Your Complete Smadex Glossary

A-to-Z of Programmatic and Beyond

A

A/B CHOOSE CREATIVE

Let users pick between two options. One tap selects their choice, and the next sends them to the app store. Simple and clear for any two-option ad.

A/B TEST

A way to compare two versions of something (like an ad) to see which works better with real users.

ACQUISITION

Getting new users through different marketing channels to grow the business.

AD EXCHANGE

A digital marketplace where ads are bought and sold between advertisers and publishers in real time.

AD FORMATS

The different styles of ads, like videos, banners, or native ads.

AD IMPRESSION

When an ad is shown on a screen, whether or not the user interacts with it.

AD SIZE

The width and height of a digital ad, usually in pixels.

AD STACK

The suite of technologies a publisher uses to manage their advertising inventory and serve ads to users.

AD TECH

Tools and software used to create, manage, and improve digital advertising.

AGENCY

A company that helps other businesses grow by running marketing or ad campaigns for them.

AGGREGATORS

Platforms that collect content or data from many sources into one place.

ALGORITHM

A set of rules used to automatically analyze data and help improve ad performance.

ALLOWLIST

A list of approved users, websites, or apps where you want your ads to appear.

ANIMATION HTML CREATIVE

More advanced animations that are lighter in size but visually richer and more creative.

ANTI-FRAUD

Tools and practices that help make sure ad results are real, not fake.

APP ADVERTISING

Promoting mobile apps to get more installs and users, using ads, app stores, and other channels.

APP ID

A unique code that identifies each app.

APP TRACKING TRANSPARENCY (ATT)

An Apple feature that lets users decide if apps can track them across other apps and websites.

APPALIKE

A targeting method that shows your ad in apps similar to ones already performing well.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

Smart computer systems that help automate and improve ads by learning from data.

ASSISTED INSTALLS

Installs where we played a role, like showing an ad or getting a user to click, but we weren’t credited for the install.

ATTRIBUTION

Figuring out which ad or channel made a user take action, like installing an app.

ATTRIBUTION WINDOW

The time window after a click or impression during which an app install is counted as coming from that ad. The user has to open the app after installing it for it to count.

AUCTION TYPE

The way ad prices are set. In first-price auctions, you pay what you bid; in second-price auctions, you pay just above the second-highest bid.

AUDIENCE

A group of people an ad is meant for, based on things like age, interests, or location.

AUDIO ADVERTISING

Ads for audio platforms such as podcasts or music streaming apps.

AUTO STOREKIT

A feature that shows the app’s store page at the end of a video ad, making it easier to install.

AVERAGE REVENUE PER USER (ARPU)

The average money made from each user over a period of time. Formula: Total Revenue ÷ Number of Users.

B

BANNER AD

A rectangular or square ad shown on websites or apps with images and text designed to catch attention and get clicks.

BID

The amount advertisers are willing to pay to show their ads in an auction.

BID PRICE OPTIMIZATION

Finding the best bid amount to get the most value from your ad budget.

BLACK BOX

A system where you see what goes in and what comes out, but don’t know how it works inside.

BLOCKLIST

A list of websites or content where you don’t want your ads to appear.

BLUR REMOVE CREATIVE

An interactive ad where users erase a blur on an image, then tap or wait to go to the app store.

BRAND AWARENESS

Is a marketing effort focused on increasing the recognition and visibility of a brand or product among its target audience.

BRAND-SAFE PLACEMENTS

Ensuring that an ad appears in a context that does not damage the brand’s reputation (e.g., avoiding controversial or inappropriate content).

BRAND SAFETY

Measures to keep your ads away from harmful or inappropriate content to protect your brand’s reputation.

BUY RATE

The percentage of people who buy or take action after seeing an ad, showing how effective the ad is. Formula: Number of Buyers ÷ Number of Visitors × 100.

C

CALL-BACK WINDOW (SKAN)

The time when an app can send user activity info back to SKAN, helping track campaign results.

CALL TO ACTION (CTA)

A prompt that tells users what to do next, like “click here,” “buy now,” or “subscribe.”

CAMPAIGN

A focused marketing effort to attract new users to a product or app.

CAMPAIGN ID

A unique code that identifies a specific campaign.

CARRIER

The mobile network company that provides service to your phone.

CAROUSEL ADD-ONS CREATIVE

Extras you can add to carousel ads, like falling leaves or snowflakes, to make them more eye-catching.

CAROUSEL APP STORE CREATIVE

A carousel showing app store images automatically generated for a clean, official look.

CAROUSEL BLUR CREATIVE

A carousel with a blurred background and store cards that are clickable to take users to the app store.

CAROUSEL CARDS CREATIVE

Smooth, animated cards users can swipe through in the ad.

