Social Media Marketing Glossary: 200+ SEO Terms Explained

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A

Algorithm

Rules social platforms use to decide what content appears to users.

Analytics

Tracking performance metrics like reach, engagement, and conversions.

A/B Testing

Comparing two versions of content or ads to see which performs better.

Audience Targeting

Selecting users based on demographics, behavior, interests.

Avatar

Representation of your ideal customer/persona.

Affiliate Marketing

Influencer or partner promoting a product in exchange for commission.

Ad Set

Group of ads in a campaign targeting a specific audience (Facebook/Instagram Ads).

AI-Generated Influencers

Virtual personas created using AI for marketing campaigns.

Authenticity Score

Metric evaluating how genuine content appears to an audience.

Augmented Reality (AR) Filters

Interactive visual effects applied to videos/images to increase engagement.

B

Branded Content

Content created in partnership with influencers or brands.

Boosted Post

Paid promotion of an existing post to reach more users.

Brand Voice

Personality and tone of brand communication.

Brand Awareness Campaign

Marketing effort to increase visibility rather than direct sales.

Bio Link

Link in social media bio directing to landing pages, shops, or content.

Brand Safety

Measures ensuring content doesn’t appear alongside inappropriate material.

Blockchain for Social Media

Using blockchain to verify content ownership and authenticity.

Biometric Engagement

Measuring user interaction using facial or biometric data.

C

Call to Action (CTA)

Prompt encouraging user action (e.g., Buy Now, Swipe Up).

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Percentage of users clicking a link relative to impressions.

Content Calendar

Schedule for planning posts, campaigns, and promotions.

Content Pillars

Core themes or topics around which social content is structured.

Conversion Rate

Percentage of users completing a desired action.

Cost Per Click (CPC)

Paid amount per click in an ad campaign.

Cost Per Mille (CPM)

Cost per 1,000 ad impressions.

Community Management

Managing interactions, engagement, and customer support online.

Creative Brief

Document guiding content creation, campaign goals, and style.

Carousel Post

Post with multiple images or videos in a single format.

Contextual Targeting

Delivering ads based on surrounding content rather than user behavior.

Creator Economy

Ecosystem where independent content creators monetize influence.

Community-Led Growth

Strategy focusing on nurturing brand communities for organic growth.

D

Dark Post

Paid ad that doesn’t appear on the brand’s feed, only targeted users see it.

Demographics

Audience characteristics (age, gender, location).

Direct Message (DM)

Private messaging on social media.

Drops

Coordinated product launches promoted via social platforms.

Deepfake Content

AI-manipulated realistic media for campaigns.

Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO)

Real-time testing and personalization of ads.

Digital Twin of Brand

Virtual replica of a brand’s online presence for strategy simulation.

E

Engagement Rate

Ratio of interactions (likes, comments, shares) to total audience.

Earned Media

Organic exposure through shares, mentions, reviews.

Ephemeral Content

Short-lived content (Stories, TikTok videos) that disappears.

Endorsement

Influencer or celebrity support for a brand/product.

Employee Content Marketing (ECM)

Leveraging employees to create and share branded content.

Experience Marketing

Immersive campaigns using VR/AR to engage audiences.

F

Follower Growth Rate

Speed at which an account gains followers.

Frequency

Number of times an ad is shown to the same user.

Filter

Visual effect applied to photos/videos.

Frame

Single still from a video or visual composition.

FYP (For You Page)

TikTok’s personalized content feed.

Frictionless Commerce

Seamless in-platform shopping experiences.

Fan-Generated Content (FGC)

Content created by fans, shared by brands.

G

Geotargeting

Targeting users by location.

GIF

Short, looping animated image.

Growth Hacking

Creative, low-cost strategies to rapidly grow followers or engagement.

Giveaway Campaign

Contest where followers can win prizes to boost engagement.

H

Hashtag

Keyword or phrase preceded by # to categorize content.

Handle

Username on social media.

Hero Content

Major campaign content designed for high impact.

Hyperlapse / Time-Lapse

Fast-motion video format.

Hyper-Personalization

Tailoring content and ads to individual users for maximum relevance.

Humanized AI Interactions

AI-driven messaging that mimics human conversation.

I

Influencer Marketing

Collaborating with individuals with large followings to promote products.

Influencer Tiers

Categories by follower count: Nano, Micro, Macro, Mega.

Instagram Reels

Short-form videos on Instagram for engagement.

Impressions

Number of times content is displayed.

Insight

Analytics showing audience behavior and engagement.

Interactive Content

Polls, quizzes, or swipe actions that encourage participation.

Immersive Content

VR/AR-based content creating deep audience engagement.

Influencer Allowlisting

Allowing influencers to run paid ads using their content.

Interactive Video Ads

Ads that allow user participation within the video.

J

Journey Mapping

Tracking the customer experience across social touchpoints.

Joint Ventures with Creators

Brand and influencer collaboration to co-create campaigns or products.

Just-in-Time Content Creation

Producing content quickly in response to trends or events.

K

KPI (Key Performance Indicator)

Metric measuring campaign success.

Keyword Targeting

Using relevant keywords for SEO or ads.

