Content creators are likely to hear buzzing terms of the content marketing industry during their careers. If you are a beginner in the corporate environment, you must know some terms to look professional in front of your clients.
We have curated this comprehensive resource for beginners to find a definition related to the world of content writing, copywriting or digital marketing.
This content writing glossary includes both popular and lesser-known jargon that content creators must know. Take a read and bookmark this page as it is a useful resource for every content writer and copywriter.
If you don't see a term here that you want to know, contact us and we will update the list.
Resources used to complete this glossary include Wikipedia, Oxford Dictionary, Investopedia, AWAI Glossary, Hootsuite social media definitions, Search Engine Journal Glossary, and meticulous research from our experienced copywriters and journalists.
A
Above the Fold
It is the upper half page of the website where all the important details appear. The concept is derived from print journalism to describe the important information (mostly headlines) on the first half of the front page when the newspaper is folded for circulation.
Action words
Action words are used to emphasize the importance of a subject and compel readers to do something. It can be starting a free trial, clicking a link, completing a form, or downloading a pdf. Action words are used in marketing copies (mostly in a call to action) to heat up sales.
Acknowledgment Email
An email that's promptly sent out to acknowledge the visitors who have taken any action on the site by providing their email address. Acknowledgment emails are mostly sent out to build loyal relations with customers through email marketing. For example, Welcome Onboard! Or Thank you for subscribing!
Acquisition
This is the buzzing term in digital marketing. It's a collection of names and email addresses acquired via sales copy for a mailing list.
Acquisition Cost
It is the value of the net expenses a company spends to make a new customer. For instance, if a business mails 1,000 pieces at a cost of $400 and receives a 1% return, say 10 new customers the acquisition cost will be $40 per customer. The minimal acquisition cost, the profitable for the business.
Active buyers
Buyers who have made purchases from a company during a specific timeframe, within the last six months or last year, for instance.
Adaptive Content
It is the form of content that is customized and created according to the user's experience. It is transformed according to the need of the customer across all channels. Adaptive content is conceived, planned, and created to give meaningful, personalized interactions as per the customer's context, mood, and goals.
For Example:
If a person is using a laptop, he sees a call to action (click) to perform any specific action. The same user will see the call-to-action (tap) on a tablet and say select from a car's GPS tool. Adaptive content delivers a smart transition of the call-to-action between devices as per the user's experience.
Advertisement
An advertisement (advert or ad) is a technique of promotion of a brand, product, or service to attract and engage an audience for the purpose to make sales. Advertisements are of different types, it can be a flyer, an interactive video, an image, etc. Adverts are microcopies and are always paid.
Advertorial
An advertorial is an advertisement that is turned into an informative article that appears in publications. The word is derived from the blend of advertisement and editorial. Advertorials are always paid and published in newspapers, magazines, and blogs to inform customers about a product or service being advertised without being salesy.
Examples: infomercials, segments on talk shows, discussion on a radio about a product, etc.
Advertising Medium
A platform through which advertisements and advertorials reach a prospect.
For example, a website, Google search pages, email, direct mail, journals, magazines, television, radio, trade events, etc.
Affiliate Marketing Content
It alludes to creating promotional content, such as blog posts, reviews, banners, social media ads, etc. on behalf of a merchant who gives you commission in return when they get sales through your content.
Aggregated Content
Content form by utilizing different sources. Some of the aggregated content methods include content curation, news aggregation services, and any other external content.
Alt Text /Alt Tag
It is the content that appears in the code of the webpage that describes an image or graphic used on the page. This text helps the search engines to crawl images and other graphics and improve rankings.
Anchor Text
It is the text used to correspond to contextual information for the web page linked to it. This information is delivered to the readers and search engines.
Appeal
It means to describe specialties or features to generate interest and capture attention in prospects. Content writers and copywriters always seek to make their content and marketing copies appealing.
Article
A long-form, informative piece of content that is written with proper research, facts, and stats for a professional audience. This content is specified to a particular topic mostly related to any current affair.
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Assignment
Any content writing/copywriting project assigned to a writer by a client.
Authenticity
Copywriters establish through their writing when crafting promotional content about products or services. It is about creating content thatâ's not generic or read as same old, same old. It means creating an authentic voice that sounds like an expert talking through writing.
