Ad: The text to support a search result after a user queries a term.
Advertiser: A person or company who wants to publicize the qualities of their product, service, business, or event in order to encourage people to buy or use it.
Algorithm: A set of rules that a search engine uses to rank the listings contained within its index, in response to a particular query.
Beta Site: Refers to the adCenter Beta Site.
Choices: Refers to various options for advertisers to choose from in their Content Ads settings—choices delivers advertiser control.
Click through rate (CTR): The percentage of those clicking on a link out of the total number who see the link.
Content-targeted advertising or contextual advertising: Based on keywords and phrases, contextual ads will appear on Web pages that have relevant content to those keywords and phrases.
Content Ads: Microsoft adCenter’s contextual advertising product.
Conversion Rate: The relationship between visitors to a website and actions considered to be a "conversion," such as a sale or request to receive more information. Often expressed as a percentage.
Cost per click (CPC): A system where an advertiser pays an agreed amount for each click that someone makes on a link leading to their website.
CPC: Cost-per-click, advertiser only pays when the consumer clicks on their ad.
Crawler: A component of a search engine that gathers listings by automatically crawling the web. A search engine's crawler (also called a spider or robot) follows links to web pages. It makes copies of the web pages found and stores these in the search engine's index.
Distribution Method: The method by which adCenter distributes or targets ads to a specific Web page (either search or content).
Keywords: Query terms that a user enters into the search field.
Metatags: Information placed in a web page not intended for users to see, which typically passes information to search engine crawlers, browser software, and some other applications.
Metadescription Tag: Allows page authors to say how they would like their pages described when listed by search engines. Not all search engines use the tag.
Microsoft adCenter: The Search advertising tool from Microsoft that allows you to bid on keywords to expose your business to the Bing audience.
The Search advertising tool from Microsoft that allows you to bid on keywords to expose your business to the Bing audience.
Migration: Term to use in reference to advertiser “migration” to the adCenter Beta site.
On-network: Ads will be shown on a company’s network of Web properties. For example, with Content Ads, the ads will run on the MSN network.
Off-network: Ads will be shown on other Web site networks other than the MSN network. The term generally means “publishers”.
Organic Listings: Listings that search engines do not sell (also referred to as natural or algorithmic listings).
Paid Inclusion: Advertising program where pages are included in a search engine's index in exchange for payment, although there is no guarantee of ranking well. Marketers pay to be included in the directory, on a CPC basis or per URL fee basis, with no guarantee of specific placement.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC): See Cost per click.
Paid Listings: Listings that search engines sell to advertisers, usually through paid placement or paid inclusion programs. In contrast, organic listings are not sold.
Parameter: Words that are "plugged in" to an ad title or description at display time to customize the ad in response to a search query.
Pay-for-Performance (P4P): Term popularized by some search engines as a synonym for pay-per-click, stressing to advertisers that they are only paying for ads that perform in terms of delivering traffic measured by clicks.
Pilot: Microsoft Content Ads has not officially launched, so it is currently in pilot mode. The pilot is currently running in the U.S. on primarily Microsoft-owned properties.
Publisher: A person or company that publishes online Web site and content.
Query: A request for information.
Rank: How well a particular web page or website is listed in search engine results.
Return on Investment (ROI): Refers to the percentage of profit or revenue generated from a specific activity.
Search advertising: Based on keywords and phrases, search ads appear on the Search Results page.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM): The act of marketing a website via search engines - whether this be improving rank in organic listings, purchasing paid listings or a combination of these - and other search engine-related activities.
Search Engine Optimization: The act of altering a website to improve search engine listings.
Upgrade: Advertisers are upgraded to Content Ads—in that they have access to expanded distribution options.
