Social media glossary

#OOTD is a hashtag used for showcasing daily fashion choices.

#TBT is a hashtag for posting past memories.

Sparkles emoji ✨ is used for adding emphasis or magic to a statement.

The 🎯 (Target) emoji is used to indicate accuracy, achievement, or hitting a goal on social media.

The eyes emoji 👀 is used to signal curiosity or anticipation.

The 👻 (Ghost) emoji is used to indicate something spooky, playful, or when someone disappears from a conversation (ghosting) on social media.

The 💀 (Dead) emoji is used to indicate extreme laughter or something so funny that it’s “killing” the user on social media.

The 💅 (Nail Polish) emoji is used to indicate confidence, nonchalance, or an “unbothered” attitude on social media.

The 🔥 (Fire) emoji is used to indicate something amazing, trendy, or high-energy on social media.

The 😢 (Tearful Smile) emoji is used to indicate bittersweet emotions, awkwardness, or holding back tears on social media.

The 😤 (Steam from Nose) emoji is used to indicate determination, frustration, or a strong-willed attitude on social media.

The 🙃 (Upside-down Smiley) emoji is used to indicate sarcasm, irony, or playful frustration on social media.

The 🚀 (Rocket) emoji is used to indicate rapid growth, success, or excitement about something taking off on social media.

The 🤔 (Thinking Face) emoji is used to indicate curiosity, skepticism, or deep thought on social media.

The 🤡 (Clown) emoji is used to indicate foolish behavior, embarrassment, or someone being naive on social media.

The 🥵 (Hot Face) emoji is used to indicate extreme heat, attractiveness, or feeling overwhelmed on social media.

The 🫡 (Salute) emoji is used to indicate respect, acknowledgment, or taking on a challenge on social media.

An account manager is a professional responsible for maintaining client relationships, ensuring their social media strategy aligns with goals, and overseeing campaign execution.

AI caption generator is an AI-powered tool that generates social media captions (e.g., ChatGPT, Jasper).

An algorithm is a set of rules used by social media platforms to determine which content appears in users' feeds based on relevance and engagement.

Alt-text is descriptive text added to images for accessibility and SEO purposes.

AMA is a Q&A format where creators invite followers to ask them anything, typically used for engagement on platforms like Reddit, Instagram, and Twitter.

APV is a video metric that indicates the percentage of a video watched on average.

Archive post relates to hiding a post from public view while keeping it saved (e.g., Instagram’s archive feature).

A level of sentiment analysis focusing on specific aspects or features of a product/service to determine opinions.

A level of sentiment analysis focusing on specific aspects or features of a product/service to determine opinions.

An automated report is a scheduled report that automatically compiles and delivers social media analytics, saving time on manual data tracking.

An avatar is a profile image or icon that represents a user or brand on social media.

AVD is the average length of time viewers watch a video, helping measure content retention.

BeReal is a photo-sharing application that allows users to post one photo per day to show their followers what they are doing in real-time.

Best posting times refer to the optimal times to post content on social media based on audience activity and platform algorithms.

Big yikes is a stronger version of “yikes,” used for something embarrassing or cringeworthy.

A bio is a short description on a social media profile that provides information about a user or brand.

Bitmoji is a personalized emoji app for creating cartoon avatars and stickers for social media.

Bluesky is a decentralized social media platform backed by Jack Dorsey, offering an open-source alternative to traditional social networks.

A brand advocate is a customer who promotes a brand through positive word-of-mouth, reviews, or social media content.

A brand ambassador is a loyal customer or influencer who consistently promotes a brand.

Brand storytelling is the practice of using narrative techniques to communicate brand values and identity.

A brand style guide is a document that defines a brand’s visual identity, tone, and content guidelines.

A broadcast channel is a one-to-many messaging feature on Instagram for creators.

A business objective is a high-level goal a company aims to achieve through social media, such as brand awareness or lead generation.

A campaign is a coordinated series of social media posts, ads, or promotions designed to achieve a specific goal, such as brand awareness, lead generation, or product launches.o per day to show their followers what they are doing in real-time.

Cancel culture is the practice of publicly calling out individuals or brands for problematic behavior.

Canva is a graphic design tool for creating social media visuals.

A caption generator is a tool that uses AI or pre-set templates to create captions for social media posts.

A carousel is a multi-image or video post that users can swipe through.

CC (Closed Captions) are on-screen text transcriptions of spoken words in a video, enhancing accessibility.

