Social Media Glossary & Marketing Terms

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0.5 selfie

A 0.5 selfie (pronounced “point‑five selfie”) is a snapshot taken using a smartphone's ultra‑wide (0.5x) back camera.

@

@ me (at me)

“@ me” is a social media shorthand meaning “mention me” or “send your thoughts directly to me.”

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#XYZBCA

#XYZBCA is a popular hashtag on TikTok with no specific meaning, used by creators to boost video visibility.

A

A/B testing

A/B testing is a way to compare two versions of something digital to see which one works better. You might test different social media posts, web pages, or ads. It's like a mini-experiment where you show version A to some people and version B to others.

Access group

An access group is a way to control who can do what within a social media tool or shared workspace.

Accountant

On social media, "accountant" doesn't mean someone who manages finances. It's slang for people who create adult content online.

Ad

An ad in social media is a paid promotional post designed to reach a specific audience. You'll see these ads mixed in with regular content as you scroll through your feed.

Ad set

An ad set is a level within a social media ad campaign where you control how, when, and to whom your ads run.

Ads Manager

Ads Manager is the tool you use to create, manage, and track paid ads on social media platforms—think of it like the command hub for your campaigns.

Advertising

Advertising is when a business pays to show you a message—like a short video, image, or text—designed to grab your attention about a product, service, brand, or idea.

Aesthetic

A social media aesthetic is the consistent use of design elements to shape a brand’s look. Learn why creating a strong visual identity matters.

Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is a performance‑based marketing strategy where you (the affiliate) promote someone else’s product or service using a unique link.

Alerts

Alerts are notifications that pop up when something important happens on social media—like a mention, comment, new follower, or competitor activity.

Algorithm

An algorithm is basically a set of rules—sometimes with fancy math—used by platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X to decide what content shows up in your feed.

Algospeak

Algospeak refers to alternative terms used to bypass social platform algorithms. Learn how creators use algospeak to avoid content censorship.

Alt text

Alt text, or alternative text, is a short description of an image that you add to digital content, like social media posts. It’s there to help people who can’t see the image—like those using screen readers—understand what’s in it.

AMA

AMA stands for "Ask Me Anything." It's a popular Q&A format that started on Reddit and spread to other social media platforms.

API

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is essentially a set of rules that lets different pieces of software talk to one another.

Archiving

Archiving is the process of saving social media posts privately. Explore how it differs from deleting and why it’s a must for content curation.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence, which is just a fancy way of saying computers that are designed to think and learn like humans.

Augmented reality (AR)

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that adds digital content—like images, animations, sounds, or data—to your real-world view.

Avatar

An avatar is your digital “you” online—it’s the image or character that shows up next to your name on social media, forums, chats, and virtual worlds.

Average response time

Average response time is how long it takes a brand to reply to customer messages on social media. It's the average time between when customers send inquiries and when you respond.

B

B/c (because)

"B/c" is a popular shorthand for "because" in social media and text messaging. You'll often see it used to quickly explain reasons or provide context in casual online conversations.

B2B

B2B stands for business-to-business. It simply means one business selling products or services to another business.

B2C

B2C stands for business‑to‑consumer and refers to companies selling products or services directly to everyday people, not other businesses.

BeReal

BeReal is a social media app that encourages users to share unfiltered, authentic moments of their daily lives. Once a day, at a random time, the app sends a simultaneous notification to all users, prompting them to capture and share a photo within a two-minute window.

BFR

BFR stands for “Be For Real.” It’s a friendly, informal shorthand used on social media to express disbelief, surprise, or a call for honesty.

Binge-watching

Binge-watching means that instead of waiting a week for the next episode, you can now watch an entire season in a day if you want.

Bitly

Bitly helps you create compact links for sharing on social media and other platforms, useful for when you need to fit long web addresses into limited character spaces.

Bitmoji

A Bitmoji is your personal emoji – a cartoon version of you. It's a fun way to express yourself on social media and in messages.

Blockchain

Blockchain is a bit like a shared, digital notebook that's stored across many computers instead of just one.

Blocking

Blocking on social media means preventing someone from viewing or interacting with your content. Find out how this feature works across social media platforms.

Blog

A blog is a regularly updated website used to share content or insights. Learn how to start a blog and engage your audience.

Blogger

A blogger is someone who writes and manages a blog—essentially a personal or niche-focused website where they post content like articles, stories, opinions, or advice.

Blue checkmark

A blue checkmark is a symbol used on social media to verify account authenticity. Learn who gets verified and why it matters for your brand.

Bluesky

Similar to X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky is a new decentralized social media platform that gives you more control over your data.

BoardReader

BoardReader is a useful tool for marketers, researchers, and anyone interested in exploring user-generated discussions across the web.

BoFu (bottom of the funnel)

BoFu, or bottom of funnel, is the final stage in your social media marketing funnel. It's where your leads are closest to making a purchase decision.

Boolean search

Boolean search is a game-changer for your social media efforts. When you can refine search with AND, OR, and NOT, you can cut through the noise and find exactly what you're looking for.

Boosted post

A boosted post is a regular social media update—like a photo, video, or status—that you pay to share with more people beyond your followers.

Bots

Social media bots are designed to post content, like and share posts, and even chat with people automatically. These bots can do helpful things, but they can also cause trouble.

Brand

Your brand includes your logo, colors, and the way you talk to your followers. It encompasses how people see and think about you or your business.

Brand advocate

A brand advocate is someone who loves your brand and tells others about it. They're your biggest fans who spread the word without being paid.

Brand ambassador

A brand ambassador is someone who promotes a company or product on social media, often building trust and excitement among their followers.

Brand authenticity

Brand authenticity means your brand comes across as real, genuine, and trustworthy. It’s about being honest and consistent—not just in your messaging, but in how you act, what you say, and what you do.

Brand awareness

Rooted in recognizing a brand's name, logo, or products, brand awareness is how well you know a company's identity.

Brand partnership

Brand partnerships often focus on social media campaigns or product collaborations. It's a way for brands to join forces and create something special together.

Brand persona

Brand persona is about how your brand talks, acts, and connects with people on social media and beyond. Think of it as your brand's character.

Brand reputation

Brand reputation is the sum of what customers, partners, and the public think of you. Your reputation comes from their experiences, opinions, and what they hear about you.

Brand style guide

A brand style guide (also called a brand guide or brand book) is a single—easy‑to‑share handbook that lays out how to present your brand in any form.

Brand voice

Brand voice helps you stand out from the crowd while also ensuring consistency. This way, your social posts, emails, and ads sound like they're all coming from the same place.

Branding

Branding is the process of shaping your company’s identity—how you look, sound and act—so people instantly recognise and connect with you.

Brick and mortar

“Brick and mortar” refers to businesses that operate from a real, physical location—like stores, offices, or restaurants—where people can visit, browse, and make purchases in person

Business objective

A business objective is a specific, measurable target that helps guide a company's strategy. Learn how to align these goals with your social media efforts.

Buyer persona

A buyer persona is a semi‑fictional profile of your ideal customer, built from real data and research—like interviews, surveys, or analytics.

Buyer’s journey

The buyer’s journey is the path someone takes from first recognising they need something to actually choosing and buying it.

C

CAC (customer acquisition cost)

CAC stands for Customer Acquisition Cost. In plain terms, it’s how much you spend—on ads, tools, teams, and more—to bring in one new customer.

Call center

A call center is a dedicated team (either in one place or remote) that handles a high volume of voice calls—both incoming and outgoing—for customer support, sales, or other services.

Call to action (CTA)

A call to action (CTA) is a prompt that encourages you to take a specific action on social media. It's a key part of posts and ads, designed to get you to engage.

Canva

Canva is a user-friendly graphic design platform that helps you create stunning visuals for social media.

CapCut

Made by ByteDance, the same folks behind TikTok, CapCut is a user-friendly tool lets you edit videos on your phone or computer with ease.

Caption

A caption is the text you write alongside a photo, video, Reel, or any visual content on social media.

Carousel

A carousel post is a social media format that lets you share multiple photos or videos in one post. You can swipe or click through each slide to see more content.

Carousel ads

Carousel ads let you present multiple visuals in a single ad. Learn how brands use them to capture attention and drive conversions effectively.

