108 of the Most Popular Content Marketing Terms and Definitions
Have you ever found yourself… in a meeting and someone uses a bunch of content marketing terms you don’t know but should?
At that moment, you likely decided to either:
- Fake it ‘til you make it, hoping no one asks you a related question
- Ask for clarification, outing yourself as not knowing
- Walk out of the room (disguising a “bloody nose”)
Hey, you’re here now, ready to level up, and we dig that!
This glossary on online marketing demystifies the terms you should know and gives you access to the content strategy terms the industry insiders use so you sound wicked smaht.
What is A/B testing?
A/B testing, or split testing, involves comparing two versions of something to see which one works better. Take what you have, change one thing, and see if more people respond.
Why do we do A/B testing?
We do A/B testing because:
- It helps us convert the highest number of visitors to clients.
- Consumer behavior and digital marketing trends change over time.
- Sometimes, success requires trial and error.
A/B testing improves your content marketing or confirms you had it right the first time.
When should I use A/B testing?
Use A/B testing when you identify a problem, weak point, or new opportunity in your content marketing.
How is A/B testing done?
A/B testing is done by:
- Testing your hypothesis for reaching more people.
- Changing one thing visitors interact with.
- Tracking how they respond for a minimum of one week.
- Comparing data to see which option got better results.
- Implementing the more successful option.
What’s an example of A/B testing?
Say you want to run A/B testing because you think you could be getting more contact form submissions.
At the top of your home page, there’s a bright red “Contact Us” Call to Action (CTA). It takes visitors to a separate page where they fill out your form.
To test your CTA, try the following:
- Relocate the form to the bottom of your home page.
- Add a pop-up that directs to the original form.
- Adjust your CTA copy to read “Get in Touch.”
- Change your CTA to a seafoam green.
Then, compare how many form submissions you received before and after making the change.
What does above the fold mean?
Above the fold refers to the portion of a web page someone can see without scrolling down. Anything below the fold is hidden from the user's immediate view.
Why is it important to have content above the fold?
Having content above the fold is important because some users won't scroll down on a web page. Keeping important information above the fold improves the user experience because users are familiar with the layout.
If you bury essential information at the bottom of your website, some users may click on a different website because they can't find the information they're looking for.
What information should I include above the fold?
You should include critical information above the fold, like your phone number, website navigation, and access to your contact form.
What should I avoid when including information above the fold?
Avoid cramming as much information as possible above the fold. Doing so can be aesthetically unappealing and affect your site's usability.
What is active voice?
Active voice is writing so the subject of a sentence does something.
It contrasts with passive voice, where the subject has something done to it.
Why should I use active voice?
You should use active voice because it:
- Avoids confusion.
- Is easier to read.
- Keeps sentences from getting wordy.
- Makes your content more engaging.
Active voice creates a direct line between you and your future client.
When should I use active voice?
You should use active voice in all your content marketing.
What’s an example of active voice vs. passive voice?
- Active voice: My client called me to discuss her case.
- Passive voice: I was called by my client to discuss her case.
What is AdSense?
The Google AdSense program allows you to display ads from the AdWords program on your web pages. Google maintains these ads and places ads on websites based on relevancy and target audience.
Why does AdSense matter?
AdSense matters because Google pays you every time someone clicks on an ad on your website. Using Google AdSense allows you to bring in revenue from your website without heavy lifting on your end.
When should I use AdSense?
You should use AdSense when you want to monetize your website. You'll earn revenue each time someone clicks on the ad.
How is AdSense regulated?
Google regulates the AdSense program to show targeted ads and mitigate link abuse.
Google employs an automated and human review system to catch fraudulent or invalid clicks intended to artificially hike up an advertiser's costs or website owner's earnings.
What are AdWords?
AdWords are part of Google's pay-per-click (PPC) advertising program. You can bid on Google AdWords so your content displays when a user searches for a key phrase.
You can display advertisements, service offerings, and videos to users on search engines and mobile apps, paying every time a user clicks on an ad.
