A
Algorithm
An algorithm is the set of rules and calculations a social media platform uses to determine which content a user sees in their feed, Explore page, or recommendations. Each platform has its own algorithm. Instagram weighs interactions and time spent, TikTok focuses on watch time and video interactions, and LinkedIn rewards substantive discussions. Understanding the algorithm is essential for organic reach. Across most platforms, organic reach has been declining for years, partly because algorithms prioritize advertisers.
Analytics (Social Media Analytics)
Social media analytics is the process of collecting and analyzing data about your social media performance. Each platform offers native analytics: Instagram Insights, TikTok Analytics, LinkedIn Analytics, and Facebook Page Insights. You can use these to measure reach, impressions, engagement, follower growth, demographic data, and optimal posting times. Without analytics, you're posting blind — with analytics, you optimize based on data.
Audience
Your audience is the group of people you want to reach with your social media content. This can be your existing follower base, but also a broader target audience you want to reach through advertising or the algorithm. The better you know your audience — age, interests, behavior, pain points — the more relevant your content and the higher your engagement. Platforms provide detailed audience insights through their analytics dashboards.
Avatar
An avatar on social media is your profile photo or image. It's the first visual element people see of your brand. For businesses, this is usually the logo; for personal brands, a professional headshot. Your avatar appears with every post, comment, and DM, so make sure it's recognizable and crisp, even at small sizes. Use the same avatar consistently across all platforms for brand recognition.
B
Bio
Your bio is the short description in your social media profile. On Instagram you get 150 characters, on TikTok 80, and on LinkedIn a full summary section. Your bio should make it clear in a few seconds who you are, what you do, and why someone should follow you. Use keywords your target audience searches for — platforms increasingly use bio text for in-platform SEO.
Bio Link
A bio link (also: link in bio) is the clickable URL in your social media profile. Especially on Instagram and TikTok, this has long been the only place where you can include an external link. Tools like Linktree, Later, and Stan Store make it possible to link to multiple pages through a single bio link. Your bio link is a crucial step in converting followers into website visitors or customers.
Boost (Promote)
Boosting (promoting) a post means paying to show an existing organic post to a larger audience. It's the simplest form of social media advertising: you select a target audience, budget, and duration, and the platform shows your post to more people. Boosting is low-barrier but offers fewer targeting options than a full advertising campaign through an ads manager.
Branded Content
Branded content is content created in collaboration with or paid for by a brand, but that looks and feels like the creator's regular content. On Instagram and TikTok, branded content must be labeled with the "Paid partnership" tag. The difference from traditional ads is that branded content feels like authentic content rather than advertising — which typically results in higher engagement.
Brand Voice
Your brand voice is the consistent tone and style your brand uses to communicate on social media. Think: formal vs. informal, humorous vs. professional, short and punchy vs. detailed. Your brand voice should be recognizable across all platforms. A strong brand voice means people recognize your content without seeing your logo. Document your brand voice in a style guide so everyone posting on behalf of your brand maintains the same tone.
C
Carousel
A carousel is a social media post with multiple images or slides that users can swipe through. On Instagram you can use up to 20 slides, on LinkedIn up to 20 pages in a document post. Carousels perform above average in terms of engagement because they keep users engaged longer and the algorithm rewards that. They're ideal for tutorials, tips, comparisons, and storytelling.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The click-through rate is the percentage of people who click on a link in your social media post or ad, relative to the total number of impressions. The formula: (clicks / impressions) x 100%. A good CTR varies by platform: on Facebook Ads, 1-2% is average; on LinkedIn Ads, 0.5% is already decent. A high CTR means your message and call-to-action resonate with your target audience.
Community Management
Community management is the active management of interactions with your followers and online community. This includes responding to comments and DMs, moderating discussions, answering questions, and stimulating conversation. Good community management builds loyalty and increases your organic reach: platforms reward accounts that respond quickly and frequently to their followers.
Content Calendar
A content calendar is a planning document that maps out what content you'll publish, when, and on which platform. It helps you post consistently, diversify content types (video, carousel, text), capitalize on seasonal moments, and avoid last-minute stress. Tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Later offer digital content calendars with scheduling features.
