Blogging and SEO Terms and Definitions. What does it all mean?

It’s easy to throw around terms that pertain to online marketing when we’re discussing all the tools and techniques available within that realm. But sometimes the terminology can be confusing. So let’s set the record straight, by describing some key blogging and SEO terms, with a little help from our friends at HubSpot.

We’ll assume you do know that a blog is an online journal containing factual information and/or personal thoughts – in your case, content that’s always relevant to your dealership – published on a regular basis. The term “blog” is both a noun and a verb.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a process that enhances the amount of quality of traffic you’re able to attract to your website via search engines such as Google. This is called “organic” search traffic, because it’s free (as opposed to paid search advertising).

Interruption-based marketing is the traditional approach that emphasizes unsolicited messaging designed to elicit immediate conversions.

Inbound marketing is just the opposite, focusing on enabling online searchers to find your website, your blog, etc. as the answer to their quest for information.

Permission-based marketing is the companion piece to inbound marketing. It focuses on educating your audience instead of overtly selling to them. When someone “opts in” by subscribing to your blog or newsletter or following you on social media, they are giving you permission to engage with them.

Customer lifecycle, or buying lifecycle, is the sequence of steps someone engages in to make a buying decision, including research, inquiry, purchase and actually using the product or service. Targeted marketing content facilitates and enriches the process for your prospects.

 

A first-time visitor is an entirely new prospect who’s responding to your blogging and SEO efforts by making initial contact with your website. They’re opening the door for you to engage them and begin developing a relationship.

A qualified lead is a contact who has opted in to your communications, has learned more about you and wants to continue that learning process.

Segmentation is the process of identifying the various sub-groups within your overall target audience. Developing a “persona” for each group helps you market to them using the content and formats more relevant and timely for them.

Internal sale refers to the need for your prospect to get third-party buying approval. They may not be the final decision-maker, but they exert important influence over that person, making them a highly valuable target audience for your marketing.  

Repeat purchase means just what it says. The ultimate “win” of any marketing is establishing customer loyalty that results in multiple repeat purchases over time. That’s why your blogging and SEO have to have to appeal to existing customers as well as first-time buyers.

Brand advocates are people who overtly promotes your dealership and products or service. They are golden, as they work as unpaid marketers.

Loyalty offers are exclusive rewards given to thank loyal customers – and those brand advocates just noted.

Web analytics are internet-based statistics you can use to track, measure and study who’s using your website and how, to improve the value of your site.

Cross-channel analytics track the behavior of your prospects across multiple marketing channels – your website, blog, social media, etc.

Revenue performance management (RPM) is a systematic approach to marketing that measures marketing the behavior of prospects at all points in the sales cycle, enabling you to use the data to refine your marketing techniques and content.

There are innumerable additional terms that relate to digital marketing, some of them fundamentally important and some verging on the esoteric. Your marketing experts can help you break down any language barrier that might exist. The final word is the best, one you readily understand: sales.