Business Marketing Glossary: 75+ Terms Every Ontario Business Owner Should Know

A plain-language reference of 75+ marketing terms every Ontario business owner encounters when promoting their business online and offline. No jargon overload — just clear definitions with practical context for local businesses.

Related: Local Business Marketing Resource Centre

A/B Testing
Running two versions of an ad, email, or web page simultaneously to see which performs better. Change one element at a time (headline, image, offer) to isolate what drives results. Also called split testing.
Above the Fold
The portion of a web page visible without scrolling. Critical real estate — your phone number, main offer, and call-to-action should be above the fold. Borrowed from newspaper terminology.
Backlink
A link from another website pointing to your website. Search engines use backlinks as a trust signal — more quality backlinks generally mean higher search rankings. Getting listed in local directories and industry associations builds backlinks naturally.
Bounce Rate
The percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate (above 70%) suggests visitors are not finding what they expected. For local business websites, 40-60% is typical.
Brand Awareness
The extent to which people in your market recognize your business name and know what you do. Vehicle graphics, signs, and repeated direct mail all build brand awareness over time.
Call to Action (CTA)
A clear instruction telling the audience what to do next. "Call now," "Get a free quote," "Shop online," "Book today." Every ad, mailer, and web page needs a clear CTA. One strong CTA outperforms multiple competing CTAs.
Citation
An online mention of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on a website, directory, or social platform. Citations help search engines verify your business information. Consistent citations across platforms improve local SEO.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The percentage of people who click on a link after seeing it. Calculated as: clicks divided by impressions times 100. A 2-5% CTR is typical for search ads; 0.5-2% for display ads. Higher CTR indicates more compelling ad copy.
Conversion
When a visitor takes a desired action — calling your business, filling out a form, making a purchase, or booking an appointment. Tracking conversions tells you which marketing channels are actually generating business.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of visitors or recipients who convert (take the desired action). For websites: 2-5% is good for local business sites. For direct mail: 1-5%. For email: 1-3%. Higher conversion rates mean your marketing is well-targeted and compelling.
CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)
How much you spend in marketing to acquire one new customer. Total marketing spend divided by number of new customers. Compare your CPA against your average customer lifetime value to ensure profitability.
CPC (Cost Per Click)
How much you pay each time someone clicks on your online ad. Google Ads CPC for local businesses in Ontario ranges from $1-15 depending on industry and competition. "Emergency plumber" clicks cost more than "custom stickers."
CPM (Cost Per Mille)
The cost per 1,000 impressions (views) of an ad. Used in display advertising and social media advertising. A $10 CPM means $10 for every 1,000 times your ad is shown. Lower CPM does not always mean better results — target quality matters more.
Customer Journey
The complete path a customer takes from first learning about your business to making a purchase. For local businesses, a typical journey: sees your truck sign, receives your mailer, Googles your business, reads reviews, calls for a quote, books the service.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
The total revenue a customer generates over their entire relationship with your business. A restaurant customer who visits monthly and spends $50 has a much higher CLV than their first visit suggests. CLV should always exceed your CPA.
Domain Authority (DA)
A score (1-100) developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search results. Higher DA means stronger authority. New local business websites typically start at DA 1-10. Building quality backlinks and content increases DA over time.
Email Marketing
Sending promotional or informational emails to a list of subscribers. Effective for customer retention and repeat business. Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) requires consent before sending commercial emails in Canada.
FAQ Schema
Structured data markup (code) added to web pages that tells Google the page contains frequently asked questions. Can result in expandable FAQ sections appearing directly in search results, taking up more screen space and increasing clicks.
GBP (Google Business Profile)
The free listing that appears in Google Search and Maps for local businesses. Includes your business name, address, phone, hours, photos, reviews, and posts. The single most important online asset for any local business. Formerly called Google My Business (GMB).
Geofencing
A digital advertising technique that serves ads to people's phones when they enter a specific geographic area. Can target a competitor's location, an event venue, or a neighbourhood. Available through programmatic ad platforms.
Impression
One instance of an ad or listing being displayed to a person. Impressions do not mean clicks — just that the ad was shown. High impressions with low clicks indicates poor ad relevance or creative. Vehicle graphics generate thousands of impressions daily.
Keyword
A word or phrase people type into search engines. "Plumber Niagara Falls" is a keyword. Identifying the right keywords for your business helps you create content and ads that appear when potential customers are searching.
Keyword Density
