate leads or traffic to their products and services. Affiliates can also be third-party publishers. The commission fee encourages them to promote the company.
Agile CMS Agile content management systems or agile CMS is a new type and style of headless CMS that focuses primarily on content creation, creative collaboration, decision transparency, and omnichannel delivery. It evolved to meet customer expectations for seamless, cross channel experiences and flawless functionality. As agile CMS’s management method, it facilitates responsive content creation and delivery — responsive both to customer expectations and mobile design demands. The result is that agile CMS has become a critical tool for creating seamless, personalized and omnichannel customer experiences.
Alt Text Alt Text is an HTML attribute which describes the appearance and purpose of an image element in order to improve website accessibility, especially for users who cannot see it. Search engines use this attribute to identify the element when it isn’t rendered.
Anchor text Anchor text is clickable text within a hyperlink. This text is used to provide context for both search engines and readers about the linked web page. SEO best practices recommend that anchor text be closely related to each web page to which it links.
App personalization App personalization refers to the process of creating a mobile app that meets the specific needs of a particular audience. App personalization is similar to other forms of personalization . It aims to provide user experiences that are tailored to their particular needs and not a generalized experience for all users.
Application programming interface (API) A programming interface, also known as an API, allows companies to make their applications available to business partners and third-party developers. This allows products and services, as well as their data, to communicate with one another and utilize each other’s functionality via a documented interface. Developers don’t need knowledge of how an API is implemented. They simply use the interface in order to communicate with other services and products.
Authority site Search engines consider authority websites to be high quality. It is a content-driven website, which is trusted as a reliable source of information. It’s a bigger site with real value thanks to its excellent editorial standards. People trust the advice and suggestions on the site.
Average order value The average order price (AOV), or average order value, is the amount of money a customer spends on your site each time they place an online order. This metric is calculated by taking the total revenue divided by the number orders placed over the time period.

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B2B e-commerce B2B electronic commerce (short for business to business electronic commerce) refers to the online selling of goods and/or services between businesses. These particular businesses rely on the operations of other businesses for their own business. B2B transactions are becoming more common as commerce has become increasingly online.
Banner A banner is an advertisement with graphic images and text that is placed on a website. The banner may include links to the advertiser’s website or to another page on the same site. Banners are used for hero pages in websites. They can also be used for presentation websites if the main purpose of their use is to draw attention towards a product or service. Banners may be placed anywhere on a website but are most commonly located above or below the main content blocks or in the sidebars.
Banner blindness Banner blindness can be described as a condition where visitors to websites ignore banner ads or other banner-like graphics. These people learn to ignore banners and other information. Banner blindness is a condition that causes people to ignore banners and/or mentally block them.
Baseline The original version of a webpage, the baseline is the control of an experiment. It is the website’s conversion rate, which an A/B experiment attempts to improve.
Baseline conversion The baseline conversion rate is the current conversion rates for the page that you wish to test. It’s expressed in percentage. It is the sum of the number and success of actions on the page divided by the number of visitors who viewed it.
Bayesian statistics Bayesian is a probability theory in statistics. It is based upon the Bayesian understanding of probability, where probability reflects a level of belief in an incident. It may be based upon prior knowledge, such as results from previous experiments or personal beliefs about the event. Bayesian probability is used in A/B testing to determine the validity of test results.
Behavioral targeting Behavioral targeting is an online advertising and publishing technique that uses data about visitor browsing habits (e.g. search terms, site visits, purchases, etc.) to show relevant ads and offers to improve campaign effectiveness. This allows publishers and advertisers to target customers based upon their behavior across different websites.
Below the fold “Below the fold” refers to the part of a webpage that the user must scroll down to view. The term “below the fold” is a holdover from newspaper publishing. It was used when there was a physical fold at the top of the page. 

The fold refers both to the bottom page of the first load and to the point at which the user will have to scroll down to see the content beneath. It can also be more specific depending upon the device.

Blue-green deployment Blue-green deployment, a software development technique, uses two production environments: a “blue environment” and a “green environment” to facilitate software deployment. 

These environments are kept as similar as possible. Upon deployment, a new code is then pushed to the inactive environment. Once the new changes have been verified in production, a router will be able to switch to point to that environment. This makes it a seamless transition.

Bounce rate The bounce rate is the percentage site visitors that leave without visiting a second page. This is often used to measure the website’s engagement. The bounce rate is the sum of the number of visits to one page and the number of visitors to a website.
Brand engagement Brand engagement is the formation of attachments between consumers, brands and each other. These attachments can be rational or emotional and lead to brand loyalty over time. This strengthens the brand and improves the customer experience. 

There are two types of brand engagement:

  • Employees and other stakeholders are involved in internal brand engagement.
  • External brand engagement is also known as brand awareness. It involves public consumers engaging with a brand.
Branching logic surveys Branching Logic Surveys can be used to help determine the path of a user on an ecommerce site. Every question in the survey helps identify which page a respondent will be seeing next. In simpler terms branching logic surveys let users follow a personalized pattern to view pages that are more interesting to them. Branching logic surveys enable websites to optimize every step of their marketing automation strategy.
Breadcrumb navigation Breadcrumb navigation, which is usually found at the top of any webpage, tells you the exact location for a particular web page. It allows the user to see exactly what pages they have been on and how they ended up there.
Brand home Sometimes called brand houses, or branded homes, are interactive and interpretive spaces that allow brands to connect with consumers and build advocacy, foster community, grow revenue, and create awareness.
Bucket testing Bucket testing, also known as A/B Testing or Split Testing is a method of testing two websites against each other to determine which version performs best on certain key metrics (such clicks, downloads, or purchases). 

Each test has at least two variations, one Variation A and one Variation B. Visitors are randomly assigned to respective buckets where they can record and analyze the data to determine which page performs best.

Online companies that sell products and services rely on bucket testing for maximum revenue. They optimize their landing pages and websites to convert more customers.

Buyer persona A buyer persona is a fictionalized person that has been created from data collected from real buyers. This allows business owners to understand what potential clients want and to know what they think as they weigh their options to solve the problem your company can solve. Your digital strategy should start with buyer personas. They help you refine your approach and make it more relevant to your target audience.

 