Why do AdWords matter?
AdWords matter because they get your website on the top search engine’s results pages for the keywords that matter to your business, even if it lacks quality content and authority.
The caveat is you must keep paying for your campaign to maintain this level of visibility. For this reason, AdWords should be a temporary fix while you work on increasing the amount and types of content you publish on your website.
Once you have a solid base of quality content on your website, you can shift your AdWords budget to your organic SEO budget.
When should I use AdWords?
It’s best to use AdWords after completing keyword and competitor research. Paying for ads without identifying a viable keyword opportunity will cause you to drain your budget with little return.
What are examples of AdWords?
You can find AdWords at the top of every Google search marked as “ads.”
What is alt text?
Alt text is the copy you write to describe an image or the message the image communicates.
Why is alt text important?
Alt text is important because it makes your content accessible to everyone. It allows visually impaired users and people using text-only browsers to interact with your content.
Alt text is also essential for search engine optimization (SEO) as it allows for using relevant keywords. Search engines use alt text when returning search results.
When should I use alt text?
You should use alt text with any image on your website, blogs, and articles. Be sure to include a keyword, but only use text that applies to and is descriptive of the image.
What are examples of alt text?
Examples of alt text include:
- Suppose you display an image of yourself at a professional conference. In that case, you may use alt text like "Attorney John Doe at the 2022 National Search Engine Optimization Convention."
- If you use a generic car accident image in a blog post, your alt text might be "Car accident."
In both cases, the alt text accurately describes the image and its purpose on the page.
What is analytics?
Analytics is the practice of gathering, measuring, and analyzing data to identify patterns.
Most businesses that engage in digital marketing use Google’s marketing tools, such as Analytics and Search Console.
When you install these tools on your website, they track your visitors’ behaviors and confirm the success of your content creation and search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.
Why is analytics important?
Content and search analytics are critical to your law firm’s online success. The data helps you make better decisions about your marketing expenses and budget and reduces stress about finding your next client.
When should I use analytics?
You should use always use analytics. The data helps you better understand your audience and identify ways to improve your marketing.
What are the types of analytics?
The four types of analytics are:
- Descriptive, reveals what happened in the past
- Diagnostic, answers why something happened
- Predictive, tells what will probably happen in the future
- Prescriptive, shows what actions you should take to progress and avoid future problems
What is anchor text?
Anchor text is a link's visible label or title on a web page. It creates an anchor from the current page to another on the internet.
Your website’s visitors should understand the link based on the anchor text.
Why does anchor text matter?
Anchor text matters because it enhances the visitor’s experience on your site and strengthens the page's search engine optimization (SEO).
When you use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text for the links you provide on your page, it helps visitors and search engines:
- Preview the page they’re about to link to.
- Gain a deeper understanding of related topics or concepts.
- Understand its relevance to the main topic or primary keyword you’re targeting.
When should I use anchor text?
You should use anchor text whenever you offer links to other web pages you trust – on or off your website.
What’s an example of an anchor text?
Here’s an example of anchor text:
We Do Web Content helps you attract future clients with frustration-free content marketing.
In this sentence, the words content marketing are the link’s anchor text. When our visitors click on the anchor text, the link takes them to our main services page.
What is authority content?
Authority content is original content that’s helpful to users, relevant to their search, and establishes you as an authority on a particular subject.
Why is authority content important?
Authority content is important because search engines aim to return the most relevant, useful results to users. Search engines are more likely to rank your authority content higher in users’ search results.
A higher ranking in the search engine results pages (SERPs) means more eyes on your content and a higher return on your content marketing efforts.
When should I think about authority content?
You should aim to write authority content every time you create content. Show users how you’re an expert in your industry by presenting your take on a subject.
How do I create authority content?
To create authority content, ask yourself:
- Does my content provide valuable insight or tips?
- Is my content well-organized, easy to digest, and presented in an easy-to-read format?
Then, publish it on your website.