The percentage of times a keyword appears in a web page's text relative to total word count. Excessive keyword stuffing (density above 3-4%) can hurt rankings. Write naturally and use keywords where they fit contextually.
Landing Page
A web page designed for a single specific purpose, such as capturing leads or promoting a specific offer. Landing pages have one clear CTA and minimal navigation to keep visitors focused on converting. Use landing pages for ad campaigns rather than your homepage.
Lead
A potential customer who has shown interest in your business — by calling, filling out a form, or responding to an ad. Leads are the raw material of sales. Track lead sources to know which marketing channels produce the best leads.
Lead Generation
Marketing activities specifically designed to generate leads (potential customers). Direct mail, Google Ads, and SEO are all lead generation channels. Our direct mail packages are done-for-you lead generation.
Local Pack
See Google Map Pack. The group of three local business listings displayed with a map in Google search results. Appearing in the Local Pack dramatically increases visibility and phone calls.
Local SEO
Search engine optimization focused on improving visibility in local search results and the Map Pack. Key factors: Google Business Profile completeness, reviews (quantity, quality, recency), NAP consistency, local content, and proximity to searcher.
Long-Tail Keyword
A longer, more specific search phrase with lower search volume but higher intent. "Custom oil change stickers for auto shops in Ontario" is long-tail. These keywords are easier to rank for and convert better because the searcher knows exactly what they want.
Meta Description
A brief summary (150-160 characters) of a web page's content that appears in search results below the title. Does not directly affect rankings but influences whether people click. Write compelling meta descriptions that include a CTA.
Meta Title (Title Tag)
The title of a web page as it appears in search results and browser tabs. One of the most important on-page SEO elements. Should include your primary keyword, location, and be under 60 characters. Example: "Custom Stickers Niagara | Same-Day Printing".
NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
The three core pieces of business information that must be consistent across all online listings. Inconsistent NAP (different phone numbers on Google vs. Yelp) confuses search engines and hurts local rankings.
Organic Traffic
Visitors who find your website through unpaid (organic) search results. Organic traffic is free but requires SEO investment. For local businesses, organic traffic often comes from location-specific searches like "sticker printing near me."
Paid Traffic
Visitors who arrive at your website through paid advertisements (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.). Paid traffic is immediate but stops when you stop paying. Most local businesses use a mix of paid and organic traffic.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click)
An advertising model where you pay only when someone clicks on your ad. Google Ads and Facebook Ads are the most common PPC platforms. You set a daily budget and maximum bid per click.
Retargeting
Showing ads to people who have previously visited your website but did not convert. Uses browser cookies or pixel tracking to identify past visitors. Keeps your business top-of-mind and brings back warm prospects.
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
Revenue generated from advertising divided by the amount spent on advertising. A ROAS of 5x means $5 in revenue for every $1 spent. ROAS above 3x is generally considered good for local service businesses.
ROI (Return on Investment)
The overall return on your marketing investment. Calculated as: (revenue minus cost) divided by cost, times 100. A marketing campaign with $697 cost that generates $5,000 in revenue has a 617% ROI. Always track ROI by channel.
Schema Markup
Code added to your website that helps search engines understand your content. Local business schema tells Google your business name, address, phone, hours, and service area. FAQ schema displays expandable Q&A directly in search results. Review schema can show star ratings.
SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
Marketing through search engines, including both paid ads (PPC) and organic optimization (SEO). SEM is the umbrella term. For local businesses, SEM typically means Google Ads plus Google Business Profile optimization.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
The practice of improving your website and online presence to rank higher in organic (unpaid) search results. For local businesses, SEO includes Google Business Profile optimization, on-page content, technical website health, reviews, and backlinks.
Service Area
The geographic region where your business provides services. Setting your service area in Google Business Profile tells Google where to show your listing. Be specific — listing too many areas can dilute your relevance in each one.
SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
The page displayed by Google (or another search engine) after a user performs a search. A typical SERP for local queries includes ads at top, the Map Pack, and organic results below. Your goal is to appear in the Map Pack and/or the top organic results.
Social Proof
Evidence that other people have used and approved of your business. Google reviews, testimonials, case studies, and "X customers served" stats are all social proof. Displaying social proof on your website increases conversion rates.
UTM Parameters
Tags added to a URL that track where traffic comes from. Example: ?utm_source=direct_mail&utm_campaign=spring2026. Adding UTM parameters to URLs on direct mail pieces tells your analytics software exactly which campaign drove each website visit.

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