Sometimes we marketers throw around a lot of language we think is common knowledge because we live, eat and breathe marketing. Yet, we know this can be overwhelming for dealers, particularly those that are just launching a website and broader online marketing strategy for the first time.

We’ve pieced together some of the most important, and frequently used, marketing language below. Consider this your very own CWS interpreter for marketing speak!

The Marketing ABCs

A/B Testing: This is the process of choosing two variations of an attribute on your website to see which performs better to boost your online marketing efforts. An example of this could be changing the buttons on your website and seeing which color performs best. Don’t think that kind of factor matters? Check out our last blog post on the psychology of color.  

Backlink: Google defines this as “an incoming hyperlink from one web page to another website.” It helps provide your website with credibility and authority. Want to learn more? You can check out our three-part backlinks series here, here, and here.

Bounce Rate: This number is the percent of visitors who have navigated away from your website having only been on one page of it.  

Call to Action (CTA): A word, phrase or sentence that urgers the viewer to take action. Typically used when referring to the buttons on your website that should have engaging and action-oriented content on them. For example, using text like “Let’s Chat Equipment!” on your button is considered a CTA.

Connection: This term is frequently interchanged with the word “lead,” however there are key differences between the two. A lead is an older label to signify a potential customer who is a good candidate for a sale. On the other hand, a connection is someone who has shown interest in your product or service, but is less direct than filling out a contact form or calling your dealership, for example. It could come in the form of clicking on your ad or commenting on one of your social media posts. They are still just as valuable because they are opportunities to not only connect with more people in different phases of the purchase process, but could also show you where the majority of customers are coming from.

Content: The information, videos, images, etc. that you put on your online platforms to describe your dealership, its products, and services. It aims to engage the reader and provide them with the information he/she needs in order to make a decision on whether to work with your dealership.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM): This is typically a platform or software that helps in managing your dealership’s relationship with customers and connections with potential customers in a more efficient and trackable way. An example of this kind of software is Salesforce.

PPC: A form of SEM (see below) that stands for pay-per-click and functions by charging advertisers a fee each time one of their ads is clicked on. It’s a form of paid advertising to get visitors to your website.

Remarketing: Another form of paid online advertising, in which the ads running are delivered to visitors that previously visited your website, but did not take action. It essentially allows you to remain in front of visitors and remind them of your products/service.

Responsive: Referring to the fact that a website is able to adjust its format to the device it is being viewed on. It provides a smooth experience for the visitor whether he/she is on a phone, tablet or desktop. Learn more about why it’s essential here.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM): A form of paid online marketing that promotes websites by boosting their visibility within search engine results pages, like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The method of organically enhancing a website’s presence within search engine results pages through means such as backlinking (see above), incorporating keywords, image tags, regularly publishing content, among others.

Traffic: A measurement that indicates the number of visits a website receives.

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If there are any additional terms or phrases you tend to hear a lot from our team that you think could use further explanation, feel free to drop them in the comments below!