A glossary of key terms that are used in today’s social media marketing (SMM) profession.
SMM Terms – A to Z Order
Algorithm
A set of rules that social media platforms use to determine which posts a user sees in their feed and in what order. Algorithms prioritize content they predict a user will find most engaging.
Analytics
The process of collecting and analyzing data from social media platforms to measure performance, track key metrics, and understand user behavior. Common metrics include engagement rate, follower growth, and click-through rate.
Bio
The short, descriptive text on a social media profile that tells people who you are, what you do, and often includes a link to your website or a call to action.
Call to Action (CTA)
A prompt that encourages a user to take a specific action, such as “View my portfolio,” “Register today,” or “Visit our website.”
Content Pillars
The main topics or themes that a brand consistently creates content around. These pillars help maintain a consistent brand identity and ensure content is relevant to the target audience.
Employee Generated Content (EGC)
Most people who spend any time around social media have likely heard of the term user generated content or UGC (see definition below). However, fewer people are aware of the term employee generated content or EGC. This type of content is created by a company’s own employees, with the objective of highlighting a company’s culture, values, and what it is actually like working for that employer.
A prime example would be a YouTube video or a LinkedIn carousel offering “A Day in the Life of a Brand Manager at [Insert Company Name]” or “What It’s Like to Become a U.S. Army Ranger – An Inside Look.” UGC and EGC can both showcase a company’s brand, but they approach it from different perspectives.
Engagement Rate
A metric used to measure how actively an audience is interacting with a brand’s content. It’s often calculated by dividing the total number of likes, comments, and shares by the number of followers or reach.
Evergreen Content
Content that remains relevant and valuable to an audience over a long period. Unlike time-sensitive content, evergreen content can be shared and repurposed repeatedly.
This type of content comes in many sizes, and can include the following formats:
- Social proof (e.g., consumer reviews and consumer testimonials)
- Tutorials (e.g., a video tutorial on troubleshooting website errors)
- Resource list (e.g., a curated list of the all time best WordPress plugins)
- Historical content (e.g., an article explaining the origins of your company)
- Glossaries/FAQs (e.g., an industry-specific glossary or FAQ will remain valuable)
- How to guides (e.g., a step-by-step guide on how to use Google Search Console)
- Case studies (e.g., a detailed analysis of how a strategy helped grow a business)
Follower
A user who has chosen to subscribe to a brand’s or company’s or individual’s social media account, in order to be alerted about and see their content in their daily/weekly/monthly feed.
Hashtag
A word or phrase preceded by the pound symbol (#) used to categorize content and make it more discoverable. For example, a bakery might use #bakerylife or #freshlybaked.
Impressions
The total number of times a post is displayed to users in their feed. It measures the potential reach of a post and doesn’t necessarily mean a user engaged with or necessarily saw the post.
Influencer
An individual with a dedicated and engaged following on social media who can influence the purchasing decisions of their audience. In social media, people follow people – and not a company logo or tagline.
Brands often partner with external influencers for marketing campaigns.
These Influencers can be classified into four (4) main categories:
- Nano-influencers (1k – 10k followers); Micro-influencers (10k – 100k followers); Macro-influencers (100k – 1M followers); Mega-influencers or Celebrity-influencers (1M+ followers)
Brands also should “partner” with internal influencers – encourage people within your organization to share behind-the-scenes stories, repost content on their own social media accounts, and engage with content on a customer’s social media account.
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving its business objectives. In social media, KPIs might include engagement rate, website traffic from social, or conversions.
Reach
The total number of unique users who saw a post. Unlike impressions, which can count multiple views from the same person, reach counts each user only once.
Return on Investment (ROI)
A metric used to evaluate the efficiency and profitability of an investment. In social media, it measures the revenue or business value generated by a social media marketing campaign relative to its cost.
Social Listening
The process of monitoring social media channels for mentions of a brand, its products, and related keywords to understand public sentiment, identify trends, and address customer concerns.
One of the best ways to accomplish this is to “follow” and “subscribe” to the content of your closest competitors. There are also dedicated social listening tools on the market which can help you monitor social media accounts at scale.
Social Media Marketing (SMM)
SMM is the practice of using social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn to promote a brand’s content through both organic posts and paid advertising. SMM can be used to create brand awareness, drive website traffic, build customer relationships, and generate leads.
Target Audience
The specific group of people a brand wants to reach with its social media marketing efforts. This audience is defined by demographics (age, gender, location) and psychographics (interests, values, behaviors).
User-Generated Content (UGC)
Any form of content, such as images, videos, or reviews, created and published by users rather than by the brand itself. UGC is highly trusted and can be a powerful marketing tool.
Viral
A term used to describe content that spreads rapidly across social media through sharing, with a high number of likes, comments, and shares in a short period.