Cashtag

A cashtag is simply a dollar sign ($) placed in front of a stock or cryptocurrency ticker—like $AAPL for Apple or $BTC for Bitcoin.

Celebrity influencer

A celebrity influencer is someone famous, with millions of followers, who uses their popularity on social media to sway people's choices.

CEO

A CEO is the top dog in a company. You'll find them making big decisions and steering the ship. They're in charge of setting goals, managing operations, and keeping the business on track.

CFBR

CFBR stands for Commenting for Better Reach. It’s an engagement tactic used on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, where creators or professionals encourage others to drop a comment—often just "CFBR"—to help boost a post's visibility thanks to how social media algorithms work

Channel Art

Channel art is the banner image at the top of your YouTube channel. It's a key branding tool that makes a first impression on viewers.

Channel trailer

A channel trailer is a short video on YouTube that welcomes new visitors to your channel.

Character limit

A character limit is the maximum number of letters, numbers, symbols, and spaces you’re allowed in a single social media post or element.

Chat

Chat—also known as messaging or private messaging—is the practice of real-time text-based conversation between two or more people on social media or messaging apps.

Chatbot

A chatbot is a software program that simulates conversations with users on social media platforms like Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a type of AI chatbot built by OpenAI that chats with you in natural, human‑like language. Its name stands for “Chat Generative Pre‑trained Transformer.”

Check-in

A check-in is a social media feature that lets you share your current location with your followers. It's a way to tell people where you are and what you're up to.

Chronically online

Being chronically online describes people who spend too much time on the internet. It's a state where you're always connected, shaping how you think and act.

Churn rate

Churn rate is the percentage of users who stop using your product or service during a specific period. For social media platforms, this could mean people deleting their accounts or becoming inactive.

Clapback

A clapback is a sharp, often witty reply someone delivers in response to criticism or a negative comment—especially on social media.

Click-through rate (CTR)

CTR, short for click-through rate, helps you measure audience engagement.

Clickbait

Clickbait refers to misleading content designed to get clicks. Learn how it works, its impact on brand trust, and how to avoid it.

Close Friends

Close friends is like having a VIP list for your Instagram content. You can add or remove friends from this private list whenever you want.

Clout

Clout is your social media influence and power. It's how much sway you have online. People with clout can shape trends and opinions.

Co-marketing

Co‑marketing is when two (or more) brands team up to promote each other’s products, services, or content.

Coded

“Coded” is a bit of slang you’ll spot on platforms like TikTok, Twitter (X), and Instagram. It’s used when someone or something gives off vibes—traits, styles, or characteristics—that remind you of a particular character, stereotype, or aesthetic.

Collective intelligence

Collective intelligence is the shared or group intelligence that emerges when many people collaborate, share knowledge, and sometimes even compete to solve problems or make decisions together.

Command center

In social media, a command center (aka “social media command center” or “war room”) is your hub for keeping an eye on conversations happening online, in real time.

Comment

A comment is a public reply or message someone leaves on your social media post—whether it’s text, an emoji, question, praise, feedback, or even disagreement.

Community management

Community management builds relationships in online communities. Learn how it fosters loyalty and helps brands manage online interactions effectively.

Community manager

A community manager is the person who builds and looks after a brand’s online community. They’re the friendly face or voice connecting people to your brand.

Company profile

A company profile is a snapshot that tells people who you are, what you do and why you matter—think of it as your business’s elevator pitch in written form.

Connection

A connection is someone you (or your brand) are linked with on social media—like a friend, follower, or professional contact within that platform’s network.

Consumer intelligence

Consumer intelligence refers to the process of gathering and analyzing real‑world data about consumers to give businesses meaningful insights into their behaviors, needs, and opinions.

Content

Content refers to any online item you share—social media posts, videos, images, blogs, or podcasts—created by brands or individuals to connect, engage, and inform audiences.

Content calendar

A content calendar is a schedule that maps out when and what you’ll post on social media. It’s like a roadmap for your online presence, detailing the date, time, platform, and specifics—like captions, images, or hashtags—for each piece of content.

Content creator

Content creators make digital content to inform, entertain, and inspire. Curious about their impact and how they build personal brands? Read on.

Content curation

Content curation is the process of finding, organizing, and sharing valuable content from different sources to engage your target audience.

Content marketing

Content marketing is a strategy you can use to connect with your audience online. It's all about creating and sharing valuable content that your target audience will find useful or interesting.

Content moderation

Content moderation is the process of keeping an eye on what people post online—like comments, images, videos—and making sure it follows platform rules and legal standards.

Content pillars

Content pillars are the core themes or main topic areas around which you build your social media content strategy.

Conversational AI

Conversational AI refers to technology—like chatbots or virtual assistants—that lets computers chat with people using natural language, either through text or voice.

Conversational commerce

Conversational commerce is when shopping happens through a conversation—like texting a chatbot on WhatsApp or chatting with a brand’s virtual assistant.

Conversion rate

Conversion rate is the percentage of users who take a desired action after engaging with your social media content or marketing campaigns.

Conversion tracking

Conversion tracking is a way to see what happens after someone interacts with your social media content or ads.

Cost per click (CPC)

Cost Per Click (CPC) is the amount you pay each time someone clicks on one of your ads.

Cost per lead (CPL)

Cost per lead (CPL) is a key metric in social media marketing. It tells you how much you're spending to get each new potential customer. To figure out your CPL, just divide your total ad spend by the number of leads you got.

Cost per mille (CPM)

CPM stands for Cost Per Mille, literally meaning cost per thousand impressions. It tells you how much you pay every time your ad is shown 1,000 times.

Cover photo

A cover photo is the large banner image at the top of a social media profile. It’s crucial for branding and first impressions—find out how to make yours stand out.

Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that gives creators free licenses to share their work with the world.

Creator economy

The creator economy is a new way for people like you to make money online. It's all about creating content on social media platforms and getting paid for it.

Creator marketplace

A creator marketplace is an online platform that connects brands and content creators in one place.

Cringe

“Cringe” is internet slang for a feeling of second‑hand embarrassment—you watch something awkward, over‑the‑top, or out‑of‑touch, and you literally want to look away.

Crisis management

Crisis management is how you handle unexpected events or situations that threaten your brand’s reputation—especially on social media.

Crispy Rs

Crispy Rs are a standout way some people pronounce the letter "R," giving it a sharp, curled, and slightly stretched sound—like saying "car" with extra flair on the R.

Cross-channel marketing

Cross‑channel marketing is using several communication channels—like email, social media, SMS, mobile apps, even in‑store messaging—together, not separately.

Cross-posting

Cross-posting is a social media strategy that lets you share the same content across multiple platforms. It’s a time-saving trick that helps you reach more people without extra work.

Cross-promotion

Cross-promotion is when two or more brands, creators, or social media profiles help each other out by promoting one another to their audiences.

Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing is when you tap into a large group of people—often online—to help with tasks, share ideas, create content, or solve problems.

CSAT

CSAT stands for Customer Satisfaction Score—a quick, easy way to measure how happy customers are with a specific interaction, product, or service.

Customer advocacy

Customer advocacy is when a company makes choices that genuinely help its customers—even if it doesn’t maximize short‑term profit.

Customer reviews

Customer reviews are feedback you get from people who've used your product or service. They often include star ratings and comments about their experience.

D

Dark post

A dark post is a targeted social media ad that doesn't appear on your public feed. Find out how marketers use them to run effective, discreet campaigns.

Dark social

Dark social refers to the sharing of content through private, untraceable channels. It happens when you send links via messaging apps, email, or direct messages on social media.

Dashboard

A dashboard is essential for tracking metrics and optimizing social media campaigns. See how it boosts engagement and simplifies management.

Data visualization

Data visualization turns numbers into pictures. It's a way to show social media information using charts and graphs. You can see things like follower growth or post likes at a glance.

Deep linking

Deep linking directs you to specific content within an app instead of just the main screen. It's like a shortcut that takes you right where you want to go.

Deinfluencing

Deinfluencing is a social media trend that flips traditional influencer marketing on its head. Instead of promoting products, deinfluencers tell you what not to buy.

Demand generation

Demand generation (or “demand gen”) is a marketing strategy that builds awareness and interest in your product or service well before someone is ready to buy.

