Email Marketing Glossary
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A/B Split
The mailing list is divided into two equal segments and each segment is tested with different offers to determine the affectivity of the offers.
Above the fold
Section of an email or a web page that is visible without scrolling down the page. It is the best place of visibility in website or email. The aspects of highest priority are usually placed here.
API (Application Program Interface)
Software interface that gives access to an application to transmit data from another application or web service. APIs are used by the clients to upload and download data from the vendor.
Authentication
An automated practice that verifies an email sender’s identity.
Autoresponder
A tool that sends email automatically as per the programming. Once the tool is programmed, it sends time-delayed welcome emails, thank you emails, etc. automatically.
Automated campaign
Array of communications designed to function based on the pre-defined triggers. The triggers are programmed based on the entry cycle, step and lead route.
Blacklist
List of domains or IP addresses which have been marked as SPAM for sending unsolicited mails.
Bounce
An email that does not reach the inbox is sent back to the sender. The reasons behind this might be the mis-spelt email address or invalid address or the size attached to the email.
Call to action
Section in the message, asking the prospects to take action.
CAN SPAM (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act of 2003)
It’s states all the rules to be followed by a commercial email to avoid being spammed or paying a penalty. The subject line should be clear without spammy words along with a legitimate sender address. The message must be clear and relevant. Opt-out option has to be provided and once the recipient optsout, the email address has to be removed within ten business days.
CTR(Clickthrough rate)
The percentage of recipients that clicked the URL in your email.
Confirmed opt-in
Also known as double opt-in, is a stern way of obtaining permission based contacts. The recipient who has opted-in is sent an email with a confirmation link. The recipient only who respond to the email are added to the mailing list.
Conversion
When an email is sent, if the recipient performs the action stated in the email and also does a monetary transaction, it is a conversion. It can include registering for a website, downloading a white paper, signing up for a newsletter, etc.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
Software used by sales to maintain and manage relation prospects and customers.
Database
Repository to store records. The records are usually in the form of tables. Popular databases are SQL and MySQL.
Demand generation
Process to provide sales-qualified leads to the sales team in a continuous flow.
Email append
An email address is added to a record in the database, by merging the files to match the name and mailing address.
Email blocking
Emails are blocked by the ISPs if the addresses are suspected to be spammers.
Email campaign
A set of emails designed to accomplish a marketing goal.
Email delivery rate
The percentage of emails that delivered as anticipated.
Email filter
A software tool that segments, sorts or blocks incoming email, based on many factors including the sender name, subject line or email message content. Filters can be placed at the client server or recipient’s server or the ISP or can be a combination of these.
Email newsletter
Text distributed to subscribers by email on a regular basis. The content is educational.
Engagement marketing
It is an effective marketing approach to build deeper relations with the customers and prospects. It deals with highly personalized and one-to-one communications.
Greylisting
The process of redirecting email to a bulk folder if it is considered as borderline spam, according to the ISP.
Hard bounce
Email delivery failure due to either a non-existent or invalid or blocked email address.
House list (In-house list)
List procured by the organization through permission-based means with opt-in subscribers.
Image blocking
Images in email are not visible to the recipient unless the sender’s address is added to the address book.
IP (Internet Protocol) address
The unique number that refers to a specific machine on the internet.
ISP (Internet Service Provider)
The enterprise that provides access to internet through connectivity services.
Landing page
Web page displayed to the user when he clicks on a link in an email. It can be either a microsite, splash page, bounce page or click page.
Lead management
The strategy for generating, scoring and nurturing leads from prospects to customers.
Lead nurture
The process of identifying quality leads, starting an information exchange, driving the leads through the sales cycle to convert them to a deal.
Lead scoring
Ranking the leads based on their interest in buying.
List hygiene
The process of cleaning data to ensure that all the records in the mailing list are permission-based, accurate, deliverable and up-to-date.
List management
The process of compiling, administering and maintaining the database. The list manager has daily responsibilities of list processes including subscribers and unsubscribes, bounce management, list hygiene, etc.
List segmentation
Creating sub-groups in the mailing list based on various factors like geography, demography, interests, etc.
Mailing list
Collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an organization to send material to multiple recipients.
Marketing automation
Automating the entire marketing cycle right from planning a campaign to making the leads sales-ready. This technology is used to optimize the process.
Open rate
The percentage of emails opened by the recipients. It a prime factor to decide on email campaign’s success.
Opt-in
Opt-in is when a user pro-actively accepts to receive your messages. To opt-in means to be in agreement with the company to receive emails from that particular company.
Opt-out
Opt-out is when the user chooses not to receive any messages from the organization. According to the CAN SPAM act, any commercial email sent should include a link for the receipting to unsubscribe or optout.
Personalization
A smart method in which the recipient feels that the email was designed specifically. There are many techniques to do this. For example including name in the subject line or in the message, providing links in the email based on the recipient’s previous behavior in the site or transaction history, etc.
Preview pane
A window in the email client where the recipient can get a view of the message without actually clicking on the message. The preview pane differs for every email client. This has a great impact on the open rate.
Privacy policy
Companies specify set of rules specified for the visitors so as to regulate the data usage on the site. Visitors entrusts based on this policy. If you are targeting email marketing, you need to have a strong privacy policy.
ROI (Return On Investment)
The amount of money the marketer gets for an initial investment.
Reputation
The method of verifying online behavior based on amount and quality of email messages based sent from particular IP address or a domain over a specific time period.
Sales qualified
A lead that enters into the sales pipeline after ample nurturing, making it ready for sales.
Sender ID
A standard initiated by Microsoft, by which the email sender’s “From” address and the IP address are compared to send an email from that domain.
Signature
A line of text at the closing of an email specifying the sender’s name. it can be the physical address of a company, or branding information or a call to action, etc.
Sign up form
A form in the website that allows the visitor to subscribe for newsletters, educational documents, updates, etc.
Single opt-in
A subscriber who signs up through web form who does not have to verify the email address. Marketers prefer single opt-in to double opt-in as it maximizes the number of subscribers and does not irritate the recipients with confirmation emails.
Soft bounce
An email that does not get delivered though the email address is live. This is usually due to server issues, or the inbox of recipient being full, etc. The email might be held on hold at the email’s server to deliver later or the sender’s email client might deliver it again. Soft bounces reports are not accurate as the reasons behind are speculative.
Spam
The name for unsolicited commercial emails widely used as a slang word. It is unwanted email sent to the recipient without permission.
Subject line
The text that represents what the email is about. The first line recipient reads. Most important aspect of an email campaign which has an impact on the open rate.
Suppression list or block list
A list of email addresses compiled by an organization to which no messages should be sent.
Unsubscribe
The process in which the recipients block messages from a company.
Verification
A program that determines an email came from the sender listed in the return path or internet headers, designed to stop email from forged senders.
Viral marketing
Marketing done voluntarily by company’s customers. It is similar to “Word of mouth” marketing. Companies design email campaigns such that the messages can be forwarded easily.
Whitelist
ISPs have list of companies with which they trust and have built good relationships. If your company meets the standards of the ISP, you can request them to add your company to their whitelist. This helps in getting your message delivered easy and fast.
WIIFM (What’s In It For Me)
Recipients look for this factor in your emails. Based on this the recipients either to open , read or take any action on your email.
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