AAAA (American Association of Advertising Agencies)

A non-profit trade association dedicated to improving and strengthening the advertising agency business.
See www.aaaa.org for more information.

ANA (Association of National Advertisers)

The trade association serving the needs of advertisers and marketers by providing leadership in advertising and marketing trends and best practices.
See ana.net for more information

ARF (Advertising Research Foundation)

A nonprofit trade association whose mission is profitable business through effective research and insights.
See arfsite.org for more information

Abandon

When a user leaves a shopping cart with something in it prior to completing the transaction.

Abort

When a Web server does not successfully transfer a unit of content or ad to a browser. This is usually caused by a user hitting the stop button, the ESC key, or clicking on another link prior to the completion of a download.

Activity Audit

Independent verification of measured activity for a specified time period. Some of the key metrics validated are ad impressions, page impressions, clicks, total visits and unique users. An activity audit results in a report verifying the metrics. Formerly known as a count audit.

Ad/Advertisement

A commercial message targeted to an advertiser’s customer or prospect.

Ad Audience

The number of unique users exposed to an ad within a specified time period.

Ad Banner

A graphic image or other media object used as an advertisement.
See iab.net for voluntary guidelines for banner ads

Ad Blocker

Software on a user’s browser which prevents advertisements from being displayed.

Ad Campaign Audit

An activity audit for a specific ad campaign.

Ad Centric Measurement

Audience measurement derived from a third-party ad server's own server logs.

Ad Click

A measurement of the user-initiated action of responding to (such as clicking on) an ad element causing a re-direct to another Web location or another frame or page within the advertisement. There are three types of ad clicks:

1. click-throughs;
2. in-unit clicks; and
3. mouseovers.

Ad click-throughs should be tracked and reported as a 302 redirect at the ad server and should filter out robotic activity.

Ad Click Rate

Ratio of ad clicks to ad impressions.

Ad Display/Ad Delivered

When an ad is successfully displayed on the user's computer screen.

Ad Download

When an ad is downloaded by a server to a user’s browser. Ads can be requested, but aborted or abandoned before actually being downloaded to the browser, and hence there would be no opportunity to see the ad by the user.

Address

A unique identifier for a computer or site online, usually a URL for a Web site or marked with an @ for an e-mail address. Literally, it is how one computer finds the location of another computer using the Internet.

Ad Impression Ratio

Click-throughs divided by ad impressions. See click rate.

Ad Insertion

When an ad is inserted in a document and recorded by the ad server.

Ad Materials

The creative artwork, copy, active URLs and active target sites which are due to the seller prior to the initiation of the ad campaign.

Ad Network

An aggregator or broker of advertising inventory for many sites. Ad networks are the sales representatives for the Web sites within the network.

Ad Recall

A measure of advertising effectiveness in which a sample of respondents are exposed to an ad and then at a later point in time are asked if they recall the ad. Ad recall can be on an aided or unaided basis. Aided ad recall is when the respondent is told the name of the brand or category being advertised.

Ad Request

The request for an advertisement as a direct result of a user's action as recorded by the ad server. Ad requests can come directly from the user’s browser or from an intermediate Internet resource, such as a Web content server.

Ad Serving

Delivery of online adverts to an end user’s computer by an ad management system. The system allows different online adverts to be served in order to target different audience groups and can serve adverts across multiple sites. Ad Technology providers each have their own proprietary models for this.

Ad Space

The location on a page of a site in which an advertisement can be placed. Each space on a site is uniquely identified. Multiple ad spaces can exist on a single page.

Ad Stream

The series of ads displayed by the user during a single visit to a site (also impression stream).

Ad Transfers

The successful display of an advertiser's Web site after the user clicked on an ad. When a user clicks on an advertisement, a click-through is recorded and re-directs or "transfers" the user's browser to an advertiser's Web site. If the user successfully displays the advertiser's Web site, an ad transfer is recorded.

Ad Unit

Any defined advertising vehicle that can appear in an ad space inside of an application. For example for the purposes of promoting a commercial brand, product or service.

Advergame

Advergaming is the practice of using video games to advertise a product, organization or viewpoint. The term "advergames" was coined in January 2000 by Anthony Giallourakis who purchased the domain names Advergames.com along with Adverplay.com. (Wikipedia)

Ad View

When the ad is actually seen by the user. Note this is not measurable today. The best approximation today is provided by ad displays.

Adware

A form of spyware which installs programs which generate advertising on your computer (often in the form of pop-up windows).

Ad Window

Separate from the content window.

Advertiser

The company paying for the advertisement.

Advertising Revenue

Revenue realized from the sale of advertising. See interactive advertising revenue.

Affiliate Marketing

An affiliate (a web site owner or publisher), displays an advertisement (such as a banner or link) on its site for a merchant (the brand or advertiser). If a consumer visiting the affiliate's site clicks on this advertisement and goes onto perform a specified action (usually a purchase) on an advertisers site then the affiliate receives a commission.

Affinity Marketing

Selling products or services to customers on the basis of their established buying patterns. The offer can be communicated by e-mail promotions, online or offline advertising.

Algorithm

The set of ‘rules’ a search engine may use to determine the relevance of a web page (and therefore ranking) in its organic search results. See also organic search results and Search Engine Optimisation.

Alt Tag

The text which appears when you roll the mouse over a picture. This is the alt tag in HTML and is useful for people who view pages in text-only mode, or who are blind or visually impaired.

Alternate Text

A word or phrase that is displayed when a user has image loading disabled in their browser or when a user abandons a page by hitting "stop" in their browser prior to the transfer of all images. Also appears as "balloon text" when a user lets their mouse rest over an image.

Animated Advertisement

An ad that changes over time. For example, an animated ad is an interactive Java applet or Shockwave or GIF89a file.

Animated GIF

An animation created by combining multiple GIF images in one file. The result is multiple images, displayed one after another, that give the appearance of movement.

Anonymizer

An intermediary which prevents Web sites from seeing a user’s Internet Protocol (IP) address.

Applet

A small, self-contained software application that is most often used by browsers to automatically display animation and/or to perform database queries requested by the user.

Applicable Browser

Any browser an ad will impact, regardless of whether it will play the ad.

Application

Another word for computer program. For example, Word which is used for creating documents is a word processing application.

Application Service Provider (ASP)

An online network that is accessible through the Internet instead of through the installation of software. It is quickly integrated with other websites and the services are easily implemented and scalable.

Artifacting

Distortion that is introduced into audio or video by the compression algorithm (codec). Compressed images may have stray pixels (often white dots) that were not present in the original image. See codec.

Aspect Ratio

The width-to-height ratio of the picture frame. TV broadcasts at a 4:3 (1.33:1) aspect ratio; digital TV will be broadcast with a 16:9 (1.78:1) ratio; and most feature films are shot in at least a 1.85:1 ratio. IMUs have an aspect ratio of 6:5 (330x 250; 336 x 280; and 180 x 150).

Audit

Third party validation of log activity and/or measurement process associated with Internet activity/advertising. Activity audits validate measurement counts. Process audits validate internal controls associated with measurement.

Auditor

A third party independent organization that performs audits.

Avatar

A picture or cartoon used to represent an individual in chat forums, games or on a website as a help function.

Backbone

A central network connecting other networks together.

Bandwidth

1. The transmission rate of a communications line or system, expressed either as cycles per second/hertz for analog lines, or as bits (bps) or kilobits per second (Kbps) for digital systems;
2. Line speed;
3. The amount of information that can be transmitted over communications lines at one time.

Bandwidth Competition

A bottleneck, however brief, when two or more files are simultaneously transmitted over a single line. Unless the system is able to prioritize among the files, the effect is to slow delivery of each.

Banner

A graphic image displayed on an HTML page used as an ad.
See iab.net for voluntary guidelines defining specifications of banner ads.

Barter

The exchange of goods and services without the use of cash. The value of the barter is the dollar value of the goods and services being exchanged for advertising. This is a recognized form of revenue under GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles).

BtoB/B2B (Business-to-Business)

businesses whose customers are other businesses.

BtoC (Business-to-Consumer)

Businesses whose major customers are consumers.

BBS (Bulletin Board System)

Software that enables users to log into e-mail, usenet and chat groups via modem.

Beacon

A snippet of code placed in an ad, on a Web page, or in an email which helps measure whether the ad, page or email was delivered to the browser and to track actions in general. Also known as a clear GIF or pixel tag.

Behavioural Targeting

A form of online marketing that uses advertising technology to target web users based on their previous behaviour. Advertising creative and content can be tailored to be of more relevance to a particular user by capturing their previous decision making behaviour (eg: filling out preferences or visiting certain areas of a site frequently) and looking for patterns.

Beta

A test version of a product, such as a Web site or software, prior to final release.

Beyond-The-Banner

A term referring to any advertisement that is not a banner, e.g. an interstitial, streaming video ads, etc.

Bit

The smallest unit of data in a computer. A bit has a single binary value of either 0 or 1. There are eight bits in a byte.

Bit rate

A measure of bandwidth which tells you how fast data is traveling from one place to another on a computer network. Bit rate is usually expressed in kilobits (100 bits) per second or Kbps.

Blog

An online space regularly updated presenting the opinions or activities of one or a group of individuals and displaying in chronological order.

Bonus impressions

Additional ad impressions above the commitments outlined in the approved insertion order.

Bookmark/Favourite

Any website you like and want to remember, can be made a 'bookmark' or a 'favorite' in your browser. So, when you want to go back to that page, you can go there in one click instead of trying to remember its address.

Boolean Searches

Advanced searches using the words AND, OR, and NOT (written in capital letters) to describe what you want to find. e.g. London AND job

Bot

Short for robot.
See Robot.

Bounce

What happens when e-mails are returned to the mail server as undeliverable.

Bps

Bytes per second. The measurement of how fast data can be transmitted over a phone line or on a network line.

Broadband

An Internet connection that delivers a relatively high bit rate - any bit rate at or above 100 Kbps. Cable modems, DSL and ISDN all offer broadband connections.

