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Email Marketing Glossary and Common Terms
A/B Split Test:
A method used for testing the response of sending two different email campaigns
to two equal segments of an email list. Marketers can then track the response rates
based on which results where most successful. The remainder of the list is sent
the best performing email campaign. An example: testing two different subject lines.
Absolute URL:
A URL that gives the exact location of a target page or document including the “http://www”
part of the Internet address.
Above the fold:
The top part of an email or web page that can be seen, without scrolling down.
Acquisition Cost:
The cost of generating a lead, determined by: campaign expenses, divided by the
total # of leads, sign-ups or conversions.
Alt Tag:
An HTML tag that provides alternative text when non-textual elements, typically
images, cannot be displayed. Also useful for search engine indexing, slow Internet
connections, and any ESP’s displaying emails with the graphics disabled.
API: An
Application Programming Interface that enables two software programs to integrate
and communicate with one another. An example: list management through an ESP’s interface.
ASP: An
Application Service Provider is a business that offers Internet-based software to
customers over a network. An example: Email Service Provider or software as a service
(Saas).
Auto Responder:
A set of pre-designed emails that are programmed as time-delayed messages and are
emailed automatically as a response to a request. An example: subscribe and unsubscribe
confirmations, welcome emails, and customer support emails.
Authentication:
This process refers to ensuring a valid identity on an email to prove and protect
email sender identity and an email sender’s legitimacy and to cut down on spam and
phishing scams.
Bayesian Filter:
A spam filter technique, sometimes embedded in the mail server software itself,
that is adaptable and “learns” to identify new patterns of spam, beyond the subject
line, by examining character strings, words and punctuation of both valid and spam
email.
Blacklist:
List of domains and IP addresses that have been reported or accused of sending SPAM.
Blacklists are often used by organizations and ISPs as part of their filtering process
to block all incoming mail from a particular IP address.
Bonded Sender:
A type of delivery insurance or stamp of approval for email marketing companies
that is offered by a private email registration service, guaranteeing email delivery
and whitelisting to its clients that follow stringent email guidelines.
Bounces:
A message that is returned to sender due to an invalid or presently not working
email address. See: Hard Bounce and Soft Bounce.
Bounce Rate:
The number of bounced emails returned divided by the total number of sent emails.
Call to Action:
A desired action that is requested of prospective clients and customers by an advertiser’s
marketing message.
CAN-SPAM act of
2003: Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing
Act. A Federal law that requires the following in each email: a legitimate header,
a valid ”From” address, a straightforward “Subject” line, an unsubscribe/opt-out
link with instructions and a physical address. It also states that all unsubscribes
be removed within 10 days of receipt. For more information visit: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/ecommerce/bus61.shtm
CAUCE:
An anti-spam advocacy group called Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Use.
CMS (Content Management
System): is an application designed to store, format, reproduce and manage
Web/intranet data.
Conversion Rate:
The number of recipients who completed the desired action divided by the number
of emails sent.
Confirmed Opt-In:
An additional step to the opt-in process when subscribers are sent an email after
signing up for an email list. Subscribers must confirm that they want to subscribe
to the list by validating their email address. Only subscribers who take this additional
option are added to your list.
CPM (Cost Per
Mille/Cost Per Thousand): is commonly referred to the cost per 1000 names
on a list rental or impressions on a banner advertisement.
CSV (Comma Separated
Value): is a specific format in which each new field is separated by a comma.
An example: first name, last name, title, company name, email address, etc.
CTR (Click Through
Rate): The CTR is calculated as the number of unique clicks divided by the
number of emails that were sent.
Demographics:
Key attributes that make up a group of people such as: gender, race, age, income,
geography, education, # of children, home ownership, employment status, and more.
Domain Keys:
Email authentication system designed to verify the DNS domain of an email sender
and the message integrity.
“Domain Knocking”:
A process that determines both if a domain exists and if a mailbox on that domain
is able to receive emails. See: SMTP Validation
Dedicated IP Address:
An IP Address that is used by only one sender. To help maintain a good reputation,
email marketers should send all of their emails from a dedicated IP Address.
DMA Do-Not-Mail:
Organized by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) allowing consumers to nationally
opt-out from receiving advertising mail.
Dynamic Content:
Email content that changes per recipient according to a set of predetermined rules
based on each recipient’s history, preferences or other behaviors (purchases, document
downloads, etc).
ECOA (Email Change
of Address): is an email address update service that provides new email
addresses for people that have moved, changed jobs, added extra email addresses
or changed their Internet Service Provider.
Email Appending:
A service that matches email addresses to postal addresses, typically followed by
a permission-pass email. For more information visit: http://www.e-append.com
Email Client:
A computer program used to send, receive and manage a user’s email. These programs
include Outlook, as well as “webmail” programs such as Hotmail, Yahoo! and Gmail.
Email Frequency:
The intervals at which email marketing campaigns and newsletters are sent: weekly,
bi-weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, etc.
Email Address
Hygiene: The process of identifying invalid email addresses due to syntax
errors, profanity, typos and removing them from email marketing list, before a message
is sent. See: Email Validation
ESP (Email Service
Provider): Service that provides clients with a platform from which to create
and deploy email messages, as well as additional email marketing services, which
may vary depending on the ESP.
Event Triggered
Messages: Pre-designed emails that are generated and sent based on when
a certain action is taken, a specific event occurs, or change is made in a customer
profile.