Demographics

Demographics are the key traits that describe a group of people. They include things like age, gender, income, and location.

Digg

Digg is a social news website where you can find and share interesting content from across the internet. It lets you submit links to articles, videos, and other web pages.

Direct message (DM)

A private way to chat on social media. You can send DMs to other users without anyone else seeing them.

Direct response marketing

Direct response marketing is a marketing strategy that encourages someone to take action immediately—like clicking a link, signing up, calling, or buying—right away.

Disappearing content

Disappearing content, also known as ephemeral content, is social media posts that vanish after a set time. You've probably seen this on platforms like Instagram Stories, Snapchat, and Facebook Stories. These posts typically last for 24 hours before they're gone for good.

Discord

Discord is an instant messaging and VoIP (voice over internet protocol) platform that lets users chat in real time.

Discover (or Snapchat Discover)

Snapchat Discover is a feature that brings fresh content to your fingertips. It's a curated feed where you can explore stories from top publishers, brands, and influencers.

Discovery call

A discovery call is a two-way conversation between you and a potential client or customer. It's your first chance to learn about their needs and challenges.

Disqus

Disqus is a popular comment platform that lets you engage in discussions on websites and blogs. It's easy to use and works with many sites you visit.

Doomscrolling

Doomscrolling is when you can't stop scrolling through bad news on social media. It's the habit of constantly looking at upsetting posts or articles on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or news sites

Double Tap

A double tap refers to quickly tapping twice on a social‑media post (usually an image or video) to show you like or appreciate it.

Doxxing

Doxxing (also spelled “doxing”) is when someone publicly shares your personal info—like your full name, address, phone number, or workplace.

Drag & drop

Drag & drop is a handy feature you've likely used in social media apps without even realizing it. It lets you move digital items around to a new spot.

Duet

A duet on TikTok is a feature that lets you create a split-screen video alongside another user's content. You can react to, harmonize with, or build on someone else's video in real-time.

E

E-commerce chatbot

An e-commerce chatbot is your AI-powered assistant for online shopping. It's a smart program that talks to customers on your website or social media platforms.

E-commerce marketing

E-commerce marketing is how you promote and sell products on your online store. It's all about using digital channels to attract customers and boost sales, using tactics like social media, email, and search engine optimization (SEO) to reach shoppers.

Earned media value (EMV)

Earned media value (EMV) is a marketing metric that puts a dollar figure on your brand's non-paid exposure. It includes social media mentions, shares, likes, press coverage, and other free publicity.

Ecommerce

Ecommerce—short for electronic commerce—is all about buying and selling goods or services online.

EdgeRank

EdgeRank was Facebook's original algorithm designed to determine the placement and visibility of posts in a user's News Feed.

Embed

An embed lets you display digital content from another source on your own site. You can add things like social media posts, videos, or images to your blog or webpage using a short code snippet. This means your visitors can see and interact with the content right there, without leaving your site.

Emoji

Emojis are the little icons—like 😂, 💡 or 👑—you pepper into texts, social posts, or messages to show emotion, ideas, or attitudes quickly.

Employee advocacy

Employee advocacy is when you share and promote your company on your personal social media accounts. It's a way to spread the word about your workplace using your own voice and connections.

Engagement rate

Engagement rate measures how much your audience interacts with your social media content. It's a key metric to gauge your online performance.

Ephemeral content

Ephemeral content is social media content that only sticks around for a short time—typically up to 24 hours—before disappearing.

Era

An era on social media is a way to describe your current interests or priorities. It's become a popular trend, especially on TikTok. When you're in your "villain era," you might be feeling a bit mischievous or rebellious.

Events

Social media events are online gatherings that happen on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. They include live streams, webinars, and virtual meetups. These events help brands connect with their audience and build community.

Evergreen content

Evergreen content is material that stays fresh and relevant long after it's published. Like evergreen trees that keep their leaves year-round, this type of content remains useful and interesting to readers over time.

Everything app

An everything app is a single mobile application that combines many different services. You can think of it as a digital Swiss Army knife. These apps let you do things like message friends, post on social media, pay bills, and shop online all in one place.

Explore Page

The Explore page is a key feature on Instagram. It's a personalized feed that shows you content you might like. You can find it by tapping the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the app.

Extra

"Extra" on social media describes someone who's over-the-top or dramatic. You might use it when a friend posts ten selfies from slightly different angles or writes a long rant about cold fries.

F

F2F or P2P

F2F and P2P are common terms in social media and digital communication. F2F stands for "face-to-face," while P2P means "person-to-person." These acronyms highlight direct, in-person interactions between individuals.

Facebook (FB)

Facebook is a social networking platform where you can connect with friends, family, and communities.

Facebook Instant Experiences

Facebook Instant Experience is a full-screen, mobile-focused ad format on Facebook and Instagram.

Fan

A fan is someone who’s genuinely into something—a person, brand, hobby, athlete, show, or even a topic.

Fan girl

A fan girl is you if you're super passionate about celebrities, TV shows, or fictional characters. You're likely a young woman who's really into pop culture. On social media, you might follow your faves, share fan art, or join fan communities.

Fandom

Fandom is a vibrant community of fans who share a deep love for specific movies, TV shows, books, or celebrities. You'll find passionate groups dedicated to Marvel superheroes, K-pop bands, and Harry Potter wizards.

Fans

Fans on social media are people who actively follow and engage with your brand or content. Facebook first used this term, but it now applies across platforms. You'll find fans liking, commenting, and sharing your posts regularly.

Featured banner

A featured banner is a prominent graphic, usually sitting at the top of a social media profile or page, designed to highlight specific content.

Fediverse

The fediverse is a network of social platforms that work together. It's like many different social media sites talking to each other. You can make friends and share posts across these sites.

Feed

A feed is your main content stream on social media platforms. It's where you see posts, videos, and ads from accounts you follow. Feeds update in real-time, showing the latest content.

Feels

"Feels" is social media slang for intense emotions or feelings. It's a shorter way to say "feelings" that you'll often see in comments or captions. When you come across a post that gives you strong emotions, you might say it "hit you in the feels."

Filter

A filter is a digital effect you can add to your photo or video before you post it on social media.

Finsta

A finsta is a secret Instagram account you create to share more personal content with a small group of close friends. It's short for "fake Instagram."

Fire

On social media, "fire" is slang for something really cool or awesome. When you see people calling a new song or outfit "fire," they mean it's super impressive. You might spot the fire emoji 🔥 used the same way.

Flickr

Flickr is a photo-sharing platform and social network launched in 2004. It's designed for photographers and creative pros like you. You can upload, edit, and share your photos and videos with a global community.

Focus groups

A focus group is a small, guided discussion—usually 6 to 10 people—run by a trained moderator.

Follower

A follower is someone who opts in to receive your social media content—posts, updates, stories, whatever you share—straight to their feed.

Following activity feed

A Following activity feed is a stream of updates from the accounts, pages or groups you’ve chosen to follow on social media.

FOMO (fear of missing out)

FOMO stands for Fear of Missing Out. It’s that uneasy feeling you get when you think others are experiencing something awesome—an event, a trend, a conversation—and you’re not part of it.

Forum

A forum is an online discussion platform where people post questions, share ideas, and reply to each other in organized threads.

FR (for real)

FR stands for "for real" in social media lingo. You'll often see it used to express sincerity or agreement in online chats and posts. When someone says "FR," they're emphasizing that they're being truthful or genuine.

Frequency

In social media and digital advertising, frequency refers to the average number of times each person in your target audience sees your content—in a campaign, post, or ad—over a specific period.

Friction

Friction in social media is anything that makes it hard for you to use a platform or take action. It's like a roadblock that slows you down or stops you from doing what you want.

FYP (For You Page)

It's a personalized content feed you'll find on popular social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

G

Gatekeeping

Gatekeeping is when you control who gets access to something. It's like being a bouncer at a club, deciding who can come in. On social media, you might see gatekeeping in fan communities or niche groups.

Gen X

Gen X (short for Generation X) refers to people born roughly between 1965 and 1980. They’re the generation after Baby Boomers and before Millennials.

Gen Y

Gen Y, also known as Millennials, refers to the generation born between the early 1980s and the mid‑1990s (typically 1981–1996).