Kit / Creator Kit

Resources for content creation, like templates or graphics.

Knowledge Graphs in Marketing

Structured data to improve content discoverability.

Kinetic Typography

Animated text in video to emphasize messages.

L

Lead Generation

Collecting user info for future marketing.

Lookalike Audience

Users similar to a brand’s current audience.

Live Streaming

Broadcasting video in real time.

Link in Bio

Single profile link directing to landing pages or multiple links.

Long-Form Video Content

Extended videos for tutorials or storytelling.

Location-Based Targeting

Delivering content based on user location.

M

Media Buying

Purchasing ad placements.

Micro-Influencer

Influencer with 1k–50k highly engaged followers.

Mention

Tagging a user or brand.

Monetization

Earning revenue directly from social content.

Mood Board

Visual guide for content style and branding.

Metaverse Marketing

Promoting brands in immersive virtual worlds.

Meme Marketing

Leveraging memes for relatable, shareable content.

Micro-Moments

Quick user interactions presenting opportunity for timely content.

N

Native Advertising

Ads that match platform content.

Niche Marketing

Targeting a specialized audience segment.

Noise

Excessive content competing for attention.

Nano-Influencers

Influencers with 1k–10k highly engaged followers.

Neuro-Marketing

Applying neuroscience to influence user behavior.

Nostalgia Marketing

Using past elements to evoke emotional connections.

O

Organic Reach

Users seeing content without paid promotion.

Optimization

Adjusting content or ads to improve performance.

Omnichannel Marketing

Unified campaigns across multiple platforms.

Owned Media

Brand-controlled platforms and content.

P

Paid Media

Ads that require payment.

Persona

Ideal customer profile.

Pixel

Tracking code for conversion analytics.

Post Engagement

Likes, comments, shares, saves.

Promoted Post

Paid post to increase reach.

Pin / Pinning

Fixing content to top of feed or profile.

Portfolio Post

Showcasing work or products.

Platform-Specific Content

Content tailored to each platform.

Programmatic Advertising

Automated ad buying using algorithms.

Predictive Analytics

Using data to forecast user behavior.

Personal Branding

Marketing yourself as a brand.

Q

Qualitative Metrics

Non-numerical performance indicators like sentiment.

QR Code Marketing

Driving offline users to online content via scanable codes.

Quantum Computing in Marketing

Using advanced computing for complex data insights.

R

Reach

Unique users who see content.

Real-Time Analytics

Immediate performance tracking.

Retargeting / Remarketing

Ads targeting users who previously engaged.

ROI (Return on Investment)

Campaign performance versus cost.

Reels Remix / Duet (TikTok)

Interactive video features.

Reputation Management

Monitoring and managing brand perception.

Real-Time Marketing

Content created in response to events or trends.

S

Scheduling Tools

Automating posts and reporting.

Sentiment Analysis

Measuring audience emotion toward content.

Social Listening

Monitoring mentions, hashtags, discussions.

Swipe-Up Link

Clickable link in Stories.

Story Ads

Vertical, full-screen ad format in Stories.

Shoutout

Paid promotion by influencers.

Sponsored Content

Paid content appearing as organic posts.

Storytelling

Narrative technique to engage audiences.

Shoppable Posts

Direct in-platform shopping posts.

T

Target Audience

Group campaign is aimed at.

TikTok Algorithm

Determines which videos appear on FYP.

TikTok Challenges

Viral campaigns encouraging user participation.

Trending Content

Content popular in real-time.

Traffic

Users directed to a website via social media.

Tagging

Mentioning other users or brands.

Tokenization in Marketing

Using blockchain tokens to incentivize engagement.

U

UGC (User-Generated Content)

Content created by customers or followers.

Uplift

Improvement in key metrics due to campaigns.

Unboxing Video

Showing product unpacking for engagement.

Unified Marketing Platforms

Tools integrating analytics, content, and advertising.

Universal Analytics

Tracking user behavior across platforms and devices.

V

Viral Content

Highly shareable content.

Video Marketing

Promotional content in video format.

View-Through Rate (VTR)

Percentage of full video views.

Vlog

Video blog documenting experiences or products.

Virtual Reality Experiences

Immersive digital environments for engagement.

Voice Search Optimization

Adapting content for voice search.

W

Workflow Automation

Streamlining posting, reporting, engagement.

Webinar Marketing

Hosting online sessions promoted via social media.

Whitepaper Promotion

Sharing guides or reports to attract leads.

Weekly Recap / Highlights

Summaries of brand activities.

Web 3.0 Integration

Incorporating decentralized tech in marketing.

Wearable Tech Marketing

Using devices like smartwatches to reach audiences.

Whisper Marketing

Subtle marketing influencing behavior without overt ads.

X

Cross-Platform Promotion

Coordinated campaigns across networks.

X-Factor Content

Unique, highly creative content to stand out.

Y

YouTube Shorts

Short-form video content.

Yield

Effectiveness of campaigns in achieving objectives.

Z

Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT)

Stage when customers research before purchase.

Zoomer Marketing

Strategies targeting Gen Z audiences.