Browser

A software program that can request, download, cache and display documents available on the World Wide Web. Browsers can be either text-based or graphical.

Browser Sniffer

See sniffer.

Buffering

When a streaming media player saves portions of a streaming media file until there is enough information for the stream to begin playing.

Bugs

Errors in a piece of software or web page that can make it break or work strangely.

Button

1. Clickable graphic that contains certain functionality, such as taking one someplace or executing a program;
2. buttons can also be ads.
   See iab.net for voluntary guidelines defining specifications of button ads.

Cache

Memory used to temporarily store the most frequently requested content/files/pages in order to speed its delivery to the user. Cache can be local (i.e. on a browser) or on a network. In the case of local cache, most computers have both memory (RAM), and disk (hard drive) cache. Today, Web browsers cause virtually all data viewed to be cached on a user's computer.

Cache Busting

The process by which sites or servers serve content or HTML in such a manner as to minimize or prevent browsers or proxies from serving content from their cache. This forces the user or proxy to fetch a fresh copy for each request. Among other reasons, cache busting is used to provide a more accurate count of the number of requests from users.

Cached Ad Impressions

The delivery of an advertisement to a browser from local cache or a proxy server’s cache. When a user requests a page that contains a cached ad, the ad is obtained from the cache and displayed.

Caching

The process of copying a Web element (page or ad) for later reuse. On the Web, this copying is normally done in two places: in the user's browser and on proxy servers. When a user makes a request for a Web element, the browser looks into its own cache for the element; then a proxy, if any; followed by the intended server. Caching is done to reduce redundant network traffic, resulting in increased overall efficiency of the Internet.

CGI Script

(Common Gateway Interface) CGI’s are used to allow a user to pass data to a Web server, most commonly in a Web-based form. Specifically, CGI scripts are used with forms such as pull-down menus or text-entry areas with an accompanying submit button. The input from the form is processed by a program (the CGI script itself) on a remote Web server.

Channel

1. A band of similar content;
2. a type of sales outlet (also known as channel of distribution), for example retail, catalogue, or e-commerce.

Chat

Online interactive communication between two or more people on the Web. One can "talk" in real time with other people in a chat room, but the words are typed instead of spoken.

Chat room

An area online where you can chat with other people in real-time.

Click Down

The action of clicking on an element within an ad and having another file displayed on the user’s screen, normally below or above the initial ad. Click down ads allow the user to stay on the same Web page and provide the advertiser a larger pallet to communicate their message.

Click Through Rate

Frequency of Click-throughs as a percentage of impressions served. Used as a measure of advertising effectiveness.

Clicks

1. Metric which measures the reaction of a user to an Internet ad. There are three types of clicks: click-throughs; in-unit clicks; and mouseovers;
2. the opportunity for a user to download another file by clicking on an advertisement, as recorded by the server;
3. the result of a measurable interaction with an advertisement or key word that links to the advertiser’s intended Web site or another page or frame within the Web site;
4. metric which measures the reaction of a user to hot-linked editorial content. See iab.net for ad campaign measurement guidelines.

See also ad click, click-through, in-unit clicks and mouseover.

Click to Call

A service that enables a mobile subscriber to initiate a voice call to a specified phone number by clicking on a link on a mobile internet site. Typically used to enhance and provide a direct response mechanism in an advertisement.

Click-Stream

1. The electronic path a user takes while navigating from site to site, and from page to page within a site;
2. a comprehensive body of data describing the sequence of activity between a user’s browser and any other Internet resource, such as a Web site or third party ad server.

Click-Through

The action of following a hyperlink within an advertisement or editorial content to another Web site or another page or frame within the Web site. Ad click-throughs should be tracked and reported as a 302 redirect at the ad server and should filter out robotic activity.

Client

A computer that submits an information request to a server on behalf of a user or proxy.

Client-Initiated Ad Impression

One of the two methods used for ad counting. Ad content is delivered to the user via two methods - server-initiated and client-initiated. Client-initiated ad counting relies on the user’s browser for making requests, formatting and re-directing content. For organizations using a client-initiated ad counting method, counting should occur at the publisher’s ad server or third-party ad server, subsequent to the ad request, or later, in the process. See server-initiated ad impression.

Codec

Short for compressor/decompressor. Codecs are computer algorithms that are used to compress the size of audio, video, and image files. Because these compressed files are much smaller, they do not require as much bandwidth when they are streamed or stored on a computer. The same codec that originally compressed the file must be used to decompress and open the file.

Communication Error

The failure of a Web browser/Web server to successfully request/transfer a document.

Compressed

Compressed files are electronically "squeezed" so they take up less memory. This makes them quicker to send over the internet.

Compression

The process of reducing the size of computer files by electronically "squeezing" them so that they can be passed around the internet more quickly. Zip files are a common example of one type of compression.

Content Integration

Advertising woven into editorial content or placed in a contextual envelope. Also known as "Web advertorial".

Content Sponsorship

Advertiser sponsorships of content areas (e.g. entire website, homepage or a specific channel) to include the total value of the package including any embedded or interruptive formats. This category also includes revenue related to email advertising or prioritised listing of results in search engines that are included as part of the sponsorship deal.

Contextual Advertising

Advertising that is targeted to the content on the Web page being viewed by a user at that specific time.

Cookie

A file on the user’s browser that uniquely identifies the user’s browser. There are two types of cookies: persistent cookies and session cookies. Session cookies are temporary and are erased when the browser exits. Persistent cookies remain on the user’s hard drive until the user erases them or until they expire.

Cookie Buster

Software that blocks the placement of cookies on a user’s browser.

COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act)

Congress enacted the COPPA in 1998 to prohibit unfair or deceptive acts or practices in connection with the collection, use, or disclosure of personally identifiable information from and about children on the Internet. Section 6502(b)(1) of the Act sets forth a series of general privacy protections to prevent unfair or deceptive online information collection from or about children, and directs the Commission to adopt regulations to implement those protections.

The Act requires operators of Web sites directed to children and operators who knowingly collect personal information from children to: (1) Provide parents notice of their information practices; (2) obtain prior verifiable parental consent for the collection, use, and/or disclosure of personal information from children (with certain limited exceptions for the collection of "online contact information," e.g., an e-mail address); (3) provide a parent, upon request, with the means to review the personal information collected from his/her child; (4) provide a parent with the opportunity to prevent the further use of personal information that has already been collected, or the future collection of personal information from that child; (5) limit collection of personal information for a child's online participation in a game, prize offer, or other activity to information that is reasonably necessary for the activity; and (6) establish and maintain reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of the personal information collected.

Conversion Rate

Measure of success of an online ad when compared to the click-through rate. What defines a ‘conversion’ depends on the marketing objective eg: it can be defined as a sale or request to receive more information…etc.

Copy

Printed text in an advertisement.

Cosmo Player

A plug-in which enables you to view and move around 3D worlds within your browser using your keyboard and mouse.

Count Audit

See Activity Audit.

CPA (Cost-Per-Action or Acquisition)

Cost of advertising based on a visitor taking some specifically defined action in response to an ad. "Actions" include such things as a sales transaction, a customer acquisition, or a click.

CPC (Cost-Per-Customer)

The cost an advertiser pays to acquire a customer.

CPC (Cost-Per-Click)

Cost of advertising based on the number of clicks received.

CPL (Cost-Per-Lead)

Cost of advertising based on the number of database files (leads) received.

CPM (Cost-Per-Thousand (Mille))

Media term describing the cost of 1,000 impressions. For example, a Web site that charges $1,500 per ad and reports 100,000 visits has a CPM of $15 ($1,500 divided by 100).

CPM Pricing Model

Pricing model based on the cost of delivering ad impressions. See CPM and Pay-Per-Impression.

CPO (Cost-Per-Order)

Cost of advertising based on the number of orders received. Also called Cost-Per-Transaction.

CPS (Cost-Per-Sale)

The advertiser's cost to generate one sales transaction. If this is being used in conjunction with a media buy, a cookie can be offered on the content site and read on the advertiser's site after the successful completion of an online sale.

CPT (Cost-Per-Transaction)

See CPO (Cost-Per-Order).

CPTM (Cost Per Targeted Thousand Impressions)

Implying that the audience one is trying to reach is defined by particular demographics or other specific characteristics, such as male golfers age 18-25.The difference between CPM and CPTM is that CPM is for gross impressions, while CPTM is for targeted impressions.

Crawler

A software program which visits virtually all pages of the Web to create indexes for search engines. They are more interested in text files than graphic files. See also Spider, Bot, and Intelligent Agent.

CRM

Customer relationship marketing. Marketing specifically targeted to increasing brand loyalty.

Cyber Cafe

A place which contains computers with access to the Internet and which is available to the public.

Daughter Window

An ad that runs in a separate ad window associated with a concurrently displayed banner. In normal practice, the content and banner are rendered first and the daughter window appears thereafter.

Demographics

Common characteristics used for population or audience segmentation, such as age, gender, household income, etc.

Deep-Linking Advert

Linking beyond a home page to a page inside the site with content pertinent to the advert.

Digital Signatures

Signatures for electronic documents. They establish identity and therefore can be used to establish legal responsibility and the complete authenticity of whatever they are affixed to -- in effect, creating a tamper-proof seal.

Digital Video Server

A robust, dedicated computer at a central location that receives command requests from the television viewer through a video-on-demand application. Once it receives this request, it then instantly broadcasts specific digital video streams to that viewer.

Display Advertising On Email

Advertising that appears around the unrelated editorial content of email newsletters. This can take the form of embedded formats like banners, or as sponsorship, and includes both opt-in (sent to customers specifically requesting it) and opt-out (sent to customers with the option to be removed at their request) emails. DHTML (Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language) -an extended set of HTML commands which are used by Web designers to create much greater animation and interactivity than HTML.

DNS

The system that changes a website address (e.g. www.bbc.co.uk) into a numbered IP address (e.g. 38.160.150.31).

