Here is a listing of the acronyms used throughout this Web site and throughout the online advertising industry. These acronyms are part of the Web Analytics and Online Marketing vernacular:

• ASP: Application Service Provider - a type of software solution (and vendor) that is hosted outside the enterprise, but also refers to the emerging model of business on the Web (Web 2.0) - on-demand and distributed Web application solutions. (*see also SaaS) FYI - Also refers to a Microsoft development technology suite (VB script and IIS) known as 'Active Server pages'.
• CMS: Content Management System - is a software system used for content management. This includes computer files, image media, audio files, electronic documents and web content. The idea behind a CMS is to make these files available inter-office, as well as over the web. A Content Management System would most often be used as archival as well. Many companies use a CMS to store files in a non-proprietary form. Companies use a CMS file share with ease, as most systems use server based software, even further broadening file availability. As shown below, many Content Management Systems include a feature for Web Content, and some have a feature for a "workflow process." (wikipedia) Enterprise platform examples are Interwoven/TeamSite, Oracle - Stellent Web Content Management , Documentum (EMC), and Vignette - V7 Content Management.
• CPA: Cost Per Acquisition - the actual cost of a particular lead generation or conversion (or any other defined successful event metric) usually in terms of ad spend.
• CPC: Cost Per Click - the actual cost, in terms of ad spend, of clicks on advertising creative or links
• CPL: Cost Per Lead - the actual cost, in terms of ad spend, of a lead (e.g. registration) captured via a lead generation campaign/conversion.
• CPM: Cost per 1,000 impressions - the actual cost, in terms of ad spend, for approximately 1,000 ad impressions - usually on an advertising network.
• CRM: Customer Relationship Management - usually refers to a system (software) or methodology for storing, segmenting and accessing customer information and history. Critically important for personalization.
• CTR: Click-Thru Rate - the expression (in a percentage) of the number of links in an email promotion that are clicked-thru to content on a Web site. Calculated by: Click-Thrus/Emails recieved = CTR
• CTOR: Click-to-Open Rate - this expression represents the percentage of email newsletter recipients who opened an email newsletter and subsequently took a call-to-action (click-thru to Web site). It represents the extent that an email newsletter 'opener' is compelled to click-thru to a Web site for additional content. CTOR can exceed 100% due to instances of multiple click-thrus / multiple links in email promotions.
• ESP(s): Email Service Provider(s) - third-party, bulk email composition, distribution and archival solutions. Bulk ESPs are represented at every business tier and the Best-of-Breeds seamlessly integrate with various Web Analytics packages as strategic partners. Ease of correlation between email broadcasts and incremental page views and click-stream behaviors on Web sites is mission critical.
• IAB: Interactive Advertising Bureau - consortium of Web business and thought leaders that have established interactive marketing standards and guidelines.
• IMU: Interactive Marketing Unit - advertising formats (voluntary guidelines) developed by the IAB to help standardize Web advertising creative specifications.
• KPI: Key Performance Indicator - the most important metrics per business audience, as aggregated and reported via Web Analytics and Online marketing solutions
• POV: Point of View - Represents a 'business case' or a document that is used to identify and expand upon a potential opportunity to a particular client or constituency. Could also be called a 'pitch'.
• PPC: Pay-Per-Click - the revenue model typically associated with Search Engine Marketing that entails a bidding methodology for text ad placement in the search engines according to keyword popularity. If your creative (text) is clicked on a search engine results page (SERP), you pay the amount you bid for that placement. The more you bid, the higher your placement on the SERP (sponsored results).
• RFI: Request for Information - a preliminary document that preceeds the more formal RFP. This document can be used to solicit the less formal POV.
• RFP: Request for Proposal - the formal request by a client to one or more potential vendors for a 'bid' on a particular project. The response is typically called a 'bid' or proposal.
• ROI: Return On Investment - the driving force for all initiatives and the only real benchmark. As a Best Practice, this must be expressed in a number/ratio or percentage e.g. total sales/total cost = ROI.
• RON: Run-On-Network - online advertising specification for ad unit distribution (ad impressions). Large advertising networks such as AOL, ValueClick, BurstMedia, Advertising.com, etc. can distribute advertising creative via and advertising platform such as DoubleClick DART or CheckM8 AdVantage across a single site or multiple sites on an advertising network. Billing is typically at a CPM rate.
• ROS: Run-On-Site - online advertising specification for distribution of ad impressions on a particular Web site - and sometimes specific sections of a Web site or portal.
• RSS: Real Simple Syndication - the backbone of social networking and fast becoming the Web content distribution methodology of choice for business - all based upon the XML suite of technologies.
• SaaS: Software as a Service - the product model of the ASP market. Typically refers to the practice of leasing software (usually hosted by the third-party) as opposed to purchasing and bringing it in-house.
• SDLC: (The) Software development lifecycle - a strict, end-to-end Best Practice software development project management methodology that serves to ensure successful implementations of any software or Web-based initiative.
• SEM: Search Engine Marketing - advertising initiatives that tend to focus on the 'Big Three' search engines or 'GYM' - Google, Yahoo and MSN. Typically refers to the practices and methodologies with regard to PPC advertising. This can also refer to targeted (local) advertising on a myriad of search engines and search aggregators (paid inclusion).
• SEO: Search Engine Optimization - is the 'art' and 'science' of optimizing Web site information architecture so that Web pages/sites will be better indexed by the major search engines ('GYM') and so they will rank and display higher on the the SERPs. SEO is a development methodology that requires both on-page and off-page initiatives and requires dedicated resources in perpetual development orientation.
• SERP: Search Engine Results Page - is the page that is requested and served based upon the keyword or keyword phrase that is input into the search engine.
• SKU: Stock Knowledge Unit - is a unique identifier for products in an order fulfillment scenario (ecommerce).
• SME: Subject Matter Expert - an individual who has expertise in a particular skill or discipline.
• SOW: Scope or Statement of Work - the document that defines project goals and deliverables, typically developed during the discovery/agreement phase of the project lifecycle.
• SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats - A strategic research/analysis approach methodology that can be used to analyze and evaluate almost any business initiative.
• TQM: Total Quality Management - is a management strategy aimed at embedding awareness of quality in all organizational processes. Total Quality provides an umbrella under which everyone in the organization can strive and create customer satisfaction. TQ is a people focused management system that aims at continual increase in customer satisfaction at continually lower real costs. (wikipedia)
• W3C: (The) World Wide Web Consortium - is an international consortium where Member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards. W3C primarily pursues its mission through the creation of Web standards and guidelines designed to ensure long-term growth for the Web. Over 400 organizations are Members of the Consortium. W3C is jointly run by the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (MIT CSAIL) in the USA, the European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics (ERCIM) headquartered in France, Keio University in Japan, and has additional Offices worldwide. (w3.org)
• XML: Extensible Markup Language - is a metalanguage or standard for creating markup languages which describe the structure of data - completely separate from the style (unlike HTML).
• XSLT: Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations - is an XML-based language used for the transformation of XML documents. The original document is not changed; rather, a new document is created based on the content of an existing one. XSLT files are used to transform XML files into other formats like HTML or formatting objects (FO) for generating PDF files.