THE CORECREATIVE MARKETING GLOSSARY

LESS JARGON.
MORE CLARITY.

A clearer conversation starts here. Explore 120 marketing terms, abbreviations and ideas — explained in plain English, with the context you need to use them.

120 terms · 6 topics · Updated September 2026
Browse by letter, search a term or share a direct link to an explanation.

A

A/B testing

Measurement

A/B testing compares two versions of something to see which performs better against a defined goal. You might show randomly assigned visitors two different headlines while keeping the rest of the page unchanged. Decide what success means before testing, and avoid declaring a winner from a handful of results.

Account-based marketing focuses sales and marketing activity on a selected set of organisations. Teams adapt their messages to the needs of those accounts and the people involved in buying. It is particularly useful when a sale requires several decision-makers and a longer conversation.

Ad creative

Advertising

Ad creative is the combination of words, images, video, sound and design used in an advertisement. It turns an offer or idea into something an audience can notice and understand. Strong creative makes the benefit clear and fits the channel where the ad appears.

Ad fatigue

Advertising

Ad fatigue happens when repeated exposure makes an advertisement less effective for its audience. People may stop noticing it, or performance may decline as the same message keeps appearing. Review frequency, audience size and results together before deciding to replace the creative.

Affiliate marketing

Advertising

Affiliate marketing rewards a partner for generating a defined result, often a sale or lead. The partner promotes an offer using trackable links or another agreed identification method. Clear commission rules, attribution terms and transparent disclosure help both sides understand the relationship.

Alt text

Web & search

Alt text provides a text alternative for an image, helping people who cannot see it understand its purpose. Useful alt text describes the information the image contributes in its particular context. Purely decorative images normally use an empty alternative rather than an unnecessary description.

Reference: W3C: text alternatives

Attribution

Measurement

Attribution assigns credit for a conversion to marketing interactions such as ad clicks or email visits. The credit depends on the model, tracking coverage and time window being used. It describes how results are credited, not necessarily what caused the customer to buy.

Reference: Google Analytics: attribution

Attribution window

Measurement

An attribution window is the period in which an interaction can receive credit for a later conversion. For example, a report might count purchases made within seven days of an ad click. Comparing campaigns with different windows can produce misleading conclusions, so check the settings first.

Audience segmentation divides a wider audience into groups with shared needs, behaviours or characteristics. Each group can receive a more relevant offer, message or experience. Useful segments reflect meaningful differences in how people buy, rather than arbitrary labels alone.

Average order value is revenue from orders divided by the number of orders in a defined period. If ten orders generate 8,000 SEK, the average order value is 800 SEK. Use a consistent treatment of taxes, delivery charges and refunds when comparing periods.

B

B2B describes businesses selling to other businesses. Purchases may involve users, managers, procurement teams and other people with different priorities. Marketing needs to address the business outcome as well as the concerns of the people making the decision.

B2C describes businesses selling products or services to individual consumers. A purchase may be quick and routine or involve substantial research and consideration. The useful distinction is who is buying, not an assumption that every consumer decision is simple.

Backlink

Web & search

A backlink is a link from another website to yours. It can help people discover your content and give search engines context about a page. Relevant editorial links are more useful than collecting large numbers of unrelated links simply to inflate a count.

Bounce rate

Measurement

Bounce rate depends on the analytics system used to measure it. In Google Analytics 4, it is the percentage of sessions that do not qualify as engaged sessions. It should not automatically be interpreted as the percentage of people who saw one page and immediately left.

Reference: Google Analytics: engagement and bounce rate

Brand architecture describes how a company's brands, sub-brands and products relate to one another. It helps customers understand what belongs together and what serves a different purpose. A clear structure also guides naming, visual identity and decisions about launching new offers.

Brand awareness describes how familiar an audience is with a brand. Research may test whether people recognise the name when prompted or recall it without help. Awareness creates an opportunity to be considered, but it does not by itself prove preference or sales.

Brand equity is the value associated with a brand beyond the basic functional offer. Familiarity, trust, associations and customer preference can all contribute to it. A brand with strong equity may find it easier to retain customers or justify its price, although the effect varies by market.

Brand guidelines explain how to express a brand consistently. They usually cover logo use, colour, typography, imagery and tone of voice. The most useful guidelines include practical examples so that people can apply them without guessing.

