Glossary

Advertising

Clear definitions of digital advertising terminology — paid search, display, programmatic, CPM, CTR, retargeting, and more. Useful for marketers, media buyers, and clients reviewing campaign reports.

Clear definitions of digital advertising terminology — paid search, display, programmatic, CPM, CTR, retargeting, and more. Useful for marketers, media buyers, and clients reviewing campaign reports.

A

  • Algorithm is a set of rules or instructions that a computer follows to perform a task or solve a problem. In digital contexts, algorithms power search engines, social media feeds, and advertising platforms to process data and deliver relevant results.

  • Ad server is a system that stores and delivers digital advertisements to websites or apps. It manages ad campaigns, tracks performance metrics, and optimizes ad delivery for maximum effectiveness.

  • Ad group is a component of a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaign. It contains one or more ads sharing keywords and targeting criteria. Ad groups help organize campaigns by theme, allowing tailored messaging and effective budget management.

  • Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing strategy where businesses reward affiliates for driving traffic or sales. Affiliates promote products or services through their channels, earning a commission for each successful conversion.

  • Ad Network is a platform connecting advertisers with websites or apps that want to host ads. It facilitates the buying and selling of digital advertising space, managing ad delivery and performance tracking.

  • Ad auction is the automated process that determines the cost and placement of digital ads on ad networks. It happens in real-time each time an ad space becomes available, based on bids and ad quality.

B

  • Behavioral targeting uses online user data to deliver relevant ads and content. It segments audiences based on past behaviors to improve engagement and conversion rates.

  • A banner ad is a digital display advertisement using graphics or animations to promote on websites and apps. These ads aim to capture attention and encourage clicks to a landing page.

C

  • Cost Per Thousand (CPM) measures the cost of one thousand ad impressions. It's used in brand awareness campaigns to maximize visibility.

  • Cost Per Click measures how much an advertiser pays for each click on their ad. It helps evaluate ad effectiveness and optimize campaigns based on performance.

  • Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) measures how much an advertiser pays for each completed conversion or desired action. It's calculated by dividing total campaign cost by the number of acquisitions to understand spending efficiency.

  • A campaign in digital advertising is a collection of ad groups organized around a shared objective. It includes settings like budget, targeting, and bidding strategy to align with specific marketing goals.

  • Call ads encourage users to directly call a business from the ad itself. They are effective for service-based businesses that rely on direct customer interaction.

D

  • DoubleClick was a Google subsidiary providing ad serving and management services. It was integrated into Google's Marketing Platform and Ad Manager in 2018.

  • Display network refers to a collection of websites and apps where advertisers place visual ads. These networks allow businesses to display ads across third-party sites, offering targeting options.

  • Display ads are visual ads on websites, apps, and social media. They use images or video to drive brand awareness or conversions, often targeted through ad networks.

  • A digital advertising audit reviews online advertising to assess performance and identify improvements. It evaluates campaigns, targeting, and budgets across platforms to uncover opportunities.

  • Digital advertising promotes products or brands through online channels like social media and email. It targets specific audiences using formats such as display, search, and video ads.

F

G

  • Google Merchant Center allows businesses to upload and manage product data for Google Shopping. It helps products appear in listings and ads, increasing online visibility and reach.

  • Google Business Profile lets businesses manage their presence on Google Search and Maps. It helps list information, engage customers, and track local search performance.

  • Google Ads is an online advertising platform that allows businesses to create and display ads. Advertisers bid on keywords for ads to appear on Google Search and other networks.

I

  • Impression share measures your ad's visibility by comparing its impressions to the total eligible. A low share may indicate targeting or budget issues, suggesting areas for improvement.

L

N

P

  • Phone-through rate (PTR) measures the percentage of users who call a business after seeing a mobile ad. It evaluates how effectively ads drive phone inquiries, especially for local services.

  • Paid ads are online advertisements businesses pay for to promote their products or services. They appear on platforms like search engines and social media, using models such as PPC and CPM.

  • Paid media involves paying for digital channels like search and social ads to reach target audiences. It offers scalable reach, precise targeting, and measurable results for promoting brands and content.

Q

  • Quality Score rates ad relevance and quality on a 1-10 scale, influencing ad placement and cost. It considers keywords, ad copy, and landing pages for a better user experience.

R

  • Remarketing targets past website visitors with tailored ads, encouraging them to complete actions. It keeps brands visible and drives conversions by reminding users of their interest.

  • Reach is a display advertising metric measuring unique users seeing an ad at least once. It shows audience exposure breadth, commonly used in video, display, and social media.

S

  • Similar to audiences is a digital advertising option to reach new users with shared characteristics. It analyzes existing audience patterns to find people with similar online behavior.

  • Shopping ads showcase products with details like images and prices in search results and networks. They are triggered by product queries and managed through data feeds for platforms like Google.

  • A second price auction means the highest bidder wins but pays the second-highest bid plus a small increment. This encourages true bidding values and reduces inflation on ad costs.

T

  • TrueView is a video ad format where users can choose to watch or skip. Advertisers pay only if viewers watch for 30 seconds, the whole ad if shorter, or interact.