Digital advertising, search engine optimization (SEO), and website management are key parts of your overall digital marketing strategy. Whether you are working with University Marketing and Communications (UMC) or another digital marketing vendor, understanding these key terms will help you speak the language, discern KPIs from vanity metrics, and evaluate your return on investment. This resource is designed to demystify the jargon and provide you with a clear and concise reference for the key terminology and concepts used in Michigan Tech's digital marketing campaigns.
- Average Position: The average place where a specific page is listed in viewed search engine results. If a given page was listed on average between the fourth and fifth organic search results, then its average position would be ~4.5.
- Branded v. Non-Branded Queries: Branded queries include your brand's name—for instance "Michigan Tech degrees." Branded queries indicate brand awareness, which SEO does not influence. Non-branded queries do not include your brand name—for instance "chemistry degrees." Done right, SEO marketing increases non-branded organic impressions, clicks, and resulting conversions. See also, Unknown Queries.
- Campaign / Campaign Goal: A campaign is a strategic set of digital marketing actions which are developed and organized to reach a specific goal. Common campaign goals include brand awareness, increasing website traffic, increasing leads, or increasing conversions.
- Clicks: How many times digital ads; organic content in search engines; social media posts; links, buttons, and other widgets on your webpage; or other digital content are clicked on, as reported by the platform. Clicks are over-reported in non-web analytics platforms—always confirm unique UTM-tagged website traffic in your web analytics platform.
- Cookie: A tracking file placed on user's devices. Cookies help track digital advertising results and users' web activity, but are prone to being blocked and/or deleted and are becoming obsolete due to user privacy concerns. UMC uses UTM tagging integrated with Slate CRM to accurately measure KPIs.
- Conversion: When a lead is converted into a sale—or in the case of higher education—an applicant or deposited student.
- Cost-per-Click (CPC): The average cost of each digital ad click. An expected CPC varies by campaign goals, ad type, and ad platform and is one metric that helps assess the health of a given digital ad or campaign.
- Cost-per-Lead (CPL): The average cost of each digital ad lead. An expected CPL varies by campaign goals, ad type, and ad platform and is one metric that helps assess the health of a given digital ad or campaign.
- Cost-per-Mille (CPM): The average cost per 1,000 digital ad impressions. An expected CPM varies by campaign goals, ad type, and ad platform and is one metric that helps assess the health of a given digital ad or campaign.
- CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Software used to manage customer relationships and communications. In-house digital advertisers connect digital ads or SEO traffic to leads via their CRM to measure outcomes and success.
- CTA (Call-to-Action): Every key marketing webpage should have at least one call-to-action—asking the user to perform a key action. Examples include call, email, request, sign-up, or apply.
- CTA (Call-to-Action) Button: A CTA on a webpage or other digital marketing content formatted as a button to help it stand out. Buttons often have additional tracking attached to them within most web analytics platforms.
- CTR (Click-Through-Rate): The rate at which users click on our digital ads, organic search results, or other digital content as compared to impressions. An expected CTR varies by goals, type, platform, and competition and is one metric that helps assess the health of a given digital ad, organic landing page, or other marketing strategy.
- Frequency: The average number of times any given user on a platform sees a brand's ad or organic social post during a given duration (typically 30 days). Advertisers set a frequency goal that is high enough to have their brand be remembered, but low enough to avoid ad fatigue and reduce costs.
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4): The web analytics platform that Michigan Tech uses.
- Impressions: When a digital ad, social media post, webpage, or other digital content comes into view on a user's screen. An impression does not mean that the content was actually "seen" or read—it means that the user had the opportunity to see it.
- Keyword Phrases (Query): Search terms or phrases that users search for within search engines. Examples: "accounting bs", "forestry college", "mtu canvas login".
- KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): Metrics that demonstrate how effective digital advertising, SEO, or other marketing is. KPIs are often not measurable by external vendors. UMC uses new users, new leads, applications, and deposits as our KPIs—verified in our CRM.
- Landing Page: The webpage that a user lands on after clicking a link in an organic search result listing, digital ad, social media post, or other link.
- Lead / RFI: A person who fills out a form or otherwise provides contact information, typically to request information, and is stored in an organization's CRM. Also called an RFI. An increase in leads/RFIs is coveted.
- New User: A website visitor who, according to cookies, hasn't visited your site before. They may truly have never been to the website before, may have cleared their cookies recently, or may have purchased a new device. This metric tends to be inflated by the use of multiple devices (work computer, personal tablet, mobile device, etc.)—all of which may register as separate users.
- Organic: Impressions/clicks/traffic generated by content that is displayed without you paying any fees. Often includes posting on the social media accounts that you own, engaging in search engine optimization (SEO), and includes email outreach. Different from paid (ads).
- Paid: Running digital advertising online for a fee, usually on a cost per click or impression basis. Ad networks include Google, LinkedIn, Meta, Snap, TikTok, TV (traditional and streaming), YouTube, etc.
- RFI (Request for Information): A form that allows the user to request more information about the school or a specific program. Receiving RFIs (leads) fills the top of the admissions funnel.
- Search Engine: An online service that allows users to search the Internet. Common examples include Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): A subset of organic digital marketing, SEO works to make your webpages and websites optimized so users who search for you online (via Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) find you easily. SEOcompetition for general phrases, like "mechanical engineering" or "online health certificate", is fierce as everyone is competing for the top search result spot.
- Search Results: A listing of webpage options shown after a user performs a search query in a search engine.
- Sessions: A group of user interactions with your website that take place within a given time frame. A single session can contain multiple page views, events, or transactions, and are executed by one user.
- Slate: The name of Michigan Tech's CRM software. Slate includes many advanced tracking capabilities, including UTM integration, lead nurturing email flows, and website timeline tracking.
- Unknown Queries: For privacy purposes, Google may not always provide the query text, so it cannot be categorized.
- User: A single person who has visited your site or page, based on tracking cookies. Users can have multiple sessions, and each session can have multiple pageviews.
- User Acquisition: The process of bringing new users to your website—often through organic and/or paid digital marketing.
- UTM Tagging: A snippet of code added to the end of a URL to track the performance of digital marketing campaigns and content across platforms. Without UTM tagging, it is difficult to accurately attribute results. A good CRM or application system has UTM integration and can track the flow from initial interaction to lead to conversion.
- Vanity Metrics: Metrics or indicators than sound impressive, but are not KPIs. These metrics do not measure campaign success—you should rely on KPIs instead. Common vanity metrics include impressions, clicks, and likes/reactions.
- Views: The number of times a user saw your web page or other piece of web content. Repeated views are counted.
- Visibility: Refers to the volume of organic impressions in search results. An increase in visibility is coveted.
Having a good grasp of digital marketing terminology helps you communicate effectively with digital marketing partners, ask informed questions, and make better-informed decisions to maximize the success of your digital marketing efforts. A strong foundation in terminology helps you navigate the complex world of digital marketing and ensures that you get the most value from your partnerships.