ITS SM-CDT flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Engagement rate by reach

Sum of likes, comments, shares, and saves divided by reach, times 100. Reach-based rates are higher than follower-based rates because reach is usually smaller than follower count.

Reach versus impressions

Reach is the number of unique accounts that saw a piece of content. Impressions count every display, including repeats to the same account, so impressions are always equal to or greater than reach.

Dark social

Sharing that happens in private channels such as direct messages, email, and copied links. Referrer data usually misses these visits, so analytics undercount the true spread of content.

Asymmetric follow model

A platform structure where following is one-way, letting accounts broadcast to large audiences without reciprocation. It favors reach and discovery over mutual conversation and community depth.

Algorithmic ranking signals

Factors platforms use to order feeds, typically predicted engagement, recency, relationship strength, content-type match, and negative feedback such as hiding or reporting. These decide who sees a post.

Hashtag topical classification

Hashtags label content by topic so platforms and users can group and discover it. Relevance matters more than quantity; excessive or unrelated tags can dilute topical signal.

Vertical video resolution

Short-form vertical video is commonly produced at 1080 by 1920 pixels, a 9:16 aspect ratio. This matches full-screen mobile playback and avoids letterboxing or cropping by the platform.

Rule of thirds

A composition guideline that divides the frame into a three-by-three grid. Placing key subjects on the grid intersections creates balanced, visually engaging images and video shots.

Three-point lighting

A setup using a key light as the main source, a fill light to soften shadows, and a back light to separate the subject from the background. It gives controlled, professional-looking footage.

Video safe zones

Areas of the frame kept clear of critical content because platform interface elements overlay them. In vertical video, avoid the top and bottom margins where captions and buttons appear.

Alt text purpose

A written description of an image for screen-reader users and search indexing. It should convey the image's meaning concisely; purely decorative images should be marked decorative instead.

Loudness normalization LUFS

Loudness measured in loudness units relative to full scale. Social video is often normalized near minus fourteen LUFS integrated, so exporting near that target avoids pumping after platform processing.

H.264 versus H.265

H.264 offers broad device compatibility and is a safe default. H.265 produces smaller files at similar quality but needs more encoding power and has narrower playback support on older devices.

Public complaint escalation ladder

Acknowledge publicly, move personal details to a private channel, route to the right specialist, then document the outcome. Arguing publicly escalates rather than resolves the issue.

Troll versus critic

A critic raises legitimate concerns and engages with facts. A troll seeks reaction, shifts targets, and ignores evidence. Respond to critics; limit or disengage from trolls.

UGC reposting permission

User-generated content remains the creator's property. A brand needs explicit permission and usually credit before reposting it; platform terms alone do not grant that license.

Community guidelines structure

Published rules should state prohibited conduct, list enforcement steps such as warning, muting, removal, and banning, and describe how members can appeal a moderation decision.

Crisis holding statement

An early, factual public message issued before full details are known. It acknowledges the situation, names a single spokesperson, and commits to updates without speculating about causes.

Moderation triage categories

Common buckets for reported content: spam, harassment or hate, misinformation, off-topic posts, and legal risk such as copyright or privacy. Each category maps to a different action path.

UTM parameter set

Tags appended to URLs to identify traffic: source, medium, campaign, and content variant. They are case-sensitive, so standardizing lowercase prevents split reporting.

Caption file formats

SRT and VTT sidecar files store timed captions separately from video. They stay editable and screen-reader friendly, unlike burned-in captions, which survive reposts but cannot be changed.

API rate limits

Caps on how many requests a scheduling tool can make to a platform in a period. They determine which formats and actions can be automated reliably without errors.

3-2-1 backup rule

Keep three copies of important assets, on two different media types, with one copy stored off-site. It protects raw footage and brand libraries from device failure or loss.

Role-based approval workflow

Permissions split by role: creators draft, editors review, approvers publish. Audit logs record who changed what and when, making publishing accountable and reversible.

Vanity versus actionable metrics

Follower counts and likes signal visibility but not value. Saves, shares, click-throughs, and conversions indicate intent and outcome, so they should drive decisions.

Cost per acquisition formula

Total campaign spend divided by the number of conversions attributed to it. Lower is generally better, but always state the attribution window used to count conversions.

Attribution window effect

The time period after an interaction during which a conversion is credited, such as seven-day click or one-day view. Different windows produce different reported results for the same campaign.

Data minimization principle

Collect only personal data needed for a stated purpose, keep it no longer than required, and honor deletion requests. It reduces privacy risk and supports compliance with data rules.

Fair use misconception

Fair use is a legal defense evaluated case by case, not an automatic permission. Assuming found media is protected and using licensed or original assets is the safer practice.

Follower growth rate

Ending followers minus starting followers, divided by starting followers, times 100. Pair it with follower churn to see whether net community health is improving.

Share of voice formula

Your brand mentions divided by total mentions in the category, times 100. It shows competitive visibility rather than absolute performance and depends on consistent mention tracking.

WCAG contrast minimum

Accessibility guidance requiring a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 1 for normal text and 3 to 1 for large text. Meeting it keeps content readable for low-vision users.

Influencer disclosure placement

Paid partnership labels such as ad or sponsored must be clear and visible before users expand or scroll past. Burying them among many hashtags is generally considered insufficient.