Advertising Terms, Simplified

Common advertising terms explained in plain English for busy business owners.

You don't need to be an advertising expert to use Adwave. But if you've heard terms and weren't sure what they mean, here's a simple guide.

TV & Streaming Terms

Streaming TV

TV shows and movies you watch over the internet instead of cable or satellite. Examples: Hulu, Netflix, ESPN app, Peacock. Your ad runs on these services when people watch on their TV, phone, or tablet.

Connected TV (CTV)

A TV that connects to the internet. Could be a smart TV, Roku, Apple TV, or Fire Stick. When people watch streaming content on their TV screen (not on a phone), that's CTV.

OTT (Over-the-Top)

Content delivered over the internet, bypassing traditional cable or satellite. Just another way of saying streaming. You don't need to know this term, just know your ad runs on streaming services.

Linear TV

Traditional TV where everyone watches the same show at the same time (like the 6 PM news or Monday Night Football). Opposite of on-demand streaming.

Measurement Terms

Impressions / Views

How many times your ad was shown. One view = one person saw your ad. If 1,000 people watch your ad, that's 1,000 impressions.

Reach

How many different people saw your ad. If the same person sees your ad 3 times, that's 3 impressions but only 1 reach.

Frequency

How many times the average person sees your ad. Higher frequency helps people remember your brand. Most TV campaigns aim for 3-5 frequency.

CPM (Cost Per Thousand)

What you pay per 1,000 ad views. If your CPM is $20 and you spend $200, you get 10,000 views. Lower CPM means you reach more people for the same budget.

Targeting Terms

Targeting

Choosing who sees your ad. You can target by location (ZIP code, city), age, gender, or interests. Better targeting means less wasted ad spend.

Geotargeting

Targeting people in specific locations. If you're a plumber in Dallas, you can show your ad only to people in Dallas ZIP codes. No wasted budget on people 500 miles away.

Demographics

Audience characteristics like age, gender, household income. Helps you reach the right people. Example: a kids' dentist might target households with children.

Performance Terms

Brand Awareness

How many people know your brand exists. TV advertising builds awareness so when customers need your service, they already know your name.

Brand Recall

Whether people remember your brand after seeing your ad. TV has high recall, people remember ads they see on TV better than ads on social media.

Attribution

Figuring out which marketing efforts led to a sale. Did the customer find you from your TV ad, Google search, or word-of-mouth? Attribution helps you know what's working.

ROI (Return on Investment)

How much money you make compared to what you spent. If you spend $100 on ads and make $500 in sales, that's a 5x ROI. Positive ROI means your advertising is working.

Creative Terms

Ad Creative / Creative

The actual ad itself, the video, images, and words people see. Good creative gets attention and makes people remember your business.

Call-to-Action (CTA)

What you want viewers to do after seeing your ad. Examples: "Call now," "Visit our website," "Book an appointment." A clear CTA tells people the next step.

Voice-Over

The voice you hear talking in a commercial. Adwave generates professional voice-overs automatically, and you can change the script anytime.

Digital Advertising Terms

Landing Page

The page people see when they click your ad or visit your website. A good landing page matches your ad and makes it easy for people to take action (call, book, buy).

Conversion

When someone takes the action you want, makes a purchase, books an appointment, calls your business, or fills out a form. Good advertising drives conversions.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

For online ads: what percentage of people who see your ad actually click it. A 2% CTR means 2 out of 100 people clicked. Higher is better. (Note: TV ads don't have clicks, people just remember your name and take action later.)

Have questions?

If you run into a term that's confusing, reach out and we'll explain it in plain English. Or just create your first ad, you don't need to know any of this to get started.