Email Marketing Glossary
Email marketing is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes to reach and engage with their audience.
Whether you’re just starting out with email marketing or you’re an experienced pro, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the terminology used in the industry. In this post, we’ll define some common email marketing terms that you may come across as you dive into the world of email marketing.
A
A/B Testing:
A/B testing, also known as split testing, is the process of comparing two versions of an email campaign to see which performs better. This can be done with various elements of the email, such as subject line, layout, or CTA. A/B testing allows you to determine which version of your email is more effective and can help you optimize your campaigns for better results.
Audience:
The audience is the list of contacts that an email marketing campaign will target. We are able to use a variety of filters to ensure the targeting is just right for your business and email campaign. Filters such as; job title, industry, company size, location and more.
Auto-responder:
An auto-responder is an automated email that is triggered by a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. Auto-responders can be used to send thank-you emails, confirmations, or other types of communication to your audience.
B
Blacklist:
A blacklist is a list of email addresses or domains that are known to send spam or unwanted emails. Email service providers (ESPs) use blacklists to filter out and block these emails from reaching their users.
Bounce rate:
This is the percentage of emails that are not delivered to the recipient’s inbox. There are two types of bounces: hard bounces and soft bounces. Hard bounces occur when an email cannot be delivered because the recipient’s email address is invalid or no longer exists. Soft bounces occur when an email is temporarily undeliverable, usually due to a full inbox or a server issue.
C
Call-to-Action (CTA):
A CTA is a button or link in an email that prompts the recipient to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. CTAs are a key element of email marketing campaigns, as they drive conversions and help to achieve the overall goal of the campaign.
Click-through rate (CTR):
CTR is a measure of the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns. It is calculated by dividing the number of clicks on a link in your email by the number of times the email was delivered. A higher CTR indicates that your emails are more engaging and relevant to your audience.
D
Dedicated IP:
A dedicated IP is a unique IP address that is assigned specifically to a single email sender or sender domain.
Deliverability:
Deliverability refers to the success rate of emails being delivered to the intended recipient’s inbox. Factors that can impact deliverability include the sender’s reputation, the quality of the email list, and the content of the emails being sent.
Double Opt-In:
This is a more secure method of obtaining permission to send email marketing messages. It involves sending a confirmation email to the recipient after they have initially opted in, and requiring them to confirm their subscription before they start receiving emails.
E
Email Template:
An email template is a pre-designed layout or structure for an email, including things like the header, footer, and body content. Templates can be customized with different fonts, colors, and images to fit a brand’s style and message.
Email Marketing Software:
Email marketing software is a tool used to manage email marketing campaigns, including creating and sending emails, tracking performance, and analysing results.
G
GDPR:
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a data protection law that applies to businesses and organizations in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). It regulates the collection, use, and storage of personal data and requires businesses to obtain explicit consent from individuals before collecting or using their data. The GDPR also gives individuals the right to access, rectify, erase, or restrict the processing of their personal data.
L
Landing Page:
A landing page is a standalone web page, created specifically for the purpose of the campaign. It is designed to direct the visitor to take a specific action, such as filling out a form or making a purchase.
Lead:
A lead is a potential customer. Email marketing includes tactics designed to attract leads and get these leads to become customers of your business.
O
Open Rate:
This is the percentage of emails that are opened by the recipient. It’s a useful metric for measuring the effectiveness of an email marketing campaign.
Opt-In:
This refers to the process of obtaining permission from a recipient to send them email marketing messages. Opt-in can be achieved through a variety of methods, such as signing up for a newsletter or purchasing a product.
P
Personalisation:
This refers to the use of personal information, such as a recipient’s name or location, to tailor the content of an email to the individual recipient.
S
Segmentation:
This is the practice of dividing a list of email subscribers into smaller groups based on common characteristics, such as location, interests, or purchase history. Segmentation allows marketers to create more targeted and relevant email campaigns.
Sender Reputation:
Sender reputation is a measure of the quality of an email sender, based on their history of sending emails. It is determined by the number of bounces, spam complaints, and other negative interactions that an email sender has had. A high sender reputation can improve deliverability, while a low sender reputation can negatively impact it.
Sequence:
A series of emails targeting a specific audience or promoting a particular offering.
Shared IP:
A shared IP is an IP address that is used by multiple senders or sender domains. This means that the reputation of the IP address is built based on the collective sending practices of all users on the shared IP.
Spam:
This is unwanted email that is sent to a large number of recipients without their permission. Spam emails are often sent for the purpose of promoting products or services and can be a nuisance for recipients.
U
Unsubscribe Rate:
This measures the percentage of people who unsubscribe from your email list. Having a metric tracking how many people are no longer interested in receiving your messages can help you refine your content or marketing strategy.
W
Warming:
Warming refers to the process of building and maintaining a good reputation for an IP address or domain as a sender of email. This can involve sending small amounts of email to a list of engaged recipients and gradually increasing volume over time, as well as maintaining high standards for list quality and email content. Warming is important because it helps to ensure that your emails are delivered to the inbox rather than being filtered as spam.
Conclusion
We hope this email marketing glossary has helped you understand some common terms used in the industry. As you continue to learn about email marketing, you’ll no doubt come across other terms and phrases. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you’re unsure of their meanings!
About the Author
Becy Crawford
Becy joined Proven Concept in 2021 after working with us for several months as a contractor on specific projects. She has since developed into our Account Management Director and loves all things creative (and flowers!). She has a fantastic work ethic and is a highly valued member of our team.
