A to Z of PR and Marketing

Like anything, PR and marketing have their own lingo and jargon, so here are some of the common terms you might come across and what they are

A:

Analytics: The process of analysing data to track and measure the effectiveness of a PR or marketing campaign.

Advertorial: An advertisement designed to look like editorial content in order to appear more valuable and engaging to the audience.

A/B Testing: A process of comparing two different versions of a website or campaign to determine which performs better.

B:

Branding: The process of creating and maintaining a distinct image or identity for a company, product or service.

Business-to-Business (B2B): A business model in which a company sells products or services to other businesses rather than consumers.

Brand Ambassador: A person who represents and promotes a brand, product, or service to their social networks.

C:

Content marketing: The use of informative, valuable, and engaging content to attract and retain a specific audience.

Conversion: In marketing, conversion refers to the desired action that a customer takes, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or subscribing to a newsletter. The goal of marketing is to increase the conversion rate, which is the percentage of visitors who take the desired action.

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO): The process of improving the effectiveness of a website or marketing campaign in converting visitors into customers. This involves analysing data and making changes to improve the user experience, messaging, and design of the website or campaign.

Crisis Communication: The process of managing and responding to negative publicity or crises that could damage a company's reputation.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM): A strategy and software designed to manage interactions and relationships with customers.

D:

Direct mail: A form of marketing where physical mail is sent directly to a targeted audience.

Digital marketing: Marketing strategies and tactics that use digital technologies, such as the internet, social media, and mobile devices.

Data-driven marketing: Using data and analytics to inform and optimise marketing decisions and strategies.

E:

Earned media: Media coverage gained through public relations efforts rather than paid advertising.

Engagement rate: A metric used to measure how actively an audience is interacting with a brand's social media content.

Event marketing: The use of events or experiences to promote a brand, product, or service.

F:

Focus group: A market research technique that involves a small group of people discussing and providing feedback on a product, service, or campaign.

Frequent Buyer Program: A loyalty program that rewards customers for repeat purchases.

Free Sample: A promotional tactic in which a company offers a free sample of a product to potential customers (also known as a 'Tryme').

G:

Guerrilla marketing: A marketing strategy that uses unconventional and often low-cost tactics to reach a target audience.

Google AdWords: Google's pay-per-click advertising platform that allows businesses to bid on specific keywords to appear at the top of search engine results.

Gamification: Adding game elements, such as points or rewards, to non-game contexts, such as marketing or advertising campaigns.

H:

Hashtag: A word or phrase preceded by the # symbol, used on social media to make content searchable and more easily discoverable.

Humour marketing: A marketing approach that uses humour and wit to engage and entertain audiences.

I:

Influencer marketing: A marketing tactic that uses individuals with a large social media following to promote a brand or product.

Influencer: An individual with a large social media following who has the ability to influence consumer behaviour and purchasing decisions.

Infographic: A visual representation of information or data that is designed to be easily understandable and shareable.

Inbound marketing: A marketing approach that focuses on attracting customers through valuable content and experiences, rather than interruptive advertising.

J:

Joint venture: A business partnership between two or more companies to achieve a common goal or objective.

Jingle: A catchy tune or phrase used in advertising or branding to create brand recognition and recall.

Juxtaposition: Placing two contrasting elements next to each other to create a striking effect, often used in advertising or graphic design.

K:

Keywords: Words or phrases used in digital marketing to optimise content for search engines.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): Metrics used to measure the success and performance of a campaign or strategy.

Key messaging: The core messages that a brand wants to communicate to its target audience.

KOL (Key Opinion Leader): An influential individual with a large following and significant impact on social media, who is often used in influencer marketing.

L:

Landing page: A web page designed specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign, with the goal of converting visitors into leads or customers.

Lead generation: The process of attracting and converting prospects into leads for a business.

Lead magnet: A valuable piece of content, such as an eBook, guide, or webinar, that is offered for free in exchange for a person's contact information, usually their email address. The purpose of a lead magnet is to attract and convert potential customers into leads for a business or organisation.

Logo: A graphical representation of a brand, used to visually identify a company or product.

M:

Marketing Funnel: A visual representation of the stages a customer goes through on their journey to making a purchase or taking another desired action. The funnel typically consists of three stages: Awareness, Consideration and Conversion. The goal of a marketing funnel is to guide customers through each stage, from initially learning about a product or service to making a purchase or taking another desired action.