CAROUSEL CHARACTER CREATIVE

Interactive carousel where users can “choose” characters, great for game or app previews.

CAROUSEL SCROLLER CREATIVE

Swipeable banner ads like reels that lead users to the app store.

CAROUSEL SLIDER CREATIVE

Cards that overlap with an intro animation showing that the ad is interactive.

CAROUSEL STORIES CREATIVE

Story-style slides users can tap through, then get redirected to the app store.

CAROUSEL VERTICAL CREATIVE

A vertically arranged carousel with blurred backgrounds and app store cards. It’s fully customizable, smooth to interact with, and takes users to the app store with just one tap.

CAROUSEL VIDEO

Shows a video alongside app store cards in one ad.

CHURN RATE

The percentage of users who stop using an app or service over time. Formula: Users Lost During a Period ÷ Total Users at the Start × 100.

CLICK

How many times users tap on an ad.

CLICK THROUGH ATTRIBUTION (CTA)

A way to track results by crediting the last ad a user clicked before taking an action, like installing it.

CLICK-THROUGH RATE (CTR)

The percent of people who see an ad and then click on it. Formula: Clicks ÷ Impressions × 100.

CLUTTER-FREE MEDIA

Content designed without distractions or extra stuff that gets in the way.

COARSE-GRAINED

A basic level of data about user actions that advertisers get from SKAN.

COHORTED DATA

Data grouped by shared traits, such as users who installed the app on the same day, shows how ads perform based on spend and revenue.

COMPLETION RATE

The percent of users who finish a set goal, like a buy or sign-up.

CONNECTION TYPE

The kind of internet connection users have, like Wi-Fi or cellular data.

CONNECTED TV (CTV)

Smart TVs that stream online content and show targeted ads.

CONTENT PROVIDERS

Companies that manage and deliver content or data to apps or websites.

CONVERSION

When a user completes an action like buying something or installing an app.

CONVERSION RATE (CR)

The percentage of users who complete a desired action after seeing an ad. Formula: Conversions ÷ Total Visitors or Interactions × 100.

COST PER ACQUISITION (CPA)

How much it costs, on average, to get a new user. Formula: Total Spend ÷ Number of Acquisitions.

COST PER BUY (CPB)

The cost to get a real purchase, calculated from the whole campaign spend. Formula: Total Campaign Cost ÷ Number of Buys.

COST PER CLICK (CPC)

How much you pay each time someone clicks your ad. Formula: Total Spend ÷ Number of Clicks.

COST PER INSTALL (CPI)

The cost to get someone to install your app. Formula: Total Spend ÷ Number of Installs.

COST PER LEAD (CPL)

How much it costs to get a lead, like a signup or contact. Formula: Total Spend ÷ Number of Leads.

COST PER MILLE (CPM)

The cost for 1,000 ad impressions (views). Formula: (Total Spend ÷ Impressions) × 1,000.

COST PER PAYING USER (CPPU)

The cost to get a user who actually pays for your product or service. Formula: Total Spend ÷ Number of Paying Users.

COST PER RE-ENGAGEMENT (CPRe)

The cost to get inactive users to come back and use your app again. Formula: Total Spend ÷ Number of Re-Engaged Users.

COST PER RETAINED USER (CPRU)

How much it costs to keep users active for a certain time. Formula: Total Spend ÷ Number of Retained Users.

COST PER VIEW (CPV)

The cost for each time someone watches your video ad. Formula: Total Spend ÷ Number of Video Views.

CREATIVE OPTIMIZATION

Using data (often AI-driven) to test and improve the visual elements of an ad to ensure it performs as well as possible.

CREATIVE SELECTOR ALGORITHM

Automatically picks the best ad creative (image, video, text) for each user.

CREATIVE STUDIO

Smadex’s team that designs custom, eye-catching ads just for your campaigns.

CUSTOM PRODUCT PAGES

Different versions of your app’s store page, tailored for specific user groups.

CUSTOM STORE LISTINGS

Special store pages created for different audiences with targeted messaging.

D

DATA SCIENCE

Using data, stats, and machine learning to understand users, improve campaigns, and get better results.

DATA WAREHOUSE

A central place where lots of data is stored and organized to help with analysis and smarter ad decisions.

DEEP LINK

A URL that opens a mobile app directly to specific content or a location, improving user experience and boosting engagement.

DEEP NEURAL NETWORK (DNN)

A type of AI with many layers that learns patterns from data, kind of like a digital brain.

DEMAND-SIDE PLATFORM (DSP)

A tool like Smadex that helps advertisers buy ad space, target the right users, and manage bids across platforms.

DETERMINISTIC ATTRIBUTION

A way to track exactly which ad caused an action, like a click or install, using unique user info.

