Animated GIF (.gif) - From a publisher’s perspective, no different than an ordinary GIF. However, from an Advertiser’s perspective, the difference couldn’t be bigger. Animation allows you to attract attention and tell a story over several “frames” (think of the frames of a comic strip, shown in quick succession).
Cost Per Thousand (CPM) - A way to purchase advertising based on the number of ad impressions.
Cost Per Click (CPC) - A way to purchase advertising based on the number of times customers click on your ad and, therefore, visit your website.
Cost Per Action (CPA) - A way to purchase advertising based on the revenue generated by your ad. Typically, you pay the publisher a percentage of this revenue.
Creative - Industry lingo for any completed advertising piece, whether it’s a banner or email.
Directory - A website that catalogs the Internet by categorizing and ranking other websites using human editors. These editors screen and subjectively place websites based on the quality of content at the time of review.
Flash (.fla) - A relatively new technology that falls in the category of “rich media.” If it moves in ways more sophisticated than a slide projector might produce, then it’s probably Flash. Macromedia, makers of Flash, claim that approximately 96% of Internet users have installed the Flash plug-in (required for display).
GIF (.gif) - Originally developed by CompuServe in the early days of the Internet, the GIF has become one of two “standards” for displaying images online. Because of the way it compresses data, the GIF is best used with images that use wide stretches of the same color. The GIF is not ideal for photographs. See also, "animated gif".
HTML (.htm or .html) - When you purchase an ad that allows HTML, you’re essentially given license to do whatever you want (within physical and file size limits). Not only can you implement any of the file types listed above, but you can also add JavaScript and forms to enhance interactivity.
JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg) - Optimum for displaying photographs, this file type does not allow animation but can provide glorious detail if you’re selling ware that require real-life demonstration (think fashion).
Publisher - Any website or web property that displays your advertising.
Impression - A single appearance of an advertisement on a website.
Landing Page - The first page a customer sees after clicking on your banner. Typically, the advertiser will compare two landing pages against each other to discover which sells better.
List Provider - A vendor of bulk email lists. In email marketing, often synonymous with “Publisher.”
Opt-in - A way of qualifying list subscribers who explicitly requested to be added to an email list.
Opt-out - A way of qualifying list subscribers who did not explicitly request to not be added to an email list.
Rich Media - Loosely defined, any use of web technology that incorporates streaming video, audio or animation.
Search Engine - A website that catalogs the Internet by categorizing and ranking other websites using automated programs called “search engine spiders.” These spiders analyze the content, code, and “popularity” of a website, then group it with similar websites and assign a Page Rank.
Streaming Video and Audio (.mp3 .avi .mpeg .wmv .rm and others) - Not commonly used and not very effective even when it appears. Best results occur when you’re advertising an event rather than a product or website.
Streaming Media - Any type of graphics, video or audio file that can begin playing before the client has completely downloaded the file.
Web Client - A typical web user. Anyone requesting a file from the web server.
