Digital Marketing Terms: A to Z Glossary

Written by Coursera • Updated on

Digital marketing terms and definitions to know for certification prep, interviewing, and resume writing.

Digital Marketing Terms

Digital marketing is an evolving field that combines technology and creative marketing techniques to reach consumers through digital channels. It encompasses a range of practices, from content creation to data analysis, aimed at engaging audiences and driving business growth. Digital marketing professionals use their skills in SEO, content strategy, social media, and more to craft compelling campaigns that capture attention and convert leads into customers.

You can use the terms in this digital marketing glossary to familiarize yourself with essential terminology. Whether you’re preparing to earn a digital marketing certification, interview for a new role, or simply looking to enhance your marketing skills, studying these terms can help you feel more confident and ready.

Digital marketing terms

You’ll find common digital marketing terms in the glossary below. 

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is an online sales tactic that lets a product owner increase sales by allowing others targeting the same audience—"affiliates"—to earn a commission by recommending the product to others.

Learn more: Expand your marketing strategies by exploring Affiliate Marketing Courses, which are ideal for driving sales through partnerships.

Banner Ads

A banner ad, or a web banner, is displayed on a web page. The advertisement consists of an image (.jpg, .png, .gif) or of a multimedia object (usually created using Flash). Thus, banner ads can be static or animated, depending on the technology used.

Call To Action (CTA)

A call to action is a marketing term for any design to prompt an immediate response or encourage an immediate sale. CTAs like "Buy now," "Call today," or "Subscribe" urge the visitor to take immediate action.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience and, ultimately, drive profitable customer action.

Learn more: Enhance your storytelling and audience engagement skills with Content Marketing Courses.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

CRO is increasing the percentage of users who perform a desired action on a website. Desired actions include purchasing a product, clicking 'add to cart,' signing up for a service, filling out a form, or clicking on a link.

Digital Advertising

Digital advertising is a marketing tactic that leverages the internet and its properties to deliver promotional ads to consumers on various channels.

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing refers to advertising through digital channels such as search engines, websites, social media, email, and mobile apps. Using these online media channels, companies endorse goods, services, and brands through digital marketing.

Learn more: Master online advertising and strategy with Digital Marketing Courses.

Email Marketing

Email marketing typically sends a commercial message to people using email. Every email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing.

Learn more: Boost your communication strategies by mastering Email Marketing Courses.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing involves a brand collaborating with an online influencer to market one of its products or services. Some influencer marketing collaborations are less tangible than that—brands work with influencers to improve brand recognition.

Learn more: Learn to leverage social media personalities for brand growth with Influencer Marketing Courses.

Landing Page

A landing page is a standalone web page, created specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign. It's where a visitor "lands" after they click on a link in an email or ads from Google, Bing, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or similar places on the web.

Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing is a multi-channel digital marketing strategy that aims to reach a target audience on their smartphones, tablets, and/or other mobile devices via websites, email, SMS MMS, social media, and apps.

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

PPC is an Internet marketing model in which advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. Essentially, it's a way of buying visits to your site rather than attempting to "earn" those visits organically.

Learn more: Optimize your ad spend and increase ROI by exploring Pay-Per-Click Marketing Courses.

Remarketing/Retargeting

Remarketing is a way to connect with people who previously interacted with your website or mobile app. It allows you to strategically position your ads in front of these audiences as they browse Google or its partner websites, thus helping you increase your brand awareness or remind those audiences to purchase.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

SEO is increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. It involves making specific changes to your website design and content that make your site more attractive to a search engine.

Learn more: Improve your website visibility and search engine rankings with SEO Courses.

SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

SEM is a digital marketing strategy used to increase the visibility of a website in search engine results pages (SERPs). It is often called paid search or pay-per-click (PPC) marketing.

Social Media Marketing (SMM)

Social Media Marketing uses social media platforms and websites to promote a product or service. It involves creating content tailored to the context of each social media platform to drive user engagement and sharing.

User Experience (UX)

User experience is the overall experience of a person using a product, such as a website or a computer application, especially regarding how easy or pleasing it is.

Learn more: Enhance user experience and design more effective interfaces with UX Design Courses.

Web Analytics

Web analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of web data to understand and optimize web usage.

Learn more: Gain insights into user behavior and website performance with Web Analytics Courses.

Transform Your Career with Digital Marketing Skills?

Expand your expertise in digital marketing with courses designed to promote brands and products online. Whether starting from scratch or refining your skills, these courses offer the knowledge and insights needed to excel. Lead successful marketing campaigns and drive meaningful engagement. Explore digital marketing courses today and start your journey toward becoming an expert.

Coursera Plus
Build job-ready skills with a Coursera Plus subscription
  • Get access to 7,000+ learning programs from world-class universities and companies, including Google, Yale, Salesforce, and more
  • Try different courses and find your best fit at no additional cost
  • Earn certificates for learning programs you complete
  • A subscription price of $59/month, cancel anytime

Updated on
Written by:

Coursera

Writer

Coursera is the global online learning platform that offers anyone, anywhere access to online course...

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.