Content Pillar
A content pillar is a recurring theme or topic in your social media strategy. Most brands work with 3-5 pillars. For example, a marketing agency might have pillars like: tips & tricks, client case studies, behind-the-scenes, and industry trends. Content pillars provide variety and structure, helping you post consistently without having to brainstorm a new topic every time.
Conversion
A conversion on social media is the moment a user takes a desired action after seeing your content or ad. This could be a purchase, but also a sign-up, download, contact request, or app install. Conversions are tracked through the Meta Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, or UTM parameters. The conversion rate of social media traffic averages between 1-3% — lower than search, but with broader reach.
CPM (Cost Per Mille)
CPM stands for Cost Per Mille — the cost per 1,000 impressions of your ad. It's the most widely used pricing metric in social media advertising. CPM varies significantly by platform and audience: on Facebook it averages between $5 and $15, on LinkedIn between $20 and $50, and on TikTok between $3 and $10. A lower CPM means you reach more people for the same budget.
Creator Economy
The creator economy is the economic ecosystem around content creators — people who earn their income by creating and distributing content on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Substack. Revenue models include brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, courses, merchandise, and subscriptions. The creator economy is estimated at over $100 billion worldwide and growing rapidly.
Cross-posting
Cross-posting is publishing the same content on multiple social media platforms. While time-saving, it's not always recommended: each platform has different formats, audiences, and best practices. A LinkedIn post reads differently than an Instagram caption. The better approach is "content repurposing": reusing your core message but adapting it to the specific platform.
CTA (Call-to-Action)
A CTA is a prompt in your post or ad that tells your audience what to do next. Examples: "Click the link in bio," "Save this for later," "Tag someone who needs to see this," "Book a free consultation." On social media, soft CTAs (save, share, comment) often work better than hard CTAs (buy now). The algorithm rewards posts that generate interaction, so a CTA that drives engagement also boosts your reach.
D
Dark Post
A dark post (also: unpublished post) is a social media ad that doesn't appear on your regular profile or timeline. The post only exists as an ad for the selected target audience. Dark posts are used to run A/B tests, test different messages for different audiences, or to prevent your page from being cluttered with promotional content. You create them through the Ads Manager.
DM (Direct Message)
A DM is a private message sent to another user on a social media platform. DMs are becoming increasingly important in social media marketing: brands use them for customer service, lead generation, and personal communication. On Instagram, more interaction now happens through DMs than through the feed. Many businesses use automated DM flows to respond at scale to questions or expressions of interest.
Duet
A duet is a feature on TikTok that lets you place your own video next to an existing video, creating a split-screen. It's used for reaction videos, challenges, tutorials, and adding commentary to trending content. Duets are a powerful way to ride the wave of viral content and attract new followers.
E
Embed
An embed is the integration of social media content on an external website. Platforms provide embed codes that let you display a specific post, video, or feed on your own website. This increases the visibility of your social content, provides social proof on your website, and can contribute to SEO. Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter/X all offer native embed functionality.
Engagement
Engagement is an umbrella term for all interactions users have with your content. This includes likes, comments, shares, saves, clicks, reactions, and DMs. Engagement is the most important metric on social media: the more engagement, the more the algorithm shows your content to others. Platforms increasingly measure "deep engagement" — saves and shares carry more weight than likes.
Engagement Rate
The engagement rate is the percentage of your reach or followers that interacts with your content. The most common formula: (likes + comments + shares + saves) / reach x 100%. On Instagram, an engagement rate above 3% is considered good; on LinkedIn, above 2%. The engagement rate tends to decrease as your follower count grows — an account with 10,000 followers typically has a higher percentage than one with 1 million.
Explore Page
The Explore page is the discovery screen on Instagram where users find new content based on their interests and behavior. It's comparable to the For You Page on TikTok. Appearing on the Explore page can dramatically increase your reach — from your followers to a much larger audience. The algorithm selects content for Explore based on engagement velocity, relevance, and content type. Reels and carousels appear most frequently.
F
Feed
The feed is the chronological or algorithmically sorted stream of content users see when they open a platform. Instagram has multiple feeds: Following (chronological), Favorites, and the algorithmic home feed. The feed is the primary channel where your followers consume your content. Optimizing your content for the feed — strong opening line, compelling image, hook — determines whether people stop scrolling and actually read your post.