Email Validation:
The process of identifying invalid email addresses due to syntax errors, profanity,
typos and removing them from email marketing list, before a message is sent. See:
Email Address Hygiene
Ezine:
An electronic magazine emailed to a list of subscribers.
False Positive:
A legitimate email that is erroneously treated as spam.
Feedback Loops:
Programs used by ISPs to inform email marketers which recipients report their emails
as spam. Marketers can then manage the complaint and remove the address from their
marketing lists.
Geo Segmentation:
Target lists by geographic region such as city, state, country and postal code.
Hard Bounce:
An email address that is permanently non-deliverable. Successful delivery of email
address fails due to permanent reasons such as an invalid or expired email address.
HTML-based Email:
An email comprised of Hypertext Markup Language, instead of just plain text. An
HTML-based email typically contains formatting, such as graphics, logos, colors,
and other appealing methods considered equivalent of emailing a web page.
IMAP:
Internet Message Access Protocol is the standard protocol for accessing email through
a server.
Impression:
A single page view by one person.
IP Address:
A unique number assigned to each computer or device connected to the Internet.
ISP: Internet
Service Providers offer access to the Internet. Common ISPs include: AOL,, Netzero,
Comcast, Earthlink, etc.
KPI (Key Performance
Indicator): Quantifiable measurements that reflect business factors and
success drivers. General email KPI’s include: email sent/delivered, opens, clicks,
unsubscribes, viral sharing, sales, etc.
Landing Page:
The first webpage a subscriber visits when an email’s call to action link or button
is clicked. This page should provide relevant information and entice the subscriber
in a simplified way to complete the desired call to action.
List Hygiene:
The process of identifying invalid email addresses due to syntax errors, profanity,
typos and removing them from email marketing list, before a message is sent.
List Segmentation:
Breaking a list into smaller pieces for the purpose of targeting recipients with
specific characteristics or demographics.
Multi-part Email
MIME: An email that is sent with different versions – usually html, text
and AOL. The recipient’s email client settings determine which version is delivered
to that inbox.
Multivariate Testing:
A method commonly used for testing the response of sending two different email campaigns
to two equal segments of an email list. Marketers then carefully track the response
rates based on which results where most successful based on different set variables.
Finally, the remainder of the list is sent the email campaign that achieved the
best performance. An example: testing two different subject lines.
Narrowcast:
Used to describe targeted email marketing that aims for the highest possible relevance,
as opposed to “broadcast” email marketing where one message is sent to an entire
list with no segmentation applied.
Open Rate:
The total number recipients who open a given email.
Opt-In Code:
Code posted on the webpage of a company’s website that allows a subscriber to proactively
signup for email from the company and be automatically added to that company’s email
list.
Opt-Out:
A request by a subscriber to proactively unsubscribe from future mailing by having
their email address removed from a mailing list.
Permission-Based
Email Marketing: Emails sent to recipients who have opted-in or subscribed
to receive email communications.
Personalization:
Target and send individual email messages by adding tailored information in the
subject line or message body such as first name, title, customer number, etc.
Predictive Modeling:
A mathematical strategy used to dynamically segment subscribers based on who is
most likely to engage with a particular message.
Pre-Header:
A text link that is displayed before the header or body of your email message that
typically includes a call to action link, view as a webpage link and/or view as
a mobile link.
Preview Pane:
A window that displays a portion of an email message without the recipient actually
having to open the full message.
Privacy Policy:
Legal text on a website stating in clear terms how the company will use subscribers’
email addresses such as what personal information is collected by the site, how
it will be used, who it will be shared with, and what options there are for controlling
how the information will be used.
Quick Poll:
A survey built directly into the body of an email, allowing for quick and easy collection
of research data.
Seed Emails:
Email addresses that are placed on a list to evaluate the sender’s service.
Segmentation:
Breaking a list into smaller groups for the purpose of targeting with specific characteristics
or demographics. Segmentation is used to help increase the relevance of a message
to the recipients.
Sender ID:
Email authentication technology protocol that verifies the domain name from which
email is sent.
Soft Bounce:
An email that is temporarily unavailable It makes it to a recipient’s email server
but is bounced back due to the recipients inbox being full, the attachment being
too large, or their being a problem with the connection, this is most likely a temporary
problem.
SMTP:
A process that determines both if a domain exists and if a mailbox on that domain
is able to receive emails. See: “Domain Knocking”
SPAM Score:
A determination of the probability that messages from a certain sender will be classified
as SPAM when delivered to email clients.
SPAM Trap:
An email address that is posted to the Internet as bait for spam and has been specifically
created to detect individuals who have illegally scraped or collected email addresses.
Subscriber:
Any member of a mailing list who requested to be added to a mailing list.
Suppression File:
A collection of subscribers’ email addresses that have opted-out of a list.
Targeted Messaging:
The act of sending relevant messaging to a segmented group of subscribers.
Unique Clicks:
The actual number of individual recipients who click on a link within a given email.
Unique Opens:
The actual number of individual recipients who opened a given email.
Unsubscribe:
When an email recipient opts-out of an email list.
Viral Marketing:
Often referred to as word-of-mouth advertising. When a message starts to spread
from person to person voluntarily. An example: “forward to friend” tools.
Web 2.0:
A term for advanced web technology and applications including blogs, wikis, RSS
and social bookmarking, allowing users and content providers to interact.
Whitelist:
A list of sites which email addresses have built a good relationship with ISPs and
are considered as safe to receive email from.
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