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Call to action (CTA) CTA (call to action) is a prompt that directs the user to do a specific action. Call to action can be written in the form of a command phrase or command, such as “Sign up” or “Buy Now”, and usually takes the form of a button or hyperlink. This can be in the form of text on a button (a CTA) or a link. In email campaigns, CTAs often include links to a webpage that allows the user to take further action.
Campaign scheduling Campaign scheduling is a feature that allows you to set up campaigns and pause them for a specific time. You could have a test campaign that runs only on a certain day of week. This does not include features that are always on, such as Heatmaps and Recordings.
Canary testing Canary Testing can be used to verify and reduce risk by only allowing a select number of users to access the software. You can only deliver to specific groups of users with canary testing. Canary deployments can also be called incremental, phased, or staged rollouts. This is a best practice in software development and devops. Instead, software developers want to quickly find and resolve any issue with the new software before it affects everyone’s experience.
Canonical URL If there are multiple URLs through which a web page can be reached (like https://example.com and https://www.example.com/index.html), the search engine picks up the preferred URL defined by the webmaster. This URL is called a canonical URL.
Cart page A website needs a cart page. It allows users to accumulate what they want from the website and then pay online. It is similar to a regular shopping cart at a store. The shopping cart can be used to add any items they wish, and people can then check out at the counter. Similar to the cart page but online, the shopping can be done on an ecommerce website.
Churn rate Since churn rate can be used as a predictor of company growth, the software as a service (SAAS) is one of the most important KPIs. It’s typically calculated for either a month (or a whole year). The churn refers to the percentage of customers who have canceled their subscriptions based on the total number of customers. It is calculated by dividing the number of lost customers to the total number of customers, multiplied to a hundred.
Cloaking Cloaking refers to the practice of showing search engines content that is different from what a visitor would see. Cloaking could lead to your site being removed from search results or demoted. You should not use visitor segmentation to show different content to Googlebot depending on the user-agent and IP address to prevent cloaking.
Click map Click maps are a visual representation of areas on your website that visitors click. This allows you to monitor user activity on your site and see what images, buttons or elements they click on. It also shows which areas of your website are being ignored. You may be able, depending on which tool you used to generate the click map. This will allow you to easily interpret and analyze the data.
Clickbait Clickbait is a headline that excites you to click a hyperlink to an article, image or video. Clickbait headlines appeal to your emotions rather than presenting objective facts. Although the link hosting website earns revenue from advertisers after you click, the actual content is often of questionable quality. To increase their ad revenue, websites use clickbait.
Client-side testing Instead of server-side A/B, where your server randomly sends the user a modified page or element, client-side testing uses JavaScript to modify the page. Client-side A/B Testing is simpler for beginners. It requires minimal IT involvement and has limited testing capabilities.
Clickstream A clickstream describes the journey that a user follows on their online journey. It is typically focused on one website and shows how a user progressed from search through to purchase. It is used to show users where they have searched for multiple terms and then clicked on one term.
Click-through rate (CTR) Click-through Rate (CTR), is the percentage of people who click on an element they are exposed to. It’s a measurement that can be used to analyze websites, emails, and online advertising (Google Bing Yahoo, Yahoo, etc.). Simply divide the number of people that clicked on an element by all visitors to the page and you get the click-through rate. CTR is commonly used to assess the success of marketing efforts.
Click-to-call Click-to-call is the ability to click on a number online to make a call. Click-to-call functionality can be found in many online places, such as pay-per-click advertisements, map listings and company websites, as well as blogs. Click-to-call eliminates the need to copy and paste the number or memorize it, making it simple for customers to contact you. They can connect to you by simply tapping.
Code editor A Code Editor is a special HTML editor program used to create and edit source code and computer programming. It makes it easy for programmers to create and edit source code.
Cognitive bias As an information processing shortcut, the brain uses systematic tendencies to make decisions, judgments, and other actions based on one’s own frame of reference rather than rational logic. It is important to consider cognitive biases in a UX context to predict how website visitors will react to a page design. Cognitive biases include the recency effect which is the tendency of people to recall information that is the last in a sequence; the bandwagon effect which states that people will believe something if there is evidence that others believe it the same way; and confirmation bias which is the tendency to believe that information confirms or is sought out. CRO professionals can use many cognitive biases to increase conversions.
Commerce Commerce can be defined as the exchange between two or more entities of goods or services. Commerce involves the purchasing and selling of goods and services. Commerce can be between businesses, between consumers or between businesses. Commerce also includes services offered by companies or other organizations to facilitate commerce exchange.
Confidence level This is the percentage of future cases that could be expected to produce the same result as a test. If a variation is more successful than an original webpage at 90% confidence, it can be expected that the new variation will perform better in 90% cases.
Confidence interval Confidence level is the confidence interval, which is the range within which an A/B test’s result lies.
Content delivery Content delivery is the process by which content is determined and distributed to who and via what channels. Delivering digital content requires more than simply describing the delivery process. Delivering content requires analyzing customer experience data to figure out how to reach different customers at exactly the right time and place to sell.
Content hub A content hub is an organized collection of content from a brand on a topic or subject. It includes videos, infographics, articles, and other types of content that allow users to take a deeper dive into a particular area where the brand is an authority. While a content hub may be smaller than a website, it is usually more extensive than a blog. The content hub will often have its own section in a website. Content hubs can also be topic-specific, highly curated. Marketers will not find every piece of content a brand ever created.
Content hub software A content hub acts like a meta layer for all your company’s digital content — past, present, and future. It acts as your company’s definitive content repository and allows you standardize content across customer omnichannel experiences. The software solutions for content hubs are simple to set-up. They begin as an application programming interface for developers (API). It runs on the backend and is accessible via both a command line interface for developers (CLI), and a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), which are available for content creators or editors. Your digital content will remain secure through any collaboration process thanks to the restrictions on access that can be applied by users or groups. Your teams have easy access to the same standard content through Content Hub software. It can be used with any CMS, DAP and CRM as well as any content-creation tool.
Content intelligence Content intelligence is a technique that uses artificial intelligence and software in order to measure the impact and generate insights into content strategy. With the huge amount of content being created it becomes more difficult to gauge the impact of that content. This is why content intelligence is so important. The big data analysis provided by artificial intelligence and machine learning systems is a great way to measure the impact of mass-produced content. Content intelligence platforms enable content marketers to better understand the impact of their content. They provide real-time data analysis and insight that allows them to create content that is effective.
Content management infrastructure (CMI) Content management infrastructure (CMI), is both a process as well as a platform. It is a platform that requires centralizing and universalizing all digital content production in order to integrate seamlessly into your DevOps process. CMS also involves integrating content management in your development stack to enable content personalization and accelerate omni channel distribution.
Content management system (CMS) Content management systems (CMS) are applications that allow multiple contributors to publish, create and edit web content. A CMS typically stores content in a database. It then displays it in a presentation layer that is based on a set template.
Content marketing Continuous Delivery refers to software development that enables code changes to be quickly and safely put into production. It is usually done using automated tools. Engineers make software changes in short cycles so it can be released and tested more often. This approach allows incremental changes to be made at lower risks and costs. In their book Constant Delivery: Reliable Software releases through build, test, and deployment automation, Jez Humble & David Farley first introduced this approach.
Content recommendation engine A content recommendation engine recommends content to be placed in certain areas of a website. Content recommendation engines analyze and collect data based upon users’ behaviour. This data can then be used to recommend products or content that is relevant to the user. Site visitors can have a more seamless customer journey by knowing their preferences. Personalization can be used to label the area as “Recommended for” or “You might like”.
Continuous delivery Continuous Delivery refers to the ability to make changes of any type–including new features and configuration changes–into production or into the hands safely or quickly in a sustainable manner. The goal is to make deployments, whether of large-scale distributed systems, complex production environments, embedded systems, or application-predictable and routine affairs that can easily be done on demand.
Continuous integration Continuous Integration (CI), which is both a devops and software-development practice, involves code being continuously integrated into the trunk (a shared repository also known as master and mainline), where they are automatically built up and tested. You can locate bugs and find them faster by integrating certain portions of code more frequently into the master branches.
Control page Split testing and A/B Testing, a control page is a page from a website or app screen that you compare with other variants to identify areas that could be improved for conversions, or other metrics. You can test pages with completely different layouts, although the variations may be smaller than the control page. Only if you have obtained statistically significant improvement of the relevant metrics should the control page be changed at the end of a test.
Conversion A conversion is when a user completes a predetermined task on your site. Conversions do not have to be tied with monetary goals. Examples include when a visitor completes an order and clicks a button. Conversions are an absolute number. You can think of them as the number who performed a certain action on your web site.
Conversion rate The conversion rate is the ratio of the total number of visitors to the number of conversions. Any desired action you wish the user to take can be considered a conversion. You can define a conversion as anything that the user does, such as clicking a button or purchasing and becoming a customer. Many websites and apps have multiple conversion goals. Each will have its own conversion rate.
Conversion rate marketing Conversion rate marketing, also known as conversion marketing, is a series of marketing activities that are designed to convince website visitors to convert. Conversion usually refers to an actual online transaction/sale, but it could also refer to lead generation (micro conversions). Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is a technique that increases the number of conversions on a website.
Conversion rate optimization (CRO) Conversion rate optimization (CRO), is the process of increasing conversions on a website or mobile application. CRO is usually about generating ideas for elements that could be improved on your website or app and then validating them through A/B and multivariate testing.
Cookie segmentation Cookies are used to save the interaction and experience of potential customers when they visit a website. Cookies are used to save this information on the website. This data can be used by marketers to segment visitors based on their interests. Cookies can be used to improve customer experience and help businesses advertise and provide the products they need. A copy of this information is also saved by the customer in their browser. Segmentation aids in improving the conversion rates optimization (CRO) procedure of a website.
Cookies Cookies are small files that are saved within a web browser. Cookies store information regarding a user’s visit to certain websites. Cookies are used for tracking users’ browsing history, preferences and other information. A cookie is used to store information that allows the site to display certain settings and targeted content. Cookies store information such as shopping cart contents and login credentials.
Cost per acquisition (CPA) Cost per Acquisition (also known as Cost Per Action or CPA) is a marketing metric which measures the cumulative cost of customers taking actions that lead to conversions. A conversion can sometimes be used to refer to a sale. However, it can also refer to a click or download, or even an install. The options for bidding on ad networks include CPA, CPC (Cost-per-Click), or CPM (Cost per 1,000 impressions). Marketers prefer CPA bidding as you’re paying for a direct outcome and you can compare performance across channels.
Cost per click (CPC) Websites use cost per click (CPC), an online revenue model to bill advertisers. It is based on how many times people click on display ads attached to their websites. Pay-per-click (or cost-per click) is another name for the cost-per-click system. Advertisers with a daily budget are most likely to use cost-per-click. The advertiser’s budget will be reached and the ad will be removed from the website’s rotation until the end of the billing period.
Cost per thousand impressions (CPM) CPM, or cost per thousand impressions, is the total amount that an advertiser spends for each 1,000 impressions they place on their website. CPM is the cost per thousand impressions. However it is not a way to measure the effectiveness of campaigns. Instead of measuring how many impressions their ads generate for a given budget, advertisers prefer to focus more on relevant metrics such CTR, or the percentage who click those ads after seeing them.
Crawlers A crawler is also known as a bot or a spider. It scans the Internet looking for information and indexes it. The spider examines the links, keywords, and content on every page. It then stores this information in a database so that a snapshot can be retrieved later. Search engines like Google use this process to retrieve the most relevant information when they search for a term or phrase online.
CRO test Conversion Rate Optimization Testing refers to the various testing methods used in the CRO for identifying the best website. The most valuable traffic is the best version of an ecommerce site. This traffic can be later converted into leads from the ecommerce site. The process of increasing this conversion rate is called optimization. Both these definitions can be interconnected. The multivariate testing and A/B Testing are the most popular CRO tests used by businesses.
Cross-domain tracking Cross-domain tracking is when tracking devices can connect sessions from two different domains in order to attribute behavior to one user. This is often called “site linking”, and allows you to more accurately measure customer journeys. Cross-domain measurement involves sharing the client ID between a source domain (or destination domain). The client ID is saved in the browser’s cookie, so it can only be accessed by pages from the same domain.
Cross selling Cross-selling refers to selling products that are related to or complement each other to a customer. Cross-selling can be one of the most powerful marketing strategies. Cross-selling in the financial services industry includes selling different types of investments or products to investors or tax preparation to clients for retirement planning.
Customer data platform Marketing firms are increasingly adopting customer data platforms (CDP) as one of the most effective tracking technologies for data-driven metrics. A customer data platform is software that maintains and manages a continuous and comprehensive customer database. It is accessible from other software and systems. A CDP organizes, shares, and collects data from a variety of data sources. All employees have access to real-time, instantaneous views of customers through the platform.
Customer journey management Customer journey management is the process that optimizes the customer experience with your brand. It uses technology and behavioral sciences to create engaging interactions for customers as they move through the sales funnel. Sometimes, customer journey management is referred to as journey mapping or experience optimization. This is not accurate. While these steps are essential for your business, journey management is more important than what they contain.
Customer journey mapping Customer journey mapping can help you optimize every customer experience. It ties together all touchpoints to create a cohesive story. A customer journey map identifies all the steps (or users flows) that a customer needs to follow to obtain a specific outcome from their interaction with your company. Customer journey mapping is a way to identify customer processes and their perceptions during interactions. Sometimes, customer journey mapping can be interchangeably used with buyer or user journeys. It allows companies to see every touchpoint a customer has while they interact with your company. Journey mapping is a way to identify and solve any friction points a customer might experience as they progress through various touchpoints.
Customization Customization should not be confused with personalization. The term mass customization was first described in 1987 by Stan Davis in Future Perfect. Customers can now assemble products and services to meet their individual needs. One example is a fashion retailer, which allows customers to select from a variety of color, fabric and style patterns to build a custom-made shoe using their website.