A celebrity influencer is a well-known public figure with 1M+ followers who endorses brands.

CEO of [X] is a phrase used to describe someone as the best at something, e.g., “CEO of memes.”

Channel art is a customizable banner at the top of a YouTube channel that represents branding.

A channel header is the visual banner at the top of a YouTube channel, similar to cover images on other platforms.

A channel homepage is the main landing page of a YouTube channel where visitors see featured videos and playlists.

A channel watermark is a small logo or image displayed on YouTube videos to reinforce branding and encourage subscriptions.

A character limit is the maximum number of characters allowed in a post, caption, or bio on a social media platform.

Clickbait is misleading or exaggerated content designed to attract clicks and views.

Client onboarding is the process of integrating new clients into a social media workflow.

Clout is social media influence and popularity.

A comment is a written response to a social media post.

Comment laddering is the practice of engaging with comments to boost a post’s ranking in the algorithm.

Comment moderation is the process of reviewing and managing comments on social media to remove spam, filter inappropriate content, and maintain a positive environment.

Community guidelines are platform-specific rules that govern acceptable user behavior.

A community management checklist is a structured guide for monitoring and engaging with a brand’s online community.

A community manager is someone who manages interactions within an online community, fostering engagement and responding to comments, messages, and discussions.

The Community tab is a YouTube feature that allows creators to post text, polls, and images to engage with their audience outside of video content.

Content approvals are a workflow process where social media posts must be reviewed and approved before being published (especially in agencies or corporate settings).

A content creator is a person responsible for producing and curating social media content, including graphics, videos, blogs, and copy.

Content repurposing is the process of reusing existing content in different formats (e.g., turning a blog post into social media graphics, carousels, or short-form videos) to maximize reach and engagement.

Conversion rate is the percentage of users who take a desired action (e.g., sign-up, purchase) after engaging with content.

CPC (Cost Per Click) is the price paid per individual click in an ad campaign.

CPM (Cost Per Mille) is the cost for 1,000 impressions in paid advertising.

Creator Studio is YouTube's backend dashboard that provides video analytics, monetization settings, and content management tools.

A CTA (Call to Action) is a phrase or button that encourages users to take a specific action, such as "Shop Now," "Sign Up," or "Learn More."

CTR (Click-Through Rate) is the percentage of users who click a link in a post or ad compared to impressions.

A delete post is the action of permanently removing a post from a social media platform.

Demand generation is the process of creating interest in a product or service to build a customer base.

A direct message is a private one-on-one conversation within a social media platform’s messaging feature.

DITL is a social media content format where creators share a vlog-style look at their daily routine.

A DM (Direct Message) is a private conversation between users on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter (X), and Facebook.

Doomscrolling is the habit of continuously consuming negative or distressing social media content.

An emoji is a small digital icon or symbol used in social media posts, comments, and messages to convey emotions or ideas.

Engagement rate is the percentage of interactions (likes, comments, shares) relative to reach or followers.

An engagement report is a summary of how users interact with content, including likes, comments, shares, saves, and replies.

An engagement strategy is a structured approach to interacting with followers, responding to comments, and fostering brand-community relationships.

Engagement-to-follower ratio is a measure of how engaged an account’s audience is based on total interactions divided by total followers.

ETV is a framework used by search engines and social platforms to evaluate content credibility and ranking.

Evergreen content is content that remains relevant long-term, regardless of trends.

Facebook is a social networking platform with groups, pages, and Messenger.

A Facebook audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a Facebook Page, analyzing profile completeness, post engagement, ad performance, audience insights, and community interactions.

Facebook Messenger is a private messaging tool within Facebook.

A Facebook reaction is an emoji response to Facebook posts (❤️ 😆 😢 🥵).

Finsta is a secondary “fake Instagram” account used for more personal or casual content.

Flickr is a photo-sharing platform for licensed and royalty-free images.

Followers are social media users who subscribe to a profile to receive updates and content in their feed.

FOMO is the anxiety of missing out on trends, events, or experiences seen on social media.

The FYP (For You Page) is the main discovery feed on TikTok, where the algorithm suggests content based on user preferences and engagement.

Ghosting is the act of disappearing from a conversation or interaction without explanation.

GIFs are animated images used for reactions or humour.

Google Business (Google My Business) is a listing tool that helps businesses manage their online presence.

GRWM is a social media trend where users document their preparation process, commonly in fashion and beauty content.

Hashtags are words or phrases preceded by # used for categorization and visibility.

