CTV – Connected TV: Internet-connected television used for streaming content.

OTT – Over-the-Top: Content delivered via the internet, bypassing traditional cable.

AVOD – Ad-Supported Video on Demand: Free streaming content with ads.

SVOD – Subscription Video on Demand: Paid ad-free streaming services.

TVE (TV Everywhere) – Streaming access for pay-TV subscribers across devices.

FAST – Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV: Linear-style streaming channels with ads.

Linear TV – Traditional TV with scheduled programming.

Smart TV – A television with built-in internet capabilities and apps.

Binge Ads – Ad formats designed for binge-watchers (e.g., fewer ads after several episodes).

Pause Ads – Static ads shown when a viewer pauses content.

DAI (Dynamic Ad Insertion) – Serving ads into live or on-demand video streams.

Ad Pod – A group of video ads played back-to-back like a commercial break.

ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) – Tech that identifies TV content being watched.

Converged TV – A strategy that combines linear and streaming video buying.

Skippable Ad – A video ad the viewer can skip after a few seconds.

Non-Skippable Ad – An ad that must be watched in full.

Instream Video – Ads played before, during, or after video content.

Outstream Video – Video ads placed outside of video content, such as in articles.

CTV Signal Loss – Data loss in CTV environments due to limited identifiers.

Mid-Roll – An ad played in the middle of video content.

Display Ads – Banner or image-based ads shown on web or mobile pages.

Video Ads – Ads using video creatives to promote a brand.

Native Ads – Ads designed to look like surrounding content.

Audio Ads – Ads placed in streaming audio or podcasts.

Expandable Ads – Interactive ads that expand when clicked or hovered.

Interstitial Ads – Full-screen ads that appear at natural breaks.

Overlay Ads – Ads displayed over content, often semi-transparent.

Floating Ads – Ads that float over webpage content.

Sponsored Content – Editorial-style content created for advertising.

Pre-Roll – An ad played before video content.

Post-Roll – An ad shown after video content.

Carousel Ads – Ads that allow users to scroll through multiple panels.

Companion Ads – Display ads shown alongside video or audio ads.

Playable Ads – Interactive ad units often used in gaming apps.

Lightbox Ads – Expandable ads that engage users with rich content.

Takeover Ads – Ads that temporarily “take over” an entire site or app screen.

Ticker Ads – Scrolling ads typically seen in sports or news videos.

Story Ads – Full-screen ads placed between story content on apps like Instagram or Snapchat.

Native Video – Video ads that auto-play in-feed and match the platform’s style.

Rewarded Video – Ad format where users receive a reward (e.g., game coins) for watching.

DSP (Demand-Side Platform) – Tool for advertisers to buy media programmatically.

SSP (Supply-Side Platform) – Platform for publishers to manage and sell inventory.

Ad Exchange – A digital marketplace where DSPs and SSPs trade ad inventory.

RTB (Real-Time Bidding) – Instant auction to serve the right ad to the right user.

PMP (Private Marketplace) – Programmatic deals with premium inventory and invited buyers.

Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) – Programmatic deal with fixed CPM and reserved inventory.

Header Bidding – Tech that allows multiple ad exchanges to bid simultaneously.

Waterfalling – A sequential ad-serving method, where demand sources are prioritized.

Preferred Deal – A non-guaranteed deal where the buyer gets first look at inventory.

Open Exchange – A public marketplace where inventory is available to all DSPs.

Bid Request – Information sent from the SSP to DSP to solicit a bid.

Bid Response – The ad and bid price returned by the DSP.

Deal ID – Unique code used to match buyer and seller in private deals.

Cookie Syncing – Matching user IDs between platforms for targeting and attribution.

Ad Call – The request for an ad to be served.

Ad Server – Platform that delivers and tracks digital ads.

Creative – The actual ad asset (image, video, etc.) served to users.

Tag – A snippet of code placed on a website to trigger ad calls.

Pixel – A small, invisible code snippet used to track conversions and user behavior.

SDK (Software Development Kit) – Tools for integrating ad tech into apps.

Impression – A single instance of an ad being served.

CPM (Cost Per Mille) – Cost per thousand impressions.

CPC (Cost Per Click) – Cost incurred each time an ad is clicked.

CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) – Cost paid for a specific user action (e.g., sale, signup).

CPL (Cost Per Lead) – Price paid for each lead generated by an ad.

CTR (Click-Through Rate) – Ratio of users who click an ad to those who see it.

Conversion – When a user takes a desired action after viewing an ad.

Attribution – Assigning credit to marketing touchpoints that led to a conversion.

