Adtech Glossary - C

A click refers to an action taken by a user when they interact with an ad or a link, typically by clicking on it using a mouse or tapping on it with their finger on a touchscreen device. Clicks are an essential metric in advertising and marketing campaigns as they indicate user engagement and interaction […]

Click conversion refers to a conversion that the system records only when a user clicks on the displayed ad associated with that impression. Click conversions can only be traced using the “last click” method, considering the most recent click that occurred before the conversion event.

Click fraud means the practice of intentionally clicking on pay-per-click advertisements to inflate website earnings or deplete a business’s advertising budget. It stands apart from invalid clicks, which may be repetitive or initiated by the ad’s host/publisher, as it is purposeful, malicious, and lacks any prospect of leading to an actual sale. This deceptive tactic […]

Click injection is a tactic cybercriminals employ to victimize Android users who utilize mobile apps, particularly those featuring in-app advertisements. In this malicious scheme, hackers embed harmful code into the app, causing a substantial surge of ad clicks whenever someone launches the app. The primary objective of this assault is to amass profits for the […]

Click spam represents an online fraudulent activity wherein spammers inundate ads with an extensive volume of counterfeit clicks to generate income for the advertiser. This form of click fraud poses a significant concern for online advertisers, as it can result in squandered ad expenditures and a diminished return on investment (ROI). Online advertising platforms have […]

Click-Through Rate (CTR) refers to a digital advertising metric that estimates the percentage of users who click on a specific link or call-to-action in an advertisement, landing page, or email relative to the total number of users exposed to the ad. Advertisers and marketers commonly use CTR to evaluate online advertising campaigns’ effectiveness and engagement […]

Clickbait refers to online content elements like headlines, article titles, thumbnails, or ads strategically crafted to capture the interest of internet users and persuade them to click on a link. Regrettably, the content frequently fails to meet the enticing claims or expectations set by these attention-grabbing elements. The primary objective of clickbait is to achieve […]

Clickunder advertising is a variant of pop-up advertising, presenting a full-page advertisement beneath the user’s current webpage. Unlike traditional ads, clickunders immediately guide users to the offer’s landing page without any intermediary banners or creative content interrupting their experience.

Client-side header bidding, also known as browser-side header bidding, is an approach to implementing header bidding. In this method, a publisher embeds code within a webpage’s HTML, allowing direct communication with their SSPs (supply-side platforms) or other demand partners. The code responsible for facilitating communication with the publisher’s demand partners is executed directly by the […]

Cloud denotes a network of servers, usually spread across different geographical locations, that enable access to a range of online services. In ad tech, most SaaS companies that offer tools used by publishers and advertisers rely on cloud infrastructure. This means that both the functionality of their products and the associated data are entirely hosted […]

The completion rate is an essential metric that helps advertisers and publishers assess how engaging and relevant their video ad content is to the audience. A high completion rate indicates that the video content resonated well with viewers, encouraging them to watch the ad. In contrast, a low completion rate may suggest that the ad […]

Connected TV (CTV) is television sets or devices connected to the internet, permitting users to access and stream digital content directly on their televisions. CTV typically refers to smart TVs, streaming media players, gaming consoles, and other devices that enable users to consume online video content on their TV screens. Unlike traditional broadcast or cable […]

A Consent Management Platform (CMP) is a tool or software utilized in the adtech sector to assist website publishers and advertisers in handling user consent for data collection and targeted advertising, all while adhering to data protection regulations. The primary purpose of a CMP is to provide transparency and control to users over their data […]

A consideration campaign is a targeted advertising initiative to inform customers about the advantages and characteristics of a brand, product, or service to ensure it becomes a viable choice when they are ready to purchase. A consideration campaign aims to move users further along the sales funnel, from awareness to more profound interest and consideration, […]

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is an extensive network of servers strategically positioned across numerous data centers worldwide. Its primary mission is to deliver content to end users swiftly, ensuring minimal latency and rapid loading times. In advertising technology, creatives are frequently stored within CDNs to guarantee their immediate display to users.

Contextual ads represent a form of online advertising that appears to users in response to the content they are browsing or the keywords they have recently used in their searches. Advertisers meticulously tailor these advertisements to align with the content’s context, intending to increase the likelihood of grabbing the user’s interest and engagement.

