eMarketing (Email and Mobile) Glossary of Terms
2G (2nd Generation)
This refers to the existing narrowband digital mobile phone systems providing voice and data messaging.
3G (3rd Generation)
High capacity digital mobile phone systems which will offer services such as voice, Internet and real time video, operating on terrestrial and satellite based networks.
Above the fold
This is the visible part of a website through your browser or newsletter (in the preview pane) that is visible without scrolling the page. These particular sections of your web pages are considered more valuable due to their visibility. If you have a newsletter sign up box, ensure your call to action for this is placed above the fold line making it easier for your visitors to opt-in to your newsletter.
A/B Split
This is when your list is divided into two equal parts, each of these split to test different offers on your list to determine which is more effective.
ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)
A commonwealth regulatory body with responsibilities derived from the Trade Practices Act 1974 and other telecommunications-specific legislation, with competition and trade practices responsibilities in relation to the telecommunications industry.
ACE (Australian Communications Exchange)
This refers to the current National Relay Service provider within Australia.
ACIF (Australian Communications Industry Forum)
This was established in May 1997 as a communications industry self-regulatory body. ACIF is responsible for developing industry codes and standards and service specifications.
ACIF (Australian Communications Industry Forum)
This was established in May 1997 as a communications industry self-regulatory body. ACIF is responsible for developing industry codes and standards and service specifications.
ACMA (Australian Communications & Media Authority)
This refers to the commonwealth regulatory authority for all electronic and wireless communications within Australia.
Affirmative Consent
This is an American term used for permission, in other words the recipient of your email is fully aware of the collection and use of their email address. Affirmative consent is a requirement of reputable eMarketing providers; this process is second only to the “double opt-in”.
Air Interface
This is the standard operating system of a wireless network. Air interface technologies include: 3G, AMPS, TDMA, CDMA, WAP and GSM.
AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
The analogue mobile phone service, 80 per cent of the network was closed on 1 January 2000, a further 15 per cent was shut down on 30 June 2000, and the remaining five per cent will be closed on 3 October 2000.
ATIA Australian Telecommunications Industry Association
Australia ’s peak industry association representing local and international companies engaged in the design, development and production of telecommunications products and systems in Australia.
ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
This is a high bandwidth, low-delay, packet-based switching protocol that allows voice, video, text and data to be multiplexed together into a single transmission network with different qualities of service.
ATUG (Australian Telecommunications Users Group)
A not-for-profit, membership-based organisation with Branches across Australia which seeks to represent the communication needs of business users to Government, Parliamentary members, regulators, carriers, service providers and industry suppliers.
Auto Reply
Auto replies automatically inform you of the status of a subscription, confirms details and preferences.
Auto Responder
This is a program, script or online service that automatically sends either a single, or multiple mail timed campaign to the email address that opted in. Common use of auto responders can be seen in automatically generated welcome and customer support emails.
Bandwidth
This is a measurement of the amount if information that can be sent over a network (internal or internet) at a specific time.
Blacklists
These are lists of IP addresses belonging to organisations that have been identified as senders of SPAM. These lists form part of the filtering process and this determines which senders can communicate to their customers.
Broadband
This is a communications technique that uses high frequency transmission over a coaxial cable or optical fibres. It can transmit large amounts of data, voice or video over long distances.
Browser
The software you're currently using to read this Glossary of Terms. The two main browsers for viewing web sites are Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
Browser Detection
The ability for a software program to detect what type of browser a user may be viewing your email or web site in.
Bonded Sender Program
A bonded sender program identifies legitimate email traffic by originators who post a financial bond to insure the integrity of every campaign they undertake. Individuals that feel they have received spam from a bonded sender can to their ISP and a charge is debited from their bond. This is a market based mechanism that ensures their message gets through to the user and avoids the mass filtering that ISP’s undertake that also removes 17% of legitimate mail (false positives) along with a mass of SPAM.