Viewability – Percentage of the ad that was actually seen by users.

VCR (Video Completion Rate) – % of video ads viewed to the end.

VTR (View-Through Rate) – Measures impressions that later led to conversions.

ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) – Revenue generated per dollar spent on ads.

Lift – The incremental effect of a campaign versus a control group.

Incrementality – The additional value generated by an ad beyond what would’ve occurred organically.

Reach – Total number of unique users exposed to an ad.

Frequency – The average number of times a user sees an ad.

GRP (Gross Rating Point) – Traditional metric estimating reach and frequency.

Engagement Rate – How often users interact with an ad.

Effective CPM (eCPM) – Revenue per 1,000 impressions across multiple pricing models.

Post-Click Conversion – Conversions that occur after a user clicks an ad.

1st Party Data – Data collected directly by a brand from its users.

2nd Party Data – Another company’s 1st party data shared through a partnership.

3rd Party Data – Aggregated data collected without a direct user relationship.

Behavioral Targeting – Targeting users based on their past online behavior.

Contextual Targeting – Ads based on the content of the surrounding webpage.

Geo-Targeting – Serving ads based on users’ geographic location.

Geo-Fencing – Creating a virtual perimeter to trigger location-based ads.

Retargeting – Serving ads to users who previously visited a site or interacted with a brand.

Lookalike Audiences – New users who resemble an advertiser’s existing customers.

Deterministic Matching – Identity resolution based on known user info like emails.

Probabilistic Matching – Inferring identity using non-personally identifiable info.

Device Graph – A map of devices and users used for targeting and attribution.

Household Targeting – Delivering ads across devices within a household.

Interest Targeting – Serving ads based on stated or inferred interests.

Demographic Targeting – Ads delivered based on age, gender, income, etc.

Behavioral Segment – A group of users with shared behaviors or characteristics.

CRM Targeting – Using customer relationship management data to build ad audiences.

Custom Audience – An audience created from a brand’s internal data (emails, phone numbers).

Audience Extension – Using data to reach similar users beyond a core site.

Affinity Audience – Users grouped by long-term interests and passions.

Retail Media – Advertising on or through a retailer’s website, app, or properties.

Commerce Media – Broader category including retail media and commerce-driven ad solutions using purchase data.

On-Site Retail Media – Ads shown directly on a retailer’s owned platforms.

Off-Site Retail Media – Ads shown on third-party sites using retailer data (e.g., ads on DIsney+ from Walmart data).

In-Store Media – Physical retail ad placements like screens, shelf displays, or floor decals.

Sponsored Product Ads – Native-style ads promoting specific products in search results.

Retailer DSP – Demand-side platforms operated by retailers (e.g., Amazon DSP, Walmart DSP).

Retailer SSP – Supply-side platforms managed by retail networks to sell inventory.

Search Extension – Using retail media dollars to buy search traffic (e.g., on Google).

Closed-Loop Measurement – Tracking ad exposure through to in-store or online purchase.

Retailer Media Network – The ad business run by a retailer (e.g., Walmart Connect, Roundel).

Endcap Display – Featured in-store displays at the end of aisles, used for shopper marketing.

Shelf Space – Location and positioning of a product on physical or digital shelves.

Shopper Marketing – Marketing aimed at the purchaser, not the end user.

Trade Marketing – Promotion aimed at retailers or distributors rather than consumers.

Retail Media Attribution – Measuring the impact of retail ads on consumer purchase behavior.

Retail Intent Data – Purchase or search signals on a retail site used for targeting.

Product Listing Ad (PLA) – Ad units that show a product image, price, and brand.

Commerce Signals – Behavioral data from purchases or product searches.

Brand Storefront – Custom landing pages within retail platforms that showcase a brand’s products.

GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation, privacy law in the EU.

CCPA/CPRA – California privacy laws regulating personal data and consent.

Consent Management Platform (CMP) – Software that manages user consent preferences.

Do Not Track (DNT) – A browser setting requesting websites not to track the user.

PII (Personally Identifiable Information) – Data that can identify a specific individual.

Anonymized Data – Data that has had identifying information removed.

Data Minimization – The principle of collecting only necessary user data.

User Opt-In – When a user gives affirmative consent to data collection.

User Opt-Out – When a user chooses not to allow data collection.

Data Retention Policy – Rules about how long data can be stored.

Contextual Consent – Gaining consent within the context of content or action.

IDFA – Identifier for Advertisers (Apple’s device ID for ad tracking).

GAID – Google Advertising ID, used for Android devices.

ATT (App Tracking Transparency) – iOS framework requiring permission to track users.

