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Here you will find definitions to most terms
that you will run across not only on this site but also during your
online marketing efforts. I have tried to include the most useful terms but there is always
a chance that I have missed a couple of important ones. If you need the
definition of something that you don't see here please drop me an email and I'll
get you the answer and add it to this page.
Thanks!
a-b-c-d-e-f-g-h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p-q-r-s-t-u-v-w-x-y-z
A
above the fold -
the section of a Web page that is visible without scrolling.
ad blocking - the blocking of Web advertisements, typically
the image in graphical Web advertisements.
ad space - the space on a Web page available for
advertisements.
advertising network - a network representing many Web sites
in selling advertising, allowing advertising buyers to reach broad audiences
relatively easily through run-of-category and run-of-network buys.
Add URL - (see Search Engine Submission) affiliate - the
publisher/salesperson in an affiliate marketing relationship.
affiliate directory - a categorized listing of affiliate
programs.
affiliate forum - an online community where visitors may
read and post topics related to affiliate marketing.
affiliate fraud - bogus activity generated by an affiliate
in an attempt to generate illegitimate, unearned revenue.
affiliate marketing - revenue sharing between online
advertisers/merchants and online publishers/salespeople, whereby compensation is
based on performance measures, typically in the form of sales, clicks,
registrations, or a hybrid model.
affiliate merchant - the advertiser in an affiliate
marketing relationship.
affiliate network - a value-added intermediary providing
services, including aggregation, for affiliate merchants and affiliates.
affiliate software - software that, at a minimum, provides tracking and
reporting of commission-triggering actions (sales, registrations, or clicks)
from affiliate links.
AllTheWeb - (see FAST Search)
ALT text - HTML attribute that provides alternative text when non-textual
elements, typically images, cannot be displayed.
AltaVista - search engine located at www.altavista.com
animated GIF - a graphic in the GIF89a file format that creates the effect of
animation by rotating through a series of static images.
anonymous FTP - an option in FTP that allows users to download files without
having to establish and account.
Apache - an open source web server software.
application service provider - provider of applications/services that are
distributed through a network to many customers in exchange for a stream of
smaller payments as opposed to one fixed, upfront price.
Ask Jeeves -
metasearch engine located at www.askjeeves.com
ASP Hosting - Web hosting that supports Active Server Pages,
a server-side scripting environment from Microsoft. autoresponder - a program
that sends an automatic form response to incoming emails.
back to top
B
B2B - business that sells products or provides services to other businesses.
B2C - business that sells products or providse services to the end-user
consumers.
bandwidth - how much data can be transmitted in a time period over a
communications channel, often expressed in kilobits per second (kbps).
banner ad - a graphical web advertising unit, typically measuring 468 pixels
wide and 60 pixels tall (i.e. 468x60).
banner blindness - the tendency of web visitors to ignore banner ads, even
when the banner ads contain information visitors are actively looking for.
banner exchange - network where participating sites display banner ads in
exchange for credits which are converted (using a predetermined exchange rate)
into ads to be displayed on other sites.
barter - to exchange goods or services directly without the use
of money.
beyond the banner - online advertising not involving
standard GIF and JPEG banner ads.
blog - A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web
links.
bookmark - a link stored in a Web browser for future reference.
browser - (see Web browser)
burstable bandwidth - a hosting option that allows sites to use the available
network capacity to handle periods of peak usage.
business hosting
- Web hosting geared towards the mission-critical functions demanded by
business-class customers.
button ad - a graphical advertising unit, smaller than a
banner ad.
button exchange - network where participating sites display
button ads in exchange for credits which are converted (using a predetermined
exchange rate) into ads to be displayed on other sites.
buzzword - a trendy word or phrase that is used more to
impress than explain. back to top
C
caching - the storage of Web files for later re-use at a
point more quickly accessed by the end user.
cascading style sheets (CSS) - a data format used to
separate style from structure on Web pages.
click-through - the process of clicking through an online
advertisement to the advertiser's destination.
click-through rate (CTR) - The average number of
click-throughs per hundred ad impressions, expressed as a percentage.
ColdFusion hosting - Web hosting that supports ColdFusion, a
web application language introduced by Allaire and currently owned by
Macromedia.
conversion rate - the percentage of visitors who take a
desired action.
cookie - information stored on a user's computer by a Web
site so preferences are remembered on future requests.
cost-per-action (CPA) - online advertising payment model in
which payment is based solely on qualifying actions such as sales or
registrations.
cost per click (CPC) - the cost or cost-equivalent paid per
click-through.
CPM - cost per thousand impressions. customer acquisition
cost - the cost associated with acquiring a new customer. back to top
D
data transfer - The total amount of outbound traffic from a
website*, typically measured in gigabytes (Gb).
dedicated IP - an IP address dedicated to a single website.
deep linking - linking to a web page other than a site's home page.
deep Web - (see invisible Web) description tag - an HTML tag
used by Web page authors to provide a description for search engine listings.
directory (see Web directory)
disintermediation - the elimination of intermediaries in the
supply chain, also referred to as "cutting out the middlemen."