Bounces (Hard & Soft or Temporary & Permanent)
Bounces occur when the email cannot be delivered for one reason of another. These reasons can be split between tow main categories.
Hard/Permanent – This is a failed delivery for a permanent reason such as the email address not actually existing. These should be cleared out regularly and forwarded to your telemarketers or mailing house for recovery (depending on the value of each member on your list)
Soft/Temporary – This is a failed delivery on an email due to a temporary issue along the lines of a an unavailable server or full mailbox. Keep trying and eventually they will get through or become permanent.
Buffering
The initial time you wait, and any interruption to a streamed video. During the buffering period, the server is sending you just enough information to be able to start playing, or restart the video you're viewing.
Call-to-Action
This is term or phrase in your marketing that is tailored to result in a response by the recipient. These can be anything like this “Grow your business now with mail2grow!”
Campaign
A campaign involves a strategic message or set of messages specifically designed to accomplish a particular goal.
Carrier
This refers to a holder of a telecommunications carrier license in force under the Australian Telecommunications Act of 1997.
CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)
This is an access technique for digital wireless communications including mobile phone and satellite services. The technique employs a bandwidth much larger than the original signal. Each signal is uniquely encoded and decoded, and in this way many signals can occupy the same spectrum. This is being phased out in favour of 3G technology.
Challenge Response
This is an email or other electronic message that is automatically sent upon receipt of another electronic message (i.e. Email, SMS) to identify the sender as a trusted resource. If a valid response is received by the sender then their details will added to the list of trusted senders and your message will be passed onto the recipient.
CLI (Calling Line Identification)
This allows the person you are calling to see your mobile number on the screen of their phone, and vice versa.CTR (click through rate)
This represents the total number of specific clicks your newsletter has received on specific links throughout your newsletter. This is often represented as a percentage.
Confirmed Opt-in (Double Opt-in)
This is the height of best practise in email marketing. When you sign up for a newsletter or SMS service you will be asked to confirm that you actually want the service. This is accomplished by either clicking on a link in an email or replying with a specific word to an SMS. Only those following this up will actually be added to the senders list, it does slow sign up but you get a very qualified list as a result.
Content
Your content is defined as the text, graphic and any images that form all of your communications. The opposite of a blank page!
Contextual Link
This is a hyperlink that is incorporated into a line of text that does not take up any space on the page that links and communicates simultaneously.
Conversion Rate
The conversion rate is the total number or percentage of your email recipients that acted on your email or SMS campaign or promotion. This is a distinct measure of how successful your campaign was. Alternatively you could measure conversions at other levels such as calls, purchases, sign ups, appointments, voucher redemptions or any other response you requested within the mail.
Copy
Similar to content but this regards the actual text or written message on your document, email or website.
CPA (or Cost per acquisition)
This is the price of any activity that gains you a customer from writing, design to sending an email campaign that got you say 2000 new customers the price of the campaign was $900 in total. The cost per acquisition (or per customer) was $0.45 cents. Compare that to a flyer drop or print advertising, eMarketing is amazing value for money!
CPM (or Cost per thousand)
With regards to eMarketing specifically the CPM refers to the cost per 1000 names on any particular list. For instance a rental list that costs $180.00 means that each contact costs $0.18 cents.
Database
A database is a collection of information that is stored in an organised way. Being organised means that a program, eMarketing service or search routine can run reports, segment and profile based on the query to provide the specific information you require. Databases tend to be in specific formats but are generally in Excel, Goldmine, ACT, Outlook, Oracle and many others.
Digital
A digital signal is composed of electrical pulses representing either zero or one. Because digital signals are made up only of binary streams, less information is needed to transmit a message. Digital encoding therefore increases the capacity of a given radio frequency. Furthermore, only digitized information can be transported through a noisy channel without degradation. Even if corruption occurs, as long as the one zero pattern is recognizable, the original information content can be perfectly replicated at the receiving end.