Domain name

The unique name that identifies an Internet site. Every domain name consists of one top or high-level and one or more lower-level designators. Top-level domains (TLDs) are either generic or geographic. Generic top-level domains include .com (commercial), .net (network), .edu (educational), .org (organizational, public or non-commercial), .gov (governmental), .mil (military); .biz (business), .info (informational),.name (personal), .pro (professional), .aero (air transport and civil aviation), .coop (business cooperatives such as credit unions) and .museum. Geographic domains designate countries of origin, such as .us (United States), .fr (France), .uk (United Kingdom), etc.

Downloading

The technology that allows users to store video content on their computer for viewing at a later date. Downloading an entire piece of media makes it more susceptible to illegal duplication.

D2C

Direct To Consumer

DPO (Distinct Point of Origin)

A unique address from which a browser connects to a Web site on the Internet.

Drill Down

When an online user accesses more and more pages of the Web site, i.e., he or she goes deeper into the content of the site.

DRM

Digital Rights Management is a set of technologies used by publishers and media owners to control access to their digital content. Access can be limited to the number of times a piece of content is accessed from a single machine or user account; the number of times access permissions can be passed on; or the lifespan of a piece of content.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)

A high-speed dedicated digital circuit from a given location to the telephone company's central office, using normal copper telephone lines. DSL provides a separate channel for voice and fax, which means that phone calls and faxes can be carried at the same time high-speed data is flowing across the line. DSL is a general term that includes several variations: ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), ranging up to 1.5 Mbps; HDSL (High-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line), 1.5 Mbps; SDSL (Single-line Digital Subscriber Line), 1.5 Mbps; VDSL (Very high-data-rate Digital Subscriber Line), ranging up to 2.3 Mbps; and RDSL (Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line), various speeds.

DVR (Digital Video Recorder)

A high capacity hard drive that is embedded in a set-top box, which records video programming from a television set. These DVRs are operated by personal video recording software, which enables the viewer to pause, fast forward, and manage all sorts of other functions and special applications.

Dynamic Ad Delivery

Based upon predetermined criteria, Dynamic Ad Delivery is the process by which a mobile advertisement is delivered, via a campaign management platform, to a publisher’s mobile content.

Dynamic Ad Placement

The process by which an ad is inserted into a page in response to a user's request. Dynamic ad placement allows alteration of specific ads placed on a page based on any data available to the placement program. At its simplest, dynamic ad placement allows for multiple ads to be rotated through one or more spaces. In more sophisticated examples, the ad placement could be affected by demographic data or usage history for the current user.

Dynamic IP Address

An IP address that changes every time a user logs on to the Internet.

Dynamic Rotation

Delivery of ads on a rotating, random basis so that users are exposed to different ads and ads are served in different pages of the site.

E-commerce

The process of selling products or services via the Web.

E-mail

Electronic mail. Text files that are sent from one person to another over the Internet.

Email Bounced

Those emails sent as part of a mailing distribution which did not have a valid recipient email address and so generated a formal failure message.

E-mail Campaign

Advertising campaign distributed via e-mail.

Embedded Format

Advertising formats that are displayed in set spaces on a publisher’s page. See also banners, skyscrapers, button.

Emoticons

Emoticon symbols are used to indicate mood in an electronic mode of communication eg: email or instant messenger. :-)

Encoding

The process of compressing and separating a file into packets so that it can be delivered over a network.

Encoder

A hardware or software application used to compress audio and video signals for the purpose of streaming.

Encryption

The scrambling of digital information so that it is unreadable without the use of digital keys.

EPC (Average Earnings Per One Hundred Clicks)

A relative rating that illustrates the ability to convert clicks into commissions. It is calculated by taking commissions earned (or commissions paid) divided by the total number of clicks times 100.

EPG (Electronic Programming Guide)

Is the electronic version of a television schedule showing programme times and content on the television screen or monitor. In the case of VOD, an EPG displays the content of all of the services available to a subscriber. Ethernet a networking technology that links computers together.

ETV (Enhanced Television)

A type of interactive television technology which allows content producers to send HTML data and graphical "enhancements" through a small part of the regular analog broadcast signal called the Vertical Blanking Interval. These enhancements appear as overlays on the video and allow viewers to click on them if they are watching TV via special set-top box/software services.

Executables

A file containing a program, for example, files that end in the file extension '.exe' . These files have rights to access important parts of your computer in order to run.

Expandable Banners

Fixed online advertising placements that expand over the page in the response to user action eg: mouseover. See also Rich Media.

Extranet

An intranet that is partially accessible to authorized outsiders via a valid username and password.

Eyeballs

Reference to the number of people who view, or "lay their eyes on," a certain advertisement.

EZine

Electronic magazine. Magazines on the web or sent by e-mail.

Failure To Transfer

Content requested by a browser can fail to transfer if the page is abandoned by the browser which requested it (see abandon) or if the server is unable to send the complete page, including the ads (known as an error or a communications error).

Family/Ad Family

A collection of one or more ad creatives. Also called ad campaign.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

Internet protocol which facilitates transfer of files.

Filtering

The process of removing robotic activity and error codes from measurement records to make the remaining records representative of valid human Internet actions.

Filtration Guidelines

IAB voluntary guidelines for removing non-human activity in the reported measurement of ad impressions, page impressions, unique visitors and clicks. See iab.net for ad campaign measurement guidelines.

Finger

An Internet software tool for locating people on other Internet sites. A finger is also sometimes used to give access to non-personal information, but the most common use is to see if a person has an account at a particular Internet site. Not all sites allow incoming finger requests.

Firewall

A security barrier placed between an organization's internal computer network and the Internet. A firewall is based on rules which allow and disallow traffic to pass, based on the level of security and filtering a network administrator wishes to employ.

Flame

An inflammatory opinion or criticism distributed by e-mail or posted on a newsgroup.

Flash™

Macromedia’s vector-based graphics file format which is used to display interactive animations on a Web page. This form of rich media technology is available via a plug-in. Flash downloading the ability to automatically send software upgrades to a set-top box network.

Flash Downloading

The ability to automatically send software upgrades to a set-top box network.

Flash Impression

The total number of requests made for pages holding flash-based content by users of that site in the period being measured

Floating Ads

An ad or ads that appear within the main browser window on top of the Web page's normal content, thereby appearing to "float" over the top of the page.

Fold

An ad or content that is viewable as soon as the Web page arrives. One does not have to scroll down (or sideways) to see it. Since screen resolution can affect what is immediately viewable, it is good to know whether the Web site's audience tends to set their resolution at 640 x 480 pixels or at 800 x 600 (or higher).

Frames

Multiple, independent sections used to create a single Web page. Each frame is built as a separate HTML file but with one "master" file to control the placement of each section. When a user requests a page with frames, several files will be displayed as panes. Sites using frames report one page request with several panes as multiple page requests. IAB ad campaign measurement guidelines call for the counting of one file per frame set as a page impression.

Frame Rate

The number of frames of video displayed during a given time. The higher the frame rate, the more high-quality the image will be.

Freeware

Programs that are available for free. Sometimes the software is a trial version and "free" for only a limited amount of time or some of the features of the full version are disabled.

Frequency

The number of times an ad is delivered to the same browser in a single session or time period. A site can use cookies in order to manage ad frequency.

FTP Program

A program you use to download and upload files onto computers on the internet.

Geotargeting

The process of only showing adverts to people on a website and in search engines based on their physical location. This could be done using advanced technology that knows where a computer is located or by using the content of website to determine what a person is looking for, e.g. someone searching for a restaurant in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

GIF (Graphic Interchange Format)

A graphic format which uses compression to store and display images.

GIF89a/Animated GIF

An extension of the .gif format which creates animation through a sequence of images being stored in a single image. A delay is customizable between "frames" to render the appearance of animation, much like a flappable picturebook.

Gigabyte

A thousand million bytes (1000 MB).

GPRS

General Packet Radio Service or ‘2.5G’ is an underlying mechanism for the networks to deliver Internet browsing, WAP, email and other such content. The user is ‘always connected’ and relatively high data rates can be achieved withmost modern phones compared to a dial-up modem. Most phones default to using GPRS (if capable), and Incentivated is able to develop services that utilise this delivery mechanism.

Graphic Banners

A graphic mobile ad represented by a banner featuring an image. Similar to a web banner but with lower size constraints (See Banner).

Gross Exposures

The total number of times an ad is served, including duplicate downloads to the same person.

GSM

Global Standard for Mobiles. The set of standards covering one particular type of mobile phone system.

GUI (Graphical User Interface)

A way of enabling users to interact with the computer using visual icons and a mouse rather than a command-like prompt/interpreter.

HDTV (High-Definition Television)

A higher quality signal resolution using a digital format for the transmission and reception of TV signals. HDTV provides about five times more picture information (picture elements or pixels) than conventional television, creating clarity, wider aspect ratio, and digital quality sound.

Head End

The site in a cable system or broadband coaxial network where the programming originates and the distribution network starts. Signals are usually received off the air from satellites, microwave relays, or fiber-optic cables at the head end for distribution.

Heuristic

A way to measure a user's unique identity. This measure uses deduction or inference based on a rule or algorithm which is valid for that server. For example, the combination of IP address and user agent can be used to identify a user in some cases. If a server receives a new request from the same client within 30 minutes, it is inferred that a new request comes from the same user and the time since the last page request was spent viewing the last page. Also referred to as an inference.

History Lists

A pull-down menu which displays the sites you've recently visited so you can return to the site instantly or view your latest session. The same mechanism makes it possible for servers to track where you were before visiting a particular site.

Hit

When users access a Web site, their computer sends a request to the site's server to begin downloading a page. Each element of a requested page (including graphics, text, interactive items) is recorded by the site's Web server log file as a "hit." If a page containing two graphics is accessed by a user, those hits will be recorded once for the page itself and once for each of the graphics. Webmasters use hits to measure their servers' workload. Because page designs and visit patterns vary from site to site, the number of hits bears no relationship to the number of pages downloaded, and is therefore a poor guide for traffic measurement.

Home Page

The page designated as the main point of entry of a Web site (or main page) or the starting point when a browser first connects to the Internet. Typically, it welcomes you and introduces the purpose of the site, or the organization sponsoring it, and then provides links to other pages within the site.

