Free Reference · No Signup

Marketing Terms Explained

30+ core marketing terms in plain English — segmentation, positioning, the marketing mix, and digital marketing metrics. Built for intro marketing students.

Tab-separated · imports into Quizlet and Anki
No terms match your search.

A

A/B Testing
Comparing two versions of a webpage, ad, or message by showing each to a random group of people to see which performs better.

B

Brand Equity
The added value a brand name gives a product beyond its functional benefits, reflected in customer perception and loyalty.
Brand Loyalty
A customer's consistent preference for one brand over competing alternatives, shown through repeat purchases.
Brand Positioning
The place a brand aims to occupy in the minds of target customers relative to competing brands.
Buyer Persona
A semi-fictional profile of an ideal customer built from research and data.

C

Churn Rate
The percentage of customers who stop buying or cancel their subscription over a given period.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The percentage of people who see an ad or link and click on it, calculated as clicks divided by impressions.
Competitive Advantage
An attribute or capability that allows a company to outperform its rivals in attracting and keeping customers.
Content Marketing
Creating and distributing valuable, relevant content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of visitors or leads who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up.
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
The total sales and marketing cost required to win one new customer.
Customer Journey
The sequence of stages and touchpoints a customer goes through, from first awareness to purchase and beyond.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
The total net revenue or profit a business expects to earn from a customer over the entire relationship.

D

Differentiation
Making a product distinct from competitors' offerings in ways customers value.
Digital Marketing
Promoting products or services through online channels such as search engines, social media, email, and websites.

I

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)
Coordinating all promotional messages and channels so that a brand's message is consistent across them.

K

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
A measurable value that shows how effectively a campaign or business is achieving its objectives.

M

Market Penetration
The share of a target market that already buys a product; also a growth strategy of selling more of existing products in existing markets.
Market Research
The systematic gathering and analysis of data about customers, competitors, and market conditions.
Market Segmentation
Dividing a broad market into smaller groups of consumers who share similar needs, characteristics, or behaviors.
Market Share
A company's sales as a percentage of the total sales in its market.
Marketing Funnel
A model describing the stages customers move through before buying, commonly awareness, interest, consideration, and purchase.
Marketing Mix (4 Ps)
The core set of levers a firm controls to reach its market: product, price, place, and promotion.

N

Niche Market
A specific, narrowly defined segment of a larger market with specialized needs.

P

Penetration Pricing
Setting a low initial price to attract customers quickly and gain market share.
Price Skimming
Setting a high initial price for a new product and lowering it over time to capture revenue from different customer segments.
Product Life Cycle
The stages a product moves through in the market: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline.

R

Return on Investment (ROI)
A measure of profitability calculated as net gain from an investment divided by its cost, usually expressed as a percentage.

S

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Improving a website's content and structure so it ranks higher in unpaid search engine results.
SWOT Analysis
A framework for evaluating a company's internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats.

T

Target Market
The specific group of consumers a company chooses to serve with its products and marketing.

U

Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
The distinct benefit that sets a product apart from competitors and gives customers a reason to choose it.

V

Value Proposition
A statement of the benefits a company promises to deliver and why a customer should choose its offering.

W

Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Promotion that occurs when customers share their experiences and recommendations with others.

Turn these terms into flashcards you'll actually remember

excelerAItor generates adaptive flashcards and quizzes from your own marketing notes and textbooks, with spaced repetition scheduling so the terms you keep missing come back more often.

Try excelerAItor Free