DLR (Delivery Receipt)
This is specific to the reporting on an SMS campaign. We use DLRs received from Networks from Australia and the world (where possible) to track the receipt of SMS messages to an individuals handset. This tells us if the message has been received and is invaluable in reporting the effectiveness of a campaign. Network providers are companies such Telstra, Optus, Virgin, 3 etc.
Domain Name
The internet address of your web site, e.g. our domain name is www.firestarter.com.au. If you want a web site you first need to register a domain name. There are certain rules associated with registering domain names and the costs also vary.
Double Opt-in (Confirmed Opt-in)
This is the height of best practise in email marketing. When you sign up for a newsletter or SMS service you will be asked to confirm that you actually want the service. This is accomplished by either clicking on a link in an email or replying with a specific word to an SMS. Only those following this up will actually be added to the senders list, it does slow sign up but you get a very qualified list as a result.
Email Blocking
ISP’s routinely and actively blocks emails that come from suspected spammers, so your ISP will be blocking much of the SPAM before it even gets to you.
Email Campaign
When you construct and send an email to a list of recipients using mail2grow this is defined as an email campaign. You may define a campaign, in a marketing context, as a series of communications designed to illicit a commercial or profitable result.
Email Client
This is a computer programs that can be used to send, receive, categorise and view e-mail either online or offline. Typical email clients are Outlook, Outlook Express, Mail, Eudora, Thunderbird, Lotus Notes and many more.
E-Marketplace
Internet technology can be used to create a virtual, electronic marketplace where buyers and suppliers can interact and transact. This report is concerned with B2B e-marketplaces, also referred to as a B2B electronic exchange.
E-Newsletter Sponsorship or Adverts
This becoming more common with the advent of eMarketing and as such advertising space in newsletters depending on subscriber type or size can be very valuable. Generally and advertising will pay for advertorial, HTML advert or text to be placed.
ESP (Email Service Providers)
ESP’s are companies such as mail2grow that provides an email specific service delivering permission based email to your customers.
E-zine
Another e-abbreviation, the e-zine is an electronic magazine similar to newsletters as above.
False Positive
This is the unfortunate act of legitimate emails being blocked by either ISP’s, Mail servers or by individuals SPAM defence software. It is estimated that in the region of 17% of legitimate emails are erroneously blocked.
Font
A font is a specific style of typeface of a certain size and style. For instance Arial or Times New Roman are different types of fonts.
Form Field
The actual box you type into when filling out one of those online forms - such as the one on our enquiries page.
From/Sender Line
Essentially the From/Sender line consists of two parts.
From Name – i.e. eMarketing Updates from M2G
- From Address – e-updates@mail2grow.com
You recipients may see either one or the other or both depending on their mail client or configuration.
Frequency
This is the number of times which email marketing campaigns are repeated, wither weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly etc.
Footer (Signature Line )
This is your name, position, company, website etc. This is one of the most under utilised forms of email marketing. This is a marketing opportunity, use it to promote a benefit, call to action or even subscription to your newsletter on every email that leaves your business.
How do you think Hotmail got so big so quick? OK they are owned by Microsoft but EVERY email sent from a Hotmail account has something like “Free email, click here” and you know the rest.
GPRS General Packet Radio Service
A packet based data protocol for mobile phones that overlays GSM networks. GPRS differs from standard GSM data services in that it enables faster data rates (up to 115 kbps compared with 9.6 kbps) and enables data to be sent in discrete packets.
GSM Global System for Mobile Communication
This is a digital cellular telecommunications standard used by many countries.
Headline
Just as it means in the newspaper context, this is the top line of your content, the attention grabber and the enticement for you to keep reading. Make it punchy and engage your reader.
HDML- (Handheld Device Markup Language)
A specialized version of HTML designed to enable wireless pagers, cell phones and other handheld devices to obtain information from Web pages. HDML was developed by Phone.com (formerly Unwired Planet) before the WAP specification was standardized. It is a subset of WAP with some features, not included in WAP. AT&T Wireless launched the first HDML-based service in 1996.