Host

Any computer on a network that offers services or connectivity to other computers on the network. A host has an IP address associated with it.

Hotlists

Pull-down or pop-up menus often displayed on browsers or search engines that contain new or popular sites.

Hot Spotting

The ability to add hyperlinks to objects in a video that enable viewers to tag a product or service. Hot spotting can be used as a direct response mechanic in internet video.

House Ads

Ads for a product or service from the same company. "Revenues" from house ads should not be included in reported revenues.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

A set of codes called markup tags in a plain text (*.txt) file that determine what information is retrieved and how it is rendered by a browser. There are two kinds of markup tags: anchor and format. Anchor tags determine what is retrieved, and format tags determine how it is rendered.

HTML Page

A HyperText Markup Language document stored in a directory on a Web server and/or created dynamically at the time of the request for the purpose of satisfying that request. In addition to text, an HTML page may include graphics, video, audio, and other files.

HTTP (Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol)

The format most commonly used to transfer documents on the World Wide Web.

Hybrid Pricing

Pricing model which is based on a combination of a CPM pricing model and a performance-based pricing model. See CPM pricing model and performance-based pricing model.

Hyperlink

HTML programming which redirects the user to a new URL when the individual clicks on hypertext.

Hypertext

Text or graphical elements on a page which activates a hyperlink when clicked.

IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau)

IAB is a non-profit trade association devoted exclusively to maximizing the use and effectiveness of interactive advertising and marketing. See iab.net for more information.

Icon

A small picture which, when you click on it launches an application, program or acts like a link on the world wide web .

iFrame (Inline Frame)

A floating frame inserted within a Web page which is not bound to the side of a browser window.

Image Ad

An image on a mobile internet site with an active link that can be clicked on by the subscriber. Once clicked the user is redirected to a new page, another mobile internet site or other destination where an offer resides.

Image Map

A GIF or JPEG image with more than one linking hyperlink. Each hyperlink or hot spot can lead to a different destination page.

Impression

The metric used to measure views of a webpage and its elements- including the advertising embedded within it. Ad Impressions are how most online advertising is sold and the cost is quoted in terms of the cost per thousand impressions (CPM).

IMU (Interactive Marketing Unit)

The standard ad unit sizes endorsed by IAB. See iab.net for more information.

Inference

An assumption. See Heuristic.

Insertion

Actual placement of an ad in a document, as recorded by the ad server.

Insertion Order

Purchase order between a seller of interactive advertising and a buyer (usually an advertiser or its agency).

Instant Messaging

A method of users communicating one-to-one or in groups over the standard IP protocol. Users can assemble "buddy lists" and chat with friends, family and colleagues.

Interactive Advertising

All forms of online, wireless and interactive television advertising, including banners, sponsorships, e-mail, keyword searches, referrals, slotting fees, classified ads and interactive television commercials.

Interactive Advertising Revenues

Revenues realized from the sale of interactive advertising.

Internal Page Impressions

Web site activity that is generated by individuals with IP addresses known to be affiliated with the Web site owner. Internal activity that is associated with administration and maintenance of the site should be excluded from the traffic or measurement report.

Internet

A worldwide system of computer networks providing reliable and redundant connectivity between disparate computers and systems by using common transport and data protocols.

Interruptive Formats

Online advertising formats that appear on users' screens on top of web content (and sometimes before web page appears) and range from static, one-page splash screens to full-motion animated advertisements. See also overlay, pop-up.

Interstitial Ads

Ads that appear between two content pages. Also known as transition ads, intermercial ads, splash pages and Flash pages.

Intranet

A network based on TCP/IP protocols that belongs to an organization, usually a corporation, and is accessible only by the organization’s members, employees or others with authorization.

In-Unit Click

A measurement of a user-initiated action of responding to an ad element which generally causes an intra-site redirect or content change. In-unit clicks are usually tracked via a 302 redirect. Also known as click-downs, click-ups and click-withins. See ad click; 302 redirect.

Inventory

The number of ads available for sale on a Web site.

IP (Internet Protocol)

A protocol telling the network how packets are addressed and routed.

IPA

Institute of Practitioners in Advertising is the trade body representing advertising agencies in the UK.

IP Address

Internet protocol numerical address assigned to each computer on the network so that its location and activities can be distinguished from other computers. The format is ##.##.##.## with each number ranging from 0 through 255 (e.g. 125.45.87.204)

Internet Protocol TV (IPTV)

The use of a broadband connection to stream digital television over the internet to subscribed users.

IRC

Internet Relay Chat. A real time chat system using a dedicated program where you talk to other people on topic related channels by typing your comments in a chat window.

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)

High-speed dial-up connections to the Internet over ordinary copper phone wires. DSL has in large part replaced ISDN. See DSL.

ISP (Internet Service Provider)

An organization that provides access to the Internet. An ISP can be a commercial provider, a corporate computer network, a school, college, university, or the government.

iTV (Interactive Television)

Any technology that allows for two-way communication between the audience and the service provider (such as the broadcaster, cable operator, set-top box manufacturer) via standard or enhanced television appliance.

Java®

A programming language designed for building applications on the Internet. It allows for advanced features, increased animation detail and real-time updates. Small applications called Java applets can be downloaded from a server and executed by Java-compatible browsers like Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.

JavaScript

A scripting language developed by Netscape and Sun Microsystems which is used to do things like make new browser windows "pop up".

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

File format that uses a compression technique to reduce the size (number of bytes) of graphic files.

Jump Page Ad

Microsite which is reached via click-through from button or banner ad. The jump page itself can list several topics, which are linked to either the advertiser's site or the publisher's site.

Key Word

Specific word(s) entered into a search engine by the user that result(s) in a list of Web sites related to the key word. The key word can be purchased by advertisers in order to direct the hyperlink opportunity to the advertiser's site or to serve an ad related to the user’s search.

Keyword Marketing

The purchase of keywords (or ‘search terms’) by advertisers in search listings. See also PPC.

Keyword Search Revenues

Fees advertisers pay to retrieve the hyperlink opportunity to the advertiser’s site or to serve an ad related to the user’s search.

Lag

The amount of time between making an online request or command and receiving a response. See Latency.

LAN (Local Area Network)

A group of computers connected together (a network) which are at one physical location.

Landing Page (Jump Page)

The page or view to which a user is directed when they click on an active link embedded in a banner, web page, email or other view. A click through lands the user on a jump page. Sometimes the Landing Page is one stage upstream from what would ordinarily be considered the Home Page.

Large Rectangle

An IMU size. The IAB’s voluntary guidelines include seven Interactive Marketing Unit (IMU) ad formats; two vertical units and five large rectangular units. See iab.net for more information.

Latency

1. Time it takes for a data packet to move across a network connection;
2. Visible delay between request and display of content and ad. Latency sometimes leads to the user leaving the site prior to the opportunity to see. In streaming media, latency can create stream degradation if it causes the packets, which must be received and played in order, to arrive out of order.

Lead

When a visitor registers, signs up for, or downloads something on an advertiser’s site. A lead might also comprise a visitor filling out a form on an advertiser’s site.

Link

A link is a form of advertising on a website, in an email or online newsletter, which, when clicked on, refers the visitor to an advertiser’s website or a specific area within their website.

Listserv

A mailing list comprised of e-mail addresses.

Listserver

A program that automatically sends e-mail to a list of subscribers or listserv.

Load

Usually used with up-load or down-load, it means to transfer files or software from one computer or server to another computer or server. In other words, it is the movement of information online.

Location Based Services (LBS)

A range of services that are provided to mobile subscribers based on the geographical location of their handsets within their cellular network. Handsets do not have to be equipped with a position-location technology such as GPS to enable the geographical-trigger ofservice(s) being provided since the location of the cell-site can be used as a proxy. Assisted GPS combines cell-site information with satellite positioning for a more accurate read. LBS include driving directions, information about certain resources or destinations within current vicinity, such as restaurants, ATMs, shopping, movie theatres etc. LBS may also be used to track the movements and locations of people, as is being done via parent/child monitoring services and mobile devices that target the family market.

Locator

An advertisement or service through which an advertiser’s bricks and mortar location can be identified based on proximity of the consumer or their preferred location) can be LBS or user defined postal code).

Log

A file that keeps track of network connections.

Log File

A file that records transactions that have occurred on the Web server. Some of the types of data which are collected are: date/time stamp, URL served, IP address of requestor, status code of request, user agent string, previous URL of requestor, etc. Use of the extended log file format is preferable.

Login

The identification or name used to access a computer, network or site.

Macro

A way to record and save a series of commands so you can reapply them later with a single command or keyboard stroke.

Mailing List

An automatically distributed e-mail message on a particular topic going to certain individuals.

Makegoods

Additional ad impressions which are negotiated in order to make up for the shortfall of ads delivered versus the commitments outlined in the approved insertion order.

Malware

Short for malicious software. Software designed specifically to damage or disrupt a system, such as a virus or a Trojan horse or a password stealer.

M-commerce

A term referring to mobile commerce which is the ability to conduct monetary transactions via a mobile device, such as a WAP-enabled cell phone.

Media Objects

Files, other than HTML documents, which can be displayed or executed within HTML documents, or in a stand-alone fashion. Examples currently include GIFs, JPEGs, video, audio, Flash objects (SWF), PDF, Java applets, and other objects which can be viewed through a browser or using a "plug-in" (see plug-in).

Megabyte

A million bytes.

Metadata

Information about a web page hidden inside it to help search engines find it. It often includes a description of the page which will be picked up by search engines.

Meta Tags/Descriptions

HTML tags that identify the content of a web page for the search engines.

Metcalfe's Law

The value of a network increases geometrically with the number of people who use it.

Microsite

A sub-site reached via clicking on an ad. The user stays on the publisher’s website but has access to more information from the advertiser.

MIME (Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extensions)

A method of encoding a file for delivery over the Internet.

MIP (Mobile Internet Provider)

ISPs dedicated to providing wireless service.

