Marketing Automation Glossary

Whether you’re in the process of implementing marketing automation into your business or have already done it, chances are you’ll stumble upon unknown terms, as this is an evolving industry.

That’s why we’ve compiled this marketing automation glossary for you. Since you’ve already spent some time in this industry, We’ve refrained from adding ‘water is wet’ terms. Instead, we’ve hand-picked marketing automation terms, taking into account emerging trends, effectiveness, and popularity.

We hope this glossary helps you improve your understanding of marketing automation.

Account-based marketing (ABM) automation

Account-based marketing (ABM) is when marketing and sales collaborate to focus their efforts on high-value accounts, treating them as individual markets instead of targeting audience personas. Account-based marketing automation means using automation tools and strategies to optimize marketing to target accounts.

Adaptive content

Modern marketing techniques use automation to gather insights on customer behavior and preferences to create ‘adaptive content’ personalized for each user.

Augmented reality (AR) campaigns

Campaigns designed by combining augmented reality. Tools like Spark AR Studio by Meta let you create immersive AR experiences for audiences.

Automated behavioral triggering

Using automation to create behavioral triggers to craft personalized user experiences.

Behavioral email sequencing

Setting trigger-based email automation to send relevant sequences based on audience preferences. Tools like ActiveCampaign offer A/B testing, dynamic content, and drip features to make email sequences personalized based on subscriber behavior.

B2B influencer identification tools

Trends show B2B brands' successful collaboration with influencers improves ROI. Tools like Traackr allow marketers to find influencers based on their industry and manage collaboration.

Business intelligence (BI) tools in marketing

Automation tools that allow advanced data collection like social listening, campaign optimization, ROI optimization, etc.

Chatbot automation for lead qualification

Automating chatbot conversation with prospects by asking basic questions to qualify leads before adding them to the pipeline. For example, Drift is a chatbot tool you can install to automate conversations.

Closed-loop reporting

Refers to a reporting system in which marketing and sales teams share insights and data in correlation with a lead throughout its journey from the top of the funnel to becoming a customer. This allows a more holistic view of the customer journey.

Content atomization

Breaking down long-form content into small pieces, called atoms, to be shared in multiple channels to support omnichannel marketing.

Content decay analysis

Evaluating the effectiveness of content over time to devise proper systems to update content regularly.

Customer journey mapping tools

Helps businesses plan and optimize end-to-end experiences of a user’s buying journey. Examples include UXPressia and Miro.

Customer lifetime value (CLV) prediction

Process involving reviewing customer behavior such as product usage, analytics, and data to estimate the value a customer will generate as revenue for a business in a lifetime.

Data enrichment services

Enriching the half-baked customer data with external help. Marketing intelligence tools like Clearbit provide comprehensive B2B datasets based on company, contact, and IP addresses.

Data privacy and compliance automation

Using tools like OneTrust to create automated security systems to increase efficiency and risk management. You can set up triggers for data mapping, consent management, and compliance reporting.

Demand generation ecosystems

Using omnichannel marketing, automation tools, and strategies to generate demand, interest, and awareness about your products and services.

Digital asset management

Refers to managing and organizing digital assets (think content assets) in an integrated manner such that all team members can access them easily. A content repository like Paperflite enables sales and marketing teams to organize and access sales enablement content in clicks.

Dynamic content personalization

To deliver personalized user experiences, marketing teams use automation and user insights to tailor the content for each user. Tools that can help are Optimizely.

Email deliverability optimization

Using subscriber engagement data, regulations like SPF, DMARC, and DKIM, segmentation, permission-based marketing, and continuous optimization to increase email deliverability and engagement.

Event-triggered email strategies

Sending customized emails to specific audiences based on certain triggers. For example, abandoned cart emails are sent only to people who set up the cart but didn’t complete the purchase.

Exit-intent technology

Placing exit-intent popups to show up only when the website visitors are ready to leave the page to increase signups. Use tools like Hotjar to view heatmaps and cursor movement and identify user engagement patterns.

Gamified engagement tactics

Gamification in marketing helps increase customer interest and engagement. For example, a rewards system that encourages users to use a product more and earn more reward points.

GDPR compliance in automation

Ensuring that automated processes and systems within an organization adhere to the principles and requirements set forth by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — a regulatory framework by the European Union (EU.)

Growth hacking techniques in automation

Using automated tools and strategies to rapidly experiment, test, and implement creative and data-driven approaches to achieve scalable growth for a business, for example, using social listening tools like Sprout Social and creating demand-generating content on Reddit.

Heatmap analysis for website engagement

Using warm and cool colors to represent user interactions on a website visually. After identifying user engagement patterns, you can optimize pages for better conversions.