Dogpile - metasearch engine located at www.dogpile.com
domain name - location of an entity on the Internet.
doorway domain - a domain used specifically to rank well in
search engines for particular keywords, serving as an entry point through which
visitors pass to the main domain.
doorway page - a page made specifically to rank well in
search engines for particular keywords, serving as an entry point through which
visitors pass to the main content. back to top
E
email - the transmission of computer-based messages over
telecommunication technology.
email marketing - the promotion of products or services via
email.
email spam - unwanted, unsolicited email.
exclusivity - contract term in which one party grants
another party sole rights with regard to a particular business function.
ezine - an electronic magazine, whether delivered via a Web
site or an email newsletter.
ezine directory - directory of electronic magazines,
typically of the email variety. back to top
F
FAST Search - search syndication company located at
www.fastsearch.com and www.fast.no -- also powers the search engine located at
www.alltheweb.com.
favicon - a small icon that is used by some browsers to
identify a bookmarked Web site. favorite - (see bookmark)
FFA - free-for-all links list, where there are no
qualifications for adding a link.
first-mover advantage - a sometimes insurmountable advantage
gained by the first significant company to move into a new market.
Flash - multimedia technology developed by Macromedia to
allow much interactivity to fit in a relatively small file size.
forum - an online community where visitors may read and post
topics of common interest.
frames - a structure that allows for the dividing of a Web
page into two or more independent parts.
free - without monetary cost.
frequency cap - restriction on the amount of times a
specific visitor is shown a particular advertisement. back to top
G
GIF89a - (see animated GIF)
Go Network - defunct portal located at www.go.com Google -
search engine located at www.google.com
Goto - pay per click search engine that changed names and is
now located at www.overture.com
guerilla marketing - unconventional marketing intended to
get maximum results from minimal resources. back to top
H
hit - request of a file from a Web server.
home page - the main page of a Web site.
house ad - self-promotional ad a company runs on their own
site/network to use unsold inventory.
HTML banner - a banner ad using HTML elements, often
including interactive forms instead of (or in addition to) standard graphical
elements.
HTML email - email that is formatted using Hypertext Markup
Language, as opposed to plain text email.
hybrid model - a combination of two or more online marketing
payment models impression - a single instance of an online advertisement being
displayed. back to top
I
inbound link - a link from a site outside of your site.
incentivized traffic - visitors who have received some form
of compensation for visiting a site.
Inktomi - search syndication service located at
www.inktomi.com interactive agency - an agency offering a mix of Web
design/development, Internet advertising/marketing, or E-Business/E-Commerce
consulting.
interstitial - an advertisement that loads between two
content pages.
invisible Web - the portion of the Web not indexed by search
engines.
Ixquick - metasearch engine located at www.ixquick.com. back to top
J
JavaScript - a scripting language developed by Netscape and
used to create interactive Web sites. back to top
K
keyword - a word used in a performing a search.
keyword density - keywords as a percentage of indexable text
words.
keyword marketing - putting your message in front of people
who are searching using particular keywords and keyphrases.
keyword research - the search for keywords related to your
Web site, and the analysis of which ones yield the highest return on investment
(ROI).
keywords tag - META tag used to help define the primary
keywords of a Web page. back to top
L
link checker - tool used to check for broken hyperlinks.
link popularity - a measure of the quantity and quality of
sites that link to your site. link text - the text contained in (and sometimes
near) a hyperlink.
linkrot - when Web pages previously accessible at a
particular URL are no longer reachable at that URL due to movement or deletion
of the pages.
log file - file that records the activity on a Web server.
long domain name - domain names longer than the original 26
characters, up to a theoretical limit of 67 characters (including the extension,
such as .com).
Looksmart - Web directory located at www.looksmart.com back to top
M
manual submission - adding a URL to the search engines
individually by hand.
marketing - < link to definitions >
marketing plan - the part of the business plan outlining the
marketing strategy for a product or service.
media kit - a resource created by a publisher to help
prospective ad buyers evaluate advertising opportunities.
meta search engine - a search engine that displays results
from multiple search engines.
META tag generator - tool that will output META tags based
on input page information.
META tags - tags to describe various aspects about a Web
page.
moderator - at a forum, someone entrusted by the
administrator to help discussions stay productive and within the guidelines.
mousetrapping - the use of browser tricks in an effort to
keep a visitor captive at a site, often by disabling the "Back" button or
generated repeated pop-up windows. back to top
N
navigation - that which facilitates movement from one Web
page to another Web page.
netiquette - short for network etiquette, the code of
conduct regarding acceptable online behavior.
network effect - the phenomenon whereby a service becomes
more valuable as more people use it, thereby encouraging ever-increasing numbers
of adopters.