A haul is a type of content where users showcase and review multiple products they’ve purchased.

HDR is a video and photo enhancement technique that improves contrast and color depth for better visuals.

Hiding a post on social media is the action of removing a post from a feed without deleting it.

A hook is an attention-grabbing opening of a social media post, video, or caption designed to immediately engage the audience and encourage them to keep watching, reading, or interacting.

Impressions are the total number of times a post appears in someone’s feed, regardless of interactions.

An influencer manager is a specialist who collaborates with influencers to execute social media campaigns and manage brand partnerships.

Influencer marketing is the practice of partnering with social media influencers to promote a brand.

Instagram is a visual-first platform for images, Reels, and Stories.

An Instagram audit is a thorough review of an Instagram profile’s performance, including bio optimization, content strategy, engagement, branding, hashtags, and analytics to improve effectiveness.

An Instagram collaboration post is a shared post between two Instagram users that appears on both profiles, allowing brands, influencers, or creators to reach each other’s audiences.

Instagram Highlights are a collection of Instagram Stories that users can save and display permanently on their profile, organized into categories.

Instagram Notes is a feature that allows users to share short text-based updates (up to 60 characters) that appear at the top of their followers’ Direct Messages (DMs) inbox for 24 hours.

Interactive posts are social media posts designed to encourage user engagement, such as polls, quizzes, and contests.

A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is a measurable goal used to track the success of social media efforts (e.g., engagement rate, conversions).

Lead generation is the process of attracting and capturing potential customers via social media.

A like is a basic way to engage with a social media post.

Link in bio is a call-to-action directing users to an external link placed in a profile bio.

LinkedIn is a professional platform for B2B marketing and networking.

A LinkedIn audit is a strategic review of a LinkedIn profile or business page, focusing on profile optimization, content effectiveness, engagement, and networking opportunities.

A LinkedIn Document is a swipeable PDF-style post for professional content sharing.

A LinkedIn reaction is an engagement option on LinkedIn, including 👍 (Like), 👏 (Celebrate), 💡 (Insightful), ❤️ (Love), and 🤝 (Support).

Live (Livestreaming) is real-time video broadcasting on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

A location tag is a geotag added to social media posts to indicate a specific location.

Long tail keywords are highly specific, low-competition search phrases used in traditional and social SEO for better targeting.

A long-form video is video content that is typically over one minute in length, often used for in-depth storytelling, tutorials, or educational content.

A macro-influencer is an influencer with 50K-1M followers, offering broad reach and engagement.

Main character energy refers to someone acting like the star of their own movie.

Mention is when a user’s handle is included in a caption, comment, or post to notify them of a reference.

A micro-influencer is an influencer with 10K-50K highly engaged followers.

Mood is a term used to relate to a post or situation, expressing a strong feeling or vibe.

Multiplication scheduling is a scheduling technique that republishes or repurposes content multiple times across different time zones or platforms to maximize reach.

Non-followers are users who interact with a social media account or see its content but do not follow it.

An objective is a defined goal for a social media campaign, such as brand awareness, engagement, or sales.

OOTD is a social media trend where users showcase their daily outfits.

Outbound marketing is a promotional approach where brands push messages to audiences through ads, cold outreach, and sponsorships.

Pexels is a royalty-free image and video library.

Pin to the top is the action of keeping a post at the top of a profile for visibility.

Pinterest is a visual discovery platform where users save and share ideas, images, and inspiration through Pins and Boards.

A pitch deck is a visual presentation that outlines a brand’s social media strategy, campaign proposal, or influencer partnership opportunity.

A poll is an interactive post where users vote on options.

POV is a social media trend where content is presented from a specific perspective, often mimicking a character’s experience or a first-person narrative.

A profile picture is the main image representing a user or brand on a social media platform.

A proxy metric is an indirect measurement of success, such as engagement rate as a proxy for brand loyalty.

A publish post is the action of posting content live on social media.

Q&A is a feature for asking and answering audience questions in real-time.

Ratioed is when a post's replies outnumber its likes, often indicating a negative response.

Reach is the number of unique users who have seen your content.

Recommended videos are personalized video suggestions based on user behavior and platform algorithms.

A Reel is a short-form vertical video content format on Instagram.

A repost is the act of sharing someone else's social media content on your own account, often with credit to the original creator.

RPM is a monetization metric that indicates earnings per 1,000 views on YouTube.

RSS Feeds are content syndication tools that allow users to automatically receive updates from websites.