MMA

The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit association that strives to stimulate the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies. The MMA is an action-oriented association designed to clear obstacles to market development, to establish standards and best practices for sustainable growth, and to evangelize the mobile channel for use by brands and third party content providers. The MMA has over 500 members representing forty-plus countries.

MMOG

Short for Massively Multiplayer Online Game, MMOG is any game that is solely played online and with hundreds or thousands of other real players.

MMORPG

Short for Mass Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game and often shortened even more to MMO or MMOG, an MMORPG is a type of game where thousands of people play together in an ongoing online world. In the game the player starts at a low level or rank and progress until he or she has achieved the maximum level or rank. During the players lifetime in the game he or she will gain new abilities or skills, obtain better weapons and other gear, and get access to more advanced areas in the game that often require a party, group, or raid of people to complete. Some great examples of MMORPG's are Anarchy Online, EverQuest, Guild Wars, Ultima Online, and World of Warcraft.

Mobile Data Services

Includes SMS, MMS, WAP, LBS and video.

Mobile Internet Advertising

A form of advertising via mobile phones or other wireless devices (excluding laptops). This type of mobile advertising includes mobile web banner ads, mobile internet sponsorship and interstitials (which appear while a requested mobile web page is loading) as well as mobile paid-for search listings. Mobile internet advertising does not include other forms of mobile marketing such as SMS, MMS and shortcode.

MP3

A computer file format that compresses audio files by a factor of 12 from a .wav file. Loss of some sound fidelity.

MPEG

File format used to compress and transmit video clips online.

Modem Speeds

The speed at which one connects to the Internet through his/her computer's modem. There are dial-up and cable modems. The dial-up modem speeds include 14.4, 28.8, 33.6, 56K and ISDN. Cable modem speeds range between 500 K and 2.5 Mbps. T1 and T3 are high-speed connections that do not require a modem. See also DSL.

Modem

Device which transfers digital signals to analog signals and vice versa suitable for sending across phone or cable lines.

Moore's Law

The speed of computing doubles every 18 months.

Mouseover

The process by which a user places his/her mouse over a media object, without clicking. The mouse may need to remain still for a specified amount of time to initiate some actions.

MPEG

1. The file format that is used to compress and transmit movies or video clips online;
2. Standards set by the Motion Picture Exports Group for video media.

MRC (Media Rating Council)

A non-profit trade association dedicated to assuring valid, reliable and effective syndicated audience research. The MRC performs audits of Internet measurements as well as traditional media measurements.

MSISDN

Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network. The mobile phone number of the participating customer.

Multi-camera angle or individualized television

a technology that allows viewers to control camera angles during live events, select which commercials they want to watch, and generally control a selection of choices content producers provide as part of the broadcast. E-commerce and interaction with those commercials is possible. In the backend, servers collect choice information and offer viewers further selections based on those choices.

Multimedia

The combination of different types of media such as audio, video and text.

Multiplayer

Games played against other players, rather than against a computer, either via an internet connection or on a local network (in a cyber cafe or an office).

Multiple Purpose Units (MPU)

A square online advert usually found embedded in a web page in a fixed placement. Called ‘multiple purpose’ as it is a flexible shaped blank ‘canvas’ in which you can serve flat or more interactive content as desired. See also Rich Media, Universal Advertising Package.

NAI (Network Advertising Initiative)

A cooperative group of network advertisers which has developed a set of privacy principles in conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission. The NAI provides consumers with explanations of Internet advertising practices and how they affect both consumers and the Internet. See networkadvertising.org for more information.

Narrowband

The opposite of broadband. Normally used to refer to a modem running at a speed of 56Kbps or less.

Natural search results

The 'natural' search results that appear in a separate section (usually the main body of the page) to the paid listings. The results listed here have not been paid for and are ranked by the search engine (using spiders or algorithms according to relevancy to the term searched upon. See also spiderm algorithm, SEO.

Navigate

To move within or between websites using navigation bars and links.

Navigation Bar

A set of links to the main sections of a website which appears on each web page within that website. The Nav Bar often appears at the top or left of a web page.

Net TV

Televisions which have the ability to dial up to the Internet. Often, a manufacturer has integrated or offers a special set-top which permits the viewer to connect online over telephone wires.

Netiquette

A term that is used to describe the informal rules of conduct ("do's and don'ts") of online behavior.

Newsgroup

An electronic bulletin board devoted to talking about a specific topic and open to everybody. Only a handful of newsgroups permit the posting of advertising.

Non-Registered User

Someone who visits a Web site and elects not to, or is not required to, provide certain information, and hence may be denied access to part(s) of the site.

Nonqualifying Page Impressions

Page impressions which should be excluded from traffic or measurement reports, such as unsuccessful transfers of requested documents, successful transfers of requested documents to a robot or spider, and/or pages in a frame set. See frames.

Notice

An easy-to-understand written description of the information and data collection, storage, maintenance, access, security, disclosure and use policies and practices, as necessary and required of the entity collecting and using the information and data from the mobile subscriber.

NVOD

Near Video On Demand service is the delivery of film and television programming from a server via a cable network or the internet. Like VOD these services are nonlinear and navigated via an EPG. Programming must be downloaded and the majority of existing services require the same amount of time to download as the duration of the selected programme.

OB

Outside Broadcast Unit Known as a "production truck". In the US an OB unit is a truck containing a mobile TV production studio.

Off-Portal

Point of sale/access on the mobile network, but outside of the operator’s "walled garden"/portal/deck, where consumers can access/purchase information and mobile products/content/utilities.

Off-Site Measurement

When a site forwards its log files to an off-site Web research service for analysis.

On-Demand

The ability to request video, audio, or information to be sent to the screen immediately by clicking something on the screen referring to that choice.

On-Portal

Point of sale/access within the operator’s "walled garden"/portal/deck, where consumers can access/purchase information and mobile roducts/content/utilities.

Online HD

Is the delivery of High Definition streamed video media. This typically conforms to 720p standards where 720 represents 720 lines of vertical resolution and p stands for progressive scan.

Online Video Advertising

Video advertising accompanying video content distributed via the internet to be streamed or downloaded onto compatible devices such as computers and mobile phones. In its basic form, this can be TV ads run online, but adverts are increasingly adapted or created specifically to suit online. Video advertising can be placed before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll) and after (post-roll) video content. There are also a variety of other methods of delivery including:

• Embedded within rich media adverts - a video advert can be triggered by a user clicking on a banner ad.
• Subsite - a video advert loads in a separate browser window behind the site a user is looking at. The video advert then starts playing automatically when the user leaves the original site.
• In-Text Video - allows video footage to be delivered when a user rolls over a double underlined word within editorial.
• Email - allows video to be embedded within an email.

On-Site Measurement

When a server has an appropriate software program to measure and analyze traffic received on its own site.

Operating System

The software environment on your computer. The most famous ones are Windows and Mac OS.

OPA (Online Privacy Alliance)

A group of corporations and associations who have come together to introduce and promote business-wide actions that create an environment of trust and foster the protection of individuals' privacy online. See privacyalliance.org for more information.

OPA (Online Publishers’ Association)

Trade association representing a segment of online publishers. See online-publishers.org for more information.

Opt-In

Refers to an individual giving a company permission to use data collected from or about the individual for a particular reason, such as to market the company's products and services. See permission marketing.

Opt-In E-mail

Lists of Internet users who have voluntarily signed up to receive commercial e-mail about topics of interest.

Opt-Out

When a company states that it plans to market its products and services to an individual unless the individual asks to be removed from the company's mailing list.

Organic Search Results

The ‘natural’ search results that appear in a separate section (usually the main body of the page) to the paid listings. The results listed here have not been paid for and are ranked by the search engine (using spiders or algorithms) according to relevancy to the term searched upon. See also spider, algorithm, SEO.

OTS (Opportunity To See)

Same as Page Display
When a page is successfully displayed on the user's computer screen.

Overlay

Online advertising content that appears over the top of the webpage. See also Rich Media.

P3P (Platform For Privacy Preferences Project)

Browser feature that will analyze privacy policies and allow a user to control their privacy needs.

Packet Sniffer

A program used to monitor and record activity and to detect problems with Web transactions on a network.

Page

A document having a specific URL and comprised of a set of associated files. A page may contain text, images, and other online elements. It may be static or dynamically generated. It may be made up of multiple frames or screens, but should contain a designated primary object which, when loaded, is counted as the entire page.

Page Display

When a page is successfully displayed on the user's computer screen.

Page Impression

A measurement of responses from a Web server to a page request from the user’s browser, which is filtered from robotic activity and error codes, and is recorded at a point as close as possible to the opportunity to see the page by the user.

Page Request

The opportunity for an HTML document to appear on a browser window as a direct result of a user's interaction with a Web site.

Page View

When the page is actually seen by the user. Note: this is not measurable today; the best approximation today is provided by page displays.

Paid Inclusion

In exchange for a payment, a search engine will guarantee to list/review pages from a website. It is not guaranteed that the pages will rank well for particular queries this still depends on the search engine's underlying relevancy process.

Paid For Listing

Paid for listings within general search services. This includes all of the non-graphical search advertising formats from keywords to direct feeds, local search and pay per call. Search is sold on a pay-per-click basis where the advertiser pays only when a visitor to the search website clicks on their advert. This does not include the search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques that can be used to make a website ‘search engine friendly’, nor does it include services specifically designed for recruitment, automotive, property and other traditional classified sections which should be counted in the classified section. See also Organic search results, PPC (Pay Per Click).

Paid Search

See Pay-Per-Click.

Password

A group of letters and/or numbers which allow a unique user access to a secured Web site and/or a secure area of a Web site.

Pay For Performance Program

Also called Affiliate Marketing, Performance-based, Partner Marketing, CPA, or Associate Program. Any type of revenue sharing program where a publisher receives a commission for generating online activity (e.g. leads or sales) for an advertiser.

Pay-Per-Click

An advertising pricing model in which advertisers pay agencies and/or media companies based on how many users clicked on an online ad or e-mail message.

Pay-Per-Impression

An advertising pricing model in which advertisers pay based on how many users were served their ads. See CPM pricing model.

