Glossary

The words agencies use

What engagement rate, EMV, whitelisting and the rest actually mean, how each one is worked out, and where people get it wrong. Every term links to the free tool, template or guide that goes with it.

28 terms

Audience qualityHow far a creator's followers behave like real people who are paying attention.AVE (advertising value equivalency)An old PR measure that prices coverage at what the same space would cost as an advert. Largely abandoned.

Content calendarThe plan of what gets posted, where and when, usually a month or quarter ahead.Cost per engagement (CPE)What each like, comment, share or save on a campaign cost.CPA (cost per acquisition)What each purchase, sign-up or other chosen outcome cost.CPC (cost per click)What each click through to a website, app store or landing page cost.CPM (cost per thousand impressions)What it costs for an ad or a post to be shown 1,000 times.Creative briefA short document that tells a creative team what to make, for whom, why, and what success looks like.

Earned media value (EMV)An estimate of what the attention a campaign earned would have cost to buy as advertising.Engagement rateThe share of an audience that likes, comments or otherwise interacts with a post, as a percentage.ExclusivityA promise that a creator won't work with competing brands for a set period.

FrequencyHow many times, on average, each person who was reached saw the content.

ImpressionsThe total number of times a post, story or ad was shown, counting repeat views.Influencer tiers (nano, micro, macro, mega)Size bands for creators, based on follower count.

Media kitA creator's one-page summary for brands: who they are, their audience, past work and how to book them.

Rate cardA creator's standard prices, per format and per platform.ReachThe number of different people who saw a post, story or ad at least once.RetainerA fixed monthly fee a client pays an agency for an agreed amount of ongoing work.ROAS (return on ad spend)Revenue a campaign brought in for every unit of currency spent on it.

Scope creepWork that grows beyond what was agreed, a little at a time, without the fee growing with it.Share of voiceA brand's portion of the conversation in its category, compared with its competitors.Sponsored content disclosureMaking it clear to an audience when a creator has been paid or gifted to promote something.Statement of work (SOW)The document that says exactly what an agency will deliver, by when, and for how much.

Tax invoice (UAE)The invoice a VAT-registered business in the UAE must issue, with the details the Federal Tax Authority requires.TRN (Tax Registration Number)The 15-digit number the UAE's Federal Tax Authority gives a business when it registers for tax.

UGC (user-generated content)Content made by customers or creators, rather than the brand, and used by the brand.Usage rightsWhat a brand may do with a creator's content after it's posted: where, for how long, and in what form.

WhitelistingWhen a brand runs paid ads through a creator's account, so the ad appears to come from the creator.

Put the numbers to work

The measurement terms, worked out for you. No sign-up.

ROI and EMV calculatorEarned media value, cost per engagement, CPM and return on ad spend for a campaign.Try it free Engagement rate calculatorEngagement rate for any public Instagram account, next to what is normal for its size.Try it free Agency templatesInfluencer agreements, briefs, statements of work and a UAE tax invoice, as Word files.Browse templates