Brand identity is the system a business uses to present itself and be recognised. It can include visual elements, language, sound and other distinctive expressions. A logo is one part of that system, rather than the whole identity.

Brand positioning defines the place you want to occupy in a customer's mind relative to alternatives. It connects a priority audience, a relevant benefit and a credible reason to choose you. Good positioning guides business and communication choices rather than simply producing a memorable slogan.

A brand promise expresses what customers should consistently be able to expect from a business. It may concern an outcome, an experience or a particular way of working. The promise needs to be supported by what the company actually delivers.

Brand strategy sets the direction for how a business wants to be understood and chosen. It brings together audience priorities, positioning, differentiation and the experience needed to support them. Design and communication then turn that direction into something people can recognise and experience.

Brief

Strategy

A brief defines the problem, objectives and boundaries of a piece of work. It normally identifies the audience, intended response, deliverables, practical constraints and how success will be assessed. A clear brief creates shared direction while leaving room for creative solutions.

Buyer persona

Strategy

A buyer persona is an evidence-informed description of a type of customer. It focuses on needs, buying situations, motivations and barriers that help teams make better decisions. Invented hobbies and demographic details add little unless they change how you serve or communicate with that customer.

C

A call to action tells someone what to do next. It might appear as a button, link or sentence inviting them to book a call, request a quote or explore a service. Clear wording should explain the action and match what actually happens after the click.

Campaign

Advertising

A campaign is a coordinated set of marketing activities built around a defined objective. It connects the audience, message, channels, timing and budget into one plan. Individual ads or posts should contribute to that plan rather than operate as unrelated pieces.

Canonical URL

Web & search

A canonical URL identifies the preferred version of a page when similar or duplicate versions exist. A canonical tag is one way to signal that preference to search engines. It is a hint rather than a command, and it does not redirect visitors to another page.

Click-through rate is clicks divided by impressions, expressed as a percentage. An ad shown 2,000 times that receives 40 clicks has a CTR of 2%. It measures the rate of clicking, not whether those clicks produced profitable customers.

Reference: Google Ads: CTR

A content management system helps people create, organise and publish website content. WordPress is one example, with editing tools that can be extended through themes and plugins. A CMS reduces routine publishing work, but the website still needs maintenance and a clear structure.

Content marketing uses useful or engaging content to attract and support a relevant audience. Examples include guides, videos, newsletters and explanations that help someone make a decision. Its value comes from serving a real need and connecting that usefulness to the business.

Content strategy defines what content a business needs, who it serves and how it will be maintained. It covers purpose, topics, formats, distribution and responsibility. A publishing calendar helps organise delivery, but it cannot replace these strategic choices.

Contextual advertising places ads alongside content relevant to the offer or message. An outdoor equipment ad might appear next to an article about hiking. The targeting is based on the surrounding context rather than necessarily on a person's previous browsing history.

Conversion

Measurement

A conversion is a defined action that matters to a business. It might be a purchase, an enquiry or a completed booking, depending on the objective. Always clarify which action is being counted before comparing conversion numbers.

Conversion rate

Measurement

Conversion rate is conversions divided by the relevant base, expressed as a percentage. For a website you might use sessions, while an advertising report may use eligible ad interactions. State the denominator and counting method so that the figure can be interpreted correctly.

Conversion rate optimisation improves the experience that helps visitors complete a useful action. It can involve clearer offers, better forms, stronger evidence and fewer points of friction. The goal is better business outcomes, not just persuading more people to click any button.

Conversion tracking

Measurement

Conversion tracking records selected actions and connects them to marketing activity where possible. It can help show which campaigns lead to purchases, enquiries or other valuable outcomes. Tracking needs testing because duplicate events, missing data and incorrect values can distort decisions.

Copywriting

Content

Copywriting is writing designed to help an audience understand an offer and take a relevant action. It includes advertisements, landing pages, emails and product descriptions. Effective copy combines clarity, a reason to care and a tone that fits the brand.

Core Web Vitals

Web & search

Core Web Vitals measure aspects of loading speed, responsiveness and visual stability. The current metrics are Largest Contentful Paint, Interaction to Next Paint and Cumulative Layout Shift. They help diagnose the experience of using a page, but good scores alone do not guarantee search visibility.

