Digital Marketing Terms Every Beginner Should Know
Starting out in digital marketing can feel like learning a whole new language. From acronyms like SEO and CTR to more complex terms like remarketing and conversion rate optimization, the terminology can be overwhelming.
But don’t worry—once you understand the basics, navigating the digital marketing world becomes a lot easier.
Here’s a beginner-friendly glossary of essential digital marketing terms you should know to start building effective campaigns with confidence.
General Terms on Digital Marketing Terms Every Beginner Should Know
1. Digital Marketing
Marketing that uses online platforms and digital technologies to promote products or services.
2. Inbound Marketing
A strategy focused on attracting customers through valuable content and experiences (like blogs, eBooks, or videos) instead of pushing ads.
3. Outbound Marketing
Traditional marketing that involves reaching out to potential customers directly—think banner ads, cold emails, or telemarketing.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
4. SEO
The process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
5. Keywords
Words or phrases people type into search engines—these help guide what your content should target.
6. Backlinks
Links from other websites to yours—seen as “votes of confidence” by search engines.
7. On-Page SEO
Optimizations you do on your website (like meta tags, headings, and internal links).
8. Off-Page SEO
Activities outside your site that affect rankings (e.g., backlinks, social signals).
Paid Advertising (PPC)
9. PPC (Pay-Per-Click)
An ad model where you pay every time someone clicks your ad—used on platforms like Google Ads and Facebook.
10. CPC (Cost Per Click)
The amount you pay per click on your ad.
11. CPM (Cost Per Mille)
The cost per 1,000 impressions (views) of your ad.
12. CTR (Click-Through Rate)
The percentage of people who see your ad and actually click it.
Formula: (Clicks ÷ Impressions) x 100
13. Quality Score
A Google Ads metric based on ad relevance, landing page experience, and CTR—affects your ad rank and cost.
Email & Automation on Digital Marketing Terms Every Beginner Should Know
14. Email Marketing
Sending promotional or informative emails to a list of subscribers.
15. Open Rate
The percentage of recipients who open your email.
16. Click Rate
How many people clicked a link inside your email.
17. Autoresponder
An automated email (or series) triggered by a user action like signing up or purchasing.
Social Media
18. Engagement Rate
How much interaction your content receives (likes, comments, shares) relative to reach or followers.
19. Reach
The total number of unique users who saw your post or ad.
20. Impressions
How many times your content was displayed (can include multiple views by the same person).
Conversion & Analytics on Digital Marketing Terms Every Beginner Should Know
21. Conversion
When a user completes a desired action—like signing up, purchasing, or downloading.
22. Conversion Rate
The percentage of users who convert after visiting your site or ad.
Formula: (Conversions ÷ Total Visitors) x 100
23. Landing Page
A standalone web page designed to get users to take one specific action (e.g., buy, sign up, download).
24. A/B Testing
Comparing two versions of a web page, ad, or email to see which one performs better.
25. ROI (Return on Investment)
How much profit you make compared to how much you spend.
Formula: ((Revenue - Cost) ÷ Cost) x 100
Other Key Terms on Digital Marketing Terms Every Beginner Should Know
26. Funnel
The path people take from first learning about your brand to becoming a customer.
27. Lead
A potential customer who has shown interest in your product or service, often by submitting a form or downloading a resource.
28. Remarketing
Showing ads to users who previously visited your site or interacted with your brand but didn’t convert.
29. Call-to-Action (CTA)
A prompt encouraging users to take an action, like “Buy Now,” “Subscribe,” or “Learn More.”
30. Analytics
Data collected about your users, traffic, and campaign performance—used to make smarter marketing decisions.
✅ Final Thoughts on Digital Marketing Terms Every Beginner Should Know
These digital marketing terms are the building blocks of your strategy. Whether you’re managing a campaign, working with an agency, or just getting started, knowing this vocabulary will help you navigate conversations and make better-informed decisions.