Autoresponders
A series of pre-written follow-up emails (mostly 3, 5, or 7 emails) sent to subscribers of a magazine or website to engage them. These are automatically set up in order to send within a specified time frame. One email a week, for instance.
Awareness
An idea introduced by Gene Schwartz refers to the level of the prospect's knowledge and understanding of how much he knows, wants, or needs the product. Copywriters should have an understanding of their customer's awareness about the product to create content that hits right on point.
B
B2B Content Writing
B2B is an acronym for Business-to-Business, and its content is written for the target audience that is other companies seeking to buy the product. Here the sales cycle is longer, and the content must focus on logic rather than emotions.
B2C Content Writing
B2C is an acronym for Business-to-Consumer. Its content is written for the target audience who is the end-users of the product. Here, the sales cycle is shorter, and the content must focus more on the audience's emotions and pain points.
Back-end
The sale befalls after a prospect has made the first purchase. It involves upselling that implies converting a prospect to a buyer, converting a buyer to a returning buyer, or a consumer of a higher-ticket item.
Banner Ad
A square or rectangular image on the webpage, promoting a product or service to the audience, and enticing them to visit the host website is called a banner ad. The content on the banner ad is clear, engaging, and on-point.
Behind the Firewall
Members-only content on a website that needs a login (username and password) to access the content.
Below the Fold
The section on the website that isn't visible on a web page in the first half. It will be shown by scrolling down. The idea is acquired from a newspaper, where information is defined on the bottom half of the front page, underneath where the newspaper was folded for distribution.
Bio
Bio is a short piece of content that is written to describe oneself. It is usually written in the third person form. You can elaborate on your potential for your profession and brag about your skills.
Blog
It is published content that is focused on a niche. The blog is a fundamental part of any business’s marketing strategy to build a connection with readers. Initially, blogs were called weblogs, and it confused the users as the weblogs can also mean the server's log files. Therefore, the term blog was forged for convenience and better understanding.
Boilerplate
The boilerplate is a language used for creating legal documents or content that is going to be mentioned more than once. The conventional boilerplate content is used in fine print, such as the company's web pages, press releases, and documents.
Branded Keyword
When the term of the keyword and the search query of the user exactly match or intersect as a result of a slight variation with a company name.
Brand Voice
It is the content that is solely written in the tone of being a company's voice. It is consistent with its objectives and connects with the audience to render precise services.
Brainstorming
In content creation, brainstorming refers to the time you spend gathering and recording all the ideas that come to you. It is a form of freewriting and will help you in creating a final piece of content.
Brevity
The art of using exact words and concise sentences in writing or speech. It means getting clarity and removing fluff from writing to attract readers.
Brief
It is a document provided to a writer and contains all the requirements that need to be fulfilled to finalize a copy. It includes information regarding keywords, target audience, length, title, purpose, and deadline.
Brochure
It is a piece of paper or a booklet that contains information and images regarding any product or service.
Business Plan Writing
It is a type of business writing where you write about all the stages of development and future goals of a business. It is a roadmap that is structured to give the company clear guidance to move towards growth and success.
Bucket Brigades
It is a copywriting technique that was generated for creating sales content. You will find these sentences typically ending with a colon or a question mark at the end.
Buying Behavior
Buying action patterns of prospects, such as buying habits are called buying behavior. Businesses track consumers buying patterns to discover what other products or services might entice them, and create content as per their purchasing habits to better the chances of the prospect buying more.
Buyer Persona
The buyer persona is also referred to as Marketing Persona. It is a semi-fictionalized representation of an ideal customer derived from actual market research and real data.
It is formulated to evaluate the possibility of getting an ideal customer and analyses its behavior, choices, and needs that align with the brand's product or services.
Buzz Words
It is a word, phrase, or typically originates in a jargon that is popular at the time and is used by the masses. It generally is shown when the new hype is created regarding current development.
Byline
Byline is the writer's authority that is provided by mentioning their name in the publication of their written work. It is the source of developing a quality portfolio for them.
The byline is the author's mention at the end of the beginning of a blog, article, or newsletter like Forbes's following blog.
C
Call-Out
A small section of copy on a page designed to take exception from the main copy to drive a specific point or quote home. Usually used to showcase a sale, free shipping, or an attractive feature. If a writer used a quote in a call-out, it's called a pull quote.
