Social media is the use of web-based platforms to create and share user-generated content. This can take on many different forms including blogs, photographs, videos, and email marketing. Below are some commonly used terms and their definitions:
Application programming interface, a tool used to connect a database of information with another service, such as Benchmark Email.
A collection of previous documents or content that can then be accessed at a later date. Benchmark Email offers the option to archive your campaigns
A website on which an individual or group of users record opinions, information, etc. on a regular basis.
Blogger: Someone who participates and attributes to a blog.
BoardReader: A free search engine that allows users to search for keywords only in posts and titles of online forums.
Comment: An option to leave your opinion on someone else’s content
Creative Commons: A non-profit organization whose purpose is to facilitate user access to works protected by copyright, in accordance with the terms specified within the license issued to the copyright holder.
Delicious: A social bookmarking web service for storing, sharing, and discovering web bookmarks.
A social networking site where users create individual and business profiles
to connect with and communicate with others.
Firefox: Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation.
Flash Mob: A large group of people who gather at a public location to perform a pre-defined action; typically a dance.
Flickr: An image hosting and video hosting website.
Forums: An internet message board, usually in a Q&A format.
Foursquare: A location-based social networking website where users can report places they’ve been to and share with their friends and contacts on sites such as Facebook.
Google: The brand name of a leading internet search engine.
Google Chrome: A web browser developed by Google that uses the WebKit layout engine and application framework.
Hashtag: Short messages on services such as Twitter or identi.ca may be tagged by including one or more hashtags: words or phrases prefixed with a hash symbol (#)
Hypertext Markup Language, a standardized system for tagging text files to achieve font, color, graphic, and hyperlink effects on World Wide Web pages.
Hyperlink: A navigational reference to another document or page on the World Wide Web.
Joomla: A free and open source CMS or content management system for publishing content on the World Wide Web and intranets.
Lifecasting: A continual broadcast of events in a person’s life through digital media; usually via video.
Like: Generally used on Facebook or YouTube, it is an action taken by a user to show appreciation for the post or content being shared.
LinkedIn: A business-oriented social networking site.
Newsvine: A community-powered, collaborative journalism news website, owned by msnbc.com.
Opera: A web browser and Internet suite developed by Opera Software.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization): The process if improving the visibility of a website or web page in search engines via un-paid search results.
An option given on user-generated material that allows the viewer to pass it on to their friends, family, and others. Share
your Benchmark Email campaigns to expand the circle of people and increase your number of subscribers.
Skype: A software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chats over the Internet.
Twitter: A service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent messages.
URL (Unified Resource Language): The address of a World Wide Web page.
Web Analytics: The measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of internet data for purposes of understanding and optimizing web usage.
An interactive seminar conducted over the Internet to share information and provide an open forum for questions and answers. Benchmark Email uses webinars
as a tool for helping you get the most out of Email Marketing.
Widget: A mini-web application you can put in your web page, blog or social profile that can quickly and easily provide your visitors with user specific information, extra functionality, and even a bit of fun and games.
Wikipedia: A free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation.
WordPress: An open source blog tool and publishing platform powered by PHP and MySQL. It’s often customized into a Content Management System (CMS).
Yammer: Social networking site used for private communication within organizations or between organizational members and pre-designated groups, making it an example of enterprise social software.
Yelp: An online urban city guide that helps people find cool places to eat, shop, drink, relax and play, based on the informed opinions of a vibrant and active community of locals in the know. Yelp is the fun and easy way to find, review and talk about what’s great — and not so great — in your world.