Paid media terms are the backbone of digital advertising. Whether you’re running Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok campaigns, or LinkedIn promotions, understanding these terms helps you optimise performance, reduce costs, and scale faster. At GoGlobal.ng, we help brands grow through digital marketing and global expansion, so mastering these paid media terms is essential for success.
What Are Paid Media Terms?
Paid media terms refer to the common words, metrics, and concepts used daily in digital advertising. Knowing these terms helps you interpret campaign data, make better decisions, and improve your ROI.
Core Paid Media Terms You’ll Use Every Day
1. Impressions
How many times your ad was shown.
2. Reach
Number of unique people who saw your ad.
3. CTR (Click‑Through Rate)
Percentage of people who clicked after seeing your ad.
4. CPC (Cost Per Click)
How much you pay for each click.
5. CPM (Cost Per 1,000 Impressions)
Cost to show your ad 1,000 times.
6. CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)
Cost to get one conversion (sale, lead, signup).
7. ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
Revenue earned for every ₦1 spent on ads.
8. Conversion Rate
Percentage of users who completed your desired action.
ALSO READ: 20 Top Digital Marketing Experts in Nigeria (2026)
Campaign Structure Paid Media Terms
Campaign
Your top‑level objective (traffic, conversions, awareness).
Ad Set / Ad Group
Where you set targeting, budget, and placements.
Creative
The actual ad: image, video, or copy.
Landing Page
Where users land after clicking your ad.
Audience & Targeting Paid Media Terms
Lookalike Audience
New people similar to your best customers.
Retargeting / Remarketing
Showing ads to people who already interacted with your brand.
Custom Audience
Your own data (email list, website visitors, customers).
Demographics
Age, gender, location, etc.
Interest / Behaviour Targeting
Targeting based on what people like or do online.
Optimisation & Delivery Paid Media Terms
Bid Strategy
How platforms spend your budget (lowest cost, target CPA).
Learning Phase
When the algorithm tests and optimises your ads.
Frequency
How many times the same person sees your ad.
Attribution Window
Time period used to credit a conversion to an ad.
A/B Test
Testing two versions to see which performs better.
Creative & Messaging Paid Media Terms
Hook
The attention‑grabbing opening of an ad.
CTA (Call to Action)
The action you want users to take (Buy Now, Learn More).
Ad Fatigue
When performance drops because people have seen your ad too often.
Thumb‑stopper
Creative that makes users stop scrolling.
Platform‑Specific Paid Media Terms
PMax (Performance Max)
Google’s automated, all‑channel campaign type.
DSA (Dynamic Search Ads)
Google ads that automatically match search queries.
Meta Advantage+
Meta’s automated campaign and creative system.
UTM Parameters
Tracking tags added to URLs for analytics.
Final Thoughts
Understanding these paid media terms will help you optimise your campaigns, improve your ROI, and scale your business faster. At GoGlobal.ng, we support brands with digital marketing, paid media management, and global expansion strategies.
If you’re ready to grow, explore our digital marketing services.
SEO‑Optimised FAQ
1. What are paid media terms?
Paid media terms are the common words, metrics, and concepts used in digital advertising. They help marketers understand performance and optimise campaigns.
2. Why are paid media terms important?
They allow you to interpret data correctly, reduce wasted ad spend, and make smarter optimisation decisions.
3. What is the difference between CPC and CPM?
CPC is the cost per click, while CPM is the cost per 1,000 impressions. CPC focuses on engagement; CPM focuses on visibility.
4. What does ROAS mean in paid media?
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) measures how much revenue you earn for every ₦1 spent on ads.
5. What is a lookalike audience?
A lookalike audience is a group of new people who share similar characteristics with your existing customers.
6. What is ad fatigue?
Ad fatigue happens when your audience sees the same ad too many times, causing performance to drop.
7. What is the learning phase in Meta Ads?
It’s the period when Meta’s algorithm tests different delivery options to find the best performance.
Recent Comments