Filter
A filter is a visual effect you apply over a photo or video. Platforms like Instagram and Snapchat offer standard color filters, and through AR (augmented reality), there are interactive face filters. Branded filters are a marketing tool: brands create their own AR filters that users can apply and share, generating organic reach. Meta's Spark AR and TikTok Effect House are the tools for creating custom filters.
Follower
A follower is a user who chooses to follow your account, thereby receiving your content in their feed. Follower count was long considered the most important metric, but the focus is shifting toward engagement and reach. An account with 5,000 engaged followers is more valuable than one with 50,000 passive followers. Growth should be organic — purchased followers lower your engagement rate and damage your visibility.
Frequency
Frequency is the average number of times a person sees your ad during a given period. A frequency that's too low (below 1.5) means your message doesn't stick. A frequency that's too high (above 5-7) leads to ad fatigue — people get irritated and your results deteriorate. The ideal frequency depends on your campaign objective: awareness campaigns can sustain a higher frequency than conversion-focused campaigns.
FYP (For You Page)
The FYP is TikTok's main feed — a personalized stream of videos the algorithm selects based on your viewing behavior, interactions, and preferences. Unlike Instagram or Facebook, you don't need to follow someone to see their content: TikTok's algorithm can show a video from an account with 0 followers to millions of people if the engagement is strong. The FYP is the reason TikTok videos can go viral.
G
Geo-tag (Location Tag)
A geo-tag is a location label you add to your social media post. It indicates where your photo or video was taken or where your business is located. Geo-tags improve your local discoverability: users searching for content from a specific city or neighborhood will find your posts. Especially for local businesses — restaurants, stores, service providers — geo-tags are essential for attracting customers from the area.
GIF
A GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is a short, looping animation file widely used on social media for reactions, humor, and expression. Platforms like Twitter/X, Facebook, and LinkedIn support GIFs in comments and messages. Brands sometimes create their own branded GIFs through GIPHY — when these become popular, they generate millions of impressions. GIFs make your communication more visual and personal.
H
Handle
Your handle is your username on a social media platform, preceded by the @ sign. For example: @searchlab_nl. Your handle should be recognizable, easy to remember, and consistent across platforms. Use the same handle on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter/X so people can find you everywhere. Avoid underscores and numbers where possible — they're harder to remember and communicate verbally.
Hashtag
A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the hash symbol (#), used to categorize and make content discoverable. Hashtags function as search terms within the platform. On Instagram you can use up to 30 hashtags, but 3-5 relevant hashtags often perform better than 30 generic ones. The importance of hashtags varies by platform: on Instagram and TikTok they're still relevant for discovery, on LinkedIn less so, and on Facebook barely at all.
Hook
A hook is the opening line or first few seconds of your content that grabs attention and makes people stop scrolling. On social media, you have 1-3 seconds to capture attention. Strong hooks include: a controversial statement, a surprising fact, a direct question, or a promise ("In 3 steps you'll..."). The hook determines whether your content gets seen or gets scrolled past — it's the most important element of any post.
I
IGTV
IGTV (Instagram TV) was Instagram's platform for longer videos (up to 60 minutes). In 2022, IGTV was merged with feed videos under the name "Instagram Video." The feature no longer exists as a separate tab, but longer videos up to 60 minutes are still possible as regular video posts. Instagram's focus has shifted to Reels for short-form video content.
Impression
An impression is each time your content is displayed on someone's screen. One person can generate multiple impressions — if someone scrolls past your post three times, that counts as three impressions but only one reach. Impressions are a gross reach metric; reach is the net metric. For awareness campaigns, impressions are relevant; for measuring unique reach, you use reach.
Influencer
An influencer is a person with a significant and engaged social media audience who can influence the opinions and purchasing decisions of their followers. Influencers are categorized by size: nano (1,000-10,000 followers), micro (10,000-50,000), mid-tier (50,000-500,000), macro (500,000-1M), and mega (1M+). Brands most commonly partner with micro and mid-tier influencers due to their higher engagement rates and lower costs.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is the collaboration between brands and influencers to promote products or services to the influencer's audience. Formats include: sponsored posts, unboxings, reviews, takeovers, and ambassador programs. The ROI of influencer marketing is difficult to measure but averages around $5-6 per dollar invested. Key takeaway: choose influencers based on relevance and engagement, not follower count alone.
Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels are short, vertical videos of up to 90 seconds on Instagram. Reels are the fastest-growing format on the platform and get priority from the algorithm. They're designed to reach a broader audience beyond your followers — similar to TikTok's FYP. Reels perform up to 2x better in terms of reach than static posts. Use trending audio, text overlays, and quick edits for the best results.
Insight
Insights are the native analytics data that social media platforms provide for business accounts. Instagram Insights shows reach, engagement, follower demographics, and optimal posting times. Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok have similar dashboards. Insights are free and form the basis for data-driven decisions. Check your insights weekly to identify patterns and adjust your strategy accordingly.
K
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
A KPI in social media is a measurable performance indicator you use to assess the success of your strategy. Common social media KPIs include: engagement rate, reach, follower growth, website traffic from social, cost per click (CPC), cost per conversion, and share of voice. Choose 3-5 KPIs that align with your business goals and report on them monthly. Avoid "vanity metrics" like follower count alone — focus on metrics that connect to your business objectives.
L
Like
A like is the simplest form of engagement on social media — a tap on the heart or thumbs-up icon on a post. Likes were the most important metric for years, but their value has diminished. Algorithms now weigh saves, shares, and comments more heavily than likes because those forms of engagement indicate deeper involvement. On Instagram, you can choose to hide like counts to reduce social pressure.
LinkedIn Article
A LinkedIn Article is a long-form blog post published directly on LinkedIn. Articles stand out from regular posts due to their length (up to 125,000 characters), formatting options (headings, images, links), and their own URL that's indexable by Google. They're well-suited for thought leadership, in-depth analyses, and evergreen content. The reach of articles is lower than short posts, but they build authority and appear in LinkedIn search results.
LinkedIn Newsletter
A LinkedIn Newsletter is a recurring publication on LinkedIn that users can subscribe to. Subscribers receive a notification with each new edition. The reach is significantly higher than regular articles because the platform actively notifies subscribers. LinkedIn Newsletters are free, indexable by Google, and a powerful tool for B2B brands to build a consistent readership without relying on the algorithm.
Live Stream
A live stream is a real-time video broadcast on a social media platform. Instagram Live, Facebook Live, TikTok LIVE, YouTube Live, and LinkedIn Live are the most popular options. Live content generates higher engagement than pre-recorded content because viewers can react in real time. Platforms give live streams priority in the algorithm and often send notifications to followers. Use live streams for Q&As, product launches, webinars, and behind-the-scenes content.
Lookalike Audience
A lookalike audience is an advertising target group that the platform assembles based on the characteristics of your existing customers or website visitors. You upload a source list (for example, your customer database or website visitors via the pixel), and the platform finds users with similar demographics, interests, and behaviors. Lookalike audiences are one of the most effective targeting methods on Meta and other advertising platforms — they combine the scale of broad targeting with the relevance of specific targeting.
M
Mention
A mention is tagging another account in your post or comment using @username. Mentions generate a notification for the mentioned account and create a clickable link to that profile. They're used for collaboration, credits, customer service, and involving others in a conversation. Brands monitor mentions through social listening tools to see what's being said about them.
Meta Business Suite
The Meta Business Suite (formerly Facebook Business Suite) is Meta's free dashboard for managing your Facebook and Instagram pages from one location. You can schedule and publish content, respond to messages and comments, manage ads, view analytics, and centralize your inbox. It's the successor to separate Facebook and Instagram management and is essential for any professional social media approach.
Meme
A meme is an image, video, or text that is humorous and gets quickly shared and copied across the internet. Brands use memes as part of their content strategy to come across as relatable and approachable. Effective brand memes tap into trending formats while remaining recognizable to the target audience. The risk: memes age quickly and a misplaced meme can damage your brand. Timing and tone of voice are crucial.
Micro-Influencer
A micro-influencer is a content creator with 10,000-50,000 followers who has a strong connection with a specific niche. Micro-influencers typically have an engagement rate of 3-7% — significantly higher than macro and mega influencers. They're more affordable (often $200-$1,000 per post), more authentic, and reach a highly targeted audience. For small and mid-sized businesses, micro-influencer partnerships are often more effective than investing in bigger names.