 

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Data layer Data layer, also called a data object, is a collection of JavaScript variables that are embedded in a webpage’s code and which describe the attributes. This could be the type of page (e.g. This could include the page type, such as home, product, search results, etc. The product’s category or groups, and any other information about the product (such as its price, availability, discounted price etc.). This data can be used by marketers to enhance campaigns, especially personalization campaigns, to make them more relevant.
Data management platform (DMP) Data Management Platforms allow you to combine and manage data sources from many different sources. Different third-party tools such as personalization or A/B testing can collect, process, and use offline and online data from web apps, web analysis tools, CRM systems, and even in-store purchase transactions. Cookie IDs, generally, are collected from multiple systems. They are used to create user profiles and target groups through segmentation.
Decision fatigue Decision fatigue occurs when the mind gets tired after prolonged periods of decision making. Making decisions is a difficult task. Decision making ability drops after long periods of decision making. Users may be tempted to choose the easiest route, which can result in them not making any decisions.
Decoupled CMS A decoupled CMS provides flexible publishing capabilities businesses can choose to use. Both architectures can interact in their own ways. Optional use of the CMS head is possible. It is distinctive from other CMSs. The perfect tool for companies looking for a future-proof system to distribute content through existing and future digital channels.
Digital content Digital content is any media used by an organization to interact with customers or visitors to their website or applications. It can be distributed via online delivery systems. Every piece of digital content is intended for a specific audience. They expect a certain delivery method. Content marketing is a key tool in promotional materials. However, it also serves other customer needs.
Digital content delivery platform A digital content distribution platform is also known as a digital software delivery system, digital distribution platform, or content distribution platform. It allows you to distribute and deliver digital content to users. You can use audio, video and images to create content. Digital content delivery allows for you to optimize your content marketing and distribute it on any device. Digital content delivery platforms should be compatible with other technology stacks, speeding up time to market. Your digital content delivery platform can be connected to your marketing, sales, and development systems. This will streamline the content creation, staging, and distribution process.
Digital content management Digital content management is the organization, indexing, curation, and storage of digital content. Digital content can be in many formats, including text files, images, documents, graphics and animations, as well as audio and video files. Although web content and streaming media are the most prominent type of content management, digital content management can be used for many other purposes. It’s an integral part of many companies’ sales, marketing, and public relations strategies.
Digital customer experience The digital customer experience is at the core of digital customer service. It analyzes all interactions that a customer has online and offline with your brand. There are many channels that your customers can experience your brand today. To engage with and create great digital customer experiences, you must meet customers at their point of departure – online. Online customer meetings allow you to understand their needs and wants, and provide a way for them to communicate with you. Your company must embrace digital spaces but also create seamless, omnichannel experiences. Your customers should feel positive about every interaction they have with your company, whatever the application.
Digital ecosystem An ecosystem that is digitally based is very similar to one that is environment-based. Digital ecosystem is more than just a group of stakeholders interconnected digitally in ways that create value for all involved. While your company has a role to play in a digital ecosystem, it is not the only one. Your business must be flexible enough that it can adapt to changing circumstances and interactions with other stakeholders.
Digital experience platform A digital experience platform (DXP), is a platform that manages digital experiences across many digital touchpoints. A DXP includes functionality such as content management, ecommerce and personalization. Further, it is software that allows for flexible, agnostic core service to maximize scale, quality, and insights across channels and systems. It also provides context-specific tools for practitioners to create, manage, and optimize digital journeys on their own channels and to orchestrate third-party experiences.
Digital marketing Digital marketing encompasses all advertising efforts that are delivered via digital channels, such search engines, websites and social media. Digital marketing allows companies to endorse products, services, or brands through these online media channels.
Digital web strategy A digital web strategy is a short-term plan that a company uses to increase engagements, conversions and revenue across digital channels. Organizations use digital web strategies, also known as a web strategy or an online marketing strategy, to create a roadmap for cross-functional teams, including IT, operations and customer-facing business units such as marketing, customer services, and IT.
Direct marketing Direct marketing is a type of advertising that allows companies and non-profit organizations to communicate directly and effectively with customers using advertising techniques such as email, mobile messaging and interactive consumer websites.
Directional cues Visual elements are visual cues that direct visitors’ attention to strategic areas on your landing page, including your call-to-action. There are two types of directional cues. Explicit cues can be in the form of lines or arrows, while suggestive cues are visual cues that subtly direct your prospect’s gaze.
Do not track Do Not track is a browser setting which tells websites that visitors’ internet usage should not be tracked by analytics tools. However, many websites may still collect data to improve security and serve relevant ads. It is a combination of technology (a way for users to indicate whether they wish to be tracked) and a policy framework that outlines how companies should respond.
Drop-off Drop-off is a field-level indicator in form analytics reports that displays the number of visitors who have stopped filling out the form in a certain part of said form.
Dynamic content Dynamic content, also known as adaptive content, refers to web contents that change based on the behavior and preferences of the user. It can be websites or email content. It is created when a user requests a page. Dynamic content can be personalized and adjusted based on data about users and access times. Its goal is to provide an engaging and satisfying online experience. Dynamic content is generally powered by scripts and applications. It works alongside static content.

