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Social Media Glossary
Social media screens and discussions are full of words that look alike but mean different things. This glossary takes up the terms people in charge most often trip over, one at a time, with the meaning and how to use it in practice.
How to use the glossary
Each page covers just one term. The first paragraph gives a one-line definition, followed by differences between networks, what to watch for in practice, and which SNS TOWN features are related. When you want your team to share the same meaning in a meeting or a report, the first paragraph is all you need to read.
The terms fall into four groups: "metrics" such as impressions and engagement rate, "posts and features" such as hashtags and threads, "how it works" such as algorithms and APIs, and "operations" such as scheduled posts and two-factor authentication. The same term can be counted or named differently depending on the network, so for any term you care about, read through to the section on differences between networks.
When you want to go deeper
Once you know what a term means, the pages in Learn social media management cover the thinking and the steps in detail. For example, the metric terms connect to The basics of social media analytics, and the post terms connect to How to write posts people read.
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What Are Impressions?Impressions are the number of times a post was displayed on someone's screen. If the same person sees it twice, that counts as 2, so it is a different number from reach, which shows how many people were reached.- What Is Reach?Reach is the number of accounts that saw a post at least once. The same person seeing it many times still counts as 1, so it means something different from impressions, which count displays.
What Is Engagement?Engagement means the reactions people take after seeing a post. Likes, replies, shares, saves and clicks are grouped under this name, but what counts differs by network.
What Is Engagement Rate?Engagement rate shows, as a percentage, how many reactions a post gathered. The value changes greatly depending on whether you divide by impressions or by followers, so the first step is to use the same formula.
What Is CTR (Click-Through Rate)?CTR stands for click-through rate. It shows, as a percentage, how many times a post or link was clicked out of the number of times it was shown.
What Is a Follower?A follower is a person who follows your account so that your posts show up in their timeline. The follower count is an easy number to see, but chasing only the number can pull you away from the purpose of your account.
What Is a Conversion?A conversion is when the action you set as the goal of your social media work actually happens. Whether it is a booking, a purchase, an inquiry or a document request, each company decides what counts as a result.
What Is a KPI?KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator. It is a number you check along the way to see whether you are making steady progress toward your final goal.
Posts and features
What Are Hashtags?A hashtag is a label made by putting # before a word to group posts by topic. Pressing it lists the posts with the same hashtag, so it is an entrance for search and for topics.- What Is a Mention?A mention is when you write @ and a username inside a post to address a specific account. The person named gets a notification, so it can be a good way to start a conversation.
What Is a Repost?A repost is a feature that spreads an existing post to your followers as it is. Because you share it without adding your own words, one tap carries the post into other people's timelines.- What Is a Quote Post?A quote is a feature that embeds someone else's post, or your own, inside your post and shares it with a comment. It lets you say in your own words why you are sharing it.
What Is a Thread?A thread is a format where you attach replies to your own post so that several posts read as one flow. It lets you tell a story that doesn't fit in one post, in order.
What Is a DM (Direct Message)?DM is short for direct message, a feature for exchanging messages privately with another person. It is used for individual guidance that is awkward to post in a public reply, and for handling inquiries.
What Is a Carousel Post?A carousel is a post format that gathers many images or videos in a single post and shows them in order as you swipe sideways. It suits step-by-step explanations, before-and-after shots and showing a product in different colors.
What Are Reels?Reels are a short vertical video format on Instagram and Facebook. They are easily recommended to people who don't follow you, which makes them a doorway for new customers to find you.
What Are Stories?Stories are vertical posts on Instagram and Facebook that disappear after 24 hours. Because they are easy to put out, they suit topics that only matter today, such as availability or behind the scenes.- What Are YouTube Shorts?Shorts are a short vertical video format on YouTube. You can swipe through them one after another on a smartphone, and they are a doorway for people who aren't channel subscribers to find you.
What Is Alt Text (ALT)?Alt text (ALT) is a written description of what an image attached to a post shows. It tells people who use a screen reader what the image is communicating.
What Is a Poll?A poll is a post format that lists 2 to 4 options and asks viewers to pick one. Because people can take part with one tap, it also gathers voices from people who don't usually react.- What Is a Pinned Post?A pinned post is a post that stays at the very top of your profile even after you publish newer ones. It is the place to show first-time visitors the one post you most want them to read.
How it works
What Is a Social Media Algorithm?A social media algorithm decides what each person sees, and in what order, out of a huge number of posts. Once you understand how it works, it becomes easier to read why your numbers rose or didn't.
What Is the For You Feed?The For You feed is a screen where the network picks and lines up posts likely to suit each person, whether or not they follow the account. For accounts with few followers, it is the best way for new people to find you.
What Is an API?An API is a gateway that lets one service use another service's functions in an agreed way. Scheduling and analytics tools for social media work through the official APIs each company provides.- What Is OAuth?OAuth is a way to give a tool permission to do "only these actions" on your social media account without telling it your password. It is what runs behind the scenes when you press "Allow" on a social media connection screen.
- What Is a Rate Limit?A rate limit is a cap on how many requests are accepted within a set time. Social media APIs and login screens both use it to protect a service from overuse and malicious attempts.
What Is a Shadowban?A shadowban is the name for a state where your account still works but you feel your posts are less likely to appear in recommendations or search. The "conditions for not recommending" that each network explains officially point to the causes and what to do.
Operations
- What Is UGC?UGC is posts, photos and reviews made by ordinary people, such as customers, rather than by the shop or company. Because it comes from people who actually used the product, it is a trustworthy source for those about to buy.
- What Is an Influencer?An influencer is a person whose social media posts influence the interests and purchases of many people. When a company asks one to introduce a product, Japanese rules require that viewers can tell it is an advertisement.
What Is a Scheduled Post?A scheduled post is a way to publish a post you wrote ahead of time automatically at a date and time you set. You don't have to stop what you're doing during busy hours, and it is easier to keep your posts evenly spaced.
What Is Social Listening?Social listening is collecting and reading what is being said on social media about your company, products and industry, and using it for your next move. It is a way to notice the honest views of customers who don't contact you directly.
What Is A/B Testing?A/B testing means preparing two versions that differ in just one thing and comparing which gets the better reaction, using numbers. Instead of relying on hunches or personal taste, you can decide based on how your own customers respond.
What Are UTM Parameters?UTM parameters are tags you add to the end of a link's URL. In your website analytics tool, they let you tell which post on which network each visitor came from.- What Is an Instant Win?An instant win is a giveaway format where entrants find out immediately, or within a short time, whether they won or lost. Because people don't have to wait for results, it is easy to join, which is what draws them in.
- What Is Two-Factor Authentication?Two-factor authentication is a way to log in by checking one more thing besides your password, such as a number shown in a smartphone app. Even if your password leaks, that alone makes it harder for someone to take over the account.