Gen Z

Gen Z, short for Generation Z, refers to people born roughly between 1997 and 2012.

Geotag

A geotag is a piece of geographical data added to your digital content. It's like a virtual stamp that shows where you took a photo, made a post, or shared a video.

Geotargeting

Geotargeting is a smart way to reach people based on where they are. It's all about showing ads or content to users in specific places.

Ghosting

Ghosting is when you suddenly stop all communication with someone on social media without any explanation. It's like vanishing into thin air, leaving the other person wondering what happened.

GIF

A GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is a digital image file you'll often see on social media. It's a compact format that can show both still pictures and short, looping animations without sound.

Girlie

“Girlie” is a playful slang term used on social media to refer to girls or women—sometimes extended to anyone embracing a fun, feminine vibe.

Giveaway

A giveaway is a marketing strategy where you offer free products or services to your social media followers. It's a way to boost engagement and grow your audience. You'll often see brands or influencers running giveaways on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Go live

“Go live” simply means starting a live video broadcast on social media. Instead of uploading a pre-recorded video, you hit “Go Live” to stream video and audio in real time.

GOAT

GOAT stands for "Greatest of All Time." You'll often see this acronym used on social media to praise exceptional people in their fields. It's most common in sports, but you'll also spot it for musicians and other celebrities.

Google Ads

Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords) is Google's advertising platform that lets you pay to have your ads shown on Google Search, YouTube, Maps, and more.

Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile is a free tool that helps you manage your business's online presence on Google Search and Maps.

Gram

“Gram” is a popular shorthand for Instagram in social media lingo. It's a quick and casual way to refer to the photo-sharing platform.

Grid

In social media, a grid organizes your profile’s posts into a visually pleasing format. Find out which grid layouts can best represent your brand’s style.

Groups

Social media groups are online communities where you can connect with others who share your interests. You'll find them on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Reddit.

GRWM

GRWM stands for “Get Ready With Me”, a popular trend on social media where creators walk you through their routines.

GUI (graphical user interface)

A graphical user interface (GUI) is a user-friendly way to interact with your devices and apps. Instead of typing commands, you use visual elements like icons, buttons, and menus.

H

Hashtag

A hashtag is a word or phrase prefixed by the hash symbol (#), used to tag and organize content on social media platforms.

Header image

A header image is the large visual banner sitting at the top of your social media profile.

Highkey

Highkey is a slang term you might see on social media. It's the opposite of lowkey. When you use highkey, you're expressing strong, open enthusiasm or emphasis.

Home feed

A home feed is the main page you see when you open a social media app. It's a personalized stream of content tailored just for you.

hoo.be

hoo.be is an invite‑only link‑in‑bio tool designed for creators, influencers, celebrities and brands to build a mini web‑page that showcases their content, social links, media, merch, tips and more.

Houseparty

Houseparty was a popular video chat app that let you and your friends hang out virtually. Launched in 2016, it created digital "rooms" for casual group video calls with up to 8 people.

I

I can’t even

“I can’t even” is slang for being so overwhelmed—whether by shock, frustration, joy, or disbelief—that you can’t finish your sentence.

I was today years old

"I was today years old" is a fun way to say you just learned something new. It's used when you discover a fact that seems like common knowledge. You might use this phrase on social media when sharing a surprising realization.

IB (inspired by)

IB" stands for "inspired by" on social media platforms like TikTok. You'll often see it in captions or comments when creators want to credit their source of inspiration.

ICYMI (in case you missed it)

ICYMI stands for "in case you missed it." You've probably seen this acronym on social media or in digital conversations.

IDGI

IDGI stands for "I don't get it." You'll often see this acronym on social media when someone's confused or needs clarification. It's a quick way to say you're not understanding a post, joke, or comment.

Image & video recognition

Image & video recognition uses AI to understand visual content. It’s like giving computers eyes to see what’s in a picture or video.

IMHO

IMHO stands for "in my humble opinion" or "in my honest opinion." You'll often see this acronym used in online conversations, social media posts, and text messages.

IMO

IMO stands for “in my opinion.” It’s a shorthand people use in texts, comments, or social media posts to flag that what they’re saying is a personal viewpoint—not a hard fact.

Impressions

Impressions are a key social media metric. They show how often your content appears on users' screens.

Inbound link

An inbound link—often called a backlink—is simply a hyperlink from another website pointing to yours.

Inbound marketing

Inbound marketing is a way to attract people to your business by offering helpful, interesting content rather than interrupting them with ads or cold messages.

Influencer

An influencer is someone who can shape your opinions and decisions on social media. They're active on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is a strategy where brands team up with people who have a social media audience and a trusted voice in their niche.

Infographic

An infographic (short for “information graphic”) is a visual tool that combines images, icons, charts, or diagrams with just a bit of text to explain something quickly and clearly.

Instagram

Instagram is a free social media app owned by Meta that lets you share photos, short-form videos, and messages with others.

Instagram captions

Instagram captions are the text descriptions accompanying your photos or videos on Instagram. They can be up to 2,200 characters long and are used to provide context, tell a story, or express emotions. Captions can include emojis, hashtags, and mentions to enhance engagement and expand your content’s reach.

Instagram comment

An Instagram comment is a response you leave on someone's post. It's a way to share your thoughts, ask questions, or chat with others about the content.

Instagram highlight covers

Instagram highlight covers are custom icons for stories. Add personality to your profile with unique designs. Learn how to use them for branding.

Instagram Notes

Instagram Notes are short text updates you can share with your followers. They appear at the top of your Direct Messages inbox.

Instagram Pod

An Instagram pod is a group of users who work together to boost each other's posts. You join a pod with other Instagram accounts in your niche.

Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels are short-form video features that allows users to create videos up to 90 seconds with music and effects.

Instagram Shops

Instagram Shops is a feature that lets businesses sell products directly on the app. It's like having a virtual store right on Instagram.

Instant messaging (IM)

Instant messaging (IM) is a real-time communication tool that allows users to send and receive text messages, multimedia, or files over the internet via apps or social platforms.

ION (in other news)

ION is an internet acronym that stands for “In Other News.” You’ll often spot it on social media or in chats when someone wants to shift gears and bring up something new or unrelated to the current topic.

IRL

IRL stands for "In Real Life." It’s a handy acronym people use to talk about things happening in the physical world.

ISO (in search of)

ISO stands for "in search of" on social media platforms. You'll often see it in posts when someone's looking for something specific.

It’s giving

“It’s giving” is a social media slang phrase used to say that something gives off a specific vibe or feeling—almost like shorthand for “this reminds me of…” or “this feels like…”.

IYKYK

IYKYK stands for “If You Know, You Know.” It’s a shorthand used on social media, texting, or captions to hint at something you only get if you're already in on it.

J

JOMO (joy of missing out)

JOMO stands for Joy of Missing Out. It’s the happy, uncomplicated feeling you get when you choose to skip out on something—not because you can’t, but because you’d rather do something else that feeds you.

JPG

A JPG (or JPEG) is a popular image format you'll often see on social media. It stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the team that created it.

K

Karen

“Karen” is internet slang for a stereotype: typically a middle-aged white woman acting entitled or demanding—think asking to “speak to the manager.”

Key performance indicator (KPI)

A KPI in social media is a measurable value that shows how well you're meeting your goals. It helps you track progress and make smart choices for your social media strategy.

Keywords

Keywords in social media are words or phrases that make your content easy to find and relevant to the right people.

Kik

Kik is a free instant messaging app that launched in 2010. What sets it apart is its focus on username‑based chatting, so you don’t need a phone number—instead you chat with people via unique usernames.

L

L (loss)

“L” is shorthand for “loss.” It’s internet slang people use when something doesn’t go their way—think defeat, failure, or a flat-out flop.

Landing page

A landing page is a single, focused web page people “land” on after clicking a link—like in an ad, social post, email, or search result. It’s built with one clear purpose: to get you to do something specific—like sign up, download, or buy—without distractions.

Lead

A lead is someone who’s shown interest in your brand—whether by giving you their email, clicking your ad, following you on social media, or downloading something you offered.

Lead generation

Lead generation is all about starting conversations with people who might want what you’re offering—and turning that interest into real connections.

