AdlyAI Advertising Glossary: Terms Every Marketer Should Know
Plain English definitions for AI advertising, social media marketing, and digital advertising terms. No jargon, just clarity.
A
A/B Testing
A method of comparing two versions of an ad to see which performs better. You show version A to half your audience and version B to the other half, then measure which gets more clicks, conversions, or engagement. AI ad generators make A/B testing practical by quickly creating multiple variations.
Ad Copy
The written text in an advertisement, including headlines, body text, and calls-to-action. Good ad copy is concise, compelling, and focused on benefits to the reader. AI copywriting tools can generate ad copy automatically based on your product and audience.
Ad Creative
The visual and textual elements that make up an advertisement—including images, videos, copy, and design. "Creative" is often used as a noun in marketing ("we need new creatives for the campaign").
AI Ad Generator
A software tool that uses artificial intelligence to create advertising content automatically. This includes visual designs, ad copy, and video content. Users describe what they need, and the AI produces ready-to-use ad creatives without requiring design skills. Adly is an AI ad generator.
AI Copywriting
The use of artificial intelligence to write marketing text, including ad headlines, product descriptions, social media captions, and email copy. AI copywriting tools analyze your input and generate persuasive text tailored to your audience and goals.
Audience Targeting
Selecting specific groups of people to show your ads to based on demographics, interests, behaviors, or other criteria. Better targeting means your ads reach people more likely to be interested in your product.
B
Before/After Ad
An ad format that shows a transformation—the "before" state and the "after" result. Commonly used for fitness, beauty, home improvement, and service businesses to demonstrate results visually.
Brand Assets
The visual elements that define your brand identity: logo, colors, fonts, and imagery style. AI ad generators use brand assets to create consistent, on-brand designs automatically.
Brand Voice
The consistent personality and tone your brand uses in communications. A brand voice might be professional, friendly, humorous, or authoritative. Good AI copywriting adapts to match your brand voice.
Bulk Generation
Creating multiple ad variations or designs at once, rather than one at a time. AI makes bulk generation practical—you can create dozens of variations in minutes instead of hours.
C
Carousel Ad
A social media ad format with multiple images or slides that users can swipe through. Carousels typically have 3-10 slides and are effective for educational content, product showcases, or storytelling. They often have higher engagement than single-image posts.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing it. Calculated by dividing clicks by impressions and multiplying by 100. Higher CTR indicates your ad is compelling. Industry averages typically range from 0.5% to 2%.
Conversion
When a user takes a desired action after seeing your ad—like making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or booking an appointment. Conversion rate is the percentage of viewers who convert.
Cost Per Click (CPC)
The amount you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. Lower CPC means you're getting more clicks for your budget. CPC varies by industry, platform, and competition.
CTA (Call-to-Action)
A prompt telling viewers what to do next: "Shop Now," "Learn More," "Sign Up," "Book Today." Effective CTAs are clear, action-oriented, and create urgency. Every ad should have a prominent CTA.
CPM (Cost Per Mille)
The cost per 1,000 impressions of your ad. CPM is used for brand awareness campaigns where the goal is visibility rather than clicks.
D
Dynamic Creative
Ads that automatically adjust their content based on who's viewing them. The platform combines different headlines, images, and CTAs to show each viewer the most relevant combination.
Direct Response
Advertising designed to generate an immediate action—a click, purchase, or sign-up. Direct response ads are measured by conversion metrics rather than brand awareness.
E
Engagement Rate
The percentage of people who interact with your content through likes, comments, shares, or saves. Higher engagement indicates your content resonates with your audience. Engagement rate = (total engagements ÷ reach) × 100.
F
Facebook Ad
Paid advertising displayed on Facebook's platform, including the news feed, stories, marketplace, and messenger. Facebook ads can target users based on detailed demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Feed Post
A standard social media post that appears in users' main content feed (as opposed to stories, reels, or other formats). Feed posts are typically square (1:1) or portrait (4:5) format.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
A psychological trigger used in advertising to create urgency. Phrases like "limited time," "only 3 left," or "ends tonight" leverage FOMO to encourage immediate action.
Frequency
The average number of times each person sees your ad. Too low frequency means weak message retention; too high frequency causes ad fatigue. Optimal frequency depends on campaign goals.