Hosting
The place where your web site resides allowing it be accessed via the internet. It is different to an ISP (although they usually offer this service as well) and a monthly fee is charged for this service depending on your requirements, security, traffic etc.
House List
This is a list you have built yourself, not purchased. You can use this incredible resource to market, cross sell, up-sell and gain real relationships with customers over time. Use it wisely and it will reward you.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
This is a mark up language designed for the creation of web pages with hypertext and other information to be displayed in a web browser. HTML is used to structure information, denoting certain text as headings, paragraphs, lists etc. This can be used to describe, to some degree, the appearance and semantics of a document.
HTML's grammar structure is the HTML DTD that was created using SGML syntax.
Originally defined by Tim Berners-Lee and further developed by the IETF, HTML is now an international standard ( ISO/ IEC 15445:2000). Later HTML specifications are maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
HTML E-mail
This is the specific formatting of your email, it is built in the same language that websites are built in and as such can almost be as diverse and flexible in composition. It makes the email more interesting as a result and gets much higher response rates than plain text.
I-mode
This refers to NTT DoCoMo's mobile Internet access, launched in February 1999. I-mode is an alternative to WAP. It offers Internet access and email service. While WAP uses HDML, I-mode relies on Compact HTML (C-HTML). Both languages are a simple version of HTML, for use on mobile phones. Today more than 7000 sites are I-mode compatible and offer a wide range of services over mobile phones: mobile banking, ticket reservation, cartoons downloading, etc.
Instant Win
This is a type of SMS campaign mechanic that allows an entrant to an SMS competition to instantly win upon entry. The engine that drives this picks, at random or based on specific rules winners and automatically sends them information on what they have won and how to claim. Generally used when literally hundred or even thousands of smaller prizes are available.
Internet
The Internet is a worldwide system of computer networks that enables users to remote access information. It is a public facility, based on the TCP/IP standard networking language. The Internet uses a portion of the total resources of existing public telecommunication infrastructure. Businesses can use the Internet to build communications networks and applications that enable them to interact (eg. trade, project manage, send information) efficiently.
ISP (Internet Service Provider)
This is an organisation that arranges access to the internet for you. This could be Bigpond, Optusnet, iiNet and so on.
Landing Page
This is a web page that your subscribers are directed to as the result of clicking on a promotion or directed to after completing a form. It is specific to the content in your email.
Layout
This is the arrangement of content within and email, website or print. It should optimise the layout of your content and allow your reader to easy access to all the information contained and attract their attention. If you are designing an email newsletter template it is essential you keep it easy to use and abide by the 7 – 15 second rule.
Links
These include Images, Graphics, Hyperlinks or Text links when clicked or pasted into a browser send your customer to another online location. Get the most out of your links by making them motivating, highly visible, very clear and compelling.
Load Time
This is the length of time a page loads, this depends on heavy the page is with content such as flash or media streaming etc. Load times should always be kept short to avoid frustration and nice clear “skip” function should always be available.
Long code
A long code is what a standard mobile number is referred to within Australia i.e. 0400 123 456.
M-Commerce
Mobile commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services through wireless handheld devices such as the mobile or cellular telephone and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Known as next-generation e-commerce, m-commerce enables users to access the Internet without needing to find a place to plug in. The emerging technology behind m-commerce is based on the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)
With MMS you can send pictures, sounds and short videos over the mobile phone network.
Mailing List
Your mailing is your specific email list of email addresses that have opted in to receive information form you.
Mechanic
This is a term to describe a method of execution specific to SMS campaigns. The mechanic will cover every aspect of how a user will interact with a campaign and provide a clear path for them to proceed augmented by clear instructions to ensure the campaigns success.
Messaging Gateway
This is a computer system that converts one messaging protocol to another. It provides an interface between two store and forward nodes, or message transfer agents (MTAs).
Modem
A device that converts digital data into analogue data for transmission on narrowband networks such as telephone lines to another modem. The data is then converted back into digital data to be processed by the receiving computer.
