A Simple Breakdown of Online Marketing Buzzwords

With the sheer volume of goods and services available in marketing, it’s no surprise that there are so many different strategies for traditional and online marketing to consumers. But even online marketers seem to be confused about the true definitions of some of the buzzwords they use to describe what they do. Below is a list of explanations for the most commonly used online marketing terms.

Inbound Marketing

To start with one of the most confusing terms on our list, inbound marketing is an online marketing methodology geared towards attracting customers that are already looking for content related to your business. The term was popularized by the founders of a company called Hubspot in their book, the aptly titled Inbound Marketing. The book describes inbound marketing as a label for a collection of techniques like SEO, social media, and blogging—rather than a single, straightforward marketing approach. Hubspot makes a profit by charging businesses for assistance with inbound marketing, so it’s no surprise that they dominate the online discourse on the subject. Hubspot’s detractors claim that they created the term specifically to promote their own business, and that it’s not actually a useful term, given that it doesn’t bring anything new or revolutionary to the world of online marketing. Despite its criticism, the term has become increasingly popular.

Content Marketing

Content Marketing is, in this writer’s opinion, the clearly defined older-brother of Inbound Marketing. To put it simply, it’s the practice of creating useful or meaningful content geared toward your audience with the goal of turning them into customers. Effective content marketers start out with a clearly defined sense of who their audience is, and they consistently create content is relevant and valuable to this audience. Valuable content could be anything that a potential audience engages with online, including but not limited to videos, blog posts, eBooks and infographics.

Social Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing overlaps with Content Marketing, in that it is a free approach that involves creating and posting content that points traffic towards your website. Given the structure of social media sites and the potential for previous engagement between a user and the company (such as a “like” of a brand on Facebook), social media marketers are able to specifically target their audience to keep them engaged and involved in the brand’s online presence.

SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, refers to the process of strategically editing your website’s content so that it can appear as high as possible in search results. This involves optimizing your site for high-converting and highly searched keywords, cleaning up your code so that Google has no problem crawling it for keywords, and adding meaningful text-based content to your site.

PPC

PPC or Pay-per-click is a paid marketing model that involves paying websites that display an ad for each time that ad is clicked by a user. Google AdWords is Google’s PPC platform, in which advertisements are displayed above and to the right of the organic search results. Usually, PPC ads are free to display, and advertisers only pay for each click they receive.

Table of Contents

Have a Question?

Complete the form below and we’ll be in touch to answer any questions you may have.

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Joining Hearts President
Joining Hearts President
2023-07-14
Brady's professionalism and attention to detail exudes his beyond standards to ensure his clients are not only satisfied but exceeds in work. He totally revamped our website and made it more user friendly and provided supreme consultation to ensure the smooth transition and we were not down for any period of time when we launched. He is always available to assist when we have questions or need support. I highly recommend.
S Reaves
S Reaves
2023-07-14
I started a podcast in July of 2021. I reached out to Brady to help me make my website better, the person I originally hired lacked vision or listened to what I wanted. Brady listened to what I wanted for my website and took it to an entirely new level!! Not only did he take it to a new level, he showed me how to manage my website and make updates. Anytime I call Brady with a question or concern, he gets back to me right away....STILL in 2023. I love Brady, and I recommend him to everyone!
Caroline Karolinko
Caroline Karolinko
2023-07-12
I absolutely LOVE working with Brady. He is readily available and has so much knowledge. He also is detail oriented and has a great eye for design!
Justine Gesualdi
Justine Gesualdi
2023-07-11
Brady has worked with us for years and has been our web designer and up keep. He is a great guy and responds quickly!! We recommend him for businesses especially.
Cathy Beardsley
Cathy Beardsley
2023-07-11
We have worked with Brady for over two years. He helped us completely redesign our website and continues to support updates to the site as well as other technology projects we are working on. Although Brady is a consultant, he works like a team member and is available to help whenever we need him!
Heather Shields
Heather Shields
2023-07-11
To say that I love working with Brady Mills is a bit of an understatement. After all, when SEOs and Designers work together, it can go either way. Luckily, through a messenger-like service of recommendations, my company was introduced to the Brady Mills agency as simply "a super website designer resource." I myself work for a media agency that has no real connections for creative services that we offer our clients. Well, that has certainly changed. From the beginning of a website and branding redesign, as well as site migration, I've loved partnering with Brady and team because the communication (understanding vision, asking questions, timely responses, accessibility, talent of representing company marketing and sales and execs, etc.), passion, and creativity has been top-notch. They were able to craft a wonderfully digital experience for a client that was so impressive, I went on to share the work and proven lift in site usage and conversions with the rest of my agency. I recommend Brady Mills to every company seeking to enhance their website to solidify that B2B or B2C connection online. If I sound a bit overzealous it's because I am. In my couple decades' work in SEO, content, analytics, and consulting, I hadn't found a better site designer until early 2021. If I could give six stars, I would.
Debra Cates
Debra Cates
2023-07-11
If you need someone who is extremely knowledgeable of the industry, an efficient worker and easy to deal with when designing or updating your company's website, Brady Mills is the best choice. Five stars - all day, every day!
Sarah Martin
Sarah Martin
2016-07-11
I contracted Brady for a website for a political race. He was professional and courteous, and the product was beyond expectations, very user friendly. Definitely highly recommend!
Catherine Martucci
Catherine Martucci
2016-07-10
I've worked with Brady Mills on several projects including website redesign, web development, SEO, email marketing, and social media projects. He is a ROCK STAR! He knows all the latest technologies and best practices. And best of all -- he is both easy and fun to work with. I highly recommend you do business with Brady!

Let's Get Started...

Submit your information below and a member of our team will reach out to provide your free no-obligation website repair estimate.

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Let's Get Started...

Submit your information below and a member of our team will reach out to provide your free no-obligation website repair estimate.

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Let's Get Started...

Submit your information below and a member of our team will reach out to you to schedule a free no-obligation consultation.

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.