Privacy Sandbox – Google’s proposed solutions for ad targeting without 3rd-party cookies.

FLoC – Federated Learning of Cohorts, an earlier Google Privacy Sandbox proposal.

Topics API – Google’s replacement for FLoC, based on general user interests.

Clean Room – Privacy-safe environments where brands and platforms compare datasets without exposing user-level data.

Hashed Email – A privacy-safe version of an email used as an identity signal.

Data Deletion Request – A request made by a user to delete their data from a platform.

MarTech – Marketing technology stack used for campaign execution and analysis.

Ad Tech – Technology stack used to deliver, target, and optimize ads.

CDP (Customer Data Platform) – System that unifies customer data into a single profile.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) – Software used to manage and analyze customer interactions.

Tag Manager – A platform for managing JavaScript tags without editing code (e.g., GTM).

Attribution Model – The logic used to assign credit to marketing touchpoints.

Last-Click Attribution – Attribution model giving full credit to the final click.

First-Click Attribution – Attribution model giving full credit to the first interaction.

Multi-Touch Attribution – Attribution split across multiple touchpoints.

Media Mix Modeling (MMM) – A statistical approach to estimate marketing impact.

ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) – Process of moving and transforming data between systems.

API (Application Programming Interface) – Tools that allow software systems to talk to each other.

Latency – The delay between ad request and delivery.

Data Warehouse – Centralized storage for large volumes of structured data.

Identity Graph – A map linking user IDs across devices and platforms.

Data Onboarding – Converting offline data (like emails) into online identifiers.

Cloud Storage – Remote storage of digital files and datasets.

Data Lake – A flexible repository storing raw structured and unstructured data.

Cross-Device ID – Technology that tracks the same user across multiple devices.

Identity Resolution – Matching user identifiers to build a unified customer profile.

Brand Safety – Ensuring ads don’t appear near inappropriate or damaging content.

Ad Verification – Tech that ensures ads appear as intended and are viewable.

Ad Fraud – False ad impressions or clicks generated by bots or malicious actors.

Bot Traffic – Non-human traffic used to inflate ad metrics.

Walled Garden – A closed platform that limits external measurement (e.g., Google, Meta, Amazon).

Inventory – Available ad placements on a publisher’s site or app.

Remnant Inventory – Unsold ad space often sold at discount rates.

Premium Inventory – High-quality placements typically offering better performance.

Direct Buy – Media purchased directly from a publisher without automation.

Upfronts – TV industry events where networks sell future ad slots.

Scatter Buy – Buying TV inventory outside the upfront window.

IO (Insertion Order) – A contract between buyer and seller for ad placements.

RFP (Request for Proposal) – A document outlining campaign goals for media vendors.

Media Plan – A strategic outline of where and how media will be purchased.

Ad Ops – Team responsible for trafficking, QA, and performance monitoring.

Account Manager – Liaison between client and media team.

Ad Sales – Professionals responsible for selling advertising space.

Agency Trading Desk – Centralized unit within an agency that executes programmatic buys.

Holding Company – A parent company that owns multiple ad agencies (e.g., WPP, Omnicom).

Publisher – Any entity that provides content and ad inventory.

Incremental Reach – New users reached by a channel who wouldn’t have been reached otherwise.

Signal Loss – Inability to track or measure user behavior due to privacy constraints.

Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) – Ad stitching done on the server side rather than client side.

Client-Side Ad Insertion (CSAI) – Ads stitched into content on the viewer’s device.

Unified ID – Alternative ID systems to replace 3rd-party cookies.

UID 2.0 – The Trade Desk’s proposed universal identity solution.

Zero-Party Data – Data that users explicitly provide (e.g., preferences, surveys).

Second Screen – Use of a mobile device while watching TV, often in relation to the content.

View-Through Attribution – Assigning credit to ad impressions that lead to conversions without clicks.

Click-Through Attribution – Credit given only to ad clicks that lead to conversion.

Ad Load – The number of ads delivered per hour or per piece of content.

Cross-Screen – Strategy involving targeting and measurement across all devices.

Storytelling Ads – Ads designed to convey narrative rather than drive immediate action.

Signal Matching – Matching anonymized user identifiers across platforms.

AI in Advertising – Use of artificial intelligence to optimize bids, creative, or targeting.

Attention Metrics – Measuring how much attention an ad receives beyond viewability.

Metaverse Ads – Immersive or virtual ads placed in 3D digital spaces.

Shoppable Ads – Ads that allow users to directly purchase featured products.

QR Code Ads – Ads that drive mobile engagement via scannable QR codes.