Multi-part MIME Email
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) is an Internet standard for the format of email. Virtually all Internet e-mail is transmitted in MIME format.
Navigation
This is the means by which a site visitor or newsletter user can click from page to page on a website.
Nth Sampling
This is when a subset of a list is created on the basis that every ninth person on the list is sent an email. As opposed to random sampling to gauge a trend this is a form of systematic sampling that reveals it own results
Open Rate
Very simply put the open rate reflects how many people have viewed your email, commonly available in eMarketing services along with a suite of other reports.
Opt-in (or Subscribe)
This is the process of electronically agreeing to receive email content from a provider, opting into their communication channel to receive the advertised information such as newsletters, e-zines, promos, event news or anything else offered via email or SMS.
Opt-out (or Unsubscribe)
This is the process of removing yourself from a list. Generally a decent mail service will allow you to add an unsubscribe link to the bottom of every mail (especially since this is part of the SPAM act in Australia) to handle this automatically.
P2P (Peer 2 Peer)
On the Internet, peer-to-peer (P2P) refers to a network that allows a group of computer users that share the same networking program to connect with each other and directly access information from one another's hard drives. The computer users can by-pass portals. Napster and Gnutella are examples of P2P network software. Corporations are looking at P2P technology as a way to reduce costs involved in maintaining a centralised communications server.
Packet
A piece of information that usually belongs to many other pieces of information that makes up a complete file - such as a video.
Permission
The practice of acquiring an authorisation from your contacts to send e-mail messages to them when they have agreed (or asked) to receive them.
Permission-Based E-mail
This is an email that has been sent to your list that have given you permission to communicated with them (opted-in). This is the only way to engage your customers and make legitimate profit from eMarketing.
Personalisation
This is taking the “Dear Friend” out of eMarketing! This is a way of using the personalisation features of mail2grow and really personalising it to engage the recipient and engaging an emotional response to the personalisation. You can use a number of ways to do this, such as include the first name or mention the suburb or state in which they live. This is the tip of the iceberg, if you work on your list you can get many of them to give up even more personal information about their preferences on anything relative to your business. Incentive plays a big part of this as you will need to give to receive.
Phishing (Pronounced “Fishing”)
This is a means for spammers to steal your identity with regards to any online accounts you have with Banks, eBay, MSN, Yahoo, Pay Pal etc. All the images and links may look like they come from the actual provider. This is why it’s called “Phishing” they are fishing for your login, password, credit card numbers, bank account details, secret answer/questions and even your mother maiden name. For more information see http://www.antiphishing.org
Portal
Portal refers to a website that acts a major starting point for users when they want to explore the Internet. There are general portals and specialised or niche portals. Major general portals include Yahoo, Excite, Netscape, Lycos, CNET, Microsoft Network and AOL. This is also referred to as gateway.
Pre-existing Business Relationship
This is defined under the SPAM act specifically, it relates to when you can legitimately send email to people that have not specifically opt-in to receive information.
There are two possible types of consent that may apply:
- the recipient may give their express consent; or under certain circumstances,
- their consent may be inferred from their conduct and ‘existing business or other relationships’
If you have contacts that are older than 18 months old they are probably worth you forgetting about them.
If you have contacts less than 18 months old, send them an email that forms a “request for permission letter” from your service. Ensure that your eMarketing system allows you add merges. You can build your list of these contacts into a spread sheet and add a field like “We met some time ago at” under this field you can then write the specific time and place you met and have that delivered automatically within the email that would look like this. “We met some time ago at the CeBit exhibition in Darling harbour in Sydney”.
Ensure that you make it abundantly clear that you are reviving some older contacts and that they will only be opted-in if they subscribe to the link below. Using this method to qualify and validate older contacts should keep complaints down and your list clean.
