Digital Marketing Exam II Study Guide (Chapters 5–8)

Vocabulary flashcards covering core terms, concepts, metrics, and definitions from Chapters 5 through 8 of the Digital Marketing Exam II Study Guide.

Linked-to Pages

The specific internal pages where backlinks point; receiving many links to a strong internal resource signals to search engines that the page—not just the homepage—is valuable.

Link-Source Diversity

The distribution of backlinks across multiple credible, relevant domains rather than concentrating links on a single source.

Backlink Relevance

A search engine popularity and relevance signal based on receiving links from websites closely related to your topic rather than random, unrelated sites.

Anchor Text

The clickable text of a hyperlink; descriptive anchor text provides clearer topical context to search engines than generic text like "click here."

Link Neighborhood

The overall quality and credibility of websites linking to or surrounding a site; being linked to by spammy or unrelated sources is a negative indicator.

Editorial Links

Backlinks earned voluntarily and organically from other sites without direct solicitation or payment.

Manual Links

Backlinks earned through deliberate outreach and requests to site owners, editors, or publishers.

Manufactured Links

Low-quality backlinks created directly by the site owner or marketer with little to no external gatekeeping.

Content-Marketing Chain

The four-step process connecting content creation to business outcomes: creating appealing/useful content, distributing it, generating traffic/engagement, and producing conversions.

Known Intent

The principle that search users explicitly reveal what they want through their search query, allowing paid search to capture prospects closer to taking action than broad display ads.

Keyword (Paid Search)

The specific term or phrase that an advertiser selects and targets within an ad group.

Search Term

The actual word or phrase typed into a search engine query box by a user.

Negative Keywords

Targeting exclusions that prevent an ad from triggering for irrelevant or unwanted search queries, protecting ad budget.

Ad Rank

The position of an ad in paid search results, calculated using factors such as expected click-through rate (CTR), ad relevance, landing-page experience, and bid.

Ad Groups

Tightly themed clusters within a search campaign that group relevant keywords, ads, and landing pages together.

Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA)

A search feature that targets or customizes search campaigns for users who have previously visited the advertiser's website.

Responsive Search Ad (RSA)

An ad format where the advertiser supplies multiple headlines and descriptions for Google to automatically combine and test.

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

A campaign profitability metric calculated as $\text{ROAS} = \frac{\text{revenue}}{\text{ad spend}}$.

Display Sequence

The four-step cognitive and behavioral progression of a user interacting with a display ad: SEE $\rightarrow$ PROCESS $\rightarrow$ CLICK $\rightarrow$ CONVERT.

Message Match

The consistency between an ad's headline, offer, visual cues, and call to action and the landing page to which it directs traffic.

Dedicated Landing Page

A standalone page designed specifically for an ad campaign that minimizes distractions and streamlines the conversion path compared to a generic homepage.

Affinity Audience

A display targeting category encompassing users with broad, long-term lifestyle interests or habits (e.g., "Outdoor Enthusiasts").

In-Market Audience

A display targeting category composed of consumers actively researching, browsing, or shopping to buy products in a specific category right now.

Contextual / Placement Targeting

A display advertising method that places ads on sites, apps, or pages directly related to the topic of the product.

Dynamic Retargeting

An advanced retargeting tactic that serves display ads featuring the exact product, service, or content a visitor previously viewed on the website.

Cost per Thousand (CPM)

A pricing model charging advertisers per 1,000 ad impressions, best aligned with brand awareness campaigns.

White-Hat List Building

The ethical practice of acquiring email subscribers by earning direct permission through opt-ins, purchases, events, or value exchanges rather than buying or scraping lists.

Double Opt-In

A subscription process requiring a user to confirm their email address via a follow-up link after sign-up, ensuring list quality and consent.

Email Segmentation

Dividing an email subscriber base into subsets based on behavior, preferences, purchase history, location, or engagement to send more relevant messages.

Transactional Email

An operational email triggered by a specific customer action (e.g., order confirmation) where essential transaction details must appear before any secondary promotional content.

Triggered Email

An automated email dispatched immediately when an individual user performs a specific action or hits a predetermined behavioral event.

Onboarding Email

A message or sequence sent to welcome, orient, and educate new subscribers or customers immediately after signup.

Re-Engagement Email

A targeted campaign sent to win back or clean out subscribers who have stopped opening or engaging with emails.

Email Churn Rate

The proportion of subscribers who unsubscribe from an email list relative to the total list size over a given period.

Sender Policy Framework (SPF)

An email authentication protocol that specifies the authorized IP addresses or mail servers allowed to send messages on behalf of a specific domain.

DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)

An email authentication method that uses cryptographic digital signatures to verify that an email was sent by the claimed domain and was not altered in transit.

Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC)

An email authentication protocol that uses SPF and DKIM to tell receiving servers how to handle messages that fail authentication checks.

Email Service Provider (ESP)

A software platform that provides infrastructure to manage contact lists, execute automated sends, handle deliverability, and analyze campaign performance.

Mail Transfer Agent (MTA)

Software responsible for transferring and routing electronic mail messages between sending and receiving servers across networks.