Online Marketing Terms

I thought I would post this as a resource for those who may see or hear these words and have no idea what they may mean. Affiliate Marketing - Revenue earning between online advertisers/merchants and independent online people such as bloggers. Compensation is based on per purchase or per click. However other forms can include per registration or attendees at a offline event.

ALT Text / Tags - HTML code inside a website typically images. Some believe that Alt text / tags can assist in helping search engines find the website.

Banner Ad - a graphic web advertising picture that is also a website link.

Banner Exchange - When two websites agree to exchange banners to be placed on the other's website.

Blog - A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts, business related subjects, photographs and or Web links.

Button Ad - a graphical advertising picture, smaller than a banner ad.

Buzzword - a trendy word or phrase that is used more to impress than explain.

Click-Through - the process of clicking through an online advertisement to the advertiser's destination.

Cost-Per-Action (CPA) - online marketing payment system in which payment is based solely on qualifying actions such as sales or registrations.

Cost Per Click (CPC) - the cost paid per click-through.

Description Tag - an HTML tag used to provide a description for search engine listings.

Doorway Page - a page made specifically in hopes of ranking well in search engines for particular keywords.

Marketing - the promotion of products or services via email.

EZine - an electronic magazine, whether delivered via a Web site or an email newsletter.

FFA - free-for-all links list, where there are no qualifications for adding a link.

Forum Marketing - an online community where visitors may read and post topics of common interest. Often people will brand a name for themselves or services through forums.

Guerilla Marketing - unconventional marketing intended to get maximum results from minimal resources.

Incentivized Traffic - visitors who have received some form of compensation for visiting a site.

Keyword Marketing - putting your message in front of people who are searching using particular keywords and keyphrases.

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 Tags - tags to describe various aspects about a Web page.

Permission Marketing - marketing centered around getting customer's consent to receive information from a company.

Pop-Up Ad - an ad that displays in a new browser window.

Reciprocal Links - links between two sites, often based on an agreement by the site owners to exchange links. Also known as Link Exchanging.

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.

Text Ad - advertisement using text-based hyperlinks.

Viral Marketing - marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message.