Premium SMS
Premium SMS is essentially a micro billing mechanism that allows an operator to provide a service that is opted into by sending an SMS with the right details into the short code number. Once this has been completed users will then be billed anything up to $5 per SMS sent or received (in Australia). The billing is handled by your network provider and deducted from you mobile phone bill.
Privacy Policy
A clear description of a website or company's policy on the use of information collected from and about website visitors and what they do, and do not do, with the data. Your privacy policy builds trust especially among those who opt-in to receive e-mail from you or those who register on your site. If subscribers, prospects and customers know their information is safe with you, they will likely share more information with you making your relationship that much more valuable.
PUK (Personal Unblocking Key)
This is a unique eight digit code specific to your SIM card. This is required when the PIN number is entered incorrectly 3 times on your mobile phone. You are then given 10 attempts to enter your PUK if required. If an incorrect PUK code is entered after the 10th attempt, you will block your SIM card permanently and will require a new SIM card.
Rental List (or Acquisition list)
This is a specifically targeted list of recipients who have given their permission to receive information about certain subjects list. Using these lists you can send targeted messages to specific groups of people. They can be segmented by profession, position, salary, sex or just about any other you can think of. Companies like email cash or pure profile pays their subscribers to view emails from other businesses and then pays them for it.
Good quality permission lists are rented (i.e. you never receive a list of names) and never sold. Don’t be fooled by adverts for ten million names for just $99.
ROI or Return On Investment
A dollar value generally attained as the end result from an investment in a business transaction. For the email marketers out there, it is the total dollar conversion rate divided by the amount invested in a campaign.
Sender ID
Sender ID is an e-mail industry initiative pushed by Microsoft and other industry leaders as a technical solution to help counter spoofing—the No. 1 deceptive practice used by spammers. (See: Spoofing and Phishing)
Send to a Friend (Unique Forwarders)
This is the number of recipients who got your mail and then decided to forward the message to a friend. This is why it is imperative to have a subscribe now link on every email, it ensures that anyone receiving this email can sign to your list and better still you can measure it with mail2grow.
You can even incentivise the sending of these emails, make a competition of it! The best thing is, it will not cost you anything to acquire these customers!
Segmentation
For really effective mail outs, divide your list by demographics, behaviour, position, interest categories or any other info that is particularly relevant to your business. Profiling, Segmenting and Targeting your list with specific communication is the key to successful eMarketing.
Short code
The short code refers to a much shorter number used for SMS campaigns that use shorter and easier to remember number to augment take up in a campaign. These numbers can be short 199 999 or use “number words” to make the process of using them easier and the campaign more effective such 199 TRIBES (199 874237). Short codes are almost always used for premium SMS campaigns.
Signature File (Footer)
This is your name, position, company, website etc. This is one of the most under utilised forms of email marketing. This is a marketing opportunity, use it to promote a benefit, call to action or even subscription to your newsletter on every email that leaves your business.
How do you think Hotmail got so big so quick? OK they are owned by Microsoft but EVERY email sent from a Hotmail account has something like “Free email, click here” and you know the rest.
Single Opt-in
This is the most widely used form of obtaining email addresses and specific permission. When signing up new users, a message should go out automatically informing them that they have been signed up and reiterating how to unsubscribe or change their preferences. Not strictly in that order!
SME Small-to-Medium Sized Enterprises.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines small enterprises as those employing 1-19 people and medium enterprises employing 20-199 people.
SMS- (Short Message Service)
This is referring to the format of short text-messages to and from a mobile phone, fax machine and/or IP address. Messages must be no longer than 160 alphanumeric characters and contain no images or graphics.
Once a message is sent, it is received by a Short Message Service Centre (SMSC), which must then get it to the appropriate mobile device. To do this, the SMSC sends a SMS Request to the home location register (HLR) to find the roaming customer. Once the HLR receives the request, it will respond to the SMSC with the subscriber's metadata: 1) inactive or active 2) where subscriber is roaming. If the response is 'inactive' then the SMSC will hold onto the message for a period of time. When the subscriber accesses the device the HLR sends a SMS notification to the SMSC, and the SMSC will attempt delivery. The SMSC transfers the message in a Short Message Delivery Point-to- Point format to the serving system. The system pages the device, and if it responds, the message gets delivered and receives verification.