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Ecommerce platform An ecommerce platform allows businesses to centrally manage virtual assets, omnichannel sales, and operations. These platforms also offer prebuilt content and sales frameworks, which seamlessly integrate into existing workflows. To centralize sales and marketing, today’s most successful companies have moved to digital experience platforms (DXP), or agile CMS management systems (CMS). Ecommerce platforms offer greater efficiency return on investment.
Email marketing Email Marketing is an effective marketing channel. This includes direct marketing as well digital marketing that uses email to promote products or services. You can let your customers know about the latest offers and products by integrating it in your marketing automation. It can also be an integral part of your Marketing Strategy. This includes lead generation, brand awareness building relationships and keeping customers engaged between purchases through various types of marketing emails.
Email remarketing This marketing tactic is used to re-engage website users after abandoning their shopping carts. Website visitors who add items to their cart, but do not complete the purchase, receive transactional emails. An email remarketing workflow could include an initial reminder email reminding shoppers of the contents of their cart and then a second email with an incentive such as a discount code or promotion to encourage finalization.
Email testing Email A/B Testing is the process of applying A/B testing principles to two versions of a website and two versions of an email campaign. To determine which version performs the best in terms of KPIs such as open and click rates, one might alter the headline, content or layout.
Engagement The online catalyst that turns prospects into customers, customers into loyal customers, loyal customers to brand advocates, and customers to customers is called engagement. It is a phase that allows sellers to establish relationships throughout the customer’s lifecycle, turn cold prospects into hot prospects and prequalify contacts. Close new business, cross-sell with existing customers and up-sell.
Enterprise commerce Enterprise commerce refers to selling that takes place at an enterprise level. This term is often used to refer to enterprise-grade ecommerce software. This is a particular type of ecommerce that is usually defined by large operations and multi-million-dollar revenues. Platforms or software for enterprise commerce are different from other ecommerce platforms. These platforms offer more powerful tools for managing inventory, customers (CRM), as well as handling larger sales volumes.
Exit intent technology Exit Intent Technology is an intelligent technology or innovative tool that is designed to assist marketers in turning their website visitors who have abandoned them into paying customers. This technology can be embedded on your site to track and monitor the mouse clicks, movements, and other activities of site visitors. It can detect when a visitor is about exiting the site or leaving it without purchasing a product.
Exit pop-up An exit popup is a popup that appears on website visitors’ screens when they indicate an intention to leave the site. Exit popups usually offer some form of incentive to encourage visitors to interact more with the site.
Exit rate Sometimes it is mistaken with the bounce rate. The digital term “exit rate” is used in digital marketing to describe the percentage of site visitors who click away from a page to visit another site. These visitors might have visited other pages before exiting the site, which makes them distinct from ‘bounced visitors.
Experience analytics Analytics is the process of gathering, analyzing and using customer-specific data to improve their journeys and experiences while they use your products and services. Experience analytics goes beyond tracking conversions, burn, churn, and conversions. It focuses on the whole customer journey. The data is collected at various touchpoints and used to monitor the behavior of your channels in order to make smart design decisions for every digital interaction. Experience analytics goes beyond CX considerations. It quantifies the entire Digital Customer Experience (DCX), and generates valuable feedback every day. Experience analytics is a way to optimize customer experiences and drive conversions.
Experiential marketing Experiential marketing, also known as engagement marketing or event marketing, is a marketing strategy that provides audiences with memorable brand experiences. The goal is to influence customers’ brand perceptions and buy behavior through active participation in brand experiences. Examples of this include tours, pop-ups and brand activations. Experience marketing allows companies and brands to diversify their marketing efforts beyond traditional visual advertising. Customer-focused experiences give brands the opportunity to differentiate themselves and their products. Brands often refer to experiential marketing multisensory marketing. This is because they can add sensory elements to enhance their experiential marketing efforts. Experiential marketing can be done online or offline.
Experience optimization EXO stands for Experience Optimization. It is the continual process of learning about your customers to provide them the best possible experience at all touchpoints. EXO allows businesses and organizations to improve their customer experience through controlled experimentation. Through Experience Optimization, businesses can verify and quantify the effects of their ideas with real time customer data in a way that was not possible before. Experience optimization aims to create the best experience possible for each customer.
Eye-tracking Eye-tracking technology can be used to monitor eye movements, pupil dilations, point of view, blinking, and pupil dilation. This allows researchers to determine where subjects’ visual attention is focused, what they interact with, and what they ignore. Eye-tracking technology is used in many research areas, including marketing research and user experience testing. It helps researchers identify which elements on a webpage or advertisement grab people’s attention. This data can help companies design more user-friendly websites and to create more effective advertising.

 

F

Feature branch A feature branch is an area of the main codebase that allows software developers to work together on a feature until it is finished. Engineers create their own copy (called branches) of the codebase to avoid each other’s changes. The master branch, also known as the trunk, is often referred to as the tree. Merging is the process of incorporating changes to an individual’s copy in the main trunk.
Feature flags Feature flags are also known as feature toggles, feature switches, and feature switches. They allow you to switch certain functionality on/off during software development without the need for new code. This allows for more control and experimentation across the entire lifecycle. Feature flags allow you to embed conditional feature branches into your code, so that certain users have access to the logic. If the flag’s status is “on”, new code is executed. If the flag’s status is “off”, code is skipped.
Feature rollout A feature rollout program is a process which allows for the introduction of a new set of features to a user group. Developers have control over which features are released during a given development cycle. A rollout plan is a good way to give developers that control. This allows you to ship and test certain changes in a group before deploying them to all your users.
Feature testing Feature testing is a software development process that involves multiple variants of a feature being tested to determine the best user experience. Using feature testing, you can verify that the new feature on a website or in an app is a good fit. You can also use the feature test to determine which version of the feature is most popular. You can then implement the winning feature by completing the feature test. Feature testing is similar to A/B/n. You can control which feature for each variant is turned on or off using feature flags, also known as feature toggles. It allows you to set the feature variable values that are associated with each feature.
Feature toggle A feature toggle in software development is a mechanism that allows code “on” and “off” remotely, without the need to deploy. DevOps, product and engineering teams often use feature toggles for canary releases , testing, continuous deployment, and other purposes. Also called “feature flags”, feature switches, or “release toggles”, feature toggles can be used in a variety of applications and infrastructure. Most of these uses are to reduce risk. Feature toggles can be added to codebases to enable remote control of certain logic at runtime. This logic is wrapped in code so it can be controlled via the status of a toggle. The wrapped logic will be executed if the feature toggle status is “on”. If the feature toggle status is “on”, the wrapped logic will be skipped.
Flickering effect Flickering is a problem that occurs when the original page of a webpage appears before the modified version. This can cause the visitor to experience the page flickering. Flickering occurs when the website browser is unable to process changes to a page quickly enough. There is no way to prevent flickering. However, there are common best practices that can be used to minimize it such as optimizing the site’s loading speed, using A/B testing solutions tags as high as possible within the source code and not using a tag manager. Also known as FOOC, Flash of Original Content.
Form conversion Form conversion refers to when a visitor completes and submits an online form from a webpage, landing page, or other page of a website. Form conversion is a macro conversion that leads to a macro conversion such as signing up for the newsletter or making a purchase. Form submissions are the final hurdle to a successful CRO strategy.
Form testing Form testing is the process of testing your website’s design, copy, and length in order to improve their conversion rate. If forms aren’t optimized, they can reduce conversions and make it difficult to drive traffic to them via organic or paid advertising. Form testing is similar to A/B Testing but it doesn’t focus on pages. Instead, it targets all forms on your website regardless of their type (registration or subscription).
Friction Friction can be caused by elements on a website that confuse visitors or distract them, leading to a decrease in conversions. Website elements that cause friction include complex navigation links, cluttered boxes and CTAs lacking visual contrast.
Full factorial multivariate test (MVT) One of two types of multivariate is the Full Factorial Multivariate Test. A Full Factorial Multivariate Test tests every possible combination of options. This also makes it more time consuming than its other counterpart, fractional-factorial. The traffic is divided into all possible combinations. If there are 20 users browsing the internet, each combination will get five users.
Funnel A conversion funnel is a marketing strategy that shows all the steps a customer takes to purchase a product on a website. It follows the path visitors follow to reach a conversion point on a website.
Funnel testing Funnel testing involves testing multiple pages in your sales funnel. This is not only comparing two pages against one another. Multi-page or funnel tests work in the same way as A/B testing. However, instead of changing just a few elements on the control page you create variants from all pages in your sales funnel. Visitors who view the control page when they arrive at your site will be directed to that page. Visitors who see a variant will be directed, depending on their stage in the sales funnel, to the variant. This allows you to provide consistent customer experience throughout the sales funnel, even if different tests are being run.

