The wide world of new and emerging social media terms can be overwhelming – sometimes it feels like a new acronym appears every week. But having a good handle (no pun intended) on your social strategy is key for success, and any strategy starts with getting to know the language of social media.

We’ve compiled five terms to give you a foundation, and outlined the differences between three pairs of terms commonly confused with each other. While this won’t clear up everything, use it as a jumping-off point for implementing the social media strategy that works best for your brand. Happy testing!

Algorithm

• Technically, an algorithm is any defined set of rules used to carry out a process or solve a problem.
• In the social media world, however, the term often refers to a feed algorithm: the set of rules social media platforms use to order the posts in your feed.
• For example, if Instagram decides that it wants to prioritize posts with lots of comments, it tweaks its feed algorithm to push those posts up in users’ feeds.

Clickbait

• Any content that tries to manipulate users through exaggeration and withholding information can be considered clickbait, though it’s most commonly found in headlines (for example, “Doctors HATE him for using this one WEIRD TRICK…”).
• Social networks consider clickbait spammy – Facebook has even provided suggestions for better posting practices.

CPC

• In paid digital advertising, CPC is Cost-Per Click: the dollar amount an advertiser pays each time a user clicks through their ad.

Evergreen Content

• Evergreen content does not lose relevance–it maintains its value over time.
• In content marketing, evergreen content is ideal for recycling and repurposing.

Viral

• Content becomes viral when it spreads exponentially on social media.
• “Going viral” is the dream for social media marketers: Maximum exposure without spending a dime in advertising.

B2B vs. B2C

• B2B = Business-to-business. A B2B company sells products or services to other businesses.
• B2C = Business-to-consumer. A B2C company interfaces directly with consumers.

Engagement vs. Impressions

• Engagement is an umbrella term for any action a user takes on a social media page.
  • These could be likes, comments, reactions, or shares, just to name a few.
• Impressions are a specific type of engagement, measuring how many times users have seen your social media post.
  • You receive one impression for each time your post appears in users’ feeds. If a user looks at your post multiple times, you get an impression for each time.

Hashtags vs. Handles

• Hashtags are the connective tissue between topics on social media.
  • By searching for a specific hashtag, you can easily find other public posts that use it.
  • You can also find a list of the most popular hashtags in Twitter’s “Trending Topics” section.
• A handle is your social media username, preceded by an “@” symbol
  • This term started on Twitter but now applies to other social media platforms, too.