Reference: Google Search Central: Core Web Vitals

CPA expresses the average cost of a defined acquisition or action. It is calculated by dividing the relevant cost by the number of those results. Check whether the report means a new customer, a purchase or another action, because these are not interchangeable.

Cost per click is the amount paid for an advertising click, or the average across multiple clicks. Average CPC is advertising cost divided by clicks. A low CPC is only useful when the traffic has a reasonable chance of contributing to your objective.

Cost per lead (CPL)

Measurement

Cost per lead is the relevant campaign cost divided by the number of leads generated. It helps compare the cost of creating potential sales opportunities. Lead quality matters as much as price, so pair CPL with qualification and eventual sales results.

CPM is the cost of one thousand advertising impressions. Calculate it by dividing spend by impressions and multiplying by one thousand. It describes the cost of delivery, not how many people paid attention or became customers.

A creative concept is the central idea that gives a campaign or piece of communication its direction. It connects the audience's needs with the brand's message in a distinctive way. A strong concept can work across several formats without becoming a collection of unrelated executions.

Customer acquisition cost estimates what a business spends to gain a new customer. It usually includes a defined set of sales and marketing costs divided by new customers over a relevant period. State which costs are included and account for the delay between marketing activity and completed sales.

The customer journey describes the experiences and interactions surrounding a purchase and the relationship afterwards. People may move between research, comparison, conversation and use rather than follow a neat sequence. Mapping the journey helps identify questions, barriers and opportunities to improve the experience.

Customer lifetime value estimates the value a customer contributes over the relationship. Models may use revenue or contribution margin, so the definition needs to be explicit. It helps inform acquisition and retention decisions, but forecasts depend on assumptions about future behaviour.

Customer relationship management is the practice of organising and developing relationships with customers and prospects. The term also refers to software used to record contacts, conversations and sales activity. A CRM is useful when the data is reliable and the team has a consistent way of working with it.

D

Demand generation builds awareness, interest and preference for a category or offer. It can include education, brand activity and content that helps buyers understand a problem. Its impact may appear before someone becomes an identifiable lead, so immediate form submissions tell only part of the story.

Differentiation gives customers a meaningful reason to choose one offer over another. It can come from the product, service, expertise, business model or experience. A claim of being different becomes useful when customers value it and the business can demonstrate it.

Digital advertising

Advertising

Digital advertising is paid promotion delivered through digital channels. It includes search ads, social ads, display, online video and other paid placements. A successful programme connects the audience and creative with an appropriate destination and a clear measurement plan.

Display advertising

Advertising

Display advertising uses visual placements on websites and apps. Formats can include static images, animation and other supported media. It can build awareness or prompt action, but performance should be judged against the campaign's actual purpose.

Distinctive brand assets are recognisable elements that help people identify a brand. They might include a colour combination, character, shape, sound or consistent visual device. Their value grows when people associate them with the brand, rather than simply find them attractive.

E

Email deliverability concerns whether messages reach recipients' inboxes rather than being blocked or filtered into spam. It is influenced by factors such as authentication, sender reputation, list quality and recipient behaviour. A message accepted by a mail server is not proof that it reached the inbox.

Email marketing uses email to communicate with an audience and support commercial goals. It can include newsletters, product updates and relevant follow-up messages. Useful content, appropriate permission and an easy way to unsubscribe matter more than sending as often as possible.

Engagement rate

Measurement

Engagement rate expresses selected interactions as a proportion of a defined audience or activity base. Social platforms may use impressions, reach or followers, while GA4 uses engaged sessions as a share of all sessions. Check the exact definition before comparing percentages from different tools.

Reference: Google Analytics: engagement and bounce rate

Evergreen content stays useful beyond a particular news event or short campaign. An explanation of how to prepare a brand brief is one example. It still needs reviewing when practices, products or the needs of the audience change.

F

First-party data

Measurement

First-party data is information a business collects through its own interactions with customers or visitors. Examples include purchase history, enquiry details and website activity collected through its systems. Owning the relationship does not remove the need to handle the information responsibly and explain its use.

Frequency

Measurement

Advertising frequency describes how often an audience is exposed to an ad during a period. Average frequency is commonly calculated as impressions divided by reach. An average can hide people who saw the ad many times and others who saw it only once.

