50+ Marketing Terms Every Small Business Owner Should Know

At Mazloy, we help business owners turn their websites and marketing into reliable sales tools. But as we guide clients through Search Everywhere Optimization (SEvO) strategies, email automation, and content creation, one thing often slows things down: unfamiliar marketing terms.

That’s where this glossary comes in.

This glossary was created specifically for Mazloy customers. Small business owners and marketing managers who want to understand the language behind digital strategy without needing a degree in marketing jargon. It’s designed to demystify key concepts so you can make more confident, informed decisions.

Whether you're reviewing an SEvO audit, exploring paid ad campaigns, or simply trying to improve your website’s performance, you’ll encounter terms that sound more complicated than they are. We’ve broken them down clearly so you can get the meaning fast and stay focused on what matters: growing your business.

Bookmark this page or share it with your team. You’ll find yourself coming back to it whenever you hit a buzzword that needs decoding.

Glossary

Audience Segment

A group of people with similar traits, like age or interests, within a larger audience.

Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO)

Making your website or content easy for smart computers (like ChatGPT or Siri) to understand and share with people.

Backlink

The quantity and quality of links pointing to your site.

Branded Pay-Per-Click

Ads that use a brand’s name or product to appear higher in search results.

Business-to-Business (B2B)

When businesses sell products or services to other businesses.

Business-to-Consumer (B2C)

When businesses sell products or services directly to consumers.

Call to Action (CTA)

Words or buttons that encourage people to take action, like “Buy Now” or “Sign Up.”

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

The percentage of people who click on an ad or link.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Making changes to a website to get more visitors to take action, like buying or signing up.

Cost Per Click (CPC)

The cost a business pays each time someone clicks on its ad.

Cost Per Impression (CPM)

The cost a business pays each time 1,000 people see its ad.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

The total money a customer is expected to spend with a business over their entire relationship.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

A tool that helps businesses track and manage their relationships with customers.

Demographic

Information about people, like age, gender, or income.

Domain Authority (DA)

A score showing how strong a website is in search engines, like Google.

Domain Name Registrar

A company that sells website names, like .com addresses.

Domain Name System (DNS)

A system that connects website names to their correct IP addresses.

eCommerce

Buying and selling products or services online.

Engagement

The amount of time users spend on your content.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A list of common questions and their answers.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

Making your website easy for smart chatbots like ChatGPT to talk about and recommend when someone asks a question.

Google Analytics

A tool that tracks and reports what visitors do on a website.

Google Search Console

A tool that helps track and improve a website's performance on Google.

Google Tag Manager

A tool that helps add and manage website tracking codes without changing the website’s code directly.

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

A measure that shows how well a business is doing.

Lagging KPI

A measure that shows past results, like total sales.

Lead Value (LV)

The average amount of money each lead could bring to a business.

Leading KPI

A measure that predicts future results, like new leads.

Long-Tail Keyword

A short phrase with three or more words that helps people find something specific online.

Marketing Campaign

A planned series of activities to promote a product or service.

Marketing Channel

A way to reach customers, like social media, email, or TV ads.

Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)

A person who shows interest in a product and might be ready to buy but needs more information.

Marketing Strategy

The plan for reaching customers and selling to them.

Multivariate Test

A type of A/B test that changes and compares different parts of something to see which combination works best.

Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP)

Important contact information for a business.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

A technology that helps computers understand human language.

Nurturing Campaign

A series of messages to build a relationship with potential customers over time.

Organic Marketing

Free ways to promote a business, like social media posts or SEO.

Paid Marketing

Promoting a business by paying for ads or boosted content.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC)

An ad where a business pays money each time someone clicks on it.

Pay-Per-Impression (PPM)

An ad where a business pays money each time 1,000 people see it.

Podcast

An audio program available online that people can listen to.

Product Listing Ad (PLA)

An ad that shows product info, like a picture, price, and description.

Profit

The money a business has left after paying all its costs.

Profit Margin (PM)

The percentage of money a business keeps after paying its costs.

Referral Rate (RR)

The percentage of customers who recommend the business to others.

Reputation

Links from trustworthy sources.

Return on Investment (ROI)

The money made back compared to the money spent.

Revenue

The total money a business makes from selling products or services.

RSS Feed

A tool that sends updates from websites, like news or blogs, to one place.

Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)

A person who shows strong interest in buying and is ready for a sales team to contact.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

The practice of improving a website so it shows up better in search results.

Search Engine Results Page (SERP)

The page that shows the results after a search.

Search Everywhere Optimization (SEvO)

Helping your business show up no matter where someone is looking - Google, TikTok, YouTube, ChatGPT, or even their smart speaker.

Sitemap

A list or map that shows all pages on a website.

Skyscraper Technique

Crafting content by researching existing high-performing posts, enhancing them, and then producing a superior version.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software that people use over the Internet, often by paying a subscription.

Unqualified Lead

A person who may not yet be interested in buying or does not match the target customer profile.

Urchin Tracking Module (UTM)

A small code added to a link to track where website visitors come from.

User Experience (UX)

How easy and enjoyable it is to use a website or product.

User Interface (UI)

The part of a product or website that people interact with, like buttons and menus.

Website Host

A service that stores and shows your website on the Internet.

Website Platform

Software used to build and manage a website, like WordPress.

Website Plugin

An extra feature that adds more tools to a website.

Website Template

A ready-made design layout for building a website quickly.

Website Theme

Software added to a Website Platform that controls how a website looks.

Wildly Important Goal (WIG)

The most important goal a team or business focuses on to succeed.

Wireframe

A simple outline or sketch of a webpage to show where things will go.

Conclusion

Knowing the language of digital marketing helps you take control of your growth. When you understand what your web team, ad manager, or marketing consultant is saying, you can collaborate more effectively and make smarter choices. You don’t have to know it all, but knowing the basics gives you a major edge.

At Mazloy, we believe clarity drives momentum. This glossary reflects our commitment to empowering clients with plain-language tools that remove guesswork and replace it with insight. When you understand the words, you better understand the work, and that leads to better results.

If you’re a Mazloy customer, use this glossary as a shared reference during conversations, strategy sessions, or while reviewing campaign reports. It’s not just a resource, it’s a part of how we make marketing easier, smarter, and more aligned with your business goals.

Not a Mazloy client yet? No problem! We still want to help you grow smarter. Download our free glossary PDF to get clear, jargon-free definitions of the most common marketing, website, and SEO terms. It’s a simple way to boost your confidence and clarity as you navigate digital strategy whether you’re working with a team or doing it all yourself.