Contextual data refers to information regarding the elements within a web page, encompassing details like the URL, keywords, categories, and associated tags. Adtech platforms use this contextual data to deliver users more relevant and targeted advertising. This benefits advertisers by improving their ad spend efficiency and enhancing the user experience, as users are more likely […]

Contextual targeting is a method used in advertising and marketing to display ads to users founded on the context of the content they are presently engaging with or viewing. Instead of relying on user-specific data or individual behavior, contextual targeting focuses on understanding the context of a web page, app, or content to determine the […]

A control group is a portion of the entire customer population undergoing a test. In advertising, control groups gauge the influence of a particular campaign or customer journey. To be more specific, control groups consist of the customers you intend to engage within a given campaign but will not receive it. In contrast, test groups, […]

Conversion refers to the action which users or customers complete in response to a marketing effort. It represents a successful outcome or desired behavior that aligns with the objectives of a campaign or business. Examples of conversions encompass various actions, such as subscribing to a service, completing a form, executing a purchase, or downloading files […]

The Conversion optimizer is a tool designed to assist advertisers in automatically placing bids for ad space within the Google Display Network, aligning with the objectives of each unique ad campaign. Leveraging historical data from an advertiser’s Google Ads account, the Conversion optimizer forecasts the probability of a click on their ads leading to a […]

A conversion pixel is a pixel embedded on a webpage, employed for monitoring a range of conversions, including downloads, ad clicks, and purchases. Data obtained through conversion pixels plays a pivotal role in the digital marketing landscape, enabling advertisers to fine-tune their strategies and enhance their return on investment.

Conversion Rate (CVR) is a percentage of users or visitors completing a desired action or conversion goal out of the total number of people interacting with a website, landing page, or marketing campaign. It is a key metric used to gauge the effectiveness and success of a marketing or advertising effort in generating desired outcomes. […]

Conversion tracking is a crucial process in digital advertising and marketing that involves monitoring and measuring specific actions taken by users, which are considered valuable or desirable outcomes for the advertiser. We refer to these actions as “conversions.” The primary goal of conversion tracking is to assess the significance of ad campaigns and understand their […]

The conversion-driven campaign is a campaign designed to drive customers to make a conversion after exposure. A conversion can vary and may include actions such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, downloading an app, and filling out a contact form. The success of such campaigns is often evaluated based on the rate […]

Cookie sync, also known as cookie matching, is a process that allows different advertising platforms or websites to share user data using cookies. It is essential for enabling more accurate and targeted advertising across various platforms and ecosystems. It helps create a seamless user experience across different websites and platforms and enables advertisers to deliver […]

Cookie syncing, also called cookie matching, is a procedure that enables various ad-tech partners, including SSPs, DSPs, ad exchanges, DMPs, and CDPs, to harmonize their cookies. The primary purpose of cookie syncing is to enable these advertising technology providers to align their tracking cookies or identifiers, allowing for more effective and coordinated ad targeting and […]

Cookies are small parts of data that websites store in a user’s web browser when the user visits them to enhance functionality, remember preferences, track user behavior, and support targeted advertising. These text files serve various purposes and are essential in improving the user experience on the internet. Cookies serve different purposes, including maintaining user […]

COPPA represents the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. It is a United States federal law enacted in 1998 and implemented by the Federal Trade Commission. COPPA aims to protect the privacy and personal information of children under 13 when they use online services. The primary purpose of COPPA is to give parents, or guardians control […]

Core Web Vitals represent a collection of precise website performance metrics used by Google to evaluate the quality of user experience on web pages. These metrics pertain to a page’s loading speed, interactivity, and visual consistency, and they play an essential role in ensuring a positive user experience. Google introduced Core Web Vitals as part […]

Cost per action (CPA) is an online advertising pricing model in which advertisers only pay when the user makes a specific effort. The action can vary depending on the goals of the advertising campaign and the specific terms agreed upon between the advertiser and the publisher. In a CPA model, advertisers define the desired action […]

Cost per click (CPC) is an online advertising pricing model in which advertisers pay a predetermined amount each time a user clicks on their ad. People frequently use CPC in online advertising platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads, as well as across various online display networks. In a CPC model, advertisers bid on keywords […]

The Cost per Completed View (CPCV) is an advertising pricing model that charges advertisers solely when viewers watch an entire video ad. This model decreases risk for advertisers while enabling them to focus on high-value users. Under CPCV, advertisers typically pay a fixed rate for each completed video view, often after the campaign meets specific […]

Cost Per Conversion (CPC) is a metric used in digital advertising to measure the average cost incurred by an advertiser to achieve a specific conversion goal. A conversion can be any desired action the advertiser wants the audience to take, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, downloading an app, or subscribing to […]