Lead magnet

A lead magnet is a freebie—like a guide, checklist, quiz or template—that you offer someone in return for their contact info, such as their email.

Like

A "like" is a quick way to show you enjoy or agree with content on social media. It's a simple click that lets you interact without typing a comment.

Like farm

A like farm is a method used on social media to artificially boost engagement by using fake accounts or bots.

Link building

Link building is the process of earning hyperlinks (called backlinks) from other websites that point back to your own.

Link in bio

'Link in bio' refers to the clickable URL you can add to your social media profile. It's a way to share important content with your followers.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional social media platform created to help people build their careers and business connections in one place.

LinkedIn Pulse

LinkedIn Pulse is LinkedIn’s built-in platform for publishing and discovering long-form content—articles, industry insights, and news—directly on the LinkedIn feed.

LinkedIn Recommendation

LinkedIn recommendations are personalized, written testimonials—think mini‑reference letters—from your professional connections.

LinkedInfluencer

A LinkedInfluencer is a thought leader on LinkedIn who shares valuable professional content and sparks real conversations.

Listicle

A listicle is a type of article that organizes information into a list—think numbered or bulleted points that make content easy to read and share.

Live streaming

Live streaming is broadcasting video in real time over the internet. It's like sharing a live video chat with many people at once. You can watch live streams on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

LMR

LMR stands for “Like My Recent.” It’s a shorthand people use on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat—and really any platform—to give a friendly nudge to their followers.

Locket

Locket is a fun photo-sharing app that puts your friends' pics right on your home screen. You'll add contacts from your phone, then snap and send photos through the app. Your pics appear instantly in a widget on your friends' screens.

Logo

A logo is a key part of your online identity, helping people recognize you at a glance. On platforms like Facebook and Twitter, your logo often serves as your profile picture.

Lookalike audience

A lookalike audience is a group of new people who share traits—like interests, behaviors, demographics—with your existing audience or customers.

Loop

When you watch a looping video, it starts again as soon as it ends. You'll see loops on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Lurker

A lurker is someone who follows social media feeds or joins online communities but doesn’t actively engage—no likes, comments, shares, or replies.

M

Machine learning

Machine learning is a way of teaching computers how to learn from data without being explicitly programmed.

Macro influencer

A macro influencer is a social media star with a big following—typically between 100,000 and 1,000,000 followers—on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.

Market research

Market research is the process of gathering and understanding information about people—your potential customers—and the products or services they’re interested in.

Marketing automation

Marketing automation refers to tools and software that handle repetitive marketing tasks for you.

Marketing funnel

A marketing funnel is a way to visualize the journey people take from first noticing your brand to becoming loyal customers.

Marketing proposal

A marketing proposal outlines strategies for client success. Find out how to craft one that wins business.

Mashup

A mashup is a creative mix of content pulled from two or more sources—like images, text, audio, video, or data—then blended into something fresh and new.

Mastodon

With Mastodon, users can post short messages, share photos, and follow other users, just like on Twitter. But Mastodon gives people more control over their experience.

Media kit

A media kit is a professional calling card for creators or brands. These kits often include key stats like follower counts, engagement rates, and audience demographics.

Mega influencer

A mega influencer is someone on social media with a massive following—typically 1 million or more followers across platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or X (formerly Twitter).

Meme

A meme is digital content, often humorous, that spreads rapidly online. Discover how memes shape culture and social media trends.

Mention

A mention in social media is when you reference or tag someone—another person, brand, or topic—directly in your post. Most platforms use the “@” symbol followed by a username.

Messenger

Messenger is a messaging app created by Meta (formerly Facebook). It's a standalone app that lets you chat with friends, family, and businesses.

Metaverse

The metaverse is a 3D virtual world where you interact with others through avatars—digital “you” characters—and navigate shared environments in real time.

Metric

Metrics measure how well your social media content performs. Find out how tracking the right metrics can improve strategy and boost ROI.

Micro-influencer

A micro-influencer is a social media user with a following typically ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 followers.

Microblogging

Microblogging is simply where you share short, snappy updates online—think status posts, short messages, or micro‑posts.

Mid-roll

A mid‑roll ad is a commercial that plays in the middle of a video or audio clip—like a mini ad break when you’re watching a longer video or listening to a podcast.

Milkshake app

With Milkshake, you can build a simple website in minutes, no design skills needed. You'll be able to share more about yourself, your brand, or your work beyond just one link.

Millennial pause

The millennial pause stems from older video recording habits. You might notice it when a millennial creator takes a moment to ensure their video is actually recording before they start talking.

Monetization

Monetization is the process of turning your social media presence into a way to earn money.

Moots

When you and another user follow each other, you become "moots." This implies a two-way connection and often suggests a friendly online relationship.

MT (modified tweet)

When you see MT, you know the tweet isn't an exact copy. It's polite to use MT if you've changed someone's words. This helps avoid confusion and shows respect for the original tweeter.

Multi-channel attribution

Multi-channel attribution is the process of analyzing and assigning credit to various marketing channels that contribute to a conversion, such as a purchase or sign-up.

Multilingual sentiment analysis

Multilingual sentiment analysis is a process that uses AI and machine learning to figure out if social media posts, comments, or reviews are positive, negative, or neutral.

Mute

Mute is a handy feature that lets you hide posts from specific accounts without unfollowing them. When you mute an account, you'll still follow them but won't see their content.

N

Named entity recognition (NER)

NER (Named Entity Recognition) is an AI‑powered NLP method that scans text like comments or posts to detect and classify proper names.

Nano-influencer

Nano-influencers have small, engaged audiences that trust their content. See why they’re essential for authentic brand partnerships.

Native advertising

Native advertising is a type of paid content that’s designed to blend seamlessly with the platform you're using—whether that’s your social feed, article page, or search results.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a field of artificial intelligence that enables computers to understand, interpret, and even generate human language.

Net promoter score (NPS)

NPS stands for Net Promoter Score, a simple way to see how loyal and satisfied your customers are.

Newsfeed

A newsfeed is your go‑to place on social media where updates from the people, pages, or topics you follow pop up in a single, scrollable stream.

Newsjacking

Newsjacking is a strategy where you use trending news stories to boost your brand's visibility. It's about jumping on hot topics and adding your own twist.

Newsletter

A newsletter is a regular email or digital update sent to people who’ve chosen to receive it. It usually shows up in someone’s inbox and keeps them in the loop on a brand, topic, or community.

Niche

A niche is a specific segment of a larger market that you focus on with your social media content or products. It's a group of people who share common interests, needs, or characteristics.

Niche marketing

Niche marketing is when you focus your efforts on a small, specific group of people—rather than trying to please everyone.

Non-fungible token (NFT)

A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital asset secured by blockchain. Learn why NFTs are revolutionizing art and collectibles.

noplace

A new social media app that launched in 2024, noplace keeps things simple with text-only posts. No photos or videos here!

Nostalgia marketing

Nostalgia marketing is a strategy that uses familiar elements from the past to connect with you emotionally. It’s all about...

Not me

When you see someone post "Not me doing [something embarrassing]", they're actually admitting to doing that thing. It's used to express agreement, surprise, or self-deprecating humor.

Notification

A notification is a friendly alert a social media platform sends you when something relevant happens—like someone liking your post, mentioning you, or sending a message.

NPC

On social media, calling someone an NPC means they act like a scripted character: predictable, unoriginal, and not really thinking for themselves.

O

Omnichannel

Omnichannel is a strategy where a brand brings together all the ways you can engage—online, in-store, social media, mobile apps—and makes them feel like one smooth experience.

On-page SEO

On‑page SEO (sometimes spelled “on‑site SEO”) is all about making each webpage better so both people and search engines understand what it’s about.

OOMF

“OOMF” is shorthand for “one of my followers” or sometimes “one of my friends” on social media.

OP (original poster)

OP is a shorthand you’ll often see in internet conversations—it stands for Original Poster, meaning the person who started a thread or post.

Open Graph

Open Graph is a protocol created by Facebook to make web content more shareable on social media.

Opp (opponent or opposition)

“Opp” is slang for “opponent” or “opposition”—basically, someone who's against you or on the other side.

Organic marketing

Organic marketing refers to the strategies you use to promote your brand or content without paying for ads.

