Industry Glossary
Comprehensive terminology covering marketing, events, music, film, and public relations.
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A
A&R (Artists and Repertoire)
The record label division responsible for discovering talent and overseeing artistic development.
A/B Testing
A method comparing two versions of a webpage or element to determine which performs better statistically.
A/B Testing Platform
Software that enables running experiments to test different versions of digital experiences.
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Technology that enables machines to simulate human intelligence and learning.
AI Agent
Autonomous AI systems that can plan, execute multi-step tasks, use tools, and take actions to achieve goals.
AI Alignment
Ensuring AI systems behave according to human values, intentions, and goals rather than causing unintended harm.
AI Content Detection
Tools and techniques designed to identify whether content was generated by AI rather than written by humans.
AI Hallucination
When AI models generate false, fabricated, or nonsensical information that appears plausible but has no basis in fact.
AI Overview
Google's AI-generated summary boxes that appear at the top of search results, synthesizing information from multiple sources.
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of protocols enabling different software applications to communicate and share data.
AV Production
The technical coordination of audio, video, and lighting for events.
Above the Line
Creative talent and costs that are negotiated before production begins.
Accessibility (A11y)
Designing digital products usable by people with disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.
Ad Extensions
Additional information that expands your search ads with extra business details like phone numbers, links, or location.
Ad Rank
The score that determines your ad position and whether your ad will show.
Advance
Upfront payment from a label or publisher against future royalties, recouped from earnings before the artist receives additional payments.
Agile
An iterative approach to software development emphasizing flexibility, collaboration, and frequent delivery.
Algorithm
The automated system determining what content users see in their feeds based on predicted relevance and engagement.
Artist Manager
A professional who guides the career development and business affairs of musicians.
Attendee Journey
The complete experience an attendee has before, during, and after an event.
Attribution Model
A rule that determines how credit for conversions is assigned to marketing touchpoints.
Attrition Rate
The percentage of reserved hotel rooms or guaranteed attendees that fail to materialize.
B
B-Roll
Supplemental video footage provided to media for use in television or digital video coverage.
BEO (Banquet Event Order)
A document detailing all arrangements between a venue/caterer and event client.
Backgrounder
A document providing detailed context and background information for journalists.
Backlink
A hyperlink from one website to another, used by search engines as a ranking signal.
Badge
The credential worn by attendees identifying them and indicating their access level or role.
Below the Line
Technical and production costs that occur during the actual filmmaking process.
Bid Strategy
The approach used to set and adjust bids for ad placements in paid campaigns.
Booking Agent
A licensed professional who secures live performance opportunities for artists.
Bounce Rate
The percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page without taking any action.
Box Office
Revenue generated from theatrical ticket sales, a key measure of a film's commercial performance.
Brand Identity
The visible elements of a brand that identify and distinguish it in consumers' minds.
Brand Positioning
The strategic process of establishing a unique impression in customers' minds.
Breakout Room
Smaller meeting spaces adjacent to main conference areas used for concurrent sessions or small group discussions.
Breakout Session
Smaller, focused sessions that run concurrently during a conference.
Byline Article
An article published under a spokesperson's name in trade or business publications.
C
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A geographically distributed network of servers that delivers web content to users from nearby locations.
CMS (Content Management System)
Software that helps users create, manage, and modify digital content.
Call Sheet
The daily production document detailing shooting schedule, cast calls, crew calls, and logistics.
Canonical URL
An HTML element specifying the preferred version of a webpage when duplicate or similar content exists at multiple URLs.
ChatGPT
OpenAI's conversational AI assistant powered by GPT models, widely used for content creation, research, and task automation.
Citability
How easily AI systems can identify, extract, and cite specific information from your content in their generated responses.
Claude
Anthropic's AI assistant known for nuanced understanding, strong reasoning, and safety-focused design.
Clearance
The legal process of obtaining permission to use copyrighted material like samples or compositions.
Cloud Computing
Delivery of computing services over the internet, including storage, processing, and applications.
Cohort Analysis
Analyzing user behavior by grouping them based on shared characteristics or timeframes.
Color Grading
The process of altering and enhancing the color of motion picture footage.
Community Management
The practice of building, growing, and managing online communities around a brand or interest.
Content Calendar
A schedule that organizes when and where you plan to publish upcoming content.