Pay-Per-Lead

An advertising pricing model in which advertisers pay for each "sales lead" generated. For example, an advertiser might pay for every visitor that clicked on an ad or site and successfully completed a form. See CPL.

Pay-Per-Sale

An advertising pricing model in which advertisers pay agencies and/or media companies based on how many sales transactions were generated as a direct result of the ad. See CPS.

Pay Per View (PPV)

Is an ecommerce model that allows media owners to grant consumers access to their programming in return for payment. Micro payments may be used for shorter programming whist feature films may attract larger sums.

PDF Files (Portable Document Format)

A translation format developed by Adobe used primarily for distributing files across a network, or on a Web site. Files with a .pdf extension have been created in another application and then translated into .pdf files so they can be viewed by anyone, regardless of platform.

Performance Pricing Model

An advertising model in which advertisers pay based on a set of agreed upon performance criteria, such as a percentage of online revenues or delivery of new sales leads. See CPA, CPC, CPL, CPO, CPS, CPT.

Permission Marketing

When an individual has given a company permission to market its products and services to the individual. See opt-in.

Persistent Cookie

A cookie which remains on the user’s hard drive until the user erases it.

Personal Video Recorder (PVR)

Is a hard disc based digital video recorder most use MPEG technology and enables viewers to pause and rewind live TV. PVR’s also interact with EPG’s to automatically record favourite programmes and have lead to an increase in the number of consumers watching "Time Shifted" TV and skipping advertising breaks.

Phishing

An illegal method whereby legitimate looking e-mails (appearing to come from a well-known bank, for example) are used in an attempt to get personal information that can be used to steal a user's identity.

Pharming

An illegal method of redirecting traffic from another company’s website (such as a bank) to a fake one designed to look similar in order to steal user details when they try to log in. See also Phishing.

PII (Personally Identifiable Information)

Refers to information such as an individual’s name, mailing address, phone number or e-mail address.

PIN (Personal Identification Number)

A group of numbers which allow a unique user access to a secured Web site and/or a secure area of a Web site. See password.

PIT (Page Information Transfer)

The successful transfer of the text of a Web page to a browser.

Pixel

Picture element (single illuminated dot) on a computer monitor. The metric used to indicate the size of Internet ads.

Placement

The area where an advertisement is displayed/placed within a publisher’s mobile content.

Platform

The type of computer or operating system on which a software application runs, e.g., PC, Macintosh, Unix or WebTV.

PLI (Privacy Leadership Initiative)

A partnership of CEOs from 15 corporations and 9 business associations using research to create a climate of trust that will accelerate acceptance of the Internet and the emerging Information Economy, both online and offline, as a safe and secure marketplace. See understandingprivacy.org

Plug-In

A program application that can easily be installed and used as part of a Web browser. Once installed, plug-in applications are recognized by the browser and their function integrated into the main HTML file being presented.

Podcasting

Podcasting involves making an audio file (usually in MP3 format) of content –usually in the form of a radio program- that is available to download to an MP3 player.

Polite Loading

Fixed online advertising placements that load and display additional Flash content after the host page on which the advert appears has finished loading. See also Flash.

Pop-Under Ad

Ad that appears in a separate window beneath an open window. Pop-under ads are concealed until the top window is closed, moved, resized or minimized.

Pop-Up Ad

Ad that appears in a separate window on top of content already on-screen. Similar to a daughter window, but without an associated banner.

Pop-Up Transitional

Initiates play in a separate ad window during the transition between content pages. Continues while content is simultaneously being rendered. Depending primarily on line-speed, play of a transitional ad may finish before or after content rendering is completed.

Portal

A Web site that often serves as a starting point for a Web user’s session. It typically provides services such as search, directory of Web sites, news, weather, e-mail, homepage space, stock quotes, sports news, entertainment, telephone directory information, area maps, and chat or message boards.

Post-Roll

The streaming of a mobile advertising clip after a mobile TV/video clip. The mobile advert is usually 10-15 seconds.

Pre-Caching

Storing advertising or content in a computer's RAM or hard disk memory before it is displayed on the user's screen, rather than at the time that it plays, to reduce delays in rendering. See cache, caching.

Pre-Roll

The name given to the adverts shown before, or whilst an online video is loading. There can be more than one and although they all vary in length, they average 21seconds in duration.

Privacy Policy

A statement about what information is being collected; how the information being collected is being used; how an individual can access his/her own data collected; how the individual can opt-out; and what security measures are being taken by the parties collecting the data.

Privacy Seal Program

A program that certifies the Web site owner complies with the site’s proposed policy. Examples include TRUSTe and BBBOnline.

Profiling

The practice of tracking information about consumers' interests by monitoring their movements online. This can be done without using any personal information, but simply by analyzing the content, URL’s, and other information about a user’s browsing path/click-stream.

Process Audit

Third party validation of internal control processes associated with measurement. See audit.

Protocol

A uniform set of rules that enable two devices to connect and transmit data to one another. Protocols determine how data are transmitted between computing devices and over networks. They define issues such as error control and data compression methods. The protocol determines the following: type of error checking to be used, data compression method (if any), how the sending device will indicate that it has finished a message and how the receiving device will indicate that it has received the message. Internet protocols include TCP/IP (Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), FTP (File Transfer Protocol), and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

Proxy Servers

Intermediaries between end users and Web sites such as ISPs, commercial online services, and corporate networks. Proxy servers hold the most commonly and recently used content from the Web for users in order to provide quicker access and to increase server security.

PSMS

Premium SMS. A text message that is charged at a premium over the standard rate.

Publisher

Also referred to as an Affiliate, Associate, Partner, Reseller or Content Site). An independent party, or website, that promotes the products or services of an advertiser in exchange for a commission.

Push Advertising

Pro-active, partial screen, dynamic advertisement which comes in various formats.

PVR (Personal Video Recorder)

Set-top box that stores up to 30 hours of TV programming and works with cable and satellite systems. Viewers can pause or rewind live TV shows, record a season's worth of episodes, and skip past commercials.

Query

A request for information, usually to a search engine.

Query String Formation

In a search engine, a query string is the set of words entered into a search engine by an individual. For example, a search for "search engine marketing information". Query string formation is simply the process of thinking of the correct query string to get the results required.)

Quicktime

A popular format from Apple for streaming audio and video on the web. You need a Quicktime player to view or listen to Quicktime clips.

Rate Card

The list of prices and products and packages offered by a media company.

Re-Direct

When used in reference to online advertising, one server assigning an ad-serving or ad-targeting function to another server, often operated by a third company. For instance, a Web publisher's ad management server might re-direct to a third-party hired by an advertiser to distribute its ads to target customers; and then another re-direct to a "rich media" provider might also occur if streaming video were involved before the ad is finally delivered to the consumer. In some cases, the process of re-directs can produce latency. See ad serving, latency.

Reach

1. Unique users that visited the site over the course of the reporting period, expressed as a percent of the universe for the demographic category; also called unduplicated audience;
2. The total number of unique users who will be served a given ad.

RealAudio®

A software program that downloads and plays streaming audio files.

Real Time

Events that happen in real time are happening virtually at that particular moment. When one chats in a chat room, or sends an instant message, one is interacting in real time since it is immediate.

Referral Link

The referring page, or referral link is a place from which the user clicked to get to the current page. In other words, since a hyperlink connects one URL to another, in clicking on a link the browser moves from the referring URL to the destination URL. Also known as source of a visit.

Referral Fees

Fees paid by advertisers for delivering a qualified sales lead or purchase inquiry.

Registration

A process for site visitors to enter information about themselves. Sites use registration data to enable or enhance targeting of content and ads. Registration can be required or voluntary.

Repeat Visitor

Unique visitor who has accessed a Web site more than once over a specific time period.

Return Visits

The average number of times a user returns to a site over a specific time period.

Rich Media

The collective name for online advertising formats that use advanced technology to harnesses broadband to build brands. It uses interactive and audio-visual elements to give richer content and a richer experience for the user when interacting with the advert. See also Interstitial, Superstitial, Overlay and Rich Media Guidelines.

Rich Media Guidelines

Design guidelines produced by the IAB for effective use of Rich Media technologies in all forms of internet advertising. They aim to protect user experience by keeping them in control of the experience eg: encouraging clearly labelled close, sound and video buttons.

Robot

A program that runs automatically without human intervention. Typically, a robot is endowed with some artificial intelligence so that it can react to different situations it may encounter. Two common types of robots are agents and spiders. Commercial robots are programs that are used to fetch Web pages, but the user never has an opportunity to see the content of the requested documents. Personal robots provide the user with the opportunity to see the requested Web pages, usually in an offline mode. Also known as bots.

ROI (Return On Investment)

Net profit divided by investment.

RON (Run-Of-Network)

The scheduling of Internet advertising whereby an ad network positions ads across the sites it represents at its own discretion, according to available inventor. The advertiser usually forgoes premium positioning in exchange for more advertising weight at a lower CPM.

ROS (Run-Of-Site)

The scheduling of Internet advertising whereby ads run across an entire site, often at a lower cost to the advertiser than the purchase of specific site sub-sections.

Router

A device that connects any number of LANs. Routers use headers and a forwarding table to determine where packets go, and they communicate with each other to configure the best route between any two hosts.

RPG

1. Short for Role Playing Game, RPG is a type of game where players act out of a different reality.
2. Short for Report Program Generator, RPG programming is a programming language developed by IBM in the 1960s to simplify programming for business applications.
3. Short for Raster Pattern Generator, RPG is the set of electronic circuits that converts raster patterns into bit patterns.

RSS

(Really Simple Syndication) - Software that allows you to flag website content (often from blogs or new sites) and aggregate new entries to this content into an easy to read format that is delivered directly to a user's PC. See also Blogs.

Sales House

An organisation which sells advertising on behalf of other media owners. These sales houses typically retain a percentage of the revenue they sell in exchange for their services. These organisations may combine a number of websites together and sell them as different packages to advertisers.

Sample

A subset of a universe whose properties are studied to gain information about that universe.

Sampling Frame

The source from which the sample is drawn.

