If you’re considering adding inbound marketing to your business’ marketing efforts, you may be wondering where to start. A great first step is to learn a little about inbound marketing – even if you plan to outsource it to a marketing firm. And what better way to learn than through a glossary?

Marketing Offer: Something to entice leads to give your company their information; this could include case studies, white papers, free trials, glossaries and much more.

Call to Action (CTA): A link or button on your website that makes visitors take action; typically they click the button to get the marketing offer.

Landing Page: The page visitors see when they click on a CTA; a landing page contains a form for visitors to fill out to receive the offer.

Thank You Page: The page visitors are directed to after filling out a form on a landing page; a thank you page simply thanks visitors for downloading the offer.

Lead Nurturing: The process of educating leads and preparing them to buy your product or service by taking them through the sales funnel.

Top of the Funnel (ToFu) Offer: Directed at leads that are just beginning their research; offers should be basic and educational, like glossaries and white papers. ToFu offers should show leads why they need the service or product.

Middle of the Funnel (MoFu) Offer: Directed at leads that are looking for specific companies and possibly in the comparison stage; offers could include case studies and other content that positions your company as a thought leader. MoFu offers should show leads why your company is the right choice.

Bottom of the Funnel (BoFu) Offer: Directed at leads that are ready to buy and typically requires more information from the lead; examples include free trials, proof of concepts and competitor analysis. BoFu offers should convert leads to customers.

Follow Up Email: An email that is automatically sent to a lead after he fills out a form on your site.

Workflow: A system of emails that are automatically sent based on set triggers, such as when a form is filled out.

A-B Testing: The process by which marketers determine which copy, image, etc. works best.

Keyword: Words or phrases on webpages that get indexed for search results. For example, if your business is a law firm in Nashville, “law firm Nashville” may be a keyword for your site.

Buyer Persona: Your target customer; a persona is your company’s ideal prospect and includes everything from his or her age, job title, marital status, etc.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO):  The process of “optimizing” your website so that it ranks higher on search engines.

Photo Credit: Alberto G.