Call-to-Action
A section in the copy where a copywriter pushes a prospect to act on an offer (such as sign up for mailing, make a call, start a free trial, place an order, click a link) by using action words. It's also called CTA.
Captions
Captions are the interpretive information provided in the form of text with visual displaying content such as image, video, or broadcast.
Card Deck
A mailing that includes a compilation of postcards, each advertising a distinct offer for a novel service or product.
Case Study
A case study is a short piece of content in which a company showcase before and after success stories of a product, service, experiment, and results of challenges the company faced throughout the year. It contains a subject's problem, the struggle to solve the problem, the technologies or methodologies used to solve the problem, and the result or benefit of using the company's service or product.
Categorical Imperative
The tendency of the brain to categorize information while driving focuses on a different topic. This concept emphasizes the value of dodging a straight-arrow approach to a sales promotion. Categorical imperative will make readers curious where a sales message is going, and hook them until they close the sale.
Catchphrases
It is a phrase or expression that that is structured in a manner of repeated utterance. These words typically gain popularity or are commonly used by the masses.
For Example:
Make America Great Again, Flatten the Curve,' or 'We are in this together.'
Cause Marketing
A partnership between a for-profit and nonprofit organization for shared advantage. For example, a company promotes its product or service by sharing a percentage of its sales toward supporting a cause. Cause marketing helps brands attract more leads. Copywriters play a significant role in helping companies to thrive with cause marketing.
Chatbot
It's a software application used to manage a chat conversation via text, instead of rendering a direct connection with a live human. Chatbots are also known as online virtual assistants and can be installed as widgets on websites often at the bottom right corner of the page. Chatbots help with customer service, generating leads, closing sales, and a lot more. Chatbots are crafted by skilled chatbot copywriters to deliver the best customer experience.
Click Bait
It is the content that is developed to compel the audience to click. This type of content is typically misleading and exaggerating and has the sole purpose of earning revenue.
Closing Copy
Copy that is used at the end of the promotion to push the prospect near making a purchasing decision.
Cold Email
Email sent by a company to a prospect who has never purchased from the company or has no knowledge of any products or services the company offers. It is usually a punchy, long email that informs the prospect about a company's product or service and offers them to try their service or product. Cold prospects are usually more difficult to sell.
Co-Op Mailing
A mailing where more than two offers from separate companies, are covered on the same website and both companies share the advertisement costs as per the decided agreement.
Copywriter Layout
A mock layout of how the copywriter recognizes the different elements of the web page being put in order. The copywriter then transfers this layout to the website designer or the client.
Copywriter's Rough
A visual layout that gives the client an idea of the copywriter's vision for the final design of the web page or an advertisement. It communicates the expected length of text, the conceptualization, and essential graphic schemes and placement.
Continuity Offer
The type of offer in which a prospect gets billed on a monthly basis; often defined by a time period. The offer keeps going continually if the offer is not defined and until the prospect cancels it.
Collateral
Printed or online material created to encourage sales by presenting supplementary information is called collateral. Examples include pamphlets, brochures, sales sheets, ads, emails, social media posts, landing pages, and advertorials.
Content Management System
Content Management System is also known as CMS. It is a web-based application that assists in the management, creation, and display of the website content. WordPress is a traditional and easy-to-use CMS. Other examples include Drupal and JOOMLA that IT companies use or develop with thousands of web pages or complex sales functions.
Content
Content can be defined as the words and media elements used to convey the information to the audience.
For Example:
Blogging, infographics, case studies, videos, eBooks, or even memes can be considered examples of content.
Content Creation
Content creation contributes to the area of traditional or digital media by serving the audience with relevant information, facts and figures, guides, tips and tricks, marketing, and showcasing a brand's culture.
For Example:
Podcasts, quotes, blogs, videos, images, quotes or statistics, etc. can fall under content creation./p>
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Content Fatigue
It is a condition where content creators get overloaded and burdened by the crazy amount of work lined up for them to create. In the current situation, where the customers expect rapid deliveries and responses, content fatigue has become quite common.
Content is King
It is a phrase used to highlight the importance of content in SEO, marketing, and business. It is commonly used by bloggers, SEO specialists, speakers, and digital marketers.