DEVICE

The hardware where ads appear, like a phone, tablet, laptop, or smart TV.

DEVICE BRAND

The company that made the device, like Apple, Samsung, or Google.

DEVICE CARRIER

The mobile network provider, like Verizon, Vodafone, or Orange, among others.

DEVICE ID

A unique code used to identify a specific device.

DEVICE LANGUAGE

The language a user has set on their device.

DEVICE MODEL

The specific version of the device, like iPhone 14 or Galaxy S22.

DEVICE OS

The system the device runs on, like iOS, Android, or Windows.

DEVICE OS VERSION

The exact version of the device’s operating system, like iOS 17 or Android 13.

DIRECT CARRIER BILLING (DCB)

Let’s users buy mobile services and pay through their phone bill: quick and easy.

DIRECT RESPONSE

A strategy to get quick actions, like signing up, clicking, or buying.

DISPLAY ADVERTISING

Showing visual ads (like banners or images) on websites or apps to promote something.

DOUBLE ENDCARD

An ad format that mixes a playable and a final screen, giving more chances to send users to the app store.

DYNAMIC ADS

Personalized ads that change automatically based on users’ likes or actions.

E

ENDCARD

A static image or screen shown at the end of a video ad, often with a call-to-action.

ENGAGED USERS

People who interact with the app more than just opening an app, clicking, playing, or making a purchase, for example.

ENGAGEMENT RATE

How often users interact with your app, content, or ad. Formula: Total Engagements ÷ Total Users × 100.

EVENT

A specific user action tracked in a campaign, like a click, video view, install, or buy.

EXCHANGE

A digital marketplace where ad space is bought and sold between advertisers and publishers in real time.

F

FINE GRAINED

The most detailed conversion data from SKAN, showing what users do after installing an app.

FIRST-PARTY DATA

Info a company collects directly from its users through its own app or site.

FIRST-TIME DEPOSIT (FTD)

A new user’s first money deposit, often in iGaming or finance apps.

FIRST-TOUCH ATTRIBUTION

Gives credit to the very first interaction that brought users to an app.

FLEXIBLE MAPPING

Smadex’s in-house tool to map variables using SKAd’s campaign ID slots while respecting Apple’s privacy rules.

FREQUENCY CAPPING

Limits how many times the same user sees an ad in a set period of time.

FULL-FUNNEL

A strategy that covers the entire customer journey, from discovery to loyalty.

G

GEOTARGETING

Showing ads to people based on where they are located.

GHOST ADS

Testing ads by showing brand ads to one group and competitor ads to another.

GIF

A short, looping animation (like a mini video without sound) that loads quickly and works on most platforms.

H

HEAT-MAP ANALYSIS

Visual data that uses colors to show where users focus most, helping improve your ads.

HIGH-VALUE USERS

Users who spend more and stick around longer.

HOLD RATE

Measures how long a video keeps a viewer’s attention. Formula: (Video watched duration) ÷ (Total video length).

HTML

The basic code language used to build web pages and ads.

I

IGAMING

Online gambling, like virtual poker, casinos, and sports betting.

IMPRESSION

How many times an ad is shown to users.

INCREMENTALITY TESTING

Compares people who saw your ad with those who didn’t to measure its real impact.

IN-GAME ADS

Ads placed inside video games, like banners or product placements.

INSTALL

When a user downloads and opens the app within 7 days of clicking the ad.

INSTALL RATE

Percentage of ad clicks that lead to installs. Formula: (Installs ÷ Clicks) × 100%.

INTEGRAL AD SCIENCE (IAS)

A tool integrated to provide daily reports on detected fraudulent activity within campaigns.

INTERSCROLLER AD

Interactive ads that show up as users scroll through content.

INTERSTITIAL

A 320 x 480 full-screen mobile ad shown between app screens or game levels.

INTRINSIC ADS

Ads that are integrated naturally into the game environment (like a billboard or a bus stop within the game world) rather than popping up over the gameplay.

INVENTORY

Ad space available for sale on websites or apps.

IP

A unique number assigned to each device on the Internet.

ITERATION

Making small changes to your ads, like trying new images, headlines, or call-to-actions to improve results step by step.

K

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR (KPI)

The metric that shows how well your ad campaign is doing, like CTR, conversion rate, CPA, or ROAS.

L

LABELING

Custom tags added to creatives to organize, analyze, and spark new ideas for production.

LANDING PAGE

The pages users land on after clicking an ad.

LANDING RATE

The percent of users who land on a page after clicking an ad. Formula: (Landing Page Visits ÷ Ad Clicks) × 100.

LANDSCAPE

A 480 x 320 full-screen horizontal ad format on mobile apps or websites.

