Social media is filled with jargon, acronyms, and terms that can feel overwhelming—even for seasoned marketers. Whether you’re a newbie or a pro looking for a refresher, this glossary has you covered.

General Terms

1. Algorithm: A set of rules social media platforms use to determine what content appears in a user’s feed.
2. Analytics: Data that shows how your social media content is performing (e.g., likes, shares, engagement rate).
3. Audience: The group of people who follow or engage with your content.
4. Avatar: The profile picture or graphic representing a user or brand.

Metrics and Performance

5. Engagement: Interactions with your content, including likes, comments, shares, and clicks.
6. Engagement Rate: A percentage measuring how actively your audience interacts with your content.
7. Impressions: The number of times your content is displayed, regardless of whether it’s clicked.
8. Reach: The total number of unique users who see your content.
9. CTR (Click-Through Rate): The percentage of people who click on a link in your post compared to those who saw it.
10. Conversion: When a user takes a desired action, like signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.

Content Types

11. Carousel: A post with multiple images or videos that users can swipe through.
12. Story: Short, temporary content that disappears after 24 hours (popular on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat).
13. Reels: Short, engaging videos on Instagram designed for discovery.
14. Shorts: YouTube’s version of short, vertical videos.
15. Live Stream: Real-time video broadcast to your audience.
16. UGC (User-Generated Content): Content created by customers or fans that features your brand.

Engagement and Interaction

17. Hashtag: A keyword or phrase preceded by a # symbol to categorize content and make it discoverable.
18. Tagging: Mentioning another user or brand by including their handle in your post.
19. Mention: When a user refers to another account in their content.
20. DM (Direct Message): A private message between users on a platform.
21. Reply: Responding to a comment or post.
22. Share: Reposting someone else’s content to your feed or stories.

Social Media Strategies

23. Content Calendar: A schedule that outlines what you’ll post and when.
24. Influencer Marketing: Collaborating with social media personalities to promote your brand.
25. Organic Content: Posts that aren’t boosted or paid for—just good ol’ natural reach.
26. Paid Ads: Sponsored posts or advertisements that brands pay to promote.
27. Call-to-Action (CTA): A prompt encouraging users to take a specific action, like “Click here” or “Buy now.”

Platform-Specific Terms

28. Pin (Pinterest): Saving a piece of content to a virtual board for later reference.
29. Tweet (X/Twitter): A post or update shared on X (formerly Twitter).
30. Retweet (X/Twitter): Sharing someone else’s tweet to your followers.
31. Snap (Snapchat): A photo or video message sent on Snapchat.
32. Duet (TikTok): Creating a side-by-side video with another user’s TikTok content.

Trending and Viral Terms

33. Trendjacking: Leveraging popular trends to boost your content’s visibility.
34. Going Viral: When a post rapidly gains popularity and spreads across platforms.
35. Challenge: A user-generated trend encouraging others to participate in an activity.

Technical Terms

36. Alt Text: Descriptions added to images for accessibility and SEO.
37. Pixel: A piece of code that tracks user behavior on your website from social media.
38. SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Optimizing content to improve its visibility in search engines.
39. API (Application Programming Interface): Technology that lets platforms communicate, like scheduling tools.

Community Management

40. Moderation: Monitoring and managing comments, messages, or content.
41. Troll: A user who posts inflammatory or off-topic comments to provoke others.
42. Shadowban: When a platform restricts the visibility of your content without informing you.

Advertising Terms

43. CPC (Cost Per Click): How much you pay for each click on a paid ad.
44. CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions): The cost for 1,000 impressions of your ad.
45. Lookalike Audience: A group of users similar to your existing audience, targeted for ads.
46. Retargeting: Showing ads to users who have previously interacted with your website or content.

Emerging and Fun Terms

47. Finsta: A “fake” Instagram account often used for more casual or private posts.
48. Micro-Influencer: An influencer with a smaller, niche audience but high engagement.
49. Dark Social: Shares that happen privately via DMs, email, or messaging apps.
50. Vanity Metrics: Numbers like likes or followers that look good but don’t necessarily indicate success.

Accessibility and Inclusivity

51. Captioning: Adding text to videos for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
52. Keyboard Navigation: Designing platforms to be navigable without a mouse, essential for accessibility.

Final Thoughts

This glossary should demystify social media jargon and make it easier to navigate the digital marketing world. Whether you’re drafting your next CTA or optimizing your carousel post, you’re now armed with the lingo to make it happen like a pro.

Did we miss your favorite term? Drop it in the comments so we can add it to the list!