SMSC- (Short Message Service Centre)
This refers to the actual hardware device submitting the messages. Currently, SMSC devices support binary formats. A software module called the SMS gateway is used to give instructions to the SMSC. The protocol described in this draft is proposed to provide a standard for service providers to interact with SMS gateways or SMS centres.
Spam or U.C.E (Unsolicited Commercial E-mail)
In the case of Australian specific electronic mail, spam is any electronic mail message that is:
- Transmitted to a large number of recipients; and
- Some or all of those recipients have not explicitly and knowingly requested those messages.
It does not matter what the content of the message is. It can be an advertisement for a commercial product, a solicitation for donations by a charity, or a religious pitch by somebody intent on saving your soul. If it meets the two criteria above, it is spam.
SPAM Act ( Australia)
The Spam Act 2003 is in force as of 10 th April 2004 within Australia. As of that date it is illegal to send even one unsolicited commercial email that meets any one of the categories below.
That is, the message is sent:
- from Australia; or
- by senders who:
- are physically present in Australia; or
- are organisations with central management and control (board meetings) in Australia; or
- to computers in Australia (including the recipient’s personal computer); or
- to recipients who read the message when they:
- are physically present in Australia; or
- are organisations carrying on business in Australia;
There are also requirements for an “opt-out” facility in all commercial email – even if the commercial email was requested.
Note: the maximum daily penalty is $1.1million.for companies, and $220,000 for individuals, and anybody “knowingly concerned” in a violation is liable.
Spoofing
This is the act counterfeiting an email name or header in order to make it appear as though it may have come from a legitimate source. Spammers use spoofing to disguise their identity to avoid the penalties of fraud and contravention of the SPAM act in Australia.
Stream
This term is usually associated with streaming videos. In most cases you are not able to save a streamed video to your local hard drive. Essentially, packets of information are sent on request to your computer in a loop. You will normally wait a short period for the video to start playing (See 'Buffering'). Once started, depending on your connection speed and other variables, the video should play with little interruption.
Subject Line
The short line of type in an email that indicates what the message is about. Your subject line should be short (30 - 40 characters including spaces, or 5-8 words), and it should include a specific benefit that accurately reflects your offer in order to be effective. Federal law prohibits the use of misleading subject lines.
Suppression List (Un-subscription)
This is a list of email addresses and contacts that have requested that they receive no further communication from you. If you use multiple lists, contain them within one service so that all lists are monitored and these are not sent information by mistake as this will cause complaints.
Targeting
This is the process of selecting a target audience or group of individuals likely to be interested in a certain product or service. Targeting is very important for an e-mail marketer because targeted and relevant e-mail campaigns yield a much higher response and fewer unsubscribe requests.
Teaser
This is the exercise of sending message, or part of a message, designed to arouse curiosity and interest and cause the reader to explore further, but without revealing too much detail about the offer being promoted. This allows you to draw them down a specific path and take in more information than they actually realise, allowing you to keep them engaged while they are learning about it. At end of the process you should get a buy or sign up, if it works!
Timing
This is about scheduling your send, with your customer in mind and giving them your message at the opportune time to read or act on it. If you cause an impulse to buy but have to get to a shop then don’t send it at 6 pm when the shops are shut!
Always consider school holidays, seasonal holidays and other events or days of the week and what they are known for. Also consider the variations involved in marketing to a consumer or to a business.
Tracking
Collecting and evaluating the statistics from which one can measure the effectiveness of an email or an email campaign.
Unsubscribe
When the owner of an email address unsubscribes, this indicates that the individual no longer wishes to receive emails from your organization. People can unsubscribe either by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of each email sent through our system, or by replying to the email with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.