Hyper-personalization in email campaigns

Tailoring email content to individual recipients based on detailed insights into the granular data of their preferences, behaviors, and demographics. For example, using email marketing tools like Klaviyo, you can send personalized product recommendations to each user.

Intent-based marketing automation

Using real-time data and behavioral cues to understand a user's intent and delivering highly targeted and relevant content or interactions accordingly, for example, setting up automated triggers to understand user interaction patterns and predict further actions.

Interactive content creation

Creating content using interactive formats like videos, GIFs, surveys, polls, etc., across multiple channels to encourage users to engage.

IoT in marketing automation

Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) devices like Salesforce IoT cloud to connect CRM data into marketing strategies to enhance personalization, optimize customer experiences, and gather real-time insights.

Lead recycling strategies

Re-engaging with leads that didn’t convert in the past or became dormant in the sales funnel. For example, segmenting e-commerce leads that only bought once and sending exclusive offers to increase conversions.

Lookalike audience targeting

Using data analysis and algorithms to identify common characteristics, behaviors, and demographics among a brand's current audience and then targeting new individuals who share these similarities.

Machine learning in customer segmentation

Refers to the use of advanced algorithms and statistical models to automatically analyze and classify customers into distinct segments based on patterns, behaviors, and characteristics. For example, Salesforce’s built-in Einstein analytics tool enables businesses to use machine learning and large dataset models to score and segment leads.

Micro-moment marketing

A marketing strategy that focuses on capturing consumers' attention during brief, intent-rich moments when they are looking for information, making decisions, or taking specific actions. For example, Google or Facebook ads can be used to show snippet ads, push notifications, or chatbot interactions.

Mobile marketing automation

Involves delivering personalized and contextually relevant messages, offers, and experiences to users on their mobile devices. Use tools like Braze to create cross-channel content, including web push, in-app, SMS, and WhatsApp.

Multi-touch attribution models

Using marketing analytics to assign value or credit to various touchpoints along the customer journey, leading to a conversion. These models recognize that multiple interactions with a prospect contribute to their decision-making process and aim to distribute credit across these touchpoints.

Here are a few different types of attribution models:

• Time-decay attribution gives more credit to interactions closer to a purchase.

• Linear attribution assigns equal credit to different touchpoints across a user journey.

• Algorithm attribution uses automation, machine learning, and datasets to give credits to touchpoints based on their impact on a customer journey.

Marketing resource management (MRM)

Using tools, technologies, processes, and automation to manage marketing resources like content, people, customer data, and budget to ensure they’re used up to their full potential with minimum wastage.

Marketing technology stack optimization

Continuously improving the tools and technologies used in a business’s marketing operations to increase efficiency and get better outcomes with limited resources.

Omnichannel customer experience

Using multiple channels and different content formats to increase customer touchpoints to produce results like increased brand awareness, conversion rates, and engagement. A brand uses platforms like online and offline stores, mobile apps, social media, and customer support to deliver customers a consistent and cohesive experience.

Online reputation management automation

Using automation tools like Brand24 to enhance the perception of a brand or person across various online channels, including social media, review sites, forums, and search engine results. It offers features like sentimental analysis, social listening, and trend identification to manage a brand's reputation online.

Predictive analytics in marketing

Involves using statistical algorithms and machine learning techniques to analyze historical data and make predictions about future marketing outcomes. For example, InsightSquared uses past data to predict future sales forecasts.

Predictive lead scoring

Using automation tools and predictive analytics to assign scores to leads based on their likelihood to convert into customers, helping sales teams prioritize their efforts. For example, based on the subscriber’s engagement level with promotional emails, you can score leads for buying predictability.

Programmatic advertising platforms

Automate the buying and placement of digital ads in real time using algorithms and data-driven insights. For example, using Google Ads, you can target people with specific job titles or industries.

Progressive profiling techniques

Involves gradually collecting and updating customer information over time through iterative data capture, typically in forms or interactions or using automation tools like Formstack.

Real-time marketing analytics

Using tools like Google Analytics, you review the real-time performance of a page/website, gaining insights like user engagement, campaign performance, page time, exit time, etc., and optimize it accordingly.

Real-time personalization engines

Using data and algorithms to customize content, recommendations, and user experiences in real-time, delivering tailored interactions based on user behavior and preferences. A typical example is an e-commerce website that adjusts in real-time for each user based on their preferences and past interactions with the website.

Retargeting automation strategies

Advanced ad marketing platforms, like Facebook Ads Manager, allow web admins to create retargeting ads to display an automated series of targeted ads to users who have previously interacted with a brand's website.

Revenue performance management

Holistically tracking and optimizing every touchpoint of a customer journey, from initial lead generation to closed deals, in every aspect, including sales, marketing, customer service, etc., focusing on improving the entire revenue cycle. Tools like Marketo integrate marketing and sales data in a unified platform. Companies can gain insights into the revenue impact of each marketing activity and adjust strategies for better performance.