Content Marketing
A strategic approach focused on creating valuable content to attract and retain a defined audience.
Content Repurposing
Adapting existing content into different formats to reach new audiences.
Conversion Funnel
The series of steps users take from first interaction to completing a desired action.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action on your website or campaign.
Core Web Vitals
Google's metrics measuring real-world user experience: loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability.
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
The average cost to acquire one customer through a specific marketing campaign or channel.
Crawl Budget
The number of pages a search engine will crawl on your site within a given timeframe.
Creator Economy
The economic ecosystem of independent content creators monetizing their audiences.
Crisis Communications
The strategic communication approach used during organizational emergencies.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
The total revenue a business can expect from a single customer over their relationship.
Cvent
A leading enterprise event management software platform.
D
Dark Mode
A display setting using light-colored text and elements on dark backgrounds.
Dark Pattern
Deceptive design practices that manipulate users into unintended actions.
Dark Social
Social sharing that occurs through private channels and cannot be tracked by analytics.
Day Player
An actor hired for a single day or brief period, typically for small roles with few scenes.
Demo
A rough recording of a song used to showcase material to labels, publishers, or collaborators.
Design System
A collection of reusable components and guidelines for consistent product design.
DevOps
A methodology combining software development and IT operations to enable faster, more reliable releases.
Development Hell
The extended, often troubled development phase where a project remains stuck without progressing to production.
Display Network
A network of millions of websites, apps, and videos where visual ads can appear, reaching users across the internet.
Domain Authority
A search engine ranking score that predicts how well a website will rank on search engines.
Drip Campaign
An automated series of emails sent on a schedule or triggered by specific actions.
Drop
The release of new music, often with strategic timing and promotion.
E
E-E-A-T
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness - Google's content quality guidelines.
EPK (Electronic Press Kit)
A digital package containing an artist's bio, photos, music, videos, and press materials.
Earned Media
Publicity gained through promotional efforts rather than paid advertising.
Edge Computing
Processing data closer to users at the network edge rather than centralized servers.
Email Deliverability
The ability to successfully deliver emails to subscribers' inboxes rather than spam folders.
Email Open Rate
The percentage of email recipients who open a given email.
Email Segmentation
The practice of dividing email subscribers into smaller groups based on set criteria.
Embargo
A request to delay publication of news until a specified date and time.
Engagement Rate
A metric measuring the level of interaction that content receives relative to reach or followers.
Event App
A mobile application providing event information, networking, and engagement features.
Event Brief
A comprehensive document outlining all key details and objectives for an event.
Event ROI
Measurement of the return on investment from an event, comparing outcomes achieved to resources invested.
Event Registration
The process and systems for attendee sign-up, ticketing, payment, and information collection.
Event Sustainability
Planning and executing events with minimal environmental impact.
Event Tech Stack
The collection of technology tools used to plan, execute, and analyze events.
Evergreen Content
Content that remains relevant and valuable long after its publication date.
Exclusive
News or access offered to one outlet before others, in exchange for prominent coverage.
Experiential Marketing
Marketing strategy that engages consumers through immersive, interactive brand experiences.
F
F&B (Food and Beverage)
All food and drink services provided at an event, from coffee breaks to formal dinners.
Fact Sheet
A one-page document presenting key facts, statistics, and information about an organization or topic.
Featured Snippet
A highlighted search result that appears above organic listings, directly answering a user's query.
Fine-Tuning
Training an existing AI model on specialized data to improve performance for specific tasks or domains.
First Look Deal
An agreement giving a studio the first opportunity to develop or purchase a creator's projects.
Force Majeure
Contract clause covering unforeseeable circumstances that prevent event execution, like natural disasters or pandemics.
Foundation Model
Large AI models trained on broad data that serve as the base for many applications, like GPT-4 or Gemini.
Funnel Analysis
Tracking user progression through defined conversion steps to identify where prospects drop off.
G
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
Optimizing content to appear in AI-powered search engines and chatbots like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Optimizing content to appear in AI-generated search results and summaries from tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
Green Room
A private backstage area where speakers, performers, or VIPs wait and prepare before going on stage.
Greenlight
The official approval to proceed with full production, committing budget and resources to a project.
Guarantee vs Door
Payment structures for live performances—fixed fee versus percentage of ticket sales.