Organic reach

Organic reach is the number of unique users who see your content on social media without paid promotion. It's different from paid reach, which involves spending money to boost your posts.

Organic search

Organic search is how people find your website naturally—without clicking on ads. It’s the list of unpaid results that search engines like Google or Bing show because their algorithm thinks they’re the most relevant.

Organic traffic

Organic traffic refers to the visitors who find your website or content through search engines or unpaid sources—without clicking on ads.

Outbound marketing

Outbound marketing is when a business pushes its message out to people who might be interested—think of cold calls, ads on TV or billboards, or even snail-mail flyers.

Owned media

Owned media are the channels and content you control outright—your website, blog, email newsletters, even social media profiles.

P

Paid partnership

A paid partnership is when you team up with a brand as an influencer on social media.

Paid social

Paid social is a term for social media advertising – it means paying to show your content or ads to people on social networks.

Pay-per-click (PPC)

PPC stands for Pay‑Per‑Click. It's an online advertising model where you only pay when someone actually clicks on your ad.

Periscope

Periscope was a live‑video streaming app, launched by Twitter in March 2015.

Permalink

A permalink – short for permanent link – is a fixed URL that takes you straight to a particular piece of content

Personal brand

A personal brand is how you intentionally shape what others think, feel, and expect when they meet or follow you online.

Pin

A pin is a visual piece of content on Pinterest. You can think of it like a digital bookmark.

Pinned post

A pinned post is a feature available on many social media platforms that allows users to keep a specific post at the top of their profile or page.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a visually‑driven discovery and inspiration platform where people "pin" images or content they like into themed collections called boards.

Pinterest board

What is a Pinterest board? It’s a way to gather and save ideas on various topics. Start your board today.

Pitch

A pitch in social media marketing is basically a short, persuasive proposal.

Podcast

A podcast is a series of audio (or sometimes video) episodes you can stream or download on the internet to listen at your own pace.

Poll

A poll is a one-question survey you post on social media that gives people a few quick answer choices to pick from—think “Tea or coffee?”

Post

A post is content you share on social media platforms. It can be text, images, videos, or links.

POV (Point of View)

POV stands for "point of view" and is commonly used on social media platforms to depict a specific perspective or scenario.

POV video

POV (short for "point of view") videos are videos created to feel like you're in the scene—seeing things through someone else's perspective.

Private

Private accounts give you more control over your online presence. They help protect your content from unwanted views and potential misuse. But they also limit your reach and engagement with a wider audience.

Private message (PM)

A private message (sometimes called a PM or direct message, DM) is a one-on-one or small-group conversation that only the people involved can see.

Profile picture (PFP)

A profile picture, or PFP, is the image you choose to represent yourself on social media. It’s that little photo next to your name on posts, comments, and profiles—your digital first impression.

Promoted tweet (post)

A promoted tweet (post) is a paid tweet that appears in users’ feeds to increase visibility. Discover more.

Prospect

A prospect is a potential customer who fits your target audience and shows some interest in what you're offering, but hasn't bought yet.

Public Service Announcement (PSA)

A PSA stands for Public Service Announcement. It’s a message—often shared on social media—designed to raise awareness, educate, or prompt action around a public-interest topic.

Q

Qualified lead

A qualified lead is someone who’s shown real interest in what you offer and fits the kind of customer you want.

Quality control

Quality control is the process of ensuring all your social media posts and other interactions align with your brand's quality standards. Learn more here.

Quantcast

Quantcast is a handy digital marketing tool that measures and analyzes online audiences.

Quiet quitting

Quiet quitting isn’t you handing in your resignation letter. Instead, it means doing exactly what your job asks—nothing more, nothing less.

Quora

Quora is a question‑and‑answer platform—a kind of knowledge‑sharing social network—where people ask questions and others answer them.

R

Ratio

A social media post is said to be ratioed when it has many more replies or comments than likes and shares.

Re-pin

A re‑pin is when you save someone else’s Pinterest pin into one of your own boards. It’s a way to share content from another user.

Reach

Social media reach is the number of people exposed to your posts. Learn the difference between reach and impressions, and see tips on how to expand your audience.

Reactions

Reactions are quick responses to posts, using emojis to show emotions like love or anger. See how they impact engagement and strategy.

Real-time data

Real-time data is information delivered and updated immediately as events happen, with virtually no delay.

Real-time marketing

Real‑time marketing is when a brand listens to what’s happening—like trends, news, or customer feedback—and responds immediately with content, messages or offers.

Real-time search

Real‑time search delivers up‑to‑date content from social media platforms as it’s published. You see the latest posts, tweets, and updates as they happen—no lag, no delay.

Reddit

Reddit is a social media platform that combines elements of online forums and content sharing. It serves as a hub for discussions and allows users to share various types of content such as articles, images, and videos.

Referral marketing

Referral marketing is a strategy where businesses encourage customers to recommend products. Learn how referral marketing boosts trust and drives sales growth.

Referral traffic

Referral traffic refers to visitors arriving from external sources like social media or websites. Learn how it can boost your site’s growth and rankings.

Regram

A regram is when you share another user's Instagram post on your own account. It's like reposting content, but specifically for Instagram.

Relevance score

A relevance score measures how well content resonates with its target audience. Discover how relevance scores optimize ads and content strategies.

Rent free

“Rent free” is a slang expression people use when something—or someone—is stuck in your head without paying any “rent.”

Reply

A social media reply allows users to respond to comments, forming conversation threads. See why replying is key to enhancing brand presence.

Repost

A repost is when you share someone else's content on your social media profile. It's a way to spread interesting posts you've seen to your own followers.

Request

A social media request is a formal or informal inquiry made through social media platforms. Discover how businesses use these requests.

Responsive design

Responsive design is a way of building websites and social media content so it smoothly adjusts to any screen—phone, tablet, laptop, even big desktop monitors.

Retargeting

Retargeting reconnects you with people who’ve interacted with your brand—visited your site, browsed, or clicked emails—but didn’t convert yet.

Return on relationship (ROR)

RoR stands for Return on Relationship — a social media metric that values the quality of connections you build online, not just the dollars you make.

Retweet

A retweet is a way to share someone else's post on X (formerly Twitter). When you retweet, you're spreading that content to your own followers.

Review

A review is when someone shares their honest thoughts about a product, service, business or experience online.

Rich Pin

Rich Pins are enhanced Pinterest posts that display extra details directly on the pin.

Right now (RN)

When you use RN in a message, you're telling others that something is happening at this very moment, aka right now.

ROI

ROI (Return on Investment) measures what value—sales, leads or brand impact—you get back from the time, money and effort spent on social media.

RSS feed

An RSS feed lets users follow site updates without checking manually. Find out how it simplifies content consumption for readers and marketers.

RSS reader

An RSS reader collects updates from multiple websites in one place, making it easy to stay informed. Learn how it can simplify your content consumption.

S

Scrubbing

Scrubbing is the process of cleaning or removing irrelevant or erroneous data. Understand how data scrubbing enhances accuracy and integrity in analytics.

Search engine marketing (SEM)

SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing, which is the practice of using paid ads to show up in search engine results (like Google or Bing).

Selfie

A selfie is a photo—or sometimes a short video—that you take of yourself, usually with a smartphone held at arm’s length (or using your front-facing camera), and often shared on social media.

Semantic search

Semantic search is a way for search engines or platforms to understand what you really mean when you type something—rather than just matching exact words.

Sentiment analysis

Sentiment analysis is a powerful tool you can use to understand how people feel about your brand on social media.

SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a set of practices to boost your website's visibility on search engines. It's all about making your content more findable when people search for topics related to your brand or products.

SERP

SERP stands for “Search Engine Results Page.” It’s the page you see after typing (or speaking) a query into a search engine like Google, Bing, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo.

Shadowban

A shadowban is when social media platforms limit your content's visibility without telling you. You post, but no one can see it. This happens on apps like Instagram and TikTok.

Shaking my head (SMH)

SMH means "Shaking my Head." It’s an acronym people use to react to something that leaves them speechless—usually in a "can’t believe this" kind of way.

Share

A share on social media is when someone posts or reposts content—like an article, image, video, or link—from someone else’s feed to their own audience on platforms like Facebook, X, or LinkedIn.