The phrase “Content is King' was coined by Bill Gates as he titled one of his essays published on January 3, 1996.
Content Mapping
It is a method that allows businesses to understand their audience in a more precise manner. You strategically develop the content to relate to the customer's journey.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is a form of creating content used to attract the audience and convert them into customers. This also plays a vital role in retaining customers and selling the products repeatedly. Social media images, posts, captions, stories, videos, guest posting, are some examples of content marketing
Content Shock
Content cliff is when the content reaches its peak, and the audience who is consuming it reaches a pinnacle. This happens due to the overwhelming inflow of content in the market. It is not referred to as a good sign because it does not add value as per the need of the target audience.
For Example:
The topics that are based on higher search difficulty keywords are mostly considered as a Content shock. It is unnecessary to develop as there is already a considerable amount of data present on the internet.
Content Strategy
It is a continuing process of evolving the business and its prospects of growth by utilizing the best practices of creating content.
Content Syndication
It is when the third party re-publish the content which is already present on the web.
For Example:
It can be done with all kinds of digital content, including articles, infographics, blogs, or videos.
Content Spinning
It is the process where the published content is revised by another entity using the software so that the search engine algorithms can not identify that it's copied. It is plagiarized content, but you can not say that it is original.
Copy or Copywriting
Any persuasive text used for creating marketing content is called copywriting. It's a strategical form of content that involves highly compelling words to pursue or entice the audience to take action. It includes sales copies, website copies, or ad copies.
Copy Editing
Copy editing refers to the editing and correction procedure, which involves writers rectifying the copy's grammar, punctuations, spelling, and style.
Copyright
Copyright relates to the right to copy. It refers to the legal right of the owner of intellectual property, such as content, products, images, or logos. Copyright law gives creators of original material the exclusive right to anyone they want to reproduce their work.
Copyworking
It's a copywriting exercise in which you read and transcribe the writing of another author by hand to learn the writer's voice and style. It is also called writing verbatim by hand. It helps a copywriter to feel the rhythm of great writing and improve their own style.
Core Desire
An emotion that a prospect feels or something that attracts to their desires or demands. Companies should create promotional copies that dig for the core desires of the prospects to perfectly connect with them, using emotional tugs.
Cornerstone Content
Cornerstone Content is the most vital front face of the website of other content forms. It is developed through the usage of information that solves queries, provides legitimate facts, and presents the business's essential details.
It contains compelling content and can become the source of attracting an audience and converting them into customers. It is perfect for spreading the word out for the business in the most effective manner.
For Example:
The home page of The Content Unlimited can be the perfect example of cornerstone content.
Creative Brief (aka Copy Brief)
It is a document that contains the goal of the promotion or a project for a copywriter that can help clients & freelancers to get into the same headspace. It usually contains objectives, strategy, information on product/service, the target audience, and editorial guidelines that will help the writer in crafting a persuasive copy.
Credibility
Building or strengthening the connection of integrity, credibility, and trust between a prospect and a business by using statistics, testimonials, track records, and endorsements.
Customer Journey
It is a process that begins from an initial exposure of the brand to the potential customer when he is just a prospect. It continues till the time when it becomes a customer or a client.
The Customer Journey is measured in four major stages that include:
Awareness > Consideration > Decision > Retention
In different circumstances, this term also refers to Consumer Decision Journey, Marketing Funnel, Buying Process, Purchase Funnel, the Customer Journey to Online Purchase, or Path to Purchase.
D
Data-Backed Content
Data-Backed Content is precisely how it sounds like; it is the data that is backed by facts. When a perspective or a claim is to be made, it is essential to state it with evidence to optimize its legitimacy.
For Example:
A study conducted by Statista revealed that 30% to 40% of the B2C & B2B marketers have planned to increase their budget for 2020 in content marketing.
The data used in the above sentence validates its authenticity from a popular site and is considered as the data-baked content practice.
Deliverable
Something the copywriter is asked to send to the client for a project. For a direct-response copywriting project, deliverables might include two ads and three emails.
Demographic
Any traits that outline the sections within the human population, such as gender, age, income, marital status, etc. Marketers identify their audience demographic to create personalized content marketing campaigns.
Desires
Whatever the prospect wishes that relates to your products or services. The more you connect your copy with the endless desires of your prospect, the better chances of them to buy from you.