H
Headless CMS
A content management system that delivers content via API without a built-in frontend.
Heat Map
A visualization showing where users click, scroll, and focus attention on a webpage.
Holding Statement
A prepared brief statement used to respond immediately to a developing crisis.
Hybrid Event
An event that combines in-person and virtual attendance options simultaneously.
I
IP (Intellectual Property)
Creative works or ideas that can be owned and licensed for adaptation.
Impression Share
The percentage of impressions your ads received compared to total available impressions.
Influencer Marketing
A marketing strategy that partners with influential people to promote products or services.
Internal Linking
Links between pages on the same website that help search engines understand site structure.
J
K
Key Messages
The core points an organization wants to communicate consistently across all channels.
Keynote Speaker
The primary speaker at an event who sets the tone and delivers the main message.
Keyword Research
The process of discovering and analyzing search terms that people enter into search engines.
L
Large Language Model (LLM)
AI systems trained on massive text datasets to understand and generate human-like text, powering tools like ChatGPT and Claude.
List Hygiene
The practice of maintaining a clean, engaged email subscriber list.
Load-In/Load-Out
The process of bringing equipment into and removing it from an event venue.
Long-tail Keywords
Specific, multi-word search phrases with lower volume but higher intent and less competition than broad keywords.
Lookalike Audience
A targeting option that finds new users who share characteristics with your existing customers or high-value audiences.
M
MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
A product version with enough features to gather validated learning from early users.
Machine Learning
A subset of AI that enables systems to learn and improve from experience.
Master Recording
The original, final recording of a song from which all copies are made.
Mastering
The final step of audio post-production that prepares a recording for distribution.
Mechanical Royalty
Payment to songwriters and publishers when their composition is reproduced on physical media or as a digital download.
Media Impressions
The total potential audience reached by media coverage, calculated from publication circulation or viewership.
Media Kit
A collection of promotional materials and information about a company or individual.
Media Monitoring
Tracking and analyzing media coverage across news outlets and social platforms.
Media Placement
Successfully getting coverage in a targeted media outlet.
Media Training
Coaching executives and spokespeople on effectively communicating with journalists.
Merch
Branded merchandise sold by artists as a revenue stream and fan engagement tool.
Message Framework
A structured document defining key messages, proof points, and language for consistent communication.
Meta Description
An HTML element providing a brief summary of a webpage, often displayed in search results below the title.
Mixing
The process of combining multiple audio tracks into a final stereo or multichannel sound.
Mobile-First Design
A design approach that prioritizes mobile experience before expanding to larger screens.
Multi-Touch Attribution
A model that credits multiple marketing touchpoints for contributing to a conversion.
Multimodal AI
AI systems that can understand and generate multiple types of content including text, images, audio, and video.
Music Distributor
A company that delivers music to streaming platforms and digital stores.
Music Supervisor
Professional who selects and licenses music for film, TV, games, and advertising.
N
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
The field of AI focused on enabling computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language.
Negative Keywords
Keywords that prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches, reducing wasted spend on unqualified clicks.
Networking Reception
A social event designed to facilitate informal conversations and relationship-building among attendees.
News Cycle
The period during which a news story remains actively covered before attention moves to new topics.
Newsjacking
Inserting your brand into breaking news or trending topics for media exposure.
O
P
PRO (Performance Rights Organization)
Organizations that collect and distribute performance royalties to songwriters and publishers.
Page Load Time
The time required for a webpage to fully display in a user's browser.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
An online advertising model where advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad.
Performance Royalty
Payment to songwriters and publishers when their composition is publicly performed or broadcast.
Perplexity AI
AI-powered answer engine that provides sourced responses to queries, representing the future of AI search.
Pillar Content
Comprehensive, authoritative content that covers a broad topic and links to related subtopics.
Pitch
A concise proposal sent to journalists suggesting a story idea or interview opportunity.
Pitch Deck
A visual presentation used to sell a film or TV project to investors or studios.
Playlist Placement
Getting songs added to curated playlists on streaming platforms.
Plenary Session
A session attended by all conference participants, typically featuring keynotes or major announcements.
Press Release
An official statement issued to news media to share newsworthy information.
Press Tour
A series of media interviews scheduled in sequence, typically around a major announcement or launch.
Principal Photography
The main period when a film or TV show is being shot.