Cost Per Install (CPI) is a metric used in mobile app marketing to measure the average price an advertiser pays for each installation or download of their mobile application. CPI is a key performance indicator (KPI) for app developers and marketers as it helps them understand the efficiency and effectiveness of their app promotion campaigns […]

Cost Per Mille (CPM) is a common advertising metric that measures the cost of displaying a thousand ad impressions. The term “mille” comes from the Latin word for one thousand. CPM is primarily used in display advertising, where advertisers pay for the number of times their ad is shown to users, regardless of whether the […]

Cost Per Mille Viewable Impressions (vCPM) is a digital advertising metric used to calculate the cost of a thousand viewable ad impressions. In online advertising, an “impression” refers to displaying an ad to a user on a webpage or within an app. However, not all impressions are seen by users, as they might be below […]

Crawl or crawling is the method through which search engines, such as Bing or Yahoo, locate new web pages and refresh their current search listings. It is a vital procedure to guarantee that search engines deliver the most pertinent and current results to their users’ queries. Automated software programs, commonly called web crawlers or spiders, […]

A “crawler,” also known as a “web crawler,” “spider,” or “bot,” refers to a software program or automated script that systematically navigates the internet and gathers information from websites. Search engines, ad networks, and other online platforms commonly use these crawlers to index web pages, collect data, and provide users with relevant content or advertisements. […]

The creative refers to the visual advertisement that users encounter. It often comes in standard formats such as GIF, JPEG, and HTML5 (formerly Flash) and video formats like MOV, FLV, and MP4. The creative can encompass various elements, including sound, video, animations, and traditional text. Its size and format, which adhere to standards set by […]

Creative marketing serves as a tool employed by advertisers to captivate an audience. It revolves around generating interest in a service, product, or event through diverse means, unifying these tools to craft a consistent message that resonates with users. Creative marketing encompasses elements like music, symbols, artwork, and design, influencing branding, advertising, customer experience, as […]

Creative optimization is the ongoing practice of refining and enhancing the creative components within advertising campaigns to boost their effectiveness and achieve superior outcomes. These creative elements encompass various facets, including ad copy, design, imagery, videos, and other content strategically employed to captivate and influence the intended audience.

A creative tag is a piece of code that specifies the designated location for the placement of the creative.

Cross-platform advertising, sometimes called multi-platform advertising, involves the deployment of advertising campaigns across many diverse platforms and media channels, frequently simultaneously. These platforms encompass various online and offline channels, including websites, social media, mobile apps, television, radio, print, and others. The primary objective of cross-platform advertising is to extend the reach and engage a more […]

Cumulative layout shift (CLS) is a metric used to gauge the extent of page layout movement during the loading process. This shift occurs because various elements on a page may load at varying speeds, resulting in changes to the user’s view of the page. For instance, a slowly loading advertisement or video can displace a […]

A custom audience comprises a carefully chosen set of individuals selected explicitly by the advertiser to receive particular advertisements or a series of ads. Specific criteria, including demographics, interests, behaviors, and other defining characteristics, guide this selection. Custom audiences empower advertisers to efficiently connect with their intended target audience and enhance the overall performance of […]

Custom intent audiences are user groups who have demonstrated a distinct and precise interest in a product or service via their online activities. Advertisers can generate and focus on these audiences in their ad campaigns to heighten the probability of conversions and enhance their return on investment.

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) stands as a crucial performance metric, assessing the expense incurred in acquiring a new customer. The calculation involves dividing the total expenditure on sales and marketing activities by the count of new customers acquired within a defined time frame. Businesses frequently employ CAC to gauge the effectiveness of their sales and […]

A Customer Data Platform (CDP) is a specialized software that gathers, stores, and arranges customer data from various channels, crafting a unified and all-encompassing customer profile. Businesses use these platforms to improve their understanding of their clientele, enable personalized marketing and customer experiences, and empower decision-making based on data. CDPs empower businesses with comprehensive customer […]

Customer lifetime value (CLV) stands as a pivotal notion within marketing and business strategy, signifying the cumulative expenditure an individual customer commits to a company’s products or services throughout their association. CLV serves as a vital metric for businesses, furnishing insights into the worth of their customer base and guiding resource allocation decisions, such as […]

Customer relationship management (CRM) encompasses a collection of practices and technologies businesses employ to oversee and scrutinize their engagements with existing and potential customers. The central objective of CRM is to enhance and refine customer relationships, boost customer satisfaction, and foster customer retention and loyalty.