G

Generative AI

Content

Generative AI produces new output such as text, images, audio or code from learned patterns and instructions. Marketing teams may use it for exploration, drafting or production support. Output still needs human review for accuracy, originality, suitability and consistency with the brand.

GEO is an emerging industry label for work intended to improve visibility in AI-generated answers. The term is not a single standardised process, and the relevant systems differ in how they find and cite information. Clear, credible and accessible content is a practical foundation, while promises of guaranteed inclusion should be treated cautiously.

Reference: Google Search Central: AI search guidance

A go-to-market strategy explains how a particular offer will reach and win its intended customers. It connects the audience, positioning, pricing, distribution and sales approach. It is especially useful when launching something new or entering a different market.

I

An ideal customer profile describes the type of customer that is a particularly good fit for an offer. In B2B it often focuses on organisations, including their needs, size, situation and ability to buy. It helps prioritise opportunities rather than claiming that everyone is equally suitable.

Impressions

Measurement

Impressions count how many times content or an advertisement is displayed according to a platform's rules. The same person can account for several impressions. An impression does not necessarily mean someone noticed the message or that the placement met a viewability standard.

Incrementality

Measurement

Incrementality asks what additional outcome happened because of a marketing activity. A controlled test can compare a group exposed to the activity with a comparable group that was not. This is different from attribution, which assigns credit to observed interactions.

Reference: Google Ads: Conversion Lift

Influencer marketing involves working with people who have an audience and the ability to shape attention or opinion. The collaboration might involve content, recommendations or a longer brand relationship. Audience fit, credibility and transparent commercial disclosure matter more than follower count alone.

Internal linking

Web & search

Internal linking connects pages within the same website. It helps visitors discover related information and helps search engines understand relationships between pages. Link text should describe the destination so people can decide whether it answers their next question.

K

Key event (GA4)

Measurement

A key event in Google Analytics 4 is an event marked as particularly important to the business. A submitted enquiry or purchase might qualify, while an ordinary page view might not. Choose these events carefully because they affect reporting, including whether a session counts as engaged.

Reference: Google Analytics: key events

A key performance indicator is a measure selected to track progress towards an important objective. For a lead-generation campaign, qualified enquiries may be more useful than total clicks. A number becomes a KPI because it informs a decision, not simply because it appears on a dashboard.

Keyword

Web & search

A keyword is a word or phrase used to describe what people search for or what content and ads are relevant to. In search advertising, selected keywords can help determine which queries an ad is eligible for. In content work, understanding the need behind the words matters more than repeating the phrase frequently.

L

Landing page

Web & search

A landing page is a page someone arrives on after following a link. In campaign work, it usually means a focused page designed around a particular offer and action. The message should match the promise that brought the visitor there and make the next step easy to understand.

Lead

Strategy

A lead is a person or organisation identified as a potential customer. The term can cover anything from a basic enquiry to a well-qualified opportunity, depending on the business. Agree on what counts as a lead before using lead totals to judge performance.

Lead generation

Strategy

Lead generation creates opportunities for potential customers to identify themselves or start a conversation. Methods can include enquiry forms, events, useful resources and targeted outreach. The aim is a relevant sales opportunity, not simply a large collection of contact details.

Lead magnet

Content

A lead magnet is something offered in return for a person's details or another agreed action. It might be a useful template, guide or assessment. The resource should have real value, and the person should understand what communication follows.

Lead nurturing supports potential customers while they consider a purchase. It uses relevant information and timely contact to answer questions and reduce uncertainty. The approach should follow the buyer's needs rather than force everyone through the same sales sequence.

Local SEO

Web & search

Local SEO helps a business become discoverable for searches with a local need. It involves useful location information, relevant website content and accurate business listings where appropriate. It is especially valuable when customers need a nearby service, shop or physical location.

M

Marketing automation uses rules and software to trigger or coordinate marketing activity. Examples include a welcome sequence after signup or a notification when a lead requests a quote. Automation works best when the underlying journey is useful and the data driving it is reliable.

A marketing funnel is a simplified model of how people move from awareness towards action. It helps teams plan different messages for discovery, consideration and decision-making. Real buying journeys are less orderly, so the model should guide thinking rather than be treated as a literal path.

Marketing mix modelling uses statistical models to estimate relationships between business results and marketing activity over time. Models can also account for factors such as price changes, seasonality and distribution. The estimates depend on data quality and assumptions, so they should be interpreted alongside other evidence.