Differentiate
It is a marketing term that indicates the act of making your products or services seem different (and more desirable) from other similar products or services.
Direct Mail
A marketing strategy that practices paper mail to obtain new customers and send back-end product promotions to them. Examples of Direct Mail are self-mailers, postcards, envelopes, etc.
Direct Marketing
Marketing campaigns created specifically for a target audience carefully chosen after a study of their buying pattern, demographic, and psychographic characteristics is called direct marketing.
Disclosure
Disclosure refers to the type of content that has a high transparency level. This writing is clear and made to disclose all the details to the audience to build a strong relationship. It contains details about your company or its practices that you want your audience to know. It is typically about the partnership agreements and contracts that clarify your contribution towards serving your audience.
Dominant Resident Emotions
A term devised by Clayton Makepeace to define the dominating emotions (the strongest emotions related to the product/service being traded), of a prospect along with the enduring, deep emotions that are merely resident in the prospect.
Doorway Page
These are the web pages created for the sole reason of redirecting the users to a different website. It is focused on a single keyword to rank on the search engines.
Downsell
A marketing tactic of making a lower-priced offer to customers who rejected the initial offer.
Duplicate Content
It is simply the content of a webpage that matches the content on another webpage. Mostly it is the one that is incredibly similar to the other website.
Dynamic Content
Dynamic Content is a product placement technique that continuously changes in consideration of user behavior towards it. This identifies the most searched items and shows them on the top.
For Example:
Websites such as Walmart and Home Depot conduct the practice of Dynamic Content.
E
Ebook
It is a digital book that can be read on a digital device such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, or e-readers. People can buy and download these books, and it contains all the necessary media content such as images, links, and text.
Editorial Calendar
An editorial calendar is a content scheduling platform that helps businesses and writers to manage their content creation process. It helps in controlling and organizing content creation processes from ideas to execution.
Platforms such as Google Calendar, Trello, Edit Flow, and Asana are a few examples where you can perform editorial content practices.
Email Marketing
A marketing process that is used to communicate and promote products and services to a targeted audience through email.
Email Subject
It is an initial text that the recipients see in their inbox when they receive an email. Email Subject is a brief intro of the content present in the email. It is recommended that it should be short, catchy, and persuasive.
Email Newsletters
It is a type of email sent by businesses and entities out to potential customers or existing customers. The email newsletters are sent to the subscriber's list to update them about the brand or product or ask the potential subscribers to sign up.
Emotional Appeal/Emotional Advantage
Emotions are the primary factor in copywriting that you need to connect to in your prospect while creating a marketing copy. Emotional appeal is the most influential conduit to convincing a prospect to purchase. People buy for emotional reasons, then justify the acquisitions with features and logic. Copywriters must utilize the emotional benefit of promotional copy by communicating the feelings of fear, greed, self-importance, conceit, and deeper emotions.
Endorsement
Positive comments of praise from an expert who is connected in some way to the same field or product/service. Endorsements are used in the copy to reinforce a prospect's choice to purchase.
Engagement
Engagement is the means of grabbing attention and keeping the audience hitched to the content. It extends to the process of involving them in participating in an activity with the type of content that is persuasive and relevant.
For Example:
It can include the practice of making the audience share, like, or comment on your social media post.
Ephemeral Content
Content that lasts for a short interval typically for 24 hours and disappears on its own. It includes Snapchat stories, Instagram stories, Facebook stories, and Linkedin stories. Brands use ephemeral content to increase awareness, promote their product or service, and build connections with the audience.
Evergreen Content
Evergreen content in the form of writing that is created so that it remains great all year round. It should not contain any date or timely references that lose their importance after a certain period. The writer should make sure that this content can be used at different phases.
External Link
These are the hyperlinks that target the domain that is different from the domain of the entity itself. You can also refer that it is a link to another website that you include within your content.
F
FANBOYS
FANBOYS stands for coordinating conjunctions used to connect two independent clauses (two complete thoughts) and should be preceded by a comma. It includes coordinating conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, and So. It will help you polish your punctuation skills.
Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is a term used for writers who are commonly self-employed and work for different clients. These writers can be associated with any clients for either long-terms or project-based work. These writers can provide various services, including technical writing services, blog writing, copywriting for product descriptions, and so on.