LAST-TOUCH ATTRIBUTION

Credits the last ad or channel a user interacted with before converting.

LGBM (Light Gradient Boost Machine)

A fast, efficient algorithm that builds sequential decision trees to optimize predictions. At Smadex, it helps improve campaigns for app installs, engagement, and in-app events.

LIFETIME VALUE (LTV)

How much revenue one user brings over time. Formula: Avg. Value per User × Avg. User Lifespan.

LOOKALIKE

A way to find new users who act like your current best ones.

M

MACRO

A placeholder in a link or tag that gets swapped with real info, like an ID or user data.

MACHINE LEARNING (ML)

Tech that helps computers learn from data and improve performance without being directly programmed.

MANAGED SERVICE

Campaigns handled by the Smadex team from setup to daily management.

MAP (MARKETING AUTOMATION PLATFORM)

Software like Smadex that helps automate and track marketing tasks across different channels.

MEMORY CREATIVE

An interactive ad that tests a user’s memory in seconds. Win or lose, it sends them to the app store.

MOBILE ADS

Ads made for phones and tablets, like banners, videos, or interstitials that show inside apps or mobile websites.

MOBILE APP

A downloadable program designed to run on smartphones or tablets.

MOBILE DEVICE

A portable gadget like a smartphone or tablet that connects to the internet.

MOBILE MEASUREMENT PARTNER (MMP)

A third-party tool that tracks mobile ad campaigns’ performance.

MOBILE NETWORK OPERATORS (MNO)

Companies that give users phone and internet access through their own network.

MOBILE RICH MEDIA AD INTERFACE DEFINITIONS (MRAID)

A standard that makes sure interactive ads work well across different mobile apps and platforms.

MOBILE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES (MSS)

Paid mobile services users can subscribe to for access to special content or features.

MOBILE VIRTUAL NETWORK OPERATOR (MVNO)

A company that sells mobile services using another provider’s network, under its own brand.

MOBILE WEB

Using websites or apps through a browser on a mobile device like a phone or tablet.

MPU

A 300×250 banner ad for mobile.

MULTIDIMENSIONAL REPORTING

Smadex’s advanced tool that lets you break down results by things like location, device, or format, among others, to see what works best.

MULTI-TOUCH ATTRIBUTION

Gives credit to several interactions a user has before converting, tracking their whole journey.

mVAS (MOBILE VALUE-ADDED SERVICES)

Extra mobile services, like games or services, offered by operators or providers, usually for a fee.

N

NAD (NETWORK ACCESS DEVICE)

It’s a hardware device that allows other devices to connect to a network.

NATIVE ADS

Ads that match the look and feel of the content around them.

NON-ATTRIBUTED DATA

Info that can’t be traced back to a specific campaign or user action.

NON-ATTRIBUTED INSTALLS

App installs reported by the MMP (Mobile Measurement Partner) that can’t be linked to a specific ad campaign or source.

O

ONLINE VIDEO (OLV)

Video ads shown on websites, apps, or streaming platforms.

OPERATOR

A company that offers mobile or internet services, also called an MNO.

OPT-OUT

When someone chooses not to receive targeted ads or share their data.

OPTIMIZATION

Making changes to improve how a campaign performs.

P

PERFORMANCE MARKETING

A form of advertising where the advertiser only pays when a specific action is completed, such as a click, a sale, or a download.

PLAYABLES

Interactive ads where users can try a mini-game or app demo before installing the app.

PORTRAIT

A vertical ad format, taller than it is wide.

POSTBACK (SKAN)

Info sent by Apple after an install is attributed to a campaign.

POSTBACK WINDOW

The time period after an install during which the MMP sends performance data back to the ad network.

POST-INSTALL EVENTS

All actions users take after installing an app, like purchases, sign-ups, reaching new levels, or making in-app purchases.

PREFERRED DEALS

Direct ad deals with fixed prices or special targeting, skipping open auctions.

PRIVACY THRESHOLDS

Rules Apple uses to decide how much campaign performance data is shared with ad networks and advertisers.

PRIVATE MARKETPLACES PROGRAMMATIC (PMP)

Invite-only ad auctions for premium inventory, with more control for both sides.

PROBABILISTIC ATTRIBUTION

Estimates ad impact using aggregated data and statistics. Less precise but useful when exact data isn’t available.

PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING

The automated buying and selling of online advertising space in real-time.

PUBLISHER

A company or person who owns websites or apps and sells ad space.

R

REAL-TIME BIDDING (RTB)

An automated auction where ad space is bought and sold in real time.

REATTRIBUTION

When credit is given to a campaign that brings a user back to an app after uninstalling or going inactive.

REENGAGEMENT

Getting users who stopped using your app or site to come back and interact again.

REGISTRATION

When a user signs up