Share of voice (SOV)

Share of voice (SOV) measures how much of the conversation your brand owns compared to competitors. It's a key metric for tracking your visibility across social media and other digital channels.

Shareable content

Shareable content is any piece of media—like a post, video, image, or article—that people feel inspired to forward, repost, or tag others in on social media.

Shook

“Shook” is internet slang that means you’re completely surprised, emotionally rattled, or stunned by something.

Shoppable post

Shoppable posts let you shop directly from your social media feed. See how brands use these posts to improve product discovery and drive conversions.

Situationship

A situationship is a romantic or sexual relationship that sits somewhere between friendship and commitment—it’s not quite official, but definitely more than casual.

Slay

"Slay" is modern slang used on social media to say someone did something impressively well.

Sleep on

“Sleep on” is Gen Z slang that means you’re overlooking something or someone valuable—basically, you’re snoozing on it instead of giving it the attention it deserves.

Small and medium-sized business (SMB)

A small and medium-sized business (SMB) employs fewer than 500 people and generates annual revenue below $1 billion, though definitions vary by region.

SMART goals

SMART goals are a goal-setting method that helps you turn vague ideas into clear, actionable objectives. SMART is an acronym: Specific, Measurable, Achievable (or Attainable), Relevant, Time-bound.

SMH (whaking my head)

“SMH” stands for “shaking my head.” It's internet slang—kind of like giving a virtual headshake—used to show you’re disappointed, frustrated, or just can’t believe what you’re seeing or reading.

Snap Map

Snap Map is a Snapchat feature that shows where you—and your friends—are on a live map.

Snapchat

Snapchat is a popular multimedia messaging app that's changed how you share moments with friends. It's known for its disappearing messages and real-time content sharing.

Snapchat Memories

Snapchat Memories is a built‑in archive within Snapchat where you can save your photos and videos (called “Snaps” and “Stories”) to revisit later.

Social bookmarking

Social bookmarking is a way for you to save and organize web links online. Instead of keeping bookmarks in your browser, you store them on a platform that's accessible from any device. You can tag and categorize your saved links, making them easy to find later.

Social commerce

Social commerce lets you buy and sell products right on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.

Social customer service

Social customer service is when companies use social media to help their customers. It's a new way to solve problems and answer questions.

Social inbox

A Social inbox is like your social media command center – a single dashboard that pulls in all your messages, comments, mentions, and DMs from every social platform you use.

Social listening

Social listening is a powerful tool for understanding your audience on social media. It's the process of tracking and analyzing online conversations about your brand, competitors, and industry.

Social media

Social media is all about online platforms where people create, share, and interact with content—think posts, photos, and videos. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X let users connect with friends, follow brands, or join communities.

Social media analytics

Social media analytics gathers, measures and interprets data from social platforms so you can see how your content performs and what your audience does.

Social media automation

Social media automation is when you use software to handle repetitive social media tasks—like scheduling posts, sharing content, replying to common messages, or gathering analytics

Social media bio

A social media bio is a short description about you or your brand on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and TikTok. It's your chance to make a great first impression in just a few words.

Social media calendar

A social media calendar is a schedule or framework that organizes your upcoming posts across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.

Social media campaign

A social media campaign is a planned set of marketing activities on social platforms to achieve a specific goal. It's different from regular social posts because it's strategic and focused.

Social Media Community

A social media community is a group of people who connect online to share interests, goals, or experiences on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, Reddit, or LinkedIn.

Social media compliance

Social media compliance is all about playing by the rules—think data privacy laws, advertising regulations, and content standards.

Social media etiquette

Social media etiquette involves using social platforms with respect and professionalism. Find out why it's important and how it impacts your online reputation.

Social media handle

A social media handle is your unique username on platforms like X, Instagram, and Facebook. It's how people find and tag you online.

Social media management

Social media management involves creating, scheduling, and analyzing content on platforms. Learn how to streamline your social media strategy.

Social media management platform

A social media management platform is a software tool that lets you manage your entire social media presence from one place.

Social media manager

Social media managers curate, create, and analyze content to drive online engagement for brands. Read on to see how they shape your digital footprint.

Social media marketing

Social media marketing uses platforms to promote products or services. Learn how to craft an effective social media marketing strategy.

Social media metrics

Social media metrics give you a clear picture of what's working and what's not. You can use them to make smarter decisions about your social media strategy and create content your audience loves.

Social media monitoring

Social media monitoring is the practice of keeping track of what people are saying about your brand, business, products, or industry online.

Social media scheduling

Social media scheduling means planning and automating posts to go live at optimal times. Find out how it boosts engagement without extra effort!

Social networking

Social networking means creating and maintaining personal or professional relationships—especially online.

Social proof

Social proof is when you look to others to figure out what to do. It's a powerful force that shapes how you act online and off.

Social relationship platform (SRP)

SRP stands for Social Relationship Platform. It’s a type of software that helps businesses and creators bring all their social media activity—like posting, replying, monitoring, and analytics—into one central hub.

Social selling

Social selling is simply using social media to find, connect with, and build genuine relationships with people who might become customers.

Social sentiment

Social sentiment tracks how people feel about your brand online - positive, negative, or neutral. See why it’s key to staying ahead of public opinion.

Social suite

A social suite is a tool (or bundle of tools) that lets you manage everything related to social media in one place.

Soft launch

A soft launch (also called a soft opening) means you release a product, service—or even personal news—to a small audience before going big.

Spam

Spam is unsolicited, unwanted content—like messages, posts, comments or DMs—that’s sent in bulk or repeated without relevance.

Spam account

A spam account is a fake or secondary social media profile used for sending unwanted content, boosting follower numbers, or running scams.

Sponcon

Sponcon (short for “sponsored content”) is social media content that looks like a regular post—from a creator or influencer—but is actually paid for by a brand.

Sponsorship

Sponsorships can take many forms. You might find a partnership between your brand and an influencer or content creator for a single post, a series of stories, or even a long-term partnership.

Stitch

Stitch is a cool TikTok feature that lets you add clips from other videos to your own. You can grab a short bit of someone else's TikTok and use it as part of your new creation.

Stock photos

Stock photos are ready-made images you can buy and use for your social media posts, websites, or marketing materials. They're a quick and easy way to add visual appeal to your content without hiring a photographer.

Stories

Stories are bite-sized, temporary posts you can share on social media. Popular on Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook, they include photos, videos, and text and disappear after 24 hours.

Streams

Streams in social media are real-time flows of content you see on your favorite platforms. They're like digital rivers carrying posts, videos, and comments from the accounts you follow.

StumbleUpon

StumbleUpon was a content discovery platform that helped you find interesting websites, articles, and videos. It worked like a virtual tour guide for the internet. You'd click the "Stumble" button, and it'd take you to a random site matching your interests.

Subreddit

A subreddit is a special community on Reddit, the popular social media site. You can think of it as a mini-forum focused on a specific topic or interest.

Subscribers

Subscribers are people who choose to follow your content on social media platforms or newsletters. When you subscribe, you sign up to get updates from creators, brands, or businesses you like.

Suggested pages

Suggested pages are page recommendations that pop up in your social media feed—like Facebook’s “Suggested for you”—based on how you interact with content.

T

Tag

A tag on social media is a way to link or mention other users in your posts. When you tag someone, they get a notification and a clickable link to their profile appears in your post.

Target audience

A target audience is the group most likely to engage with your brand’s message or product. Learn how to define and connect with them for more impactful campaigns.

Targeting

Targeting is the process of reaching specific audiences in advertising. Learn how to define and target your ideal customers.

TBF

TBF stands for "to be fair." You'll often see this acronym used in social media posts and online chats. When you use TBF, you're adding a balanced view to a conversation.

TBH (to be honest)

TBH stands for “to be honest.” It’s a shorthand way to say, “Here’s what I really think,” whether you use it at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Tea

“Tea” is slang that means juicy gossip, inside info, or personal truth someone wants to share. Picture a friend leaning in with a knowing smile, ready to spill.

Terms of service (ToS)

ToS stands for Terms of Service. It’s essentially the rulebook for using a platform—what you can and can’t do, what rights the platform has, and what happens if either side breaks the rules.