 

G

Gamification Gamification is the act of making game-like offers to customers or potential customers. Gamification is a combination of elements from game design and the general principles that drive gameplay, and it applies these concepts to other contexts. Incentives to engage and complete more transactions are the goal. An example of gamification is the loyalty program.
General data protection regulation (GDPR) The General Data Protection Regulation is the strictest privacy and security law. It was created and approved by the European Union, but it is applicable to all organizations worldwide as long as they target or collect data that is related to EU citizens. On May 25, 2018, the regulation became effective. The GDPR will impose harsh penalties against anyone who violates its privacy and security standards. These penalties could reach up to tens of million of euros.
Geo-fencing Geo-fencing, a location-based service, is where an app or software program uses radio frequency ID (RFID), WiFi, GPS or cellular data to trigger targeted marketing actions when a mobile device, RFID tag, enters or leaves a virtual geographical boundary. This is known as a geofence. This technology allows advertisers to create a virtual fence around an area of interest by selecting a geographical point with latitude/longitude information. Businesses can also use it to send in-store promotions. It alerts you as soon as you enter the store. Geofencing allows businesses to target specific audiences with ads based on their location data.
Geo-targeting Geo-targeting is the process of delivering customized content to visitors based on their geography. Also called geo-targeted advertising, is a type of advertising that uses location data to reach consumers with messaging appropriate to their locality and behavior. This technology allows advertisers to display content based on their location.
Growth hacking Growth hacking is also known as ‘growth marketing’. It involves the use of cost-effective and resource-light digital marketing strategies to increase user engagement, sell products, and gain exposure. It works in the same way as marketing, except that its ultimate goal is customer acquisition or encouraging more people to use a certain product or service. Its roots are in the start up community and it relies on tactics that do not require large budgets.

 

H

Hard bounce Hard bounces indicate that an email cannot go out because of a problem. Most cases, bounced emails are removed from your list immediately and automatically. All future campaigns will not include addresses that have been cleaned. Is an e-mail message which has been returned to the sender due to invalid. Sometimes, a hard bounce may occur when the domain name isn’t available or the recipient is not known.
Headless CMS A headless CMS is a content-management system which separates the backend content administration from the frontend presentation layer. Headless architecture is a data-source that only contains content and does not include a presentation layer. Headless architecture is a form of decoupled architecture. However, instead of the CMS pushing artifacts the frontend pulls content directly from the CMS.
Headless CMS for experience management Your marketers have the ability to create seamless customer experiences (now and in future) by using a headless CMS. Headless CMS consolidates content into one central location that developers can access for deployment to all channels. You can seamlessly manage the customer experience and journey of your brand based on how they interact with it.
Headless commerce “Headless commerce” is an ecommerce format where the traditional frontend presentation is not coupled with the backend fulfillment functionality. The term “headless” refers to the absence of a “head”, i.e., a website where customers can shop for items. Commerce is instead done in other environments such as mobile webs, social media platforms, voice assistants and other non-retail websites. It works well for consumers who are less tied to the web. These consumers interact with products or services through a variety of touchpoints: from mobile apps to Internet of Things devices to interactive kiosks found in brick-and mortar stores to traditional apps.
Headline testing Headline testing is the process of creating multiple titles for an article, piece of online media. The title variations can be tested on different audience segments to see which one performs best. It is used to optimize the title and content of an article or blog posting for metrics like click-throughs and social shares. It is possible to eliminate the less-performing versions so that future visitors to your site will see the most engaging headline to increase their engagement.
Heatmap A heatmap, which is a visual representation of data, uses a system that color-codes different values. Although heatmaps can be used in many analytics, they are often used to track user behavior on specific pages or web page templates. Heatmaps are useful for showing where users clicked, scrolling down and the results of eye-tracking.
Hero image A hero image refers to a banner image placed at the top or side of a website. A “hero head” is sometimes used to describe a prominent banner image at the top or side of a webpage. It serves as the user’s first exposure of your company and offerings. The hero image can include your company’s Unique Selling Point (USP), or a conversion goal like a signup form, button to shop, and other high-resolution graphics. It is a great way to personalize your brand’s page and add credibility and trust. People are visual and can see a lot of detail on your pages.
Hesitation time In a form analytics report, hesitation time shows how long a visitor spent on a field while they weren’t actively filling it out.
Heuristic evaluation Heuristic evaluation refers to a method of inspecting the user interface. This is where an expert, who checks the usability and usability of the user interface, determines if it conforms to the usability guidelines that have been predetermined on the basis heuristic standards. Expert evaluation is another term commonly confused with heuristic evaluation. This requires at least two to three experienced analysts to evaluate the system in relation to the heuristic principles and the reference guidelines. Once the evaluation is completed, they will rank the system based on the severity of each rule.
Hyper-personalization Hyper-personalization uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to go further than segmentation and allow you to create a customer experience that is unique to an individual. Hyper-personalized experiences are created by combining big data analytics, analytics, individual journey maps and personalized content to attract customers and drive profits. Although it’s useful to continuously segment customers, AI can respond more quickly to changes in visitors’ behavior. Using hyper-personalization, marketers can proactively adapt experiences to create unique touchpoints that are personalized to individual visitors. Hyper-personalization aims to build lasting relationships, evoke meaningful responses, and deliver unique experiences to increase conversion rates and grow customer lifetime value.

 

I

Impression Impressions can be defined as the number of times visitors have looked at an element on a page. This could be text, image, video, content, or text. Impressions are often used to determine how much an advertiser has to pay to promote his ad. Every time someone loads a page, their ad is displayed and counted as an impression. Impressions are counted in sets of 1,000.
Inbound marketing Inbound marketing is a marketing strategy that aims to attract visitors and potential customers, not push a brand, product, or service onto prospects in order to generate leads or customers. A successful inbound marketing campaign aims to increase reach, drive quality traffic, engage and convert using ‘earned’ and ‘owned media. The ‘inbound method’ uses a variety of content at different stages in the buying cycle. This is the best way to convert strangers into customers or promoters of your company.
Information scent Information scent is the strength of the messaging along the customer journey. It also includes visual and textual cues that give website visitors clues about what information the site has. It is essential to have a strong information scent to convince users that they will find the information they need at the end. Users should also follow links that lead them to their destination. As users move through a conversion funnel, there should not be anything confusing, disjointed, or alarming.
Internal linking An internal link is a link that links from one page of your website to another. Search engines and users both use links to locate content on your site. Links are used by your users to navigate to your site and find the content they desire. Links are also used by search engines to navigate your website. Search engines won’t find pages if they don’t have links to them. There are many types of internal links. You can add links to your content, including links on your homepage, navigation, post feed and so forth.
Interstitial An interstitial in online advertising is an ad displayed either before or after the expected content. It’s an ad that is displayed before or after the expected content. Interstitials may be full-page or small-sized. They interrupt users and expose them to promotional messages with the goal of persuading them to take a profitable action. Interstitials can be part of interruption marketing strategies. They may not be as effective as conversions. However, it can cause resentments or negative user reactions if they are displayed too often.
iOS A/B testing iOS A/B Testing is the process of running controlled experiments comparing one or more versions of an iOS application against the original with the goal to improve a certain metric such as taps or engagement, or in-app purchase. An experiment is sent to a select percentage of the app’s installed base. The experiment is random and app users are randomly divided between the variation and original experiences. They don’t even know they are participating in a test. The results of each variation are compared in order to determine which version performed the best against the predetermined goal. This can be used to test any aspect of an app that can be improved upon.

