You're missing out if you're not using marketing automation in your business. Marketing automation can help you nurture leads, close more deals, and free up your time to focus on other areas of your business. This A-Z Glossary of Marketing Automation Terms will give you an overview of what marketing automation is and how it can benefit your business.

A.

A/B testing: Comparing two versions of a campaign or landing page to see which performs better.

Abandoned cart: A shopping cart that is abandoned before a purchase is made. Abandoned cart emails can be used to recover lost sales.

Accelerated mobile pages (AMP): A type of web page that is designed to load quickly on mobile devices.

Account-based marketing: A type of marketing that focuses on a defined group of accounts rather than individual leads. Account-based marketing is often used in B2B marketing.

Ad: A type of paid promotion, such as a Google AdWords ad or a Facebook ad.

Administrator: A user who has full access to all features and settings in marketing automation software.

Affiliate: A type of partner that promotes your products or services in exchange for a commission on sales.

Analytics: The process of analysing data to generate insights that can improve business performance. Analytics can track website traffic, conversion data, or customer behaviour.

Anonymous visitor: A lead who has not yet been identified. Anonymous leads can be tracked by their activity, such as website visits or form submissions.

API: Application programming interface. A set of rules that allows two pieces of software to communicate with each other. APIs can be used to connect marketing automation software to other business software, such as your CRM or accounting software.

Automation: The process of using software to automate tasks, such as email marketing or lead nurturing.

B.

B2B: Business-to-business. A business relationship in which one business sells products or services to another business.

B2C: Business-to-consumer. A type of business relationship in which a business sells products or services to individual consumers.

B2B2C: Business-to-business-to-consumer. A type of business relationship in which a business sells products or services to another business, which then sells them to individual consumers.

Behaviour-based lead scoring: A method of scoring leads based on their interactions with your brand, such as website visits, downloads, or form submissions. This helps you prioritise leads for follow-up.

Bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU): The stage of the marketing funnel where leads are ready to buy. Bottom-of-the-funnel activities can include pre-sale activities, such as demos or price quotes.

Bounce: An email that cannot be delivered to a lead's inbox. Bounces can be temporary (soft bounce) or permanent (hard bounce).

C.

Call-to-action: A type of offer, such as a free trial or demonstration, that is designed to encourage a lead to take the desired action.

Campaigns: A defined set of marketing activities designed to achieve a specific goal, such as generating leads or increasing brand awareness.

Channel: The medium through which a message is delivered, such as email, social media, or paid advertising.

Content marketing: A type of marketing that focuses on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and engaging content to attract and retain a defined audience.

Conversion: A event that turns a lead into a customer or taking another desired action, such as a website visitor subscribing to a newsletter.

Cost-per-lead (CPL): The average cost of acquiring a new lead. CPL is often used to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

D.

Demand generation: The process of creating demand for a product or service. Demand generation often includes lead generation activities, such as marketing campaigns, events, or content marketing.

Delivery rate: The percentage of emails successfully delivered to a lead's inbox.

Downloads: Files that can be downloaded from a website, such as e-books, white papers, or templates.

Drip campaigns: A type of automated email campaign that sends a series of emails to leads over a period of time. Drip campaigns are often used to nurture leads and move them through the sales funnel.

Dynamic content: Content that is personalised for individual leads based on their characteristics, such as demographics, behaviour, or interests.

E.

eCommerce: The process of buying or selling products or services online. eCommerce can happen through a website, mobile app, or other online platforms.

Email: An electronic method of communication. Email can be used for marketing, sales, or customer support.

Email deliverability: The percentage of emails successfully delivered to a lead's inbox

Email marketing: A type of marketing that uses email to send messages, such as newsletters, product updates, or special offers.

Engagement: The process of interacting with a lead, such as through email, social media, or phone. Engagement helps you build relationships with leads and move them through the sales funnel.

Engagement rate: The percentage of leads who engage with your brand, such as by opening an email or clicking on a link.

Event-based marketing: A type of marketing that focuses on promoting events, such as webinars, trade shows, or product launches.

F.

Fields: The data elements that make up a lead's profile, such as name, company, or title.

Filter: A way to segment a list of leads, such as by title, company size, or location.

First-party data: Data collected by a brand, such as a website visitor or customer data.

Follow-up: The process of contacting a lead to continue the sales process or customer relationship.