Testimonial

A testimonial in social media is a statement or endorsement from a satisfied customer or client, shared to highlight the positive aspects of a product, service, or brand.

TFW (That feeling when)

When you use TFW, you're saying "You know that feeling when..." without actually writing it out. It's like a shorthand for describing moments everyone can understand.

That Girl

“That Girl” is a social media-driven lifestyle trend focused on wellness, productivity, mindfulness, and personal growth.

Thought leader

Thought leaders are the go-to people who shape conversations and influence others in their industry.

Thread

A thread is a series of connected posts or messages on social media that form a single conversation or story.

Threads app

Threads is a text-based social media platform launched by Meta in July 2023.

Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday, or TBT, is a social media trend that involves people sharing old photos or memories on Thursdays using the hashtag #TBT.

TikTok

TikTok is a short‑form video social media app where people create, share, and discover short videos.

TikTok Reactions

TikTok Reactions are videos you create that capture your live response to someone else’s TikTok.

TL;DR

TL;DR stands for “Too Long; Didn’t Read”. It's internet slang that either signals “hey, here’s a quick summary” or jokes—as if saying, “this was way too much; I skipped it."

Tone of voice

Tone of voice is how you express your brand's personality on social media. It's the style and attitude you use when communicating with your audience. Your tone can be friendly, professional, funny, or serious.

Top of funnel (TOFU)

"Top of funnel" (often called TOFU) refers to the very first stage in a customer’s journey—when someone becomes aware of your brand.

Touch grass

‘Touch grass’ is slang for telling someone they’re spent too much time online and need to step away from screens to reconnect with the real world.

Traffic

Traffic refers to the visitors who land on your website. Learn how to drive more traffic and increase conversions.

Trendjacking

Trendjacking means jumping into a hot topic, meme, hashtag, or viral social moment—and putting your own spin on it. It's like you're catching a wave that’s already rolling.

Trigger warning

A trigger warning is a brief notice—often “Trigger Warning” or “TW”—placed before content that might cause significant emotional or psychological distress.

Troll

A troll is someone who posts inflammatory or off-topic comments online to upset others. You might encounter them in social media comments, forums, or chat rooms.

Tumblr

Tumblr is a social network built around microblogging—a simpler, more creative form of blogging.

Tweet

A tweet is a short post shared on X (formerly Twitter). Learn how to craft tweets that drive engagement.

Twitter

What is Twitter? | Brandwatch Social Media Glossary

U

Understood the assignment

"Understood the assignment" is a slang phrase used to praise someone who’s smashed a task or goal with serious style.

Unfollow

Unfollow means stopping updates from a user without blocking them. Learn how unfollowing works on social media platforms.

Unique selling point (USP)

A USP, short for Unique Selling Proposition, is a clear statement of what makes you different and why it matters to your audience.

Unwell

The phrase "unwell" on social media refers to more than being sick, indicating mental or emotional states like stress, anxiety, and being overwhelmed.

URL

A URL (short for Uniform Resource Locator) is basically the “address” of a webpage or file on the internet — what you type into your browser’s address bar to go somewhere, whether it’s a website, image, video, or document.

URL shortener

A URL shortener is an online tool that turns a long, complicated web address into a shorter, cleaner link that still leads to the same page.

User-generated content (UGC)

User-generated content (UGC) is stuff made by regular people about brands and products. It's not created by companies themselves.

UTM code

A UTM code is a tracking tag added to a URL for campaign tracking. Learn how UTM codes improve your marketing analytics.

UX

User experience (UX) is how you feel when using a social media platform or app. It's about making your interactions as a user easy, fun, and useful.

V

Valid

Valid is a slang term popping up all over social media, especially among Gen Z on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X. It’s a quick, casual way to say something is cool, impressive, or totally acceptable—think of it as a digital nod of approval.

Value proposition

A value proposition is your brand's key selling point on social media. It's a short statement that tells your audience why they should choose you over competitors.

Vanish mode

Vanish Mode is a messaging feature on platforms like Instagram (and Messenger) that lets you send texts, photos, or videos that vanish after they’re viewed and the chat is closed.

Vanity metrics

Vanity metrics are numbers that look impressive—like heaps of likes, comments, followers or page views—but don’t actually tell you whether your social media efforts are driving real results.

Vanity URL

Vanity URLs are a shorter version of your regular URL that includes your brand name or relevant keywords.

Verified

A verified account on social media usually indicates that the platform has confirmed the identity of the account holder, signified with a blue checkmark next to their name.

Vibe check

A vibe check is a casual way to assess someone's mood, energy, or overall emotional atmosphere—either of a person, group, or place.

View duration

View duration is a key metric for content creators on platforms like YouTube and Instagram that measures how long viewers spend watching your video on average.

Vine

Launched in 2013, Vine allowed you to create and share six-second looping videos. Twitter bought Vine shortly after its creation.

Viral

Viral refers to content that spreads quickly across social media platforms. When something goes viral, it gains lots of attention in a short time. This happens through massive sharing and engagement.

Viral marketing

Viral marketing is a strategy that creates content designed to spread quickly from person to person—kind of like how a catchy meme or TikTok trend blows up overnight.

Virtual event

A virtual event is any organized gathering that happens online instead of in a physical location.

Virtual reality (VR)

Virtual reality (VR) creates simulated environments for users to explore. Find out how it’s transforming digital interactions and brand engagement!

Visual storytelling

Visual storytelling is the art of using images, videos, and graphics to convey a message or narrative.

Vlog

A vlog is a video blog where you share your thoughts, experiences, or information through video instead of written text. It's a popular form of content on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

Voice of customer (VoC)

Voice of customer (VoC) is how you listen to what your customers say about your business. It's a way to collect and understand their thoughts, feelings, and needs.

W

W (win)

'W' is shorthand for 'win' in social media. You'll often see it used to celebrate victories or positive outcomes.

Watch time

Watch time is the total amount of minutes users spend viewing your videos on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok. It's a key metric for measuring audience engagement with your content.

Watermark

A watermark is a semi-transparent mark—like a logo, text, or signature—that’s overlaid on digital content such as images, videos, or documents.

Web3

Web3 (or Web 3.0) is a vision of a decentralized internet built on blockchain. It puts control of your data and digital presence back in your hands.

Webinar

A webinar—a mix of “web” and “seminar”—is an online live presentation, workshop, or meeting you can attend using video and audio over the internet.

WeChat

WeChat is a powerhouse Chinese social media app that’s more than just a messaging tool—it’s a one-stop shop for over 1.38 billion monthly active users.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp combines messaging with business tools for seamless communication. See why it’s popular with users and companies alike.

Woke

"Woke" means being aware of social issues and injustices. It's about staying alert to problems in society, especially those affecting marginalized groups.

Word of mouth

Word of mouth is simply when people share their thoughts, experiences, or recommendations about a product, service, or brand with someone else.

X

X lists

X lists (formerly known as Twitter lists) are curated groups of X (Twitter) accounts that you can organize into personalized feeds.

X Spaces

X Spaces (formerly Twitter Spaces) is the live audio feature on X, the platform once known as Twitter. It lets you host or join real-time voice conversations.

X verification

X verification helps you identify genuine accounts of public figures, brands, and organizations. When you see a blue checkmark next to a username, it means X has verified that account.

X/Twitter advanced search

X/Twitter advanced search is a powerful tool that helps you find specific tweets and information on the platform. It lets you narrow down your searches using filters like keywords, hashtags, accounts, and dates.

Y

Yelp

Yelp is a popular online platform where you can find and share reviews about local businesses.

Yikes

“Yikes” is an informal exclamation used to express surprise, alarm, embarrassment or mild shock—kind of like saying “Oh no!” or “That’s awkward!” online or in conversation.

YouTube

YouTube is a global video-sharing platform where you can upload, watch, and share videos. Founded in 2005 and later bought by Google, it's become a huge part of online culture.

YouTube Brand Account

Different from your personal YouTube account, with a Brand Account, you can manage your channel as a team. Multiple people can work on it together.

YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts are YouTube’s answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels. They’re vertical videos you can watch or create directly in the YouTube app.

YouTube Studio

YouTube Studio is your free control center on YouTube—both a website and mobile app—that helps you manage everything about your channel.

Social Media Glossary

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