 

K

Key performance indicator (KPI) Key Performance indicators are quantifiable metrics like page views, clicks, or downloads that are used for assessing the performance of a marketing campaign. They can also be used to set goals for businesses in all industry sectors. Sometimes referred to as KSI, Key Success Indicators, they can help define the direction of a business and provide valuable feedback. They also help to organize individuals, teams and businesses in order to maximize performance.

 

L

Landing page A landing page, which is a separate web page created specifically for advertising campaigns or marketing, is an individual page. It’s the place where visitors “land” after clicking on a link in an email, or ads from Google or Facebook. Landing pages, unlike web pages that have multiple goals and encourage exploration of the site, are focused on a single goal . Also known as a Call to Action (or CTA), they are created with a single focus .
Landing page optimization Optimizing landing pages means improving the website’s elements to increase conversions. Landing page optimization is a subset optimization rate. This involves methods like A/B tests in order to increase the conversion goals of a landing page.
Latent conversion Latent conversion (or delayed conversion) in internet marketing defines those visitors who visit your site multiple times. Click on your landing page to browse your website, but not convert immediately. These visitors convert later than they turn into customers or leads from their first visit. This is why the term “latent” is used.
Lead generation A process that generates consumer interest for a product/service with the aim of making a sale is known as lead generation. This online advertising usually involves collecting visitor’s information (called “lead”) through a web form. Since their products are often expensive, and their customers are less likely to purchase directly from their website, lead generation is an essential part of the Sales funnel. The businesses can gather leads via email marketing to educate and nurture customers before reaching out to them directly through salespeople. For ecommerce, lead generation is important as it allows businesses to reach out to potential customers via email marketing.
Lead response time The average lead response time is the time it takes for a sales representative to follow up with a lead once they have self-identified as a lead by submitting a form or downloading an ebook. It is easier to understand this if you divide the time it takes to follow up on a lead by source. The warmer a lead, the more important it is to follow up quickly.
Leads Leads can be potential customers of a company who have already expressed interest in the business by giving their contact information. This allows them to be contacted. A “lead”, for some companies, is a contact who has been determined to be a potential client. For others, a “lead,” is any sales contact. What is consistent across all definitions is the possibility that a lead may become a future customer. Sales teams are responsible for converting as many leads as possible in order to maintain a high conversion ratio.
Lifetime value The Lifetime Value (LTV) is an estimate of how much revenue a customer will earn over their lifetime. This customer’s ‘worth’ can be used to help companies make economic decisions, such as marketing budget, resources, profitability, and forecasting. This metric is crucial in subscription-based business models.
Link building Link building refers to the process of acquiring links from other websites. A hyperlink, also known as a link, is a way to allow users to navigate between pages of the Internet. Search engines use hyperlinks to crawl the internet. Search engines will crawl links between pages on your website and crawl links between websites.
Long tail keywords Long tail keywords are search phrases that include more than three terms. Long-tail keywords provide a comprehensive description of a search query. Since long tail keywords are longer and more specific phrase phrases, visitors are more inclined to use them when they are closer to a point to purchase or when using voice search. These keywords can seem a bit strange at first but they are extremely useful if you understand how to use them.

 

M

Machine-learning personalization Machine learning-based personalization is more efficient and can be scaled to create unique experiences for each user. Instead of segmenting users using rule-based personalization, it allows you to use algorithms to deliver unique experiences for each user, often in the form of recommendations for products and content.
Macro conversion Macro conversion is usually about the ultimate goal of the website, which the visitor will be clicking. The macro conversion is often the last step before a sale is closed. It can be tracked on any website to determine the popularity and success of any product.
Marketing automation Marketing automation is the process of automating marketing activities with software. Marketing departments often automate repetitive tasks like email marketing, social media posting, and even ad campaign campaigns. The technology also makes it easier to automate repetitive tasks, not only for efficiency, but also to improve customer experience.
Marketing technology stack A marketing technology stack is a collection of technologies that marketers use to enhance and execute their marketing activities. Martech, or marketing technologies, is often used to describe complex processes, measure the impact of marketing activities and drive more efficient spending.
Meta tag Meta tags are HTML codes that include information about a website.The website itself cannot display the information. Search engines have access to certain meta tags in order to display page titles and descriptions in the search results.
Micro conversion Micro-conversions indicate that a website visitor is going to convert by taking small steps or performing secondary actions. Although not part of a website’s overall conversion rate, micro-conversions can be a strong indicator of the effectiveness of your funnel.
Micro site A microsite can be a subsite that is focused on one campaign. It is usually a temporary asset, which is either a webpage or a small number of web pages. Each microsite has its own content and is usually hosted on its own domain. Some microsites live on subdomains. They can be used for targeting specific buyer personas, increasing awareness efforts, and enticing customers with a specific call to action.
Minimal detectable effect The minimum detectable effect (MDE)that calculates how small an improvement you can detect. It is used to determine the “sensitivity” of an experiment.
Mobile-first The “mobile-first approach” involves starting with a mobile version of a website, and adapting it for smaller screens. This is in contrast to traditional approaches that start with a desktop site then adapt it to smaller screens. A mobile-first approach to building a website means that you design it with your mobile users in mind.
Mobile app A/B testing Mobile app A/B Testing is the use of A/B tests to test different mobile app experiences. Each user is randomly placed into a segment and given a different experience. Once enough users complete the experiment, statistical confidence can be established that the app is more successful in converting customers. They can run an A/B test to find out which banner is performing best based on the actual user data. After the test has reached statistical significance they can distribute the winning variant to all users and increase the conversion rate.
Monthly unique visitors (MUV) A monthly unique user (MUV) refers to an individual user who visits your site within a 30-day period. They usually track unique visitors with cookies that last for 10 years or until users clear their browser cookies. Accounts are usually billed based on the amount of MUVs that visit your site to bill your account.
Multi-armed bandit Multi-armed bandits are a more sophisticated or complex version of A/B testing. It uses machine learning algorithms that dynamically allocate traffic to variants that perform well and decrease traffic to underperforming variations. They can produce faster results because there is no need for waiting for one winner variation.
Multivariate testing (MVT) Multivariate Testing is a method of testing hypotheses in which multiple variables have been modified. It is used to test which combination of variables performs best among all possible combinations.
Multivariate testing vs A/B testing A/B Testing is the most straightforward method of evaluating page design. Multivariate Testing uses the same core mechanism of A/B, but compares more variables, and gives more information about their interactions. While an A/B test traffic is divided between different designs, A multivariate test is used to assess the impact of different design combinations on the ultimate goal.

 

N

Net promoter score Net Promoter Score can be used to measure customer satisfaction. NPS measures customer loyalty to a company. It is usually calculated using a single-question survey. They can range from -100 up to +100. A higher score is desirable.
Noise Noise refers to marketing information or efforts that distract from a brand’s overall message. Noise can be a combination of too many marketing emails, too much advertising on social media, or too many TV commercials that consumers find inundating and somewhat annoying. This marketing strategy can turn customers away from your brand.