N
Native Content
Native content is content specifically created for the platform it's posted on, and designed to look like it belongs there. A native Instagram Reel is vertical, short, and has text overlays; a native LinkedIn post is text-based, professional, and more detailed. Native content always performs better than content that's obviously copied from another platform — TikTok watermarks on Instagram Reels being the notorious example. Platforms actively demote non-native content in their algorithms.
Newsletter (Social)
A social newsletter is a recurring email communication you use to amplify your social media content and vice versa. More and more social media platforms offer their own newsletter functionality (LinkedIn Newsletters, Substack, Instagram Broadcast Channels). The power of a newsletter is that you're not dependent on the algorithm: you reach your subscribers directly. The combination of social media + newsletter is the gold standard for building an audience.
O
Organic Reach
Organic reach is the number of unique people who see your content without you paying for it. This reach is determined by the algorithm based on your engagement, the relevance of your content, and the behavior of your followers. Organic reach on most platforms has been declining for years: on Facebook you organically reach only 2-5% of your followers, on Instagram 10-20%, and on LinkedIn 5-15%. This makes it increasingly important to invest in high-quality content and community engagement.
Organic vs. Paid
The distinction between organic and paid social media is fundamental. Organic is everything you publish without a budget: regular posts, stories, reels. Paid is everything you pay for: ads, boosted posts, sponsored content. The best social media strategies combine both: organic builds relationships and authority, paid expands reach and drives direct conversions. A good ratio is 70% organic, 30% paid.
P
Paid Reach
Paid reach is the number of unique people who see your content because you pay for it through advertising or boosting posts. Paid reach is predictable and scalable — more budget equals more reach — but stops the moment you stop paying. The effectiveness of paid reach depends on your targeting, creative assets, and landing page. Always measure cost per result (CPC, CPA) alongside raw reach numbers.
Pin
Pinning a post means fixing a specific post to the top of your profile or feed so every visitor sees it first. On Instagram you can pin up to 3 posts, on TikTok also 3, and on Twitter/X 1. Pinned posts are ideal for your best content, an important announcement, or a post that immediately shows new followers what your account is about. On Pinterest, a "pin" is the standard term for a posted image.
Pixel (Tracking Pixel)
A pixel is a piece of code you place on your website to track the behavior of social media visitors. The Meta Pixel (formerly Facebook Pixel) is the most well-known. The pixel records what actions visitors take after clicking an ad: page visits, products viewed, purchases made. This data is used for retargeting, conversion optimization, and building lookalike audiences. Without a pixel, you're flying blind with social media advertising.
Platform
A social media platform is a digital environment where users create, share, and consume content. The most important platforms for marketing include Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitter/X. Each platform has a different audience, different content formats, and different best practices. You don't need to be present on every platform — choose the 2-3 platforms where your target audience is most active.
Post
A post is any piece of content you publish on social media: a photo, video, text, carousel, link, or poll. Posts are the foundation of your social media presence. The ideal posting frequency varies by platform: on Instagram 3-5x per week, on LinkedIn 2-4x, on TikTok daily. Quality always trumps quantity — one strong post per week beats five mediocre ones.
R
Reach
Reach is the number of unique people who have seen your content. The difference from impressions: if 100 people each see your post 3 times, you have a reach of 100 and 300 impressions. Reach is the net metric for your visibility. In social media, we distinguish organic reach (free), paid reach (paid), and viral reach (spread by others). Your total reach is the combination of all three.
Reel
A reel is a short, vertical video on Instagram (up to 90 seconds) or Facebook (up to 90 seconds). Reels are Meta's answer to TikTok and receive significantly more reach than static posts. The algorithm actively pushes reels to non-followers via the Explore page and the Reels tab. Characteristics of successful reels: a strong hook in the first second, trending audio, subtitles, and a clear ending.
Repost
A repost is re-sharing someone else's content on your own profile. On Twitter/X this is called "repost" (formerly retweet); on LinkedIn it's "repost." Instagram doesn't have a native repost function for feed posts, which is why users rely on apps like Repost for Instagram. Reposting UGC (user-generated content) is a popular strategy: you showcase customer satisfaction without having to create content yourself. Always credit the original creator.
