Social Media Marketing Terms: A Complete Glossary by Typefully

Algospeak is the use of alternative words or phrases to bypass content moderation algorithms on social media platforms.

Social media analytics involves data collection and analysis of social media activity to measure performance and inform strategy.

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based strategy where individuals or businesses (affiliates) promote a company's products or services and earn a commission for each sale/lead.

An algorithm in social media is a set of rules used to determine which content to show users and in what order.

BeReal is a social media app that focuses on authenticity and spontaneity by encouraging users to share unfiltered moments of their day.

A boosted post is a paid promotion of an organic social media post to increase its reach and engagement.

Brand awareness is the level of recognition and recall a brand achieves among its target audience and consumers.

Batching is a technique that groups similar tasks together (in batches) in order to increase productivity.

Bluesky is a decentralized social media platform seen as an alternative to Twitter/X.

CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) is a metric measuring the total cost of acquiring a new customer through marketing efforts.

A social media campaign is a series of coordinated posts designed to achieve a specific marketing objective.

A caption is text accompanying a social media post, providing context, description, or additional information about the visual content.

A carousel post is a multi-image or video post format allowing users to swipe through multiple pieces of content.

A character counter is a tool for tracking the number of characters in a social media post to meet platform-specific limits.

Clickbait is sensationalized or misleading content designed to entice users to click on a link.

A social media community is a group of users connected by shared interests, values, or goals, fostering interaction and engagement.

Content pillars are core themes or topics that guide and structure a brand's social media content strategy.

The creator economy is the ecosystem of independent content creators monetizing their skills, content, or influence through digital platforms and direct audience engagement.

Cross posting is the practice of sharing the same content across multiple social media platforms simultaneously.

Dark social refers to the private sharing of content through messaging apps or email, making it difficult to track in analytics.

Demure, when used in a social media context, refers to a modest or reserved online presence that avoids attention-seeking content.

A DM (Direct Message) is a private communication between users on social media platforms, allowing one-on-one or group conversations.

People use emojis, small digital icons, to express emotions, ideas, or objects in text-based communication on social media platforms.

Engagement rate is a metric measuring the level of interaction (likes, comments, shares) a post receives relative to its reach.

Ephemeral content refers to temporary social media posts, like Stories, that disappear after a set time, creating urgency and encouraging engagement.

Evergreen content is social media content that remains relevant and valuable to the audience over an extended period.

A filter bubble is a personalized online experience where algorithms show users content that aligns with their existing views.

"Finsta" is short for "fake instagram" and is a secondary Instagram account used to share more personal or unfiltered content with a select audience.

FYP (For You Page) is a personalized video feed on TikTok, algorithmically curated based on user interests and interactions.

A geotag is location information added to social media posts, photos, or videos.

A GIF is an animated image file that loops continuously, often used to convey reactions or emotions on social media.

Growth hacking involves strategies focused on rapid user acquisition and engagement growth for social media platforms or accounts.

A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by "#" used to categorize content and make it discoverable on social media.

An impression is the number of times a piece of content is displayed on social media, regardless of user interaction.

An influencer is a social media user with a significant following who can impact their audience's purchasing decisions.

Instagram Notes are short-lived status updates or thoughts shared with mutual followers in the Direct Messages section, typically lasting 24 hours.

Instagram Story Highlights are a feature allowing users to save and showcase selected Stories permanently on their profile.

The LinkedIn algorithm is a system determining the visibility and order of content in users' feeds based on relevance and engagement.

LinkedIn Analytics is a tool providing insights into the performance of LinkedIn profiles, pages, and content.

A LinkedIn Company Page is an official profile for businesses, showcasing company information, updates, and job opportunities.

A LinkedIn Showcase Page is a subpage of a Company Page dedicated to highlighting specific brands, business units, or initiatives.

Meta Business Suite is a centralized tool for managing Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp business accounts and advertising.

A micro-influencer is a social media user with a smaller, highly engaged following in a specific niche.

Native advertising is paid content that matches the form and function of the platform on which it appears.

Newsjacking is a strategy of leveraging trending news or events to create relevant content and gain attention for a brand.

NPS stands for Net Promoter Score, a metric measuring customer satisfaction and likelihood to recommend a brand or product.

Organic social media marketing involves non-paid strategies focusing on building a genuine audience through valuable content and engagement.

A PFP (Profile Picture) is an image representing a user's identity on social media platforms.

A pinned post is a feature allowing users to keep a specific post at the top of their profile for increased visibility.

Quality control (QC) in social media ensures content meets brand standards before publishing, maintaining consistency and professionalism across platforms.

Social media reach refers to the number of unique users who see a particular piece of content on social media platforms.

ROI (Return on Investment) is a metric measuring the profitability of social media marketing efforts relative to their cost.

Social media sentiment analysis is the process of determining the emotional tone behind mentions to gauge public opinion about a brand.

Being shadow banned means a user's content has reduced visibility on social media platforms without their knowledge.

SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals are a popular frameworks for defining goals and objectives when running a business.

Social listening involves monitoring social media platforms for mentions, trends, and conversations related to a brand or industry.

Sponsored posts are paid social media content promoting a product, service, or brand to a targeted audience.

A thought leader is an individual recognized as an expert in their field who shares valuable insights and influences others.

Threads is a text-based social media platform by Instagram for sharing updates and engaging in conversations.

Threads Analytics provides data insights to help users understand their content's performance and audience engagement on the Threads app.

TikTok Shop is an e-commerce feature allowing businesses and creators to sell products directly through the TikTok app.

"Touch grass" is a social media expression used to represent connecting with nature and going outside, while disconnecting from screens/virtual worlds.

Trending refers to topics or hashtags experiencing a surge in popularity and engagement on social media platforms.

The Twitter algorithm is a system determining the order and visibility of tweets in users' timelines based on relevance and engagement.

Twitter Analytics is a tool providing data on tweet performance, audience demographics, and engagement metrics for Twitter accounts.

A Twitter thread is a series of connected tweets allowing users to share longer stories or ideas beyond the character limit.

UGC (User Generated Content) is content created by users featuring a brand's products or services, often shared on social media.

UX stands for User Experience, referring to the overall experience a user has when interacting with a social media platform or app.

Vanish Mode on Instagram is a feature enabling disappearing messages in direct conversations for enhanced privacy and temporary communication.

A verification badge is a visual indicator on social media profiles confirming the authenticity of notable accounts.

Content that "goes viral" spreads rapidly across social media platforms, gaining significant attention and engagement in a short time.

A vlog is a video blog featuring regular uploads of content chronicling an individual's life, experiences, or expertise.

A watermark is a logo or text superimposed on digital content to indicate ownership or prevent unauthorized use.

X/Twitter Advanced Search is a feature allowing users to refine searches on X (formerly Twitter) using specific parameters.

Zapier is an automation tool that connects different apps and services to streamline social media workflows and tasks.