G
Ghostwriting
This is a form of writing where you write content for someone else without claiming any authority or credit. This practice is conducted willingly, and you work under the contract to give your writing copyrights to another writer.
Guest Blogging
This is an effective SEO technique and marketing strategy where content writers write and publish blogs on other websites. Typically, a guest blogger gets to have their byline or backlink from another website. Guest blogging helps in improving brand awareness, writer's credibility, and traffic to a guest blogger's website.
Guestographic
Guestographic is an SEO strategy where you create content for another website to get a backlink to your site. This practice is usually obtained to amplify the domain authority and traffic.
H
Heading
Heading represents the core concept of the rest of the content. It comes n six tags (H1 to H6) that help the writer separate the content into different sections and are visually appealing and readable. It is suggested that heading tags must contain target keywords in the process of content creation.
Headline
The headline is the H1 tag that comes after the title in the content. It gives a glimpse of what the entire content is about.
Head Term
Head term, which is also known as short-tail keywords, has a high search volume but a high search difficulty.
Hidden Text
These are the text hidden from the audience but are used to get a higher ranking on the search engines by misleading them. Google's Webmaster Guidelines have prohibited this tactic and can take manual action if not followed.
, For Example, :
Practices such as font color and the background color are the same, text is too small to be readable, using CSS to push the text out of the screen frame.
Hilltop Algorithm
Hilltop Algorithm is a Google Algorithm introduced in 2003 by Krishna Bharat. It finds documents (websites and web pages) that are relevant to the particular keyword topics. These documents are selected by Hilltop and assigned as 'experts.' The keywords affiliated with these documents are also present on the other web pages; however, they are not picked by the algorithm.
HITS Algorithm
HITS is an acronym for Hyperlink-Induced Topic Search and is developed by Jon Kleinberg. This is a link analysis algorithm that analyses web pages' value in terms of content, inbound links (authorities), and outbound links (hubs). It can be a home page or an introductory page of a website.
Hook
A hook is a practice of creating a unique content concept designed to capture the audience's attention and keep them seized in. it is utilized in the initial passage of text, which entices readers to keep reading. The content that is developed with a hook is created for the specific target market.
Hub Page Content
Hub Page Content is also known as topically relevant web pages. It is presented in the form of an article or page and is dedicated to a specific topic (keyword). This content is continually refurbished and updated with recent information and is considered the central resource of that topic.
For Example:
The Black Friday Webpage of Amazon is one example of the Hub Page Content.
I
Infographic
It is a type of visual content displayed to convey information in an attractive, easy, and coherent manner. It includes images, text, charts, and graphs that make the infographic more understandable.
You can utilize tools such as Canva or Piktochart to create infographics for your content.
For Example:
Following is the infographic used in the Guide to Writing a Great Blog Post,' which perfectly explains the strategic usage of keywords within the content.
Information Architecture
It is the structural design of organizing, labeling, and entering the web page's navigational elements and content. Content inventory, site mapping, and audits can be a part of information architecture.
For Example:
This exhibit the example of an Information Architecture of a Mobile App:
K
Keyword/ Keyphrase
A keyword is one or more words and phrases used within the content to match and rank with the user's search query. These words or terms help search engines identify the content's relevancy and show it is the organic results where users search.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
The Key Performance indicators are a type of measurement that you conduct to analyze your activities. The content must have higher KPIs, and it can come as clicks, impressions, opens, shares, or purchases.
L
Landing Page Content
A landing page is a webpage where the visitor is initially directed to. This webpage is specially designed to generate leads and increase conversion rates.
Leaflets
This is a printed piece of paper that includes any brand, its products, or its services. It is usually distributed free to the target audience for advertising purposes.
Lede
The lede is the opening content of any article that includes the most important aspects of the story. This is usually practiced in news articles and journalism.
For Example
One of the most popular phrases that clarify the meaning of this word bury the lede.'
Listicle
A listicle is a form of content that is written in the way of listing. If you are asked to write a listicle blog post, you must structure it in a list form.
Long-Tail Keyword
These are the keywords consisting of more than one term and elaborate the closer point-of-purchase of users. Plus, it can rank easily on search engines and have low search volume.
