by Ravi Backerdan on February 15, 2022
We use acronyms and abbreviations for everyday conversations because it takes less time to say or write the first initial of each word than writing the entire sentence.
But other than the ease of conveying information faster, using acronyms serves another purpose: interacting with the audience in colloquial language develops credibility for brands guaranteeing effective email marketing success.
From P.S. to CC, BCC to ASAP, it’s tough to keep track of every acronym. We have compiled a list of 21+ acronyms and numerous abbreviations used in everyday email marketing communication.
Here are a few examples that every business can take advantage of. These acronyms will also clear some email marketing basics along the way.
1. ESP- Abbreviation for Email Service Provider. Examples of email service providers are Gmail, ProtonMail, Zoho Mail, Outlook, Yahoo! Mail, GMX, iCloud Mail. Source
2. ISP- Internet Service Provider. The companies that provide internet connections and services to people and organizations. ISPs may also provide software packages, email accounts or websites. Examples of Internet Service Providers are Microsoft, Google, Comcast, Verizon. Source
3. BTF- Below the Fold. In email marketing, the term refers to any material below the bottom page once it finishes loading. The consumers need to scroll down to reach the BTF material. Therefore, an organization aims to keep the most critical or attention-grabbing information- ATF (Above the Fold).
4. GA- Google Analytics. The platform lets organizations measure their advertising return on investments and also track the performance of their social media sites and applications.
5. COI- Confirmed Opt-In aka Verified Opt-In. It is the process by which subscribers acknowledge that they have subscribed to receive the emails by clicking the join list option. Source
6. UX- User Experience. The consumer's overall experience while using a product or surfing for the product through websites or computer applications- especially in terms of how pleasant a website makes the process for the consumer. Source
7. Clickbait- In the internet world, clickbait's primary purpose is to attract the consumers' attention and encourage them to click on a link to a particular web page, whether they are relevant or not. Source
8. SMTP- Simple Mail Transfer Protocol- To transfer the email across networks and deliver them to the desired recipients, the first step involves an SMTP transmitting through the internet to the MTA. This process is called “store and forward.” Examples of SMTPs are Mailgun, SendGrid, and Sparkspot. Source
9. MTA- Mail Transfer Agent. A message transfer agent or mail transfer agent within email marketing management refers to software that transfers electronic mail messages from one computer to another using SMTP. Source
10. IMAP and POP3- Internet Message Access Protocol and Post Office Protocol 3. IMAP and POP3 are protocols used by MUAs to download emails from servers' mailboxes. Source
11. Transactional Email- A transactional email is an email that is sent to recipients after a commercial transaction or a specific action is performed by the person. For example, Amazon sends payment confirmation emails. Source
12. Email Deliverability- An organization can deliver emails to accurate subscribers’ inboxes. Many marketers gauge the success of their email marketing campaigns based on email deliverability. Source
13. Hard Bounce- A hard bounce is a term that refers to email delivery failure due to reasons like invalid recipient’s address, incorrect domain name, etc. As a result, the email returns to the sender.
14. NRN- No Reply Necessary. The term refers to when the recipient doesn’t need to reply to the information sent through email. This reduces the email clutter from replies. Source
15. BCC- Stands for Blind Carbon Copy. It is the way of sending copies of an email to different people. When emails are sent keeping recipients in BCC, the recipients will not be able to see that someone else has been sent the exact copy of the email.
16. CC- Carbon Copy The term denotes anything that is near a duplicate of an original. The CC field in the email marketing trend allows senders to send a "carbon copy" ; the recipients in both the To Field and CC field can see the sender's email address.
17. CAN-SPAM- A law applicable in the United States sets rules and regulations for commercial email marketing services. The law also establishes requirements for commercial messages, allowing recipients to opt-out of receiving promotional emails. The United States passed the law in 2003. Source
18. CPL- Cost-Per-Lead. It is the amount that an email marketing organization pays to acquire leads for its business.CPL plays a vital role in customer acquisition costs. It is a metric that marketers often keep a close eye on. Source
19. CRM- Customer Relationship Management. In email marketing efforts, this is a highly valued term among marketers. CRM refers to software that lets email marketing companies keep track of all the customers' contact information, such as email id phone numbers, to send them personalized emails. Source
20. CTA- Call-To-Action tells users to take specified actions on a website or a computer appreciation. Typically, a CTA is written as a command or action encouraging phrase such as Login, Sign up, Buy Nw and takes the form of a hyperlink. Source
21. KPI-Key Performance Indicator. KPIs are critical indicators that help organizations measure their progress towards an intended result. They provide focussed and strategic operation plans in the email marketing journey. Source
22. QR Code- Quick Response Barcode.
23. WOM- Word of Mouth.
24. CAC- Customer Acquisition Cost.
25. CLV- Customer Lifetime Value
26. CSS- Cascading Style Sheets. It is the language that manages the design and presentation of a web page. Source
Understanding the vernacular in the b2b email marketing space often feels like learning a new language. In particular, the list of acronyms can be even longer for business organizations since it is niche-based. Like any other industry, the process begins by noting standard terms that fill the blanks between brands and customers. However, wrapping your head around b2b email list acronyms by skimming Wikipedia and thousands of blogs on the surface can be a bit overwhelming.
A great place to start is to understand the most common acronyms and how they work. Above, we mentioned the email marketing acronyms to clear your basics. If you know any other terms that we might have missed in this blog, comment below, and we will make sure to add them in part 2 of the ultimate list of email marketing strategies.