 

O

Omnichannel marketing Omnichannel Marketing is focused on providing a consistent and personalized experience to shoppers across all channels. Omnichannel marketing’s core principle is that it’s shopper-based and not channel-based. The goal is to make shopping as simple as possible for shoppers. That means constant engagement, no matter where or how they interact with you.
On-site remarketing On-Site remarketing can help you determine when someone is losing their way or is about to leave your site. This involves using on-screen messages to encourage these visitors to sign up for your email list to receive additional information.
Online marketing Online marketing refers to the use of web-based channels to communicate information about a company’s products and services to potential customers. Email, social media marketing, display advertising, and search engine optimization are some of the methods. The goal is to reach potential customers via the channels through which they spend their time online reading, searching, shopping, and socializing.
Online reputation management Online reputation management (ORM), is when you monitor online mentions of your brand and take corrective action to any false or negative comments. ORM works by responding positively online to negative customer comments and reacting to stories in traditional media that paint your company as a bad person.
Online survey tools Online survey software tools allow users to create, execute, and interpret different types of surveys from their own websites or via email. Online survey tools are available as software-as-a-service (software as a Service) and can be used by most people. Some of the tools are free while others require payment. Others offer mixed plans while paid plans are typically priced based on the number or view count of the survey.
Open rate Open Rate is an email market measure that measures the percentage of emails being opened. Although it’s a good indicator of subject line success, it can also be misleading for online marketers.
Organic traffic Organic traffic is traffic that comes from non-paid sources. This traffic is essentially free. These visitors can be from search engines like Google, Yahoo or Bing. Because there is more intent in organic searches, organic traffic can increase website trust. It also tends to have higher conversion rates than paid traffic.
Outbound links Outbound links refer to links that link from one website to another. These links are often included in content to add context to the topic and to link readers to additional sources.
On-page surveys An on-page survey, also known as an on-site survey, is a survey designed to collect feedback and ask questions when visitors visit a particular website page. To avoid interrupting the user’s journey, on-site surveys are short, simple, and slide in at the bottom of the page. They are placed at the edges of pages so that they don’t disrupt the visitor’s journey. You can choose to ask open-ended or closed-ended questions. They also allow users to rate the website on a scale.

 

P

Painted door test A “Painted Door” testing is used to confirm customer demand. The “Painted Door”, which simulates a full feature-set, creates a minimum user experience and measures the number of users who interact with it. A survey or other method for gathering qualitative data may be included behind the painted doors.
Personalization Personalization is a marketing strategy that uses visitor characteristics to contextualize the browsing experience, messages, offers, and other content on a website. This is achieved by analyzing visitor behavior to create customized online experiences that increase conversion.
Popup banner A popup banner is an advertisement that appears at the forefront of the visual interface. They usually have a clearly defined window. These banners are used to offer discounts or promote new products and services. They also encourage users to click the banner for more information about a product or service. Popups can also serve as opt-in forms.
Primary conversion The primary conversion event is your brand’s primary marketing goal. It is the first action you want your visitors to take. This could be a purchase, a request for a demo, or filling out contact forms.
Product page A product page describes the features, manufacturer, uses, and much more about a product in e-commerce. It is an online page that defines the product. This page allows users to examine the product and its benefits before they make a purchase.
Product recommendation engine A product recommendation engine describes the features, manufacturer, uses, and much more about a product in e-commerce. It is an online page that defines the product. This page allows users to examine the product and its benefits before they make a purchase.
Promoter A person who promotes products or services. This can be both inside and outside of a company.
Proximity Webmasters are instructed to use proximity when designing websites. They must group related or similar elements together and separate unrelated or different elements.
Purchase anxiety The feeling that one gets when they spend too much or spend money on something they shouldn’t have.

 

Q

Qualitative visitor research Qualitative visitor research is the process that analyzes, describes, and explains visitors’ interactions with a website. Focusing on general user trends, the qualitative research aims to show how visitors perceive a website and the offerings it offers.
Quantitative visitor research Quantitative research refers to the process of analyzing data from analytics software and numbers related to the visitors’ behavior on the website.

 

R

Remote configuration Remote configuration is a mobile app development technique that allows the app’s behavior and features to be modified remotely without needing to publish an update.
Responsive website design (RWD) Responsive web designing (RWD), is a web design approach that allows dynamic changes in the appearance of websites according to the screen size and orientation. RWD can be used to address the issue of designing for a variety of devices, from small phones to large desktop monitors.
Retargeting Retargeting campaigns remind website visitors about your products and services even after they have left your site. It allows you to retarget visitors who have visited specific pages. You can also show them relevant visual or text ads on other websites.
Revenue per visitor (RPV) Revenue per visitor (RPV) is a measure of how much money a customer generates each time they visit your website. This is calculated by subtracting the total revenue from the total visitors to your website. It can be used to estimate the value of each additional visitor.
Rule-based personalization Rule-based personalization often involves minor changes to the layout and messaging of the website, as well as testing and iteration. The ultimate goal was to find the right formula, a version of the landing page or website that produces the best results.

 

S

Sample size The number of responses you get from your survey is called the sample size.It is called a sample, because it represents only part of the target group whose opinions or behaviors you care about. One way to sample is to use “random samples”, where respondents are randomly selected from the entire population.
Sales funnel A sales funnel describes the process potential customers go through to make a purchase. There are many steps in a sales funnel. These steps are usually called the top, middle, or bottom. However, these steps will vary depending on the company’s sales model.
Scarcity Scarcity is a fundamental economic problem. It refers to the gap between scarce resources and theoretically unlimited wants. This situation demands that people make wise decisions about how they allocate resources in order to meet basic needs and satisfy as many wants as possible.
Scroll map A scroll map is a website heatmap that visually displays how far users scroll through a page. Scroll maps are available on a desktop, mobile, and even a tablet. Color is used to show the most and least viewed pages, from hot (popular) and cold (unpopular).
Search engine marketing Search engine marketing (SEM), is a digital marketing strategy that increases a website’s visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). The industry term is used to refer to both paid and organic search activities, such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO). However, the term now covers almost exclusively paid search advertising. You can also refer to search engine marketing like pay per click (PPC) or paid search.
Search engine optimization SEO stands for search engine optimization. It refers to the process of making your website more visible when people search for products and services that are related to your company in Google, Bing, or other search engines. You can attract potential and current customers by increasing the visibility of your pages in search results.
Search engine results page Search engine results pages (SERPs) is a page returned by a search engine after a user has submitted a query. Search engine results pages, which include organic search results, often contain paid search and pay per click (PPC) ads. Search engine optimization (SEO) can make ranking positions on SERPs highly competitive as users are more likely to click on the results at the top of a page. The launch of schema markup has made SERPs more complicated to anticipate user needs.
Secondary conversion Secondary conversion action is the second user action following the initial engagement. The campaign goals of each app marketer will dictate the type of secondary conversion action. The most common secondary conversion actions include registration, purchase, and engagement. These actions are frequently performed by engaged and active users.
Segmentation Segmentation is the process of dividing the market into segments. These segments are easily definable and can be accessed, acted upon, profitable, and have the potential for growth. A company might find it difficult to target all markets due to time, cost, and effort constraints. It should have a ‘definable segment’ – that is, a mass of people that can easily be identified and targeted at a reasonable cost, time, and effort.
Server-side testing Server-side A/B Testing is a type of experimentation in which the test variations are rendered on the web server prior to being delivered to the client. This is different from client-side A/B testing where the A/B tests are rendered on the web server before it is delivered to the client.
Session recording Session recordings render real actions of visitors browsing a website. Recordings record mouse movements, clicks, taps, and scrolling across multiple pages, both on desktop and mobile.
Shopping cart abandonment When a potential customer begins a check-out process online for an order but stops before it is complete, this is called shopping cart abandonment. The customer is deemed to have “abandoned” any item that has been added to the shopping cart but has not completed the transaction. Retailers pay close attention to shopping cart abandonment, which is an important part of online shopping.
Shopping cart abandonment rate The Shopping Cart Abandonment rate is the percentage of online shoppers who add items and then abandon the cart before they complete the purchase. It is the ratio of the number of shopping carts that have been created to show the percentage of potential customers who abandon the cart without buying anything.
Social proof Social Proof, also known as informational social influence, is basically the idea that people mimic the actions of others to try and emulate their behavior in certain situations.
Soft bounce An email bounce indicates that your email message has not been delivered. This is when the recipient will be notified by email that delivery has failed. This is due to a variety of reasons. 