A marketing-qualified lead meets agreed criteria that suggest it is worth further attention. Those criteria might combine the person's fit with actions that show relevant interest. Marketing and sales should define the criteria together, because the label does not automatically mean someone is ready to buy.

Media planning

Advertising

Media planning decides where, when and how advertising should reach an audience. It connects channel choices and spending with campaign objectives and creative requirements. A sound plan explains the role of each channel and how the combined activity will be evaluated.

Meta description

Web & search

A meta description is a short page summary provided in the page's HTML. Search engines may use it in a result snippet, but can choose other text instead. Write an accurate reason to visit the page rather than treating it as a place to repeat keywords.

Reference: Google Search Central: snippets

N

Native advertising

Advertising

Native advertising is paid content designed to fit the format and context of the place where it appears. It might look like a recommended article or a sponsored item in a feed. It should still be identifiable as advertising so the audience understands the commercial relationship.

Negative keyword

Advertising

A negative keyword helps prevent a search ad from appearing for unwanted queries. For example, a paid training provider might exclude searches clearly looking only for free material. Use exclusions carefully so that relevant potential customers are not unintentionally filtered out.

O

Organic traffic

Measurement

Organic traffic is traffic attributed to unpaid sources within a defined report. Organic search usually means visits from unpaid search results, while organic social is a separate channel in many tools. Specify the channel rather than assuming all unpaid visits are grouped together.

P

Pay-per-click (PPC)

Advertising

Pay-per-click describes an advertising charging model where the advertiser pays for clicks. The term is often used informally for paid search, although it can apply elsewhere. It describes how an interaction is charged, not a guarantee of visitors becoming customers.

Performance marketing focuses on measurable actions and outcomes from marketing activity. Teams use results such as sales or qualified leads to guide optimisation and spending. Short-term platform results should still be considered alongside margin, customer quality and longer-term effects.

A positioning statement summarises who an offer serves, the value it provides and why it is credible. It is primarily a tool for internal alignment and decision-making. It may inform public copy, but does not need to appear word for word on the website.

Programmatic advertising uses automated systems to buy and sell advertising placements. It can help manage delivery across multiple publishers and audiences. Automation does not remove the need to review placement quality, costs and whether the environment suits the brand.

R

Reach

Measurement

Reach estimates the number of distinct people or accounts exposed to content during a period. It differs from impressions, which count repeated displays as well. Platforms use different methods, so adding reach across channels can double-count the same people.

Remarketing and retargeting generally describe reaching people who have already interacted with a business. That might include previous website visitors or existing customers, depending on the method and permissions available. The terms are often used interchangeably, so clarify the audience and channel when planning activity.

Responsive design

Web & search

Responsive design allows a website layout to adapt to different screen sizes. Text, navigation and images should remain usable on phones, tablets and larger screens. It requires testing real interactions, not just making a desktop layout smaller.

Retail media

Advertising

Retail media is advertising sold through a retailer's digital or physical media network. It can include sponsored product placements, off-site advertising and in-store screens. It may connect advertising with shopping behaviour, but measurement definitions and data access vary between retailers.

Return on ad spend compares attributed revenue or conversion value with advertising spend. If 10,000 SEK in spend is credited with 40,000 SEK in revenue, the ROAS is 4:1 or 400%. It is not a profit measure because production, fulfilment and other business costs may be excluded.

Reference: Google Ads: ROAS

Return on investment compares the net gain from an investment with its cost. A simple calculation divides the gain after costs by the investment cost and expresses the result as a percentage. Define the time period and included costs carefully before comparing marketing initiatives.

S

Search engine optimisation improves a website's ability to be discovered and understood through unpaid search. It combines useful content, technical accessibility and a structure that serves visitors. Rankings and traffic are outcomes to monitor, rather than results that can be guaranteed.

A search engine results page is the screen of results shown after a search. It can contain unpaid links, ads, images, local listings and other features. Understanding the result format helps explain what a potential visitor sees before choosing where to go.

Search intent

Web & search

Search intent is the underlying need behind a person's search. They may want an explanation, a comparison, a particular website or a way to buy. A useful page answers that need instead of merely containing the same words as the query.

Search query

Web & search

A search query is what someone actually types or says into a search service. It may differ from the keywords a marketer selected when planning content or ads. Reviewing relevant queries can reveal customer language, unexpected needs and irrelevant traffic.