Product Launch Event
An event organized to introduce a new product to the market.
Progressive Web App (PWA)
A web application using modern technologies to deliver app-like experiences through browsers.
Prompt Engineering
The practice of crafting effective instructions and queries to get optimal outputs from AI language models.
Publishing Rights
The legal rights to a musical composition, as distinct from the recording.
Q
R
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
A metric measuring revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising, calculated as revenue divided by ad spend.
RSVP Management
The process of collecting, tracking, and managing guest responses to event invitations.
Reach vs Impressions
Reach counts unique users who saw content; impressions count total views, including multiple views by the same user.
Recoupment
The process of recovering advances and costs from an artist's royalties before paying additional income.
Remarketing
Advertising strategy that shows ads to people who previously visited your website or engaged with your content.
Reputation Management
The practice of monitoring and influencing how a brand is perceived by the public.
Residuals
Ongoing payments to performers and creatives when their work is reused, rerun, or distributed in new formats.
Responsive Design
Web design approach that ensures pages render well on all screen sizes.
Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
AI technique that enhances LLM responses by retrieving relevant information from external databases before generating answers.
Rider
A list of requirements that must be provided for an artist at a performance.
Room Block
A group of hotel rooms reserved at negotiated rates for event attendees.
Run of Show
A detailed timeline document that outlines every element of an event minute-by-minute.
S
SAG-AFTRA
The labor union representing actors, announcers, and other media professionals.
SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
The page displayed by search engines in response to a query, containing organic results, ads, and featured snippets.
SSL Certificate
A digital certificate that authenticates a website's identity and enables encrypted connections.
SVOD
Subscription Video on Demand services like Netflix, Disney+, or HBO Max.
SaaS (Software as a Service)
Software delivered via the internet on a subscription basis, eliminating the need for local installation.
Sampling
The practice of incorporating portions of existing recordings into new music.
Schema Markup
Structured data code added to webpages that helps search engines understand content and display rich results.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The practice of optimizing websites and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Session Duration
The total amount of time a user spends on a website during a single visit or session.
Share of Voice (SOV)
A brand's percentage of total conversation or coverage compared to competitors in a market.
Showrunner
The creative leader responsible for day-to-day production of a television series.
Simultaneous Interpretation
Real-time translation of spoken content into other languages during an event.
Site Inspection
An in-person visit to evaluate a potential event venue before committing to a contract.
Social Commerce
Buying and selling products directly through social media platforms.
Social Listening
Monitoring social media channels for mentions of your brand, competitors, products, and industry topics.
Social Proof
The psychological phenomenon where people copy the actions of others to make decisions.
Soundbite
A brief, quotable statement designed to be memorable and usable in media coverage.
Spec Script
A screenplay written without commission or assignment, created on speculation of future sale.
Splits
The agreed-upon division of songwriting credits and royalties among collaborators.
Spokesperson
An authorized individual who represents and speaks on behalf of an organization.
Sponsorship Activation
Activities that bring sponsor presence to life beyond logo placement, creating meaningful attendee interactions.
Stage Plot
A diagram showing the layout of equipment, performers, and elements on stage.
Streaming Royalties
Payments artists receive when their music is played on streaming platforms.
Streaming Window
The period during which content is exclusively available on a specific platform.
Swag
Promotional items and branded merchandise given to event attendees.
Sync License
Permission to use music synchronized with visual media like film, TV, or ads.
T
Talent Agent
A licensed professional who procures employment opportunities for performers.
Talking Points
Prepared statements and key messages for spokespeople to reference during interviews or presentations.
Team Building
Activities and events designed to enhance social relations and collaboration within teams.
Theatrical Release
The distribution of a film through movie theaters.
Thought Leadership
Establishing an individual or organization as an authoritative expert voice in their field.
Token
The basic unit of text that AI language models process, typically representing about 4 characters or 0.75 words.
Turnaround
When a project is released by one studio, allowing it to be shopped to others.
U
V
VFX (Visual Effects)
Digital imagery created or manipulated outside live-action shooting.
Vector Database
Specialized databases that store and search high-dimensional vectors, enabling semantic search and AI applications.
Venue Capacity
The maximum number of people a venue can safely accommodate.
Venue RFP
A Request for Proposal document sent to venues detailing event requirements.
W
Z
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