Frequency: The number of times that a lead is contacted, such as the number of times they receive an email or are called by a salesperson.

G.

Gated content: Content that can only be accessed by submitting a lead's contact information. Gated content is often used to generate leads.

Geo-targeting: The process of targeting leads based on their geographic location. Geo-targeting can be used to personalise content or offers.

Goal: A specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound objective. Goals can be used to measure the success of marketing campaigns or other activities.

Google Analytics: A free service that allows you to track website traffic and conversion data.

H.

Hard bounce: An email that cannot be delivered to a lead's inbox due to a permanent reason, such as an invalid email address.

Health score: A metric that measures the health of your lead database. A lead's health score can be used to prioritise leads for follow-up.

Homepage: The main page of a website. The homepage is typically the first page that a visitor will see.

Hot lead: A lead that has been determined to be ready to buy. Hot leads are often passed to sales for follow-up.

I.

Identity resolution: The process of matching a lead's online activity to their offline identity. This helps you see the full picture of a lead's interactions with your brand.

Inbound marketing: A type of marketing that focuses on attracting leads to your website through content marketing, search engine optimisation, or other methods.

Instant messenger: A type of communication software that allows users to send and receive real-time messages. Instant messenger can be used for marketing, sales, or customer support.

Integration: The process of connecting marketing automation software to other business software, such as your CRM or accounting software.

iPAAS: A type of software that allows you to connect marketing automation software to other business software, such as your CRM or accounting software.

J.

JavaScript: A programming language that is used to add interactivity to web pages.

Journey: The path that a lead takes from becoming aware of your brand to becoming a customer. The customer journey can be represented as a funnel, with the widest part at the top (most awareness) and the narrowest part at the bottom (purchase).

K.

Key performance indicators (KPIs): A metric or set of metrics used to measure progress towards a goal. Marketing automation software often includes built-in KPIs.

KPI dashboard: A visual display of one or more KPIs. A KPI dashboard can help you track progress towards your goals.

L.

Landing pages: A web page that is designed to capture leads' contact information in exchange for a valuable offer, such as a white paper or e-book 

Lead: A potential customer. Usually identified through their interaction with your online content.

Lead capture: The process of converting an anonymous website visitor into a known lead. Lead capture often happens through forms or live chat.

Lead nurturing: The process of building relationships with leads through targeted content and offers until they are ready to buy.

Lead scoring: A method of assigning a score to a lead based on their characteristics or interactions with your brand. Lead scoring helps you prioritise leads for follow-up.

M.

Marketing automation: Software that automates marketing tasks, such as email marketing, lead nurturing, and lead scoring.

Marketing qualified lead (MQL): A lead that has been through a process to determine if they are ready to be passed to sales. Qualification criteria can vary depending on the lead and the business.

Middle-of-the-funnel (MOFU): The marketing funnel stage between awareness and purchase. The middle-of-the-funnel is often where leads are nurtured and qualified.

Multivariate testing: A type of A/B testing that tests multiple versions of a campaign or landing page at the same time.

N.

Net promoter score (NPS): A metric that measures customer satisfaction and loyalty. NPS can be used to benchmark your brand against others in your industry.

Nurture campaigns: A type of email campaign that sends a series of emails to leads over a period of time. Nurture campaigns are often used to move leads through the sales funnel.

O.

Offline conversion: An offline conversion, such as a phone call or in-person meeting.

Open rate: The percentage of emails that are opened by a lead.

Operational metrics: A metric that measures a business process, such as email deliverability or lead capture rate.

Opt-in: A lead's explicit permission to be contacted by a brand. Opt-in can happen through subscribing to a newsletter, filling out a form, or other methods.

Opt-out: A lead's explicit request to stop being contacted by a brand. Opt-out can happen through unsubscribing from a newsletter, filling out a form, or other methods.

Outbound marketing: A type of marketing that proactively reaches out to leads rather than waiting for them to come to you. Outbound marketing can include activities such as trade shows, events, or advertising.

Owner: The salesperson or account manager who is responsible for a lead. The owner is often the primary point of contact for a lead.

P.

Page views: The number of times a web page is viewed.

Paid advertising: A type of advertising that involves paying to have your brands promoted, such as through Google AdWords or Facebook ads.

Partner: A company that is not a direct competitor but whose products or services complement your own. Partnerships can help you reach new customers or generate leads.

