Glossary of Terms

• Affirmative Consent
  The Senate Commerce Committee Report for the CAN-SPAM Act indicates that "affirmative consent" requires some active choice or selection by the recipient. Remaining passive, such as not unchecking a pre-checked box or other default Web form, is not sufficient. Source: Commerce Committee Report, CAN-SPAM Act of 2003

• Bounced email
  A bounced email is an email that is returned back to the server that sent it. A bounced email is classified as either a "hard bounce" or a "soft bounce." A hard bounce is the failed delivery of email due to a permanent reason like a non-existent address. A soft bounce is the failed delivery of email due to a temporary issue, like a full mailbox or an unavailable server.

• Bounce Rate
  The number of emails that were returned as undeliverable divided by the total number of emails sent (multiply this number by 100 to express the result as a percentage).

• Calls to Action
  Words that offer the opportunity and encourage the prospect to take action. For example, "Click here to see a product tour" or "Add this product to your wish list."

• Campaign
  A coordinated set of individual email marketing messages delivered at intervals and with an overall objective in mind. A campaign allows each new message to build on previous success. Click-Through When a customer takes an action and clicks on a link.

• Click-Through Rate (CTR)
  To determine the click-through rate, divide the number of unique click-throughs by the number of emails delivered (multiply this number by 100 to express the result as a percentage).

• Click-to-Open Rate (CTOR)
  To determine the click-to-open rate, divide the number of unique click-throughs by the number of emails opened (multiply this number by 100 to express the result as a percentage).

• Commercial Email Message
  Any email message "the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service." Source: Commerce Committee Report, CAN-SPAM Act of 2003

• Confirmed Opt In
  A Confirmed Opt In (also referred to as Double Opt In) is a two-step process to allow a user to opt in to your list. They must initially sign up, and then respond to a follow up email to confirm their opt in to your mailing list.

• Demographic
  A demographic is the statistical characteristics of human populations (as age or income) used especially to identify markets.

• Double Opt In
  A double opt in (also referred to as Confirmed Opt In) is a two-step process to allow a user to opt in to your list. They must initially sign up, and then respond to a follow up email to confirm their opt in to your mailing list.

• Hard Bounce
  A hard bounce is the failed delivery of an email due to a permanent reason, such as a non-existent email address. (Also see Soft Bounce)

• Mailing List - A group of email addresses (with or without additional information) to which specific mailings are sent.

• Open
  "Opened" messages include HTML emails that have been fully opened in the email client or viewed in a preview pane, as long as images have been enabled. Opens are generally tracked by inserting a small clear image in an HTML message. When a message is opened and images are enabled, the image calls the server and the message is then counted as an open. Text messages cannot be tracked as opened because they cannot include images.

• Open Rate
  The number of emails opened divided by the total number of emails delivered (multiply this number by 100 to express the result as a percentage).

• Opt In
  Opt In is the action a person takes when he or she actively agrees, by email or other means, to receive communications. (Also see Double Opt In)

• Opt Out
  Opt Out is the action a person takes when he or she chooses not to receive communications. It requires tactics and mechanisms by which people can ask to be removed reliably from an email list.

• Personalization
  The practice of building an email such that the recipient feels it is a more personal experience. Personalization can include a number of things, such as mail merging a name into the subject line, referring to previous purchases, or more dynamic content based on demographic fields

• Privacy
  The quality or condition of being free from unsanctioned intrusion. Privacy in the email marketing world implies that a recipient's email address is not shared and they will not receive email they did not request.

• Soft Bounce
  A soft bounce is the failed delivery of an email due to a nonpermanent reason, such as mailbox full or unavailable server. (Also see Hard Bounce)

• Spam
  Email sent without the recipient's permission. (Also see UCE)

• Subject Line
  The title of the email communication. This is the first (and hopefully not last) element of the communication recipients will see when they access their email. It has to grab attention and be credible or the email will not get opened.

• Targeting
  Sending the right message to the right recipient at the right time.

• Tracking
  Collecting and evaluating the statistics from which one can measure the effectiveness of an email or an email campaign.

• Transactional or Relationship Email Message
  An email message that is primarily intended to facilitate, complete or confirm a commercial transaction that the recipient has previously agreed to enter in with the sender. Source: Commerce Committee Report, CAN-SPAM Act of 2003

• UCE Unsolicited
  Commercial Email (also referred to as Spam). Commercial email sent without the recipient's express permission.

• Unique Click
  A unique click is a single click by a single user. When unique clicks are measured, it is an aggregate number of how many times that URL was clicked by individual users (not the complete total of all users, all clicks.)

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