Northern Light Search - search engine located at www.northernlight.com back to top
O
opt-in email - email that is explicitly requested by the
recipient. opt-out - (1) type of program that assumes inclusion unless stated
otherwise. (2) to remove oneself from an opt-out program.
outbound link - A link to a site outside of your site. page
view - request to load a single HTML page. back to top
P
pagejacking - theft of a page from the original site and
publication of a copy (or near-copy) at another site.
pass-along rate - the percentage of people who pass on a
message or file.
pay per click (PPC) - online advertising payment model in
which payment is based solely on qualifying click-throughs.
pay per click search engine (PPCSE) - search engine where
results are ranked according to the bid amount and advertisers are charged only
when a searcher clicks on the search listing.
pay per lead (PPL) - online advertising payment model in
which payment is based solely based on qualifying leads.
pay per sale (PPS) - online advertising payment model in
which payment is based solely based on qualifying sales.
payment threshold - the minimum accumulated commission an
affiliate must earn to trigger payment from an affiliate program.
permission marketing - marketing centered around getting
customer's consent to receive information from a company.
pop-under ad - an ad that displays in a new browser window
behind the current browser window.
pop-up ad - an ad that displays in a new browser window.
portal - a site featuring a suite of commonly used services,
serving as a starting point and frequent gateway to the Web (Web portal) or a
niche topic (vertical portal). back to top
Q
No terms starting with the letter -Q- yet. back to top
R
rate card - document detailing prices for various ad
placement options.
reciprocal links - links between two sites, often based on
an agreement by the site owners to exchange links.
rectangle ad - any one of the large, rectangular banner
sizes suggested by the IAB.
rep firm - ad sales partner specializing primarily in
single-site sales.
return days - the number of days an affiliate can earn
commission on a conversion (sale or lead) by a referred visitor.
rich media - new media that offers an enhanced experience
relative to older, mainstream formats.
run of network (RON) - ad buying option in which ad
placements may appear on any pages on sites within an ad network.
run of site (ROS) - ad buying option in which ad placements
may appear on any pages of the target site. back to top
S
search engine - a program that indexes documents, then
attempts to match documents relevant to the users search requests.
search engine optimization - the process of choosing
targeted keyword phrases related to a site, and ensuring that the site places
well when those keyword phrases are part of a Web search.
search engine spam - excessive manipulation to influence
search engine rankings, often for pages which contain little or no relevant
content.
search engine submission - the act of supplying a URL to a
search engine in an attempt to make a search engine aware of a site or page.
search spy - a perpetually refreshing page that provides a
real-time view of actual Web searches.
self-serve advertising - advertising that can be purchased
without the assistance of a sales representative.
SEO (see search engine optimization)
shopping cart - software used to make a site's product
catalogue available for online ordering, whereby visitors may select, view,
add/delete, and purchase merchandise.
sig file - a short block of text at the end of a message
identifying the sender and providing additional information about them.
site search - search functionality specific to one site.
skyscraper ad - an online ad significantly taller than the 120x240 vertical
banner.
spam - inappropriate commercial message of extremely low
value.
splash page - a branding page before the home page of a Web
site.
sponsorship - advertising that seeks to establish a deeper
association and integration between an advertiser and a publisher, often
involving coordinated beyond-the-banner placements.
stickiness - the amount of time spent at a site over a given
time period.
super affiliate - an affiliate capable of generating a
significant percentage of an affiliate program's activity.
surround session - advertising sequence in which a visitor
receives ads from one advertiser throughout an entire site visit. back to top
T
text ad - advertisement using text-based hyperlinks.
text link exchange - network where participating sites
display text ads in exchange for credits which are converted (using a
predetermined exchange rate) into ads to be displayed on other sites.
title tag - HTML tag used to define the text in the top line
of a Web browser, also used by many search engines as the title of search
listings.
top 10 - the top ten search engine results for a particular
search term.
trick banner - a banner ad that attempts to trick people
into clicking, often by imitating an operating system message.
two tier affiliate program - affiliate program structure
whereby affiliates earn commissions on their conversions as well as conversions
of webmasters they refer to the program. back to top
U
underdelivery - delivery of less impressions, visitors, or
conversions than contracted for a specified period of time.
unique visitors - individuals who have visited a Web site
(or network) at least once in a during a fixed time frame.
URL - location of a resource on the Internet.
usability - (see Web site usability) back to top
V
vertical banner - a banner ad measuring 120 pixels wide and
240 pixels tall.
viral marketing - marketing phenomenon that facilitates and
encourages people to pass along a marketing message.
volunter directory - a Web directory staffed primarily by
unpaid volunteer editors. back to top
W
Web browser - a software application that allows for the
browsing of the World Wide Web.
Web design - the selection and coordination of available
components to create the layout and structure of a Web page.
Web directory - organized, categorized listings of Web
sites.
Web hosting - the business of providing the storage,
connectivity, and services necessary to serve files for a website.
Web ring - a means for navigating a group of related sites
primarily by going forward and backward.
Web site traffic - the amount of visitors and vists a Web
site receives.
Web site usability - the ease with which visitors are able
to use a Web site.
whois - a utility that returns ownership information about
second-level domains. back to top
X
No terms starting with the letter -X- yet. back to top
Y
Yahoo - portal located at www.yahoo.com back to top
Z
zworks - metasearch engine located at www.zworks.com
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