35 essential marketing terms every founder should know

In the journey of building and scaling a startup, mastering the fundamental language of marketing is crucial for reaching new audiences, driving traction, and achieving sustainable growth (or at least not getting lost in the process).

This glossary breaks down 35 essential marketing terms into four handy categories, with practical examples that show how each concept can be applied to accelerate your business growth.

The percentage of users who leave a page without further interaction or abandon a cart mid-checkout.

The percentage of visitors who exit a website after viewing only one page.

The percentage of customers who stop using a service, often viewed as the opposite of retention rate.

The percentage of people who click a link in an ad or email out of those who viewed it.

The cost of acquiring a new customer, calculated by dividing total acquisition costs by the number of new customers.

The projected revenue a customer will generate for a business over their lifetime.

The amount paid for a specific action by a user, like a click, sign-up, or purchase.

The cost to acquire a new lead, calculated by dividing total campaign costs by the number of leads generated.

A measure of active interaction with content, often on social media, such as likes, comments, and shares.

The percentage of customers who continue using a product or service over a set time, indicating customer loyalty.

A research-based profile of a business’s ideal customer, detailing characteristics and preferences to help tailor marketing.

Attracting customers through valuable content and organic channels like social media, blogs, or SEO-optimized articles.

Free resources like eBooks, trials, or guides offered to capture leads’ contact information.

Guiding leads through the sales funnel with tailored content and interaction at each stage.

A form used to collect contact information from potential leads in exchange for resources or updates.

Directly reaching out to potential customers through ads, emails, or calls, often requiring paid campaigns.

A program encouraging existing customers to refer new customers, often through incentives like discounts.

Dividing customers into groups based on common features for targeted marketing.

Content that positions a brand or individual as an authority in its field, often through blog posts, articles, and expert insights.

Testing two content versions to see which performs better.

Google’s pay-per-click ad platform for displaying ads on search results and affiliated sites.

An inbound link from an external site that improves SEO by signaling relevance to search engines.

Software used to create, edit, and publish digital content.

Software and practices to manage customer interactions, fostering long-term relationships.

Visitors who arrive at a website directly, often via a typed URL or bookmark, rather than through a search engine or referral.

A visual representation showing where users interact most on a webpage.

Software that automates repetitive marketing tasks like email sequences, social media posts, and targeted messages.

A model outlining the stages of customer engagement from awareness to purchase.

A prompt encouraging the user to take a specific action, like “Sign up now” or “Learn more.”

Low-cost strategies focused on rapid growth, often through viral marketing and social media.

The process of attracting and capturing interest in a product, aiming to turn prospects into customers.

Metrics that help evaluate the success of marketing strategies.

Techniques to improve website ranking in search results.

Paid ads that appear on search engine result pages, often targeting keywords to reach potential customers.

A distinct feature or advantage that sets a brand or product apart from competitors.