  • The message bounced at what time and when
  • The mail server that bounced it
  • RFC code and reason for the bounce. Hard bounces. These are usually represented by a code of 5XX, while soft bounces are represented by code 4XX. However, not all ISPs observe this code consistently. So there may be exceptions to the rule.
Split testing Split testing can be used to carry out an A/B test. Split testing helps you find the best conversion rate by comparing different versions of your web pages (e.g. landing pages or homepages). This helps you determine which version has the highest conversion rate for visitors.
Squeeze page A squeeze page is a landing page that marketers use to collect only email addresses. By offering special offers, limiting access, or locking out valuable content, you can persuade visitors to provide their information.
Standard error (SE) The standard error (SE), or statistical standard deviation, is the statistical average standard deviation of a sample population. The standard error is a statistical term which measures how accurately a sampling distribution represents the population using standard deviation. The standard error of the means is the deviation of the sample mean.
Statistical significance Statistical significance can be used to determine if a result is most likely to be due to chance or some factor of interest
Strategic data management Strategic Data Management is a set of frameworks that allows an organization to actively manage its data assets in order to help them achieve their business objectives. The key is the ability to measure both the activity and the value of data initiatives.

 

T

Tactical performance indicators (TPI) The tactical performance indicator (TPI), is a metric used to indicate progress toward LPIs. These are the steps before leading indicators move. These indicators should be measured and attributable.
Targeting Targeting is an advertising method that allows to separate visitors that meet a set of criteria from the general public. This helps to increase the effectiveness of your campaign. Email marketing segmentation can also use targeting.
Testing hero A test hero is a person who is passionate about encouraging data-driven business decisions as well as testing strategy. This person is skilled in testing and can make creative tests to help achieve overall success.
Testing hypothesis Hypothesis testing is a statistical act where an analyst tests a hypothesis regarding a population parameter. The nature of the data and the purpose of the analysis will determine the methodology used by the analyst.
Thank you page A thank you page is the page that leads customers, and visitors see after signing up for your email list or completing a form. You can think of a thank-you page as a way for new customers to become repeat buyers and warm leads.
Tracking code A tracking code is a JavaScript code snippet that records the activities of website users by collecting data and sending it to the analytics module. The code is generated automatically and is unique for each website. It must be installed on each page to be tracked.
Traffic Traffic refers to the number of people who visit a website. The visits are sometimes called “sessions” and can be used to measure the effectiveness of online businesses in attracting customers.
Traffic segmentation Traffic segmentation is a process that allows businesses to create groups of visitors to identify which sources their traffic comes from and analyze the behavior of those segments.
Trunk-based development Trunk-based development refers to a method of version control management where developers combine small, frequent updates to one core “trunk”, or main branch. Because it simplifies merging, integration, and other phases, it aids in CI/CD as well as increasing software delivery and organizational efficiency.
Trust badge A trust badge is a symbol that is placed on your site to assure your visitors that your page is genuine and that all data is collected securely through third-party service providers.
Type 1 error Type 1 errors, also known as false positives, occur when a researcher wrongly rejects a true null hypothesis. It means your report will claim that your findings were significant, but they are just chance.
Type 2 error Type 2 errors, also known as False negatives, are errors made by researchers who fail to reject null hypotheses that are really false. This is when a researcher concludes that there is no significant effect, even though there is.

 

U

Unique selling proposition (USP) A unique selling proposition, also known as a USP or unique selling point, is something that sets your business apart from other businesses in the market. It’s the unique advantage that makes your company stand out from others in your industry.
Uplift Uplift is a term from the field of conversion rates optimization (CRO). It simply refers to the improvement or uplift in business that is a result of effective and strenuous optimization techniques.
Upsell Upselling is a sales strategy that aims to persuade customers to buy a higher-end, more premium, or upgraded version of the item chosen. Cross-selling and upselling are common in eCommerce to maximize profit and increase order value.
Urgency marketing Urgency marketing is a strategy that shows your customers that your products are in short supply. This will grab their attention immediately, and compel them to buy.
Usability testing Usability testing is the process of evaluating a product or service with representative users. This goal is to identify usability issues, gather qualitative and quantitative information, and determine participant satisfaction with the product.
User generated content (UGC) User-generated content is also known as user-created or user-generated content. It includes any type of content such as images, video, text, audio, and text that users post on online platforms like social media and Wikis.
User intent The user intent is the information that tells us what a user looks for when they search via a search engine. User intent does not only take into account the keywords in search queries. It also considers the context and intention behind the words.
Urchin tracking module The Urchin Tracking module is designed to give the most precise measurements of unique website visitors. The UTM is valuable for businesses that want to gain a better understanding of online visitors. It combines both server-side and client information while giving you full control over the data.
User experience User experience is about understanding users and their needs, values, abilities, and limitations. It takes into consideration the business goals, objectives, and responsibilities of the group responsible for managing the project. The best practices in User Experience promote a better user experience and improve perceptions of your products and related services.
User feedback User feedback is quantitative and qualitative data collected from customers regarding their opinions, likes, dislikes, and requests for information regarding a product. For businesses who want to make improvements based upon what their customers need, it is crucial to gather and analyze user feedback.
User flow The user flow describes the steps taken by a typical user in a website or an app to complete a task. They follow a sequence of steps from their starting point to the end, which leads them to the desired outcome.
User journey map A user journey map is a diagram that visually illustrates the user’s flow through your site. It starts with discovery or initial contact and continues through engagement to long-term loyalty, advocacy, and advocacy.
User testing User testing is a process by which the interface and functions of a website, app or product are evaluated under realistic conditions. This is done to assess the usability of the website or app, and decide if the product can be launched to real users.
UI UI stands for User interface. This is the process used by designers to create interfaces in software and computerized devices. They focus on appearance or style. Designers want to create interfaces that are simple to use and pleasurable for users. UI design can be described as graphical user interfaces or other forms, such as voice-controlled interfaces.
UX UX is an abbreviation for user experience. This is what a user experiences when using a particular product.

 

V

Value proposition A value proposition describes the value that a company promises customers in exchange for the purchase of its product. It is an integral part of a company’s overall Marketing Strategy. The value proposition is a declaration or statement of intent that introduces a company to its customers by describing what it stands for and how it operates.
Variation Variations are alternate representations of a product. You can use them on your Storefronts for different product configurations or marketing goals.
Viewable impression A viewable impression (or ad viewing ability ) is a standard measure for ad visibility. It’s defined by the International Advertising Bureau as an ad that appears on screen at least 50% of the time and lasts more than one second. Advertisers use the viewable impressions metric to determine the percentage of ads that have been viewed by real people.
Visitor A visitor is a user of the Internet who visits your website. If you compare the number of visitors to your site with the number of visits, you can determine if they visit your site multiple times per day.
Virtual event A Virtual Event is an event where people interact in a virtual space on the internet, and not in a physical place.
Visitor segmentation Visitor segmentation is a way to divide your website visitors, viewers for digital ads, and recipients of marketing emails . You can segment your visitors based upon specific criteria such as user behavior and demographics.

 

W

Web analytics Web analytics is the gathering, reporting, and analysis of website information. The goal is to identify measures based upon your organizational and/or user goals. The website data can be used to determine success or failure, drive strategy, and improve the user experience.
Web push notification Web push notifications can be sent via desktop or mobile web. They appear in the top or bottom right-hand corner of a desktop screen or on a mobile device. The web push notification is delivered to a user’s mobile or desktop screen whenever they have their browser open, regardless of whether the user has visited the website.
Website feedback survey A site survey is a series of questions that allows you to get qualitative and quantitative feedback on your website. It comes in a variety of formats, including pop-ups and full-page overlays. This can be shared on multiple pages of your site depending on which pages you are trying to improve.
Website optimization Website optimization involves using advanced strategies, tools, and experiments to improve your website’s performance, drive more visitors, increase conversions, or grow revenue.
Website personalization Website Personalization creates customized experiences for users of a website. Website personalization is a way for companies to offer unique experiences to visitors, rather than providing one experience.
Website readability Website readability refers to how easy it’s for visitors to understand and read the text on a website.
Whitespace Whitespace can be defined as the space between text, graphics, and images. Whitespace is also called negative space or empty space.
Widget A widget is an element that can be added to any website or application as a standalone feature. Website widgets can be set up quickly using copy-and-paste code blocks that you can insert into your website without having to modify (or even fully understand) the code structure of your website host.

 

Z

Z-index Z Index is a CSS property that specifies the order of overlapping HTML elements. Elements that have a higher index will be placed over elements with lower indexes.