Unique Forwarders (send to a friend)
This is the number of recipients who got your mail and then decided to forward the message to a friend. This is why it is imperative to have a subscribe now link on every email, it ensures that anyone receiving this email can sign to your list and better still you can measure it with mail2grow.
You can even incentivise the sending of these emails, make a competition of it! The best thing is, it will not cost you anything to acquire these customers!
Up-Selling / Cross-Selling
This involves presenting customers with an opportunity to purchase products, services or accessories that are related to items in which they have shown an interest or purchased previously.
URL (or Universal Resource Locator)
This relates to a website, page or any other document address or location on the Internet. URLs indicate the location of every file on every computer accessible through the Internet.
Usability
This is the measurement of the level of complexity it takes for a user to complete a specific task. We build sites and complete usability studies on them to ensure they are easy to use and clients get the most out of their sites.
This is your individual attribute, speciality, service standard, technology or process that really makes your business stand out from the rest. This is what makes your business stand out as the best solution to your customers’ problem.
User
This refers to anyone who visits, uses or otherwise has involvement with your website or software. It is also the most common term used by programmers and project managers when documenting websites and software applications.
USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
The USP very clearly answers the question, "Why should I do business with you instead of your competitors?"
The USP may be used repetitively in your marketing literature to build the customer's or client's identification of your company with your product or service.
There are two major benefits in developing the USP. First, it clearly differentiates your business in the eyes of your current and potential customers or clients. Second, it focuses your team on delivering the promise of the USP, helping to improve your internal performance.
Unique Forwarders (send to a friend)
This is the number of recipients who got your mail and then decided to forward the message to a friend. This is why it is imperative to have a subscribe now link on every email, it ensures that anyone receiving this email can sign to your list and better still you can measure it with mail2grow.
You can even incentivise the sending of these emails, make a competition of it! The best thing is, it will not cost you anything to acquire these customers!
Value Proposition
Value propositions demonstrate the reasons why participants should engage in business activities, in this case e-commerce solutions.
Video Tour
This refers to an online video available in either a download or a stream.
Viral Forwards
This is the number of referrals sent using features like “send to a friend”.
Viral Marketing
A type of marketing that is carried out voluntarily by a company's customers. It is often referred to as word-of-mouth advertising. Email and the web have made this type marketing available to just about anyone. You have tools available like "send this page, article or website to a friend" encourage people to refer or recommend your company product, service or a specific offer to others. Do this by providing an entertaining, visual or interactive means of engaging the public.
Viral Responses
The number of recipients, who received the referral from a friend, then opened it and clicked on a link.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
Voice communication transmitted via the Internet, currently companies like Skype are leading the way.
WAP Alert
This refers to a product that enables wireless devices to receive a reroute via text-message to a URL where the user can access more information than can be provided within the character limit of a text-message.
WAP Stack
A set of protocols that covers the whole process of wireless content delivery: From the definition of WML and WML Script for creating the actual layout of the content to the specifications of security measures in the WTLS, and to the lowest parts of the stack dealing with the actual transport of content.
WAP- (Wireless Application Protocol)
This is an open standard for communication between handsets and the Internet. WAP is a wireless communications environment for delivering Web data to wireless terminals with minimal screen display. An initiative started by Unwired Planet, Motorola, Nokia and Ericsson to develop a standard for wireless content delivery on the next generation of mobile communicators.
WAP strips all but graphics for display on small screens, such as mobile phones. A mini-browser is an integral part of WAP enabled phones. WAP enabled phones first appeared in Europe at the end of 1999.
Web browser
A program specifically designed for navigation of the Internet, including the World Wide Web.
White lists (Safe Lists)
White lists are lists of commercial email senders (including ESPs) who have been approved to send mail through the ISP. The ISP requires a list of IP addresses that email will be sent from, and in some cases a test period where the commercial email senders and providers will be either approved or rejected.
WIIFM or "What's In It For Me?"
This is the question on every persons mind when viewing information on your service or product. Make sure you answer it!