G
Generative AI
Artificial intelligence that creates new content—text, images, or video—rather than just analyzing existing data. ChatGPT, DALL-E, and AI ad generators use generative AI to produce original content.
GIF Ad
An animated advertisement using the GIF format. GIFs add motion to capture attention without the production requirements of full video.
H
Headline
The primary text that grabs attention in an ad. Headlines are typically larger, bolder, and positioned prominently. A strong headline clearly communicates your main message or value proposition.
Hook
The opening element of an ad designed to capture attention immediately. In video ads, the hook must work within the first 3 seconds before viewers scroll past.
I
Impressions
The number of times your ad is displayed, regardless of whether it was clicked. One person might see the same ad multiple times, counting as multiple impressions.
Instagram Ad
Paid advertising on Instagram, appearing in the feed, stories, reels, or explore tab. Instagram ads are highly visual and can include images, carousels, or videos.
L
Landing Page
A standalone web page created specifically for an advertising campaign. When users click your ad, they "land" on this page. Good landing pages are focused on a single goal (like capturing leads or making a sale) and match the ad's message.
Lead
A potential customer who has shown interest in your product, typically by providing contact information (email, phone number). Lead generation ads are designed to capture this information.
Lookalike Audience
An audience of people who share characteristics with your existing customers. Platforms like Facebook create lookalike audiences to help you find new customers similar to your best ones.
M
Meta Ads
Advertising across Meta's platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Audience Network. Meta Ads Manager is the tool used to create and manage these campaigns.
Multi-format
Creating ad content in multiple sizes and formats for different placements (feed, stories, reels). AI generators can produce multi-format variations automatically.
P
Prompt
The instruction or input you give to an AI tool. In AI ad generators, a prompt describes what you want: "Create a sale announcement for 30% off, targeting young professionals, with an energetic style." Better prompts produce better results.
Pixel
A small piece of code placed on your website that tracks visitor behavior. Facebook Pixel, for example, helps measure ad conversions and build retargeting audiences.
R
Reach
The number of unique people who saw your ad. Unlike impressions, reach counts each person only once, even if they saw the ad multiple times.
Reels
Short-form vertical videos on Instagram and Facebook, typically 15-90 seconds. Reels are full-screen and designed for entertainment and discovery. The algorithm favors engaging reels with high completion rates.
Retargeting
Showing ads to people who have previously interacted with your brand—visited your website, added items to cart, or engaged with content. Retargeting ads typically have higher conversion rates because the audience already knows you.
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
Revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising. ROAS = Revenue ÷ Ad Spend. A ROAS of 4 means you earned $4 for every $1 spent. This is a key metric for measuring ad profitability.
RTL (Right-to-Left)
Text direction used by languages like Arabic and Hebrew, where text flows from right to left. RTL-aware design tools properly handle RTL languages, including correct text alignment, number placement, and layout mirroring.
S
Social Proof
Evidence that others trust and use your product—reviews, testimonials, user counts, or celebrity endorsements. Social proof in ads increases credibility and reduces purchase anxiety.
Story Ad
Full-screen vertical ads that appear between users' stories on Instagram or Facebook. Stories disappear after 24 hours, and story ads follow the same ephemeral, casual aesthetic.
Split Testing
See A/B Testing. Testing multiple ad variations to determine which performs best.
T
Target Audience
The specific group of people most likely to buy your product or service. Defining your target audience includes demographics (age, location, income), psychographics (interests, values), and behaviors (shopping habits, media consumption).
TikTok Ad
Paid advertising on TikTok, typically short-form vertical video. TikTok ads work best when they match the platform's authentic, entertaining style rather than looking like traditional ads.
U
UGC (User-Generated Content)
Content created by customers rather than the brand. In advertising, UGC-style videos mimic authentic, casual content that performs well because it feels genuine. AI can generate UGC-style videos without needing actual user submissions.
V
Video Ad
An advertisement in video format, including in-feed videos, stories, reels, and pre-roll ads. Video ads typically have higher engagement than static images but require more production effort (unless using AI video generators).
Visual Hierarchy
The arrangement of design elements to guide viewers' attention in the right order—typically headline first, then key visual, then supporting text, then CTA. Good visual hierarchy ensures your message is understood quickly.
Viral Content
Content that spreads rapidly through social sharing. Viral ads achieve massive reach with minimal paid distribution because people organically share them.
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