M
Marketing Content
Marketing content is a type of content focused on creating promotional content with the intent to sell a product or service to the target audience. It is written with the intent of solving customer issues by using a professional tone instead of a selling tone.
Meta Description
Meta Description is a tag that can be added to the HTML document and is considered a brief description of that particular webpage. It can amplify the organic click-through rate, as shown in the search results, right below the title of the webpage's content.
Meta Keywords
Meta Description is a tag that can be added to the HTML document, and it used to be considered an SEO practice. However, now adding keywords there is useless as search engine algorithms have ignored this practice and made it an abused way of keyword stuffing.
Meta Tags
This is information added in the HTML source code of a single webpage to elaborate its contents to the search engines.
For Example
The meta description and title tags are one example of meta tags that are utilized in SEO practices.
Meme
A meme is a type of content material that is widening and spreading online and modifying as it goes from user to user.
For Example
Grumpy Cat, Evil Kermit, and the dress are a few examples of Meme.
Mock-up (aka comp)
A dummy image of several concepts for promotion, including printed materials or website, is presented as a work-in-progress of the expected final artwork to make it easier for the client to recognize, conceive, and validate the design and its elements.
Multimedia Content
Multimedia Content is the various visual and text content used to communicate the message to the audience. It includes audio, videos, images, or animations.
N
Niche
It is a specific area of focus or market to target, comprised of a small group of individuals having similar interests.
Newsjacking
It is the thought and idea formation that is incorporated in the breaking news. You can profit from the recent news stories by putting in your insight that I relevant and adds value to the information a journalist is looking for.
O
On Spec
It is a practice that writers do when they create content before getting hired by the clients. It is focused on attracting clients and selling them your writing pieces, and getting a good value against it. Several clients are looking for 'On Spec' articles, and you can surely benefit from this practice.
P
Portable Document Format is a file that can include images, text, videos, and more to form a document.
Persuasive Writing
It is a form of writing that intends to persuade readers to take action after being convinced. This sort of writing is performed in critic, proposals, reviews, and advertisements with the use of persuasive words.
Pitch
Every freelancer is aware of the term 'Pitch.' It is a content piece that you create to request a publication or a potential client. You create a brief outline in the context in which you can render your services and deliver that idea if it seems fit to your client.
Podcast
A podcast is an episodic series presented to the target audience focusing on various or specific topics through digital audio files. These podcasts are created with a spoken medium, and the files can be downloaded or streamed on a personal device.
Power Words
Power words are the terms and words used within a content to trigger the readers' pain points and psychological responses. These words are not just emotionally significant, but they also work as persuasive content for the target audience to attract and influence them to take action.
Portfolio or Clips
A portfolio is a collection of work done by an individual or business that exemplifies their experience and skillsets. On the other hand, clips are a representation of the potential of an entity that is shown in the form of video content. This showreel is typically presented on a webpage.
Product Description Writing
This is a form of marketing copy that is developed to describe the information regarding a specific product. It is a value proposition that is structured to compel and attract target customers. The product description writing includes the features, benefits, and specifications of that product.
Proofreading
It is a galley proofreading or an electronic copy that is free of any production or writing errors. It is typically a final step after which the content is ready to be published online or somewhere else.
Proposal Writing
Proposal writing is creating content that elaborates a plan and framework on which an organization has to work. It can be for a single project or extend to intentions and expectations of how the work has to be managed.
Punctuation
The conventional signs, typographical elements, and spacing are used to make it clear and grammatically correct for the readers.
For Example
Comma, a hyphen, exclamation point, brackets, question marks, quotation marks, and more are known as punctuations.
Q
Quality Content
Quality Content focuses on achieving the business and marketing goals with the right direction of regulation and techniques. Creating quality content involves generating organic traffic, leads, sales, earning top search rankings, and social shares.
R
Reviews
Reviews are the type of content that is generated to evaluate a publication, company of its services. It can be developed for a movie, musical composition, blogs, marketing campaigns, exhibition, video games, products, or services.
Remote Writing
Remote writing refers to creating content in any other location than the office. You either work from home or work on the go with proper wi-fi connectivity. It is not much different from regular writing; the difference is only in the location you work in.
S
Sales Copy
Sales copy is a form of content creation formulated to persuade the target audience to purchase that particular product or service. It focuses on highlighting the elements that are benefiting the consumer.
