ITS SM-CDT key terms

Digital platforms and applications that let users create profiles, publish content, and interact with others through shares, comments, likes, and direct messages. Communication flows in many directions rather than from a single broadcaster.

A content stream ordered by software that predicts what each user is likely to engage with, instead of showing posts strictly by time. Ranking signals often include recency, relationship strength, and past interactions.

Any text, image, audio, or video that ordinary users create and publish on a platform, as opposed to material produced by the platform owner or a professional studio. Brands often repurpose it with permission.

A keyword preceded by the # symbol that groups posts on a topic and makes them discoverable through search or tapping the tag. Campaigns use branded hashtags to collect and track participation.

A subject that is receiving unusually high volumes of mentions or searches within a short window. Marketers monitor trends to time posts, but jumping on unrelated trends can damage credibility.

A publishing format built on short posts, often text with links or images, designed for quick updates and conversation. Character limits and fast timelines shape how messages are written.

Posts such as stories that disappear automatically after a set period, usually 24 hours. The format encourages casual, frequent sharing and is often used for behind-the-scenes updates and polls.

Broadcasting video in real time so viewers can watch and respond as events happen. Chat, reactions, and questions create two-way interaction, but moderators are needed to manage the room.

A space such as a forum, group, or server where members gather around a shared interest and hold ongoing discussions. Unlike a broadcast page, value comes from member-to-member conversation.

A person who has built an engaged audience on social platforms and can sway opinions or purchasing decisions. Partnerships range from paid posts to long-term ambassador roles and must be clearly disclosed.

A planning document that schedules what will be published, on which channel, and when, often with owners and status. It keeps posting consistent and coordinates work across a team.

A recurring theme or topic category that a brand consistently covers, forming the backbone of its editorial plan. Pillars keep a feed coherent while still allowing variety within each theme.

The consistent personality, tone, and vocabulary a brand uses across its content. A documented voice guide helps multiple creators sound like the same organization.

The text accompanying an image or video post that adds context, asks a question, or includes calls to action and tags. Good captions are written for the specific platform and audience.

A prompt that tells the audience what to do next, such as comment, sign up, or visit a link. Specific, single-step requests generally perform better than vague ones.

A short written description attached to an image so screen readers can convey its content to blind and low-vision users. It also appears when an image fails to load.

The proportional relationship between a video or image's width and height, such as 16:9 or 9:16. Choosing the right ratio prevents awkward cropping when content is reused across platforms.

The small preview image that represents a video or article in feeds and search results. A clear, readable thumbnail with minimal text often improves click-through.

A sequence of rough sketches or panels that maps out the shots, timing, and action of a video before filming. It helps a team align on the plan and estimate production needs.

Adapting existing content into new formats or channels, such as turning a webinar into short clips and a blog post. It stretches production effort but requires reformatting rather than simple copying.

The daily work of responding to comments and messages, welcoming newcomers, moderating discussions, and connecting members. It builds trust and turns passive audiences into active participants.

Published rules that state what behavior and content are welcome in a space, plus what happens when rules are broken. Clear guidelines set expectations and make enforcement consistent.

Reviewing posts and comments and taking action such as hiding, removing, warning, or banning to keep a space safe and on-topic. It may combine automated filters with human judgment.

A defined route for passing a problem, such as a threat or legal request, from a frontline moderator to the right specialist or manager. It ensures serious issues get a timely, appropriate response.

A measure comparing interactions such as likes, comments, and shares to audience size or reach, usually expressed as a percentage. It helps judge how well content sparks response, but definitions vary by platform.

Using software or manual review to classify the emotional tone of comments and mentions as positive, negative, or neutral. It gives a quick read on how a community feels about a topic.

The planned response when an organization faces public criticism, an incident, or misinformation. It relies on fast acknowledgment, accurate facts, a single spokesperson, and follow-up on promised actions.

Monitoring online conversations about a brand, competitor, or topic to learn what people say and why. It goes beyond counting mentions by examining themes, sentiment, and emerging questions.

The number of unique people who see a piece of content at least once. It differs from impressions, which count every display, so the same person can create many impressions but only one reach.

A single instance of content being displayed on a screen, counted each time it appears even to the same person. Comparing impressions with reach shows how often the audience sees the same post.

The percentage of people who saw a link or ad and clicked it, calculated as clicks divided by impressions. It indicates how compelling the offer and wording are.

A completed action that matters to the organization, such as a purchase, sign-up, or download. Tracking conversions connects social activity to real outcomes rather than vanity metrics.

A tag added to the end of a link that tells analytics tools which source, medium, and campaign sent the visitor. Consistent naming lets teams compare performance across channels.

An experiment that shows two versions of content, differing in one element, to comparable audiences and compares results. Testing one variable at a time keeps the finding trustworthy.

The responsible, respectful, and safe use of digital tools and spaces, including how people treat others online. It covers privacy, accuracy, empathy, and understanding the impact of one's posts.

Informal conventions for polite and appropriate behavior in online groups, such as staying on topic and avoiding all-caps shouting. Norms vary by community, so newcomers should observe before posting.

The trail of data a person leaves through posts, comments, searches, and account activity, some of it public and persistent. It can affect future opportunities, so reviewing privacy settings matters.

Clearly telling an audience when content is sponsored, paid, or otherwise materially connected to a brand. Labels such as #ad or a spoken notice help people recognize persuasion and keep trust.

Copyright grants creators exclusive rights over their work; fair use is a limited legal defense for certain unlicensed uses judged by factors like purpose, amount, and market effect. Permission or licensing is safer than assuming fair use.

Designing content so people with disabilities can perceive and use it, for example with captions, alt text, sufficient contrast, and plain language. It widens audience reach and is often legally expected.