Scripts

Files that initiate routines like generating Web pages dynamically in response to user input.

SDSL (Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line)

A type of DSL that uses only one of the two cable pairs for transmission. SDSL allows residential or small office users to share the same telephone for data transmission and voice or fax telephony.

Search Engine

A program that helps Web users find information on the Internet. The method for finding this information is usually done by maintaining an index of Web resources that can be queried for the keywords or concepts entered by the user.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

The process which aims to get websites listed prominently in search-engine results through search-engine optimisation, sponsored search and paid inclusion. See also PPC and SEO and Paid Inclusion.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

The process which aims to get websites listed prominently within search engine’s organic (algorithmic, spidered) search results. Involves making a site ‘search engine friendly’. See also organic listings.

Sell-Through Rate

The percentage of ad inventory sold as opposed to traded or bartered.

Serial Digital Interface (SDI)

Is a dedicated digital video interface used to carry broadcast quality video content.

Server

A computer which distributes files which are shared across a LAN, WAN or the Internet. Also known as a "host".

Server Centric Measurement

Audience measurement derived from server logs.

Server-Initiated Ad Impression

One of the two methods used for ad counting. Ad content is delivered to the user via two methods server-initiated and client-initiated. Server-initiated ad counting uses the publisher’s Web content server for making requests, formatting and re-directing content. For organizations using a server-initiated ad counting method, counting should occur subsequent to the ad response at either the publisher's ad server or the Web content server, or later in the process. See client-initiated ad impression.

Server Pull

A process whereby a user's browser maintains an automated or customized connection or profile with a Web server. The browser usually sets up a unique request that is recorded and stored electronically for future reference. Examples are: requests for the automated delivery of e-mail newsletters, the request for Web content based on a specific search criteria determined by the user, or setting up a personalized Web page that customizes the information delivered to the user based on pre-determined self selections.

Server Push

A process whereby a server maintains an open connection with a browser after the initial request for a page. Through this open connection the server continues to provide updated pages and content even though the visitor has made no further direct requests for such information.

Session

1. A sequence of Internet activity made by one user at one site. If a user makes no request from a site during a 30 minute period of time, the next content or ad request would then constitute the beginning of a new visit;
2. A series of transactions performed by a user that can be tracked across successive Web sites. For example, in a single session, a user may start on a publisher's Web site, click on an advertisement and then go to an advertiser's Web site and make a purchase. See visit.

Session Cookies

Cookies which are loaded into a computer’s RAM, and only work during that browser session. When the browser exits, these cookies are erased. They are "temporary cookies", and no cookie is written to a user’s hard drive. See Cookie.

Set-Top Box

An electronic device that sits on top of one’s TV set and allows it to connect to the Internet, game systems, or cable systems.

SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language)

The parent language for HTML.

Shareware

Software which is free or almost free to try out. Shareware often has a 'free trial' period during which time you can test and use the program. After this, payment is required, but it is usually quite cheap.

Shockwave

A browser plug-in developed by Macromedia which allows multimedia objects to appear on the Web (animation, audio and video).

Shop Bot

Intelligent agent which searches for the best price.

Shopping Cart

The internet equivalent of a shopping trolley. On an online shopping site you choose what items you want and add them to your on-screen shopping cart by indicating what items you want. These stay in your cart until you check out.

SIM

Subscriber Identity Module. A removable part the mobile phone hardware that identifies the subscriber.

Simulcast

Watching an existing TV service over the internet at the same time as normal transmission.

Site Analytics

The reporting and analysis of website activity in particular user behaviour on the site. All websites have a weblog which can be used for this purpose, but other third party software is available for a more sophisticated service.

Site-Centric Measurement

audience measurement derived from a Web site's own server logs.

Skins

Customized and interchangeable sets of graphics, which allow Internet users to continually change the look of their desktops or browsers, without changing their settings or functionality. Skins are a type of marketing tool.

Skyscraper

A tall, thin online ad unit. The IAB guidelines recommend two sizes of skyscrapers: 120 X 600 and 160 x 600.

Slotting Fee

A fee charged to advertisers by media companies to get premium positioning on their site, category exclusivity or some other special treatment. It is similar to slotting allowances charged by retailers.

Smart Card

Identical in size and feel to credit cards, smart cards store information on an integrated microprocessor chip located within the body of the card. These chips hold a variety of information, from stored (monetary)-value used for retail and vending machines, to secure information and applications for higher-end operations such as medical/healthcare records.

The different types of cards being used today are contact, contactless and combination cards. Contact smart cards must be inserted into a smart card reader. These cards have a contact plate on the face which makes an electrical connector for reads and writes to and from the chip when inserted into the reader. Contactless smart cards have an antenna coil, as well as a chip embedded within the card. The internal antenna allows for communication and power with a receiving antenna at the transaction point to transfer information. Close proximity is required for such transactions, which can decrease transaction time while increasing convenience. A combination card functions as both a contact and contactless smart card. Specific to interactive television, the viewer can insert smart cards into the set-top box to trigger the box to decrypt contact programming.

SMPP

Short Message Peer-to-peer Protocol - used for exchanging SMS messages.

SMPT (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

The protocol used to transfer e-mail.

SMS

Short Message Service.

SMCS

Short Message Service Centre. A network switch for routing SMS traffic.

Sniffer

Software that detects capabilities of the user's browser (looking for such things as Java capabilities, plug-ins, screen resolution, and bandwidth).

Social Media

We refer to social media, in a commercial sense, as: the creation of useful, valuable and relevant content and applications by brands, or by consumers with specific reference to brands, that can be shared online, facilitated by web 2.0 technology.

Solus Email Advertising

Where the body of the email is determined by the advertiser, including both text and graphical elements, and is sent on their behalf by an email list manager/owner. Solus email advertising is conducted on an opt-in basis where the recipient has given their consent to receive communications.

Source

The code a web page is written in. This is usually HTML but may also involves CGI, Java or Java Script as well. You can view the HTML source code of a web page by clicking on the "View Source" menu option in your browser.

Space

Location on a page of a site in which an ad can be placed. Each space on a site is uniquely identified. There can be multiple spaces on a single page.

Spam

Slang term describing unsolicited e-mail.

Spider

A program that automatically fetches Web pages. Spiders are used to feed pages to search engines. It is called a spider because it crawls over the Web. Because most Web pages contain links to other pages, a spider can start almost anywhere. As soon as it sees a link to another page, it goes off and fetches it. Large search engines have many spiders working in parallel. See robot.

Splash Page

A preliminary page that precedes the user-requested page of a Web site that usually promotes a particular site feature or provides advertising. A splash page is timed to move on to the requested page after a short period of time or a click. Also known as an interstitial. Splash pages are not considered qualified page impressions under current industry guidelines, but they are considered qualified ad impressions.

Sponsor

1. A sponsor is an advertiser who has sponsored an ad and, by doing so, has also helped sponsor or sustain the Web site itself;
2. An advertiser that has a special relationship with the Web site and supports a specific feature of a Web site, such as a writer's column or a collection of articles on a particular subject.

Sponsorship

An association with a Web site in some way that gives an advertiser some particular visibility and advantage above that of run-of-site advertising. When associated with specific content, sponsorship can provide a more targeted audience than run-of-site ad buys.

Spyware

Software that you install on your computer, often without you realising, that sends information on your software and internet usage to outside companies.

SS7

Signalling System 7. A worldwide standard for telecommunications hardware to talk to each other.

Static Ad Placement/Static Rotation

1. Ads that remain on a Web page for a specified period of time;
2. Embedded Ads.

Stickiness

A measure used to gauge the effectiveness of a site in retaining individual users. Stickiness is usually measured by the duration of the visit.

Streaming

1. Technology that permits continuous audio and video delivered to a computer from a remote Web site;
2. An Internet data transfer technique that allows the user to see and hear audio and video files. The host or source compresses, then "streams" small packets of information over the Internet to the user, who can access the content as it is received.

Streaming Media Player

A software program which decompresses audio and/or video files so the user can hear and/or see the video or audio file. Some examples are Real Player™, Windows Media and Quick Time Player.

Superstitials®

An interstitial format developed by Unicast which is fully pre-cached before playing. Specs are 550 x 480 pixels (2/3 of screen), up to 100K file size and up to 20 seconds in length.

Surfing

Exploring the World Wide Web.

T-Commerce

Electronic commerce on interactive television.

T-1

A high-speed (1.54 megabits/second) Internet connection.

T-3

A very high-speed (45 megabits/second or higher) Internet connection.

TCP/IP (Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

A software standard used by the Internet to understand all computer languages and most computers.

Tags

Tags are found inside the html code for a webpage that defines attributes such as the the way words, pictures and other content appear on the page.

Target Audience

The intended audience for an ad, usually defined in terms of specific demographics (age, sex, income, etc.) product purchase behavior, product usage or media usage.

Tenancy

The ‘renting’ out of a section of a website by another brand who pays commission to this media owner for any revenue generated from this space. EG: dating services inside portals or bookstores inside online newspapers.

Terms & Conditions

The details of the contract accompanying an insertion order. See iab.net for voluntary guidelines for standard terms & conditions for Internet advertising for media buys.

Text Ad

A static appended text attached to an advertisement.

Textual ad impressions

The delivery of a text-based advertisement to a browser. To compensate for slow Internet connections, visitors may disable "auto load images" in their graphical browser. When they reach a page that contains an advertisement, they see a marker and the advertiser's message in text format in place of the graphical ad. Additionally, if a user has a text-only browser, only textual ads are delivered and recorded as textual ad impressions.

Text Link

Creative use for mobile advertisements represented by highlighted and clickable text(s) with a link embedded within the highlighted text. Usually limited to 16-24 characters.

Third-Party Ad Server

Independent outsourced companies that specialize in managing, maintaining, serving, tracking, and analyzing the results of online ad campaigns. They deliver targeted advertising that can be tailored to consumers' declared or predicted characteristics or preferences.

Thread

A group of messages, often e-mail messages or message board posts, linked by a common subject. A thread is the online equivalent of a conversation. Many message boards present messages on the same subject together as a thread.