Share of voice measures a brand's proportion of a defined category's advertising or visibility. The measure might use spend, impressions or mentions, depending on the context. Always state the market, channels and method, because different versions of SOV answer different questions.

Social proof

Content

Social proof is evidence that other people have used, trusted or valued an offer. Reviews, customer stories and relevant endorsements can help reduce uncertainty. The strongest examples are authentic, specific and relevant to the decision the reader is making.

Structured data

Web & search

Structured data adds machine-readable information describing the content of a page. Search engines can use supported formats to understand things such as products or organisations and determine eligibility for certain result features. The information must match the visible content, and adding it does not guarantee an enhanced result.

Reference: Google Search Central: structured data

T

Tagline

Brand

A tagline is a short phrase associated with a brand. It can express an attitude, promise or central idea in a memorable way. It should support the positioning, but cannot carry the entire explanation of what the business does.

Target audience

Strategy

A target audience is the group a piece of marketing is designed to reach and influence. It may include buyers, users or people who affect a purchasing decision. Defining the audience makes it easier to choose a relevant message and an appropriate channel.

Technical SEO

Web & search

Technical SEO addresses how search engines access, process and interpret a website. It includes issues such as crawling, indexing, redirects and page structure. Resolving technical problems helps make useful content discoverable, but it cannot replace the content itself.

Tone of voice describes how a brand sounds in its language. It guides choices such as vocabulary, directness, warmth and formality. A clear voice can stay recognisable while adapting to a sales page, an apology or a practical instruction.

Touchpoint

Strategy

A touchpoint is any interaction through which someone experiences a business or brand. Examples include an advertisement, a sales call, packaging and customer support. Improving the brand experience means considering these moments together, not only the website.

U

A unique selling proposition states a specific reason to choose an offer over alternatives. It should connect a relevant customer benefit with something the business can credibly provide. Generic claims such as great quality need evidence or detail to become persuasive.

User experience (UX)

Web & search

User experience concerns how people experience using a product or service. It includes whether they can understand it, complete their task and feel confident in the process. For a website, clear structure and useful feedback matter as much as visual appearance.

User interface (UI)

Web & search

A user interface is the set of controls and visual elements through which someone interacts with a product. On a website this includes menus, buttons, forms and their states. UI design supports the wider user experience by making actions clear and usable.

User-generated content is content created by users or customers rather than the brand itself. It can include reviews, photos and videos shared about a product or experience. Paid creator content is often called UGC-style content, but its commercial origin should not be confused with an independent customer recommendation.

UTM parameters

Measurement

UTM parameters are labels added to a link to identify campaign traffic in compatible analytics tools. They can describe the source, medium and campaign associated with the visit. Use a consistent naming system and avoid putting personal information in URLs.

V

A value proposition explains why an offer is useful to a particular customer. It connects the customer's problem with the benefits of choosing that solution. A strong version is specific enough to help someone understand both the value and the fit.

Viewability

Measurement

Viewability measures whether an ad had an opportunity to be seen under a defined standard. It typically considers how much of the ad was on screen and for how long. A viewable impression is not proof of attention, understanding or a later purchase.

Visual hierarchy guides the order in which people notice and read information. Designers use size, contrast, position and spacing to show what matters most. A clear hierarchy helps a visitor understand the offer and find the next step without effort.

W

Web accessibility

Web & search

Web accessibility means designing and building websites that people with disabilities can use. It includes practical considerations such as keyboard access, readable contrast and understandable form labels. Accessibility needs to be considered throughout design, content and development rather than added as a final visual adjustment.

Reference: W3C: web accessibility

Web design

Web & search

Web design shapes a website's structure, appearance and interactions. It turns business and user needs into layouts and experiences that make information easy to understand. It overlaps with development, but focuses on what the experience should be and how it should work for the visitor.

Web development

Web & search

Web development implements and maintains the technology behind a website. It includes building interfaces, connecting systems and making functionality work across devices. Design and development work together, with each informing what is practical and useful.

Wireframe

Web & search

A wireframe is a simplified layout showing the structure of a page or screen. It focuses on content order, navigation and functionality before detailed styling. Reviewing a wireframe helps resolve important questions before time is spent polishing the visual design.