Scrape
Scrape that is also known as Web scraping Taglines, is a technique through which you can copy the content or information using a script or a computer program. This practice is conducted by Google, where they scrape data to develop a searchable index of websites.
Scriptwriting
Scriptwriting is a form of content creation that is conducted for the screenplay. The content is written with the incorporation and flow involving expression, characters, actions, and a proper form that can be narrated.
SEO Optimized Writing
SEO writing alludes to Search engine optimization writing, which includes proper planning, strategizing, and optimizing the content that can rank higher in the search engines.
Skim Effect
The Skim effect is a practice that occurs when the content is viewed to get an idea that what it is about. The primary elements that your readers consider are the tile and subheadings that are an essential part of the content. The audience scans the document just to gather the relevant points without spending much time reading it.
Writers usually create TL;DR images that conclude the entire article and help the readers who skim to understand it. These points are typically designed to entice the audience so that when they take a glimpse, they don’t help themselves but read all of the content.
Slogan
A slogan is a catchphrase or sentence used by businesses or any other entity to represent their objective to the audience and make it memorable.
Sponsored Content
Sponsored Content is paid content that is financially backed up by the brands who want to promote their products and services. It is extended based on personal review where writers write about their experience using that product or service.
As it is paid content, it is essential to highlight its benefits and talk about the brand's right part.
Straplines
Straplines are also known as Taglines or Slogans, which you will see under the brand's logo.
Stop Word
Stop Words are frequently used within content such as at, is, a, in, the. Earlier the search engines used to ignore these words. However, there is no prominent effect seen in the SEO factor since the search engines have noticed them.
Subject Matter Expert (SME)
SME is an entity that holds extensive experience and expertise in a specialized task or skill that makes it distinct.
T
Target Audience/Target Market
These are a group of people who holds an interest in your product or service. These people are also the ones that you want to become your customers and read your content.
Technical Writing
It is a form of writing that involved creating technical content that is used to elaborate on the technical information of an entity. Areas such as engineering, robotics, finance, computer hardware and software, aeronautics, or more require content that is usually called technical writing.
Testimonials Writing
It is a statement that is provided by the previous customer for whom you have worked. In a testimonial, they describe their experience of hiring you and availing your services or products and how it helped them.
Title Tag
This is an HTML meta tag that is presented as a title on the webpage. The search engines use this title tag as a title on search listings; therefore, it must have keyword-focused content. It is comprised of less than 65 characters.
Thought Leadership Content
It's an approach to creating content that intends to address the needs of the brand's target market and build credibility, trust, and loyalty with authentic, goal-oriented content marketing. Thought leadership content is about surfacing the earned secrets you have as a brand.
U
User-Generated Content (UGC)
UGC is precisely what it sounds like. It is a sort of content that is generated and written by the customer or the user. It can be a review, video, comment, or blog post.
UX Writing
This is a type of writing that focuses on enhancing the user experience. This content is usually written to help customers use a product or service more efficiently. You can not call this promotional or marketing content.
V
Verticals
Vertical is a new term that simply means topic. It has gained popularity and is usually used in various content.
Viral Content
It is a piece of any content that gains popularity and is thoroughly shared on social media platforms. There is hype generated across that content for a particular time.
Visual Content
It is online content that is considered image-based and usually includes content such as videos, infographics, charts, diagrams, and more.
W
Web Content Writer
Web content writers create professional content for the website. This content must be relevant to the business and engaging enough to grab the attention of the audience. Moreover, it must be SEO-friendly so that it can rank higher on search engines.
Website Copywriting
It creates digital content added to the landing page, blog pages, product pages, and other web pages of a website. It must be compelling, engaging, and attractive so that the audience takes an interest in your website and does not increase your bounce rate.
White Paper Writing
It is a form of writing that is technical and requires in-depth research and the involvement of experts.
White Space
The white space is the blank area present on the webpage. In today's practices, you can utilize the white spaces and make your website more attractive and unique.
Word Count
Word count is mentioned as the total number of words that are written within a content copy. If the web pages do not have sufficient word count, it can be considered a low-quality platform by the search engines.
Reader Comments
Siobhan Gale says
A great and thorough resource.Thanks for this! Siobhan