20 Marketing Terms Every Marketer Should Know

A Quick Guide to Boost Your Knowledge and Sharpen Your Strategy

Here’s a list of 20 essential terms every marketer should understand. Getting to grips with these terms will help you “speak the language” when planning marketing campaigns and communicating with stakeholders. Each term includes a brief, practical definition to help you understand and apply it effectively. If you’d like further clarity on any of these terms, feel free to reach out—I’d be happy to provide more detailed content.

The Marketing Made Clear Podcast

This article features content from the Marketing Made Clear podcast. You can listen along to this episode on Spotify:

  1. Brand Awareness
    The extent to which consumers recognise and are familiar with your brand. It’s a key indicator of market presence and often the first step in the sales funnel.

  2. Customer Persona
    A semi-fictional representation of your “ideal customer”, based on market research and data, used to tailor marketing strategies.

  3. Conversion Rate
    The percentage of users who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter, out of the total number of users (of a website or app etc.).

  4. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
    The process of improving your website’s visibility in search engine results to attract more organic (non-paid) traffic.

  5. Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
    A form of online advertising where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked, commonly associated with platforms like Google Ads.

  6. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
    The total revenue a business can expect from a single customer throughout their relationship with the company.

  7. Bounce Rate
    The percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate often indicates poor engagement or irrelevant content.

  8. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
    The ratio of users who click on a specific link to the total number of users who view it, often used in email and ad campaigns.

  9. A/B Testing
    A method of comparing two versions of a marketing asset (e.g., an email or landing page) to determine which performs better.

  10. Lead Generation
    The process of attracting and converting potential customers into leads, typically through tactics like email signups, gated content, or free trials.

  1. Inbound Marketing
    A strategy focused on attracting customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them, rather than pushing products directly.
  2. Call to Action (CTA)
    A prompt in your marketing that encourages users to take a specific action, such as “Buy Now” or “Sign Up.” As in, what action are you hoping the user to take having engaged with your advert.
  3. Content Marketing
    The practice of creating and sharing valuable, relevant content to attract and engage a target audience, ultimately driving profitable customer action.
  4. Remarketing
    Targeting users who have previously interacted with your website or app, often through ads designed to re-engage them.
  5. KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
    Measurable values that indicate how effectively a person, team, or organisation is achieving key business objectives.
  6. Social Proof
    The psychological phenomenon where people mirror the actions of others, often used in marketing through reviews, testimonials, or influencer endorsements.
  7. Affiliate Marketing
    A performance-based marketing strategy where businesses reward affiliates for driving traffic or sales through their referrals.
  8. Churn Rate
    The percentage of customers who stop doing business with a company over a specific period. A high churn rate signals customer retention issues. An alternative term to Churn Rate would be “Drop Off”.
  9. Growth Hacking
    A fast-paced approach to growth that uses creative, low-cost strategies to rapidly expand a business’s customer base.
  10. Marketing Funnel
    A visual representation of the customer journey, from initial awareness to purchase, with stages such as awareness, interest, decision, and action.

This glossary is a solid starting point for understanding key concepts in marketing. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned professional, mastering these terms will help you stay ahead in a competitive industry.