A save is the action of bookmarking a post for later.

A schedule post is the process of setting up a post to go live at a future time.

Session watch time is the total duration a viewer spends watching videos on YouTube in a single session.

A shadowban is when a platform limits the visibility of an account or post without official notice.

A share is the action of sending a post to another user or resharing it.

Short tail keywords are broad, high-competition search terms used for general content discoverability.

A short-form video is a bite-sized video under 60 seconds, such as TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

A shoutout is when a brand or influencer promotes another account.

A Single Image Post is a static image shared on social media.

Social listening is the process of monitoring brand mentions and conversations on social media.

A social media audit is a review of a brand’s social performance, engagement, and strategy.

A social media calendar is a visual planning tool used to organize and schedule social media posts in advance, ensuring a consistent posting strategy.

Social media customer service is the practice of handling customer inquiries, feedback, and complaints through social media channels to ensure timely and effective responses.

A social media dashboard is a centralized interface that tracks multiple social media accounts, performance analytics, engagement metrics, and scheduled content in one place.

Social media holidays are special themed days (e.g., #NationalPizzaDay, #WorldSocialMediaDay) that brands leverage for creative and engaging content opportunities.

A social media management tool is a platform that helps schedule, publish, analyze, and engage with content (e.g., Sendible, Sprout Social).

A social media manager is a professional responsible for developing, executing, and monitoring a brand’s social media strategy, including content creation, engagement, and reporting.

A social media package is a bundle of services offered by agencies or freelancers, such as content creation, analytics, and community management.

A social media plan is a structured content and engagement strategy that outlines goals, platforms, posting frequency, content types, and engagement tactics.

A social media proposal is a document outlining a proposed social media strategy.

A social media scheduler is a tool that allows users to schedule posts in advance, automating the publishing process (e.g., Sendible, Buffer, Hootsuite).

Social proof is validation from user-generated content, testimonials, or reviews.

Social selling is the practice of using social media to build relationships and drive sales.

Social SEO is the practice of optimizing social posts for search discoverability using keywords and hashtags.

Stan culture is an intense fandom that passionately supports a celebrity, brand, or cause.

A story is temporary content that disappears after 24 hours (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn).

Subtitles are translated or transcribed text displayed in a video to make it accessible to a wider audience.

A survey is a tool used on social media to collect audience opinions and insights, often through polls, forms, or interactive question stickers.

A tag is a feature that allows users to identify or reference other accounts in posts, photos, or videos.

A testimonial is a customer or client review sharing positive feedback about a product or service, often used for social proof and brand credibility.

A thread is a series of connected posts or tweets that expand on a topic or discussion.

Threads is a text-based conversation app by Meta, linked to Instagram, designed for casual discussions and real-time updates.

A thumbnail is a preview image for videos or documents.

TikTok is a short-form video platform known for trends and challenges.

A TikTok management checklist is a structured guide to managing a TikTok account, including content planning, trend tracking, engagement strategy, hashtag research, and performance analytics.

UGC (User-Generated Content) is content created by customers or followers that brands can repurpose.

A URL shortener is a tool that condenses long URLs into trackable links (e.g., Bitly, Rebrandly).

UGC moderation is the practice of reviewing and approving customer-created content before resharing on brand pages.

USP is a distinct feature or benefit that differentiates a brand or content from competitors.

A UTM tag is a tracking parameter added to URLs for campaign measurement.

Video plays are the number of times a video starts playing, including auto-play views and manual clicks.

View time is the total amount of time users spend watching a video on social media, often used to measure engagement and video performance.

Viral refers to content that spreads rapidly across social media due to high engagement and sharing.

Virality rate is the number of shares divided by total impressions, showing how shareable a post is.

A vlog (video blog) is a content format where creators document and share their experiences through video.

VOD is pre-recorded video content available for streaming at any time.

Watch time is the total duration users spend watching a video or multiple videos on a platform.

An X (Twitter) audit is a performance analysis of an X (Twitter) account, assessing tweet activity, follower engagement, hashtag usage, and content impact to optimize strategy.

YouTube is a video-sharing platform for long-form and short-form video content.

A YouTube Channel is a dedicated profile where creators upload and organize their video content.

The YouTube Partner Program allows creators to monetize their content through ads, memberships, and Super Chats.

YouTube Studio is the backend dashboard for creators to manage their channel, track analytics, and optimize video performance.

A YouTuber is a content creator who regularly uploads videos to YouTube.