Marketing Lead: Anyone that is exposed to, consumes, or interacts with your promotional marketing content. For the most part, they are on the receiving end of your one-way communications. Marketing leads occupy all three stages of your Marketing Funnel.

Marketing Mix: The combination of product, price, promotion, and place used by companies to promote their products or services.

Market segmentation: The process of dividing a larger market into smaller groups based on shared characteristics or needs.

Media relations: The process of building relationships with journalists and media outlets in order to secure positive coverage for a brand.

Mission statement: A statement that outlines a company's core values, goals, and purpose.

N:

Native advertising: Advertising that blends in with its surrounding content, often on social media or other digital platforms.

Newsjacking: Taking advantage of breaking news or trends to promote a brand or product.

NPS (Net Promoter Score): A metric used to measure customer loyalty and satisfaction.

O:

Organic reach: The number of people who see a brand's content without it being promoted or paid for.

Organic social media: non-paid posts on social media that allow the free distribution of content to fans and follower audiences.

Owned media: Marketing assets that are owned and controlled by a brand, such as a website or social media channels.

Out-of-home advertising: Advertising that is displayed in public spaces, such as billboards, transit ads, or street furniture.

P:

PR (Public Relations): The practice of managing and building relationships between a company or organization and the public.

Persona: A fictional representation of a brand's target audience, used to inform marketing and messaging decisions.

Pay-per-click (PPC): A digital advertising model in which advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad.

Paid social media: Paid for ads and promoted or sponsored posts on social media shown to an audience selected through targeting.

Press release: A written statement sent to the media to announce a newsworthy event or development.

Q:

QR code: Quick Response code, a type of barcode that can be scanned with a smartphone to access information or a website. Popularised during Covid-19.

Qualitative research: Research that focuses on understanding subjective experiences, opinions, and perceptions of a target audience.

Quantitative research: Research that focuses on numerical data and statistical analysis of a target audience.

R:

ROI (Return on Investment): A metric used to measure the profitability and effectiveness of a marketing campaign.

Retargeting: Advertising to individuals who have previously interacted with a brand or visited its website.

Reputation management: The practice of monitoring and maintaining a positive reputation for a brand or individual.

S:

Sales Lead: Anyone that, having been a Marketing Lead, starts or joins a two-way conversation, expresses a need that you could potentially satisfy, and signals purchasing intent. They move from your Marketing Funnel and into your sales pipeline.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): The process of optimising a website or content to rank higher in search engine results.

Social media marketing: The use of social media platforms to promote a brand, product, or service.

Storytelling: The practice of using narrative and emotional elements to engage and connect with an audience.

T:

Target audience: The specific group of people that a marketing campaign is aimed at.

Testimonial: A statement or endorsement from a satisfied customer, used in advertising or marketing to build credibility.

Thought leadership: Establishing a brand or individual as an expert and authority in their industry through content and expertise.

U:

User-generated content (UGC): Content created and shared by consumers, rather than by a brand.

Unique selling proposition (USP): The unique feature or benefit that sets a brand or product apart from its competitors.

User experience (UX): The overall experience and satisfaction a user has while interacting with a brand's website, product, or service.

V:

Viral marketing: A marketing strategy that aims to create content that will spread quickly and organically through social media and other channels.

Video marketing: The use of video content to promote a brand, product, or service

W:

White paper: A comprehensive report that explores a specific issue or problem and offers solutions or recommendations. Often used as a Lead Magnet.

Webinar: A live or pre-recorded online presentation, often used for educational or promotional purposes.

Website: A digital platform that serves as a hub for a brand's online presence and marketing efforts.

X:

Cross-channel marketing: The practice of using multiple channels, such as social media, email, and advertising, to reach a target audience.

Cross-promotion: The practice of promoting one product or service through another complementary product or service.

eXperience: The overall interaction and perception a customer has with a brand, product, or service.

Y:

Yield management: The practice of adjusting prices based on demand in order to maximize revenue.

YouTube marketing: The use of YouTube to promote a brand, product, or service through video content.

Youth marketing: Marketing specifically aimed at young people, often using tactics such as influencer marketing and social media.

Z:

Zero-click searches: Searches that are answered by Google directly on the search results page, without requiring a click-through to a website.

ZMOT (Zero Moment of Truth): The moment when a consumer begins researching a product or service online, before making a purchase decision.

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