Partner management: The process of developing and maintaining relationships with partners. Partner management software can help you automate partner communications and lead sharing.

Pipeline: The sales process, from initial contact to close.

Pixel: A small piece of code that is placed on a web page. Pixels can be used for website tracking or retargeting.

Pop-ups: A type of lead capture that appears on a web page as a small window. Pop-ups are used to promote an offer or capture leads' contact information.

Pre-sale: The stage of the sales process that happens before a purchase is made. Pre-sale activities can include lead nurturing and qualification.

Predictive analytics: A type of analytics that uses historical data to predict future outcomes. Predictive analytics can be used to forecast sales or identify at-risk customer accounts.

Permission-based marketing: A type of marketing that only contacts lead who have given explicit permission to be contacted.

Q.

Qualified lead: A lead that has been through a process to determine if they are ready to be passed to sales. Qualification criteria can vary depending on the lead and the business.

R.

Re-engagement campaigns: A type of email campaign designed to re-engage leads that have become inactive.

Recipient: The person who receives an email.

Referral: A lead generated through word-of-mouth or another type of referral.

Remarketing: The process of targeting ads to leads who have already visited your website. Remarketing can be used to keep your brand top-of-mind or generate leads.

Return on investment (ROI): A metric that measures the profitability of a marketing campaign or other activity. ROI is often used to compare the effectiveness of different marketing activities.

S.

Sales-qualified lead: A lead your sales team has qualified as a potential. customer

Sales funnel: The path that leads take from becoming aware of your brand to becoming customers. The sales funnel is often represented as an inverted pyramid, with the widest part at the top (awareness) and the narrowest part at the bottom (purchase).

Sales intelligence: The process of using data to improve sales performance. Sales intelligence can be used to track customer behaviour, identify sales opportunities, or forecast sales.

Segmentation: The process of dividing a list of leads into groups based on common characteristics. Segmentation is used to personalise content or offers.

Social media: A type of online platform, such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, that allows users to connect and share content.

Scoring rules: A set of criteria used to assign a score to a lead. Lead scoring helps you prioritise leads for follow-up.

T.

Tags: A way to categorise leads, such as by lead source or product interest.

Task-based automation: A type of automation triggered by a lead's interaction with your brand, such as subscribing to a newsletter or downloading a white paper.

Testimonials: A type of social proof used to build trust and credibility with leads.

Third-party data: Data that is collected by a company other than the one that owns the data

Top-of-the-funnel (TOFU): The stage of the marketing funnel where leads are first introduced to your brand. Top-of-the-funnel activities can include awareness campaigns, such as advertising or public relations.

Tracking: The process of monitoring a lead's activity, such as website visits or form submissions. Tracking helps you see the full picture of a lead's interactions with your brand.

Trigger: An event that triggers a task, such as a lead subscribing to a newsletter or downloading a white paper.

U.

User: A person who uses marketing automation software. Users can be assigned different roles, such as administrator or salesperson.

Unsubscribe: A way for leads to stop receiving emails from a sender.

User-generated content: Content that is created by customers or other users, such as reviews or social media posts.

V.

Validation: The process of verifying that a lead's contact information is accurate.

Visitor: A lead who is anonymous. Visitors can be tracked by their activity, such as website visits or form submissions.

Visitor ID: A unique identifier that is assigned to an anonymous website visitor. Visitor ID can be used to track a lead's activity across multiple devices.

W.

Website tracking: The process of tracking a lead's activity on your website. Website tracking helps you see the full picture of a lead's interactions with your brand.

Webinar: A type of online event where participants can view a presentation and ask questions in real-time. Webinars can be used for lead generation or lead nurturing.

Welcome campaigns: A type of email campaign that is sent to new leads. Welcome campaigns can be used to introduce your brand or build relationships with leads.

Workflow: A series of tasks that are triggered by an event, such as a lead subscribing to a newsletter. Workflows can automate repetitive marketing tasks, such as emailing leads or sending them targeted offers.

X.

XML: A markup language that is used to structure data, such as RSS feeds for podcasts and blogs.

Z.

Zapier: A service that allows you to connect marketing automation software to other business software, such as your CRM or accounting software.

And so concludes our A-Z Glossary of Terms for Marketing Automation. If we've missed anything, or if you have any questions, please let us know in the comments!

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