Retargeting (Remarketing)
Retargeting is re-engaging people who have previously interacted with your brand — such as website visitors, video viewers, or profile visitors — through targeted ads. Retargeting works via the pixel or platform data. Because these people already know your brand, conversion rates with retargeting are 2-5x higher than with cold audiences. It's one of the most cost-effective forms of social media advertising.
S
Save
A save is when a user saves your post to revisit later. On Instagram, the save icon is the bookmark in the bottom right of your post. Saves are one of the most heavily weighted engagement signals for the algorithm: they indicate your content is valuable enough to bookmark. Content that gets saved frequently — think tips, checklists, recipes, and tutorials — receives more reach. Make your content "save-worthy" by providing practical value.
Scheduling
Scheduling is planning social media posts in advance so they're automatically published at the desired time. Scheduling tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, Later, and the native schedulers in Meta Business Suite and LinkedIn make it possible to plan weeks ahead. The advantage: you can batch-create content, post consistently, and publish at optimal times — even when you're not at your computer.
Shadowban
A shadowban is when a platform makes your content invisible to non-followers without notifying you. Your account appears to function normally, but your posts no longer appear on the Explore page, in hashtag feeds, or in recommendations. Possible causes: repeated violation of community guidelines, use of banned hashtags, suspicious automation behavior, or a high volume of user complaints. Platforms deny the existence of shadowbans, but the phenomenon is widely documented.
Share
A share is when a user shares your content with others — via a repost, a forward in DMs, or a share to external platforms. Shares are the most powerful engagement signal: it means someone found your content valuable enough to expose their own network to it. Algorithms weigh shares most heavily of all interaction types. Content that gets shared frequently: relatable situations, controversial statements, practical tips, and humorous content.
Social Commerce
Social commerce is selling products directly through social media platforms, without the user leaving the app. Instagram Shopping, Facebook Shops, TikTok Shop, and Pinterest Shopping make it possible to tag products, display a catalog, and complete the purchase process within the platform. Social commerce is growing rapidly — especially among younger audiences who are accustomed to a seamless discover-and-buy experience.
Social Listening
Social listening is monitoring social media platforms for mentions of your brand, competitors, industry, or relevant topics. Tools like Brandwatch, Mention, and Sprout Social collect this data automatically. Social listening goes beyond responding to mentions: it reveals trends, sentiment, customer needs, and competitive insights. It's the foundation for proactive social media strategy rather than reactive.
Social Proof
Social proof is the psychological principle that people tend to follow the behavior of others. On social media, social proof manifests as: high follower counts, strong engagement, positive reviews, customer testimonials, influencer endorsements, and badges like "verified." Social proof lowers the barrier for new followers and customers. Tip: prominently display reviews and UGC on your profile and in your ads.
Sponsored Post
A sponsored post is a paid social media post marked as "Sponsored" or "Paid partnership." It can be an ad placed by the brand itself, or a post by an influencer that was paid for by the brand. Laws and regulations (such as FTC guidelines in the US) require that sponsored content be clearly labeled as such. Transparency builds trust with your target audience.
Stitch
A stitch is a TikTok feature that lets you use the first 5 seconds of another account's video and then record your own reaction or addition. The difference from a duet: with a stitch, the clips play back-to-back; with a duet, they play side by side. Stitches are popular for reaction videos, debunking claims, and adding expertise to trending content.
Story
A story is a short piece of content (photo or video) that's visible for 24 hours and then disappears. Stories are available on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. They appear at the top of the feed in a horizontal bar. Stories are ideal for daily updates, behind-the-scenes content, polls, question stickers, and informal communication. Story reach is higher among existing followers, while feed posts and reels reach more non-followers.
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Tag
Tagging is marking another account in a post, photo, or video. On Instagram you can tag up to 20 accounts in a photo; on LinkedIn you can tag people and companies in the text. Tagging generates a notification for the tagged account and creates a link to that profile. It's used for credits, collaborations, and expanding reach — the tagged person often shares your post with their own network.
Thread
A thread is a series of connected posts on Twitter/X or Threads (Meta's platform). On Twitter/X, you use threads to tell a longer story in consecutive tweets. Threads (the platform) is Meta's text-based social media app, launched in 2023 as a competitor to Twitter/X. On both platforms, threads perform well because they keep users engaged longer — which the algorithm rewards with more reach.