302 Redirect

The process of a server sending a browser the location of a requested ad, rather than sending the ad itself. Ad servers use 302 redirects to allow them to track activities such as ad requests or ad clicks.

Throughput

The amount of data transmitted through Internet connectors in response to a given request.

Token

Tracer or tag which is attached by the receiving server to the address (URL) of a page requested by a user. A token lasts only through a continuous series of requests by a user, regardless of the length of the interval between requests. Tokens can be used to count unique users.

Toolbar

The select-ion of buttons displayed vertically or horizontally offering desktop and application functions such as print, save, copy etc.

Total Ad Impressions

The total of all graphical and textual ad impressions delivered, regardless of the source. See ad impression.

Total Unique Users

See Unique User.

Total Visits

Total number of browsers accessing a Web site within a specific time period. Total visits should filter robotic activity, but can include visits from repeat visitors.

Total Visitors

Total number of browsers or individuals which have accessed a site within a specific time period.

Traffic

The number of visits and/or visitors who come to a Web site.

Transfer

The successful response to a page request; also when a browser receives a complete page of content from a Web server.

Transitional Ad

An ad that is displayed between Web pages. In other words, the user sees an advertisement as he/she navigates between page ‘a’ and page ‘b.’ Also known as an interstitial.

Transitional Pop Up

An ad that pops up in a separate ad window between content pages.

Trial Software

Software you can install on your computer which will work for a limited time so you can try it after which it will lock. In many cases if you decide to purchase you will get a registration code which you type into the software to make it work again.

Triggers

A command from the host server that notifies the viewer's set-top box that interactive content is available at this point. The viewer is notified about the available interactive content via an icon or clickable text. Once clicked by using the remote control, the trigger disappears and more content or a new interface appears on the TV screen.

Trojan

A program which appears harmless but is carrying inside viruses, worms or even another program that will damage your computer. A trojan is usually an attachment and is often carrying a program which allows someone to hack into your computer

UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)

Broadband, packet-based transmission of text, digitized voice, video, and multimedia at data rates up to and possibly higher than 2 megabits per second, offering a set of services to mobile computer and phone users no matter where they are located in the world.

Unduplicated Audience

The number of unique individuals exposed to a specified domain, page or ad in a specified time period.

Unique User

Unique individual or browser which has either accessed a site (see unique visitor) or which has been served unique content and/or ads such as e-mail, newsletters, interstitials and pop-under ads. Unique users can be identified by user registration or cookies. Reported unique users should filter out robots. See iab.net for ad campaign measurement guidelines.

Unique Visitor

A unique user who accesses a Web site within a specific time period. See unique user.

Universal Advertising Package

A set of online advertising formats that are standardised placements as defined the by the IAB. See also banner, skyscraper, button, MPU and embedded formats.

Universal Player

Is a platform agnostic media player that will allow video and audio to be played on any hardware / software configuration from a single source file.

Universe

Total population of audience being measured.

Unmetered Access

Internet accounts which offer access free of phone charges after you pay a monthly fixed amount.

Unresolved IP Addresses

IP addresses that do not identify their 1st or 2nd level domain. Unresolved IP addresses should be aggregated and reported as such. See also domain.

Upload

To send data from a computer to a network. An example of uploading data is sending e-mail.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

The unique identifying address of any particular page on the Web. It contains all the information required to locate a resource, including its protocol (usually HTTP), server domain name (or IP address), file path (directory and name) and format (usually HTML or CGI).

URL Tagging

The process of embedding unique identifiers into URLs contained in HTML content. These identifiers are recognized by Web servers on subsequent browser requests. Identifying visitors through information in the URLs should also allow for an acceptable calculation of visits, if caching is avoided.

Usenet

Internet bulletin-board application.

User

An individual with access to the World Wide Web.

Username

A series of letters and / or numbers you input into your computer, internet account or other computer network service to tell it who you are.

User Agent String

A field in the server log file which identifies the specific browser software and computer operating system making the request.

User Centric Measurement

Web audience measurement based on the behavior of a sample of Web users.

User Generated Content (UGC)

Online content created by website users rather than media owners or publishers either through reviews, blogging, podcasting or posting comments, pictures or video clips. Sites that encourage user generated content include MySpace, YouTube, Wikipedia and Flickr. See also Blog, Podcast.

User Registration

Information contributed by an individual which usually includes characteristics such as the person's age, gender, zip code and often much more. A site’s registration system is usually based on an ID code or password to allow the site to determine the number of unique visitors and to track a visitor's behavior within that site.

Vector Graphics

Files which contain instructions for drawing lines or curves and also say how these shapes should be filled. This approach means vector graphics are smaller and faster than bitmap images like GIFs and JPGs. They also maintain their quality when displayed or printed at differing sizes.

Video Card

A piece of hardware inside your computer that makes the display you see on your monitor (the screen). Video cards are also sometimes referred to as graphics cards.

Video On Demand (VOD)

Allows users to watch what they want, when theywant. This can be either ‘pay per view’ or a free service usually fundedby advertising.

Viewer

Person viewing content or ads on the Web. There is currently no way to measure viewers.

Viral Marketing

The term "viral advertising" refers to the idea that people will pass on and share striking and entertaining content; this is often sponsored by a brand, which is looking to build awareness of a product or service. These viral commercials often take the form of funny video clips, or interactive Flash games, images, and even text.

Visit

Measurement which has been filtered for robotic activity of one or more text and/or graphics downloads from a site without 30 consecutive minutes of inactivity and which can be reasonably attributed to a single browser for a single session. See iab.net for ad campaign measurement guidelines.

Visit Duration

The length of time the visitor is exposed to a specific ad, Web page or Web site during a single session.

Visitor

Individual or browser which accesses a Web site within a specific time period.

VMNO

Virtual Mobile Network Operator. A company that uses the infrastructure of an existing (licence-owning) telecoms network operator. Tesco and Virgin are two of the largest VMNOs in the UK.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)

Technology that allows the use of a broadband Internet connection to make telephone calls.

VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language)

Programming language designed to be a 3D analog to HTML.

WAA (Wireless Advertising Association)

Trade association promoting wireless advertising. Members include: hand held device manufacturers, software providers, carriers and operators, agencies, retailers, and advertisers. See waaglobal.org for more information.

WAN (Wide Area Network)

A group of computers connected together (a network) which are not located at the same physical location.

WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)

Standard for providing mobile data services on hand-held devices. Brings Internet content such as news, weather, travel, etc to mobile phones and can also be used to deliver formatted content such as wallpapers, ringtones, video, games, portals and other useful links. Incentivated provide the mechanisms to write and deliver mobile Internet content to subscribers.

WAP Device

Any device (e.g., mobile phone, PDA, or simulator) that allows access to wireless content.

WAP Phones

Mobile phones which utilize wireless application protocol technology to access the Internet. The screen on a WAP phone can be used to deliver ads.

WASP (Wireless Applications Service Provider)

An organization that provides content and applications for wireless devices.

Web 2.0

The term Web 2.0 with its knowing nod to upgraded computer applications describes the next generation of online use. Web 2.0 identifies the consumer as a major contributor in the evolution of the internet into a two-way medium. See also User Generated Content.

Web based

Requiring no software to access an online service or function, other than a Web browser and access to the Internet.

Web Bacon

A line of code which is used by a Web site or third party ad server to track a user’s activity, such as a registration or conversion. A Web beacon is often invisible because it is only 1 x 1 pixel in size with no color. Also known as Web bug, 1 by 1 GIF, invisible GIF and tracker GIF.

Web Editor

A piece of software that allows you to design a web page without knowing HTML, the code which makes up web pages. Web editors are as easy to use as word processors but rather than making documents, you use them to make web pages.

Web Portal

A website or service that offers a broad array of resources and services, such as email, forums, search engines, and online shopping malls.

Web Server

A powerful computer permanently connected to the internet which "serves" web pages and other internet files to users.

Web Traffic

A general term used to describe data travelling around the internet. The internet can sometimes be very slow because of the amount of traffic.

Web Space

The space on a server that you get given by your ISP to put a website on. Most Internet Service Providers now allocate free webspace for their customers.

Web Site

The virtual location (domain) for an organization's or individual's presence on the World Wide Web.

Web Bug

See Web beacon.

Webcasting

Real-time or pre-recorded delivery of a live event’s audio, video, or animation over the Internet.

Webcam

An inexpensive, simple video camera that can sit on top of your computer monitor or be placed somewhere else such as the top of a building. It's designed to send live and recorded video as well as still pictures over the net to one or more users.

Webmail

E-mail you access through a web page using your browser rather than using an e-mail program. This means you can send, view and organise e-mails on any computer with an internet connection. Hotmail is a well known example of a webmail service.

Webmaster

The person in charge of a website.

Whitelist

An E-mail whitelist is a list of contacts that the user deems are acceptable to receive email from and should not be sent to the trash folder

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)

The ability to connect to the internet wirelessly. Internet ‘hotspots’ in coffee shops and airports.etc use this technology.

Wiki

A wiki is a type of website that allows the visitors themselves to easily add, remove, and otherwise edit and change some available content, sometimes without the need for registration.

Wilf-ing (What Was I Looking For)

7 in 10 of Britain's 34 million users forget what they are looking for online at work and at home. Wilfing is an expression referring to browsing the internet with no real purpose.

Wireless Markup Language (WML) aka WAP 1.0

Where the mobile internet started many years ago. Hardly supported any more.

XHTML (eXtensible Hypertag Markup Language) aka WAP 2.0

The language used to create most mobile internet sites.

XML (eXtensible Markup Language)

A richer more dynamic successor to HTML utilizing SGML or HTML type tags to structure information. XML is used for transferring data and creating applications on the Web. See SGML and HTML.

Yield

The percentage of clicks vs. impressions on an ad within a specific page. Also called Ad Click Rate.

Zip

Refers to compressing files (making them take up less memory) so making them quicker to send over the internet. There are various software tools available for 'zipping and 'unzipping' files including PKZip and Winzip (for PC) and ZipIt (for Mac). Zipped files usually have the file extension .zip.