Sales enablement automation

Using automation tools to streamline and automate processes related to content management, training, communication, and analytics, aiming to empower sales teams with the resources needed for effective selling. Paperflite allows sales and marketing teams to create an intelligent sales enablement content repository that can be accessed in clicks.

Sales funnel conversion optimization

Focuses on improving the efficiency of each stage of the sales funnel to maximize the conversion of leads into customers. Automation strategies include increasing touchpoints using omnichannel marketing, sending nurturing emails, using sales, enablement content, etc.

Search engine optimization (SEO) automation

Automating tasks related to search engine optimization, such as keyword research, on-page optimization, and monitoring, to improve a website's visibility in search engine results. SEO tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and SE Ranking use advanced web crawlers to identify ranking content parameters and recommend content optimization.

Semantic content analysis

Using natural language processing and machine learning to understand the meaning and context of content. Surfer SEO is a great tool that optimizes website content based on Google’s ALP tool.

Sentiment analysis for social media

Using social listening tools like Brandwatch to pick up key terms the audience uses while discussing your industry topics and using these terms in your content to increase engagement and relevancy.

Sequential advertising strategies

Involves delivering a series of targeted ads to users in a specific sequence, guiding them through a predefined journey, generally leading them through a sales funnel—tools like AdRoll help in creating sequential ads.

Smart content curation

Leveraging automation and customer data to curate content and send personalized recommendations. For example, Waveon allows the creation of engaging newsletters only using product links.

Speech recognition in customer interactions

Converts spoken language into text or commands, enabling businesses to automate and enhance customer communication. For example, Google Text-to-Speech Cloud simplifies deciphering customer conversations, especially on phones, to find content assets quickly.

Split testing automation

Or A/B testing, involves automatically testing variations of a marketing element (such as a webpage, email, or ad) to determine which version performs better regarding user engagement or conversion. Many tools in different marketing aspects, such as email, social media, and SEO, have A/B split testing features. For example:

• Buffer for social media management

• Mailerlite for email marketing

• Semrush for organic marketing

• Optimizely for content optimization

Tag management for marketing automation

Using a centralized system to manage and deploy tags (snippets of code) of tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and marketing automation platforms on a website or app to ensure accurate data collection and tracking without manual changes. For example, Google Tag Manager.

Third-party integration in marketing automation

Using integration tools like Zapier to connect marketing automation platforms with external tools, software, or services to streamline data flow, improve functionality, and enhance a business’s overall marketing operations.

User experience (UX) optimization tools

Automation tools that help optimize website characteristics like design, copy, navigation, accessibility, etc., to improve visitor experiences. For example, Hotjar creates user heatmaps to show the most interacted areas with warm colors so you can optimize those areas for better conversions.

Video marketing automation

Using automated processes and tools like Wistia to create, distribute, and analyze video content as part of a broader marketing strategy.

Virtual reality (VR) campaigns

Tools like Adobe Aero allow businesses to create immersive and interactive marketing campaigns using virtual reality, such as 3D product models.

Visual analytics in marketing

Using data visualization tools like Tableau to create visual representations of complex data to simplify analytics. For example, an uprising prospects-to-leads graph showcases that lead-generation processes improve daily.

Voice search optimization

Optimizing online content to enhance visibility and relevance for voice-activated search queries through virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa. Tools include AnswerThePublic, Semrush, Ahrefs, and Google Keyword Planner.

Web content management system integration

Connecting your content management system (WordPress, Wix, Ghost, etc.) with other software using integration to streamline content marketing. A typical example is connecting WordPress with HubSpot CRM to transfer website visitors’ data into your CRM automatically.

Website personalization engines

Use data and algorithms to tailor website content, recommendations, and experiences based on individual user preferences, behaviors, and demographics. For instance, an e-commerce website using Dynamic Yield to personalize the user experience by displaying targeted product recommendations, content, and promotions based on the visitor's browsing history and preferences, ultimately increasing conversion rates.

Workflow automation

Tools like Asana simplify workflows, allowing you to auto-assign tasks, set due dates, collaborate with team members in real-time, etc.

Zero-party data collection strategies

Directly and transparently collecting data from users with their explicit consent, providing insights into their preferences, interests, and behaviors. Generally, survey tools like SurveyMonkey, TypeForm, etc., are used to collect user insights by asking them to fill out a form.

360-degree customer view

Refers to a comprehensive and unified understanding of a customer's interactions, preferences, and history across various touchpoints and channels. For example, Salesforce Customer 360 allows you to analyze a customer’s journey from start to finish.

1:1 marketing tactics

Includes personalized and individualized marketing strategies that tailor content, messages, and offers to meet each customer's specific needs and preferences.