TikTok
TikTok is the short-video platform by ByteDance that has grown explosively since 2018. With over 1 billion active users worldwide, it's especially popular among younger demographics (16-34), but usage among those 35 and older is growing rapidly. TikTok differentiates itself through its algorithm that distributes content based on viewing behavior, not followers. Users spend an average of 95 minutes per day on the platform.
Trending
Trending content is content, audio, hashtags, or topics that are currently popular and receiving a lot of attention on a platform. Jumping on trends — with your own spin — is an effective way to increase your reach. Platforms reward trending content with more visibility. The risk: trends age quickly (sometimes within 48 hours) and not every trend fits your brand. Select trends that align with your brand voice and target audience.
Troll
A troll is a user who deliberately posts provocative, offensive, or misleading messages to elicit reactions. Trolls appear in comments, DMs, and public discussions. The best approach: don't respond to provocation (don't feed the troll), hide or delete negative comments, and block and report repeat offenders. A clear moderation policy protects your community and your brand image.
U
UGC (User-Generated Content)
UGC is content created by users or customers about your brand, product, or service. Think photos, reviews, unboxing videos, and testimonials. UGC is incredibly valuable for brands: it's authentic, builds trust, and saves on production costs. You can encourage UGC through branded hashtags, contests, and actively reposting customer content. UGC ads perform on average 4x better than professionally produced content in terms of conversion.
UGC Creator
A UGC creator is a content maker who produces content that looks like user-generated content but is created on commission for a brand. Unlike influencers, UGC creators don't post the content on their own profile — the brand uses the content in ads and on its own channels. UGC creators are more affordable than influencers (often $100-$500 per video) and deliver authentic-looking content that performs well in advertising.
V
Vanity Metric
A vanity metric is a measurement that looks impressive but says little about your actual business results. The classic example: follower count. 100,000 followers means nothing if those followers don't convert into customers. Other vanity metrics: likes, impressions, and page views without context. Focus instead on actionable metrics: engagement rate, conversions, cost per acquisition, and customer lifetime value.
Verified
A verified account is a profile with a blue checkmark confirming that the account is authentic. Verification used to be reserved for public figures, brands, and media organizations. Meta and Twitter/X now offer paid verification through subscriptions (Meta Verified, X Premium). Verification provides extra credibility, better security, and in some cases algorithmic advantages. On LinkedIn, the equivalent is called "profile verification."
Video Views
Video views count the number of times your video has been watched — but the definition varies by platform. On TikTok, every view counts (even 1 second), on Instagram Reels a view counts after 3 seconds, on YouTube after 30 seconds, and on Facebook after 3 seconds. This makes comparing views across platforms misleading. That's why you should also look at watch time (average viewing duration) and view-through rate as more reliable indicators of your video content's quality.
Viral
Viral content is content that gets shared exponentially and achieves reach far beyond normal levels. There's no fixed definition of "viral," but a rule of thumb is: 10x your average reach or more. Going viral isn't plannable, but you can increase the odds by: tapping into trends, evoking emotion, surprising your audience, being relatable, and creating content people want to share. Most viral content is short, unexpected, and emotional.
Vlog
A vlog (video blog) is a diary-style video in which the creator shares their daily life, work, or experiences. Vlogs are popular on YouTube, but the format has spread to Instagram Stories, TikTok, and LinkedIn. For businesses, vlogs are a way to communicate transparently and personally: behind-the-scenes of the company, a day in the life of the founder, or showcasing the production process. This builds trust and recognition.
W
Watch Time
Watch time is the total time users spend watching your videos. It's one of the most important metrics for the algorithm: a video that's watched in full (or even replayed) gets more reach than a video people click away from after 2 seconds. On TikTok and Instagram Reels, the percentage watched (e.g., 80% of the video) is what determines further distribution. Keep your videos as short as possible and as long as necessary.
Whitelisting
Whitelisting (also: creator licensing) is when a brand gets permission to run ads through an influencer's or creator's account. The ad appears under the creator's name instead of the brand's, which comes across as more authentic. Whitelisting combines the trust of influencer content with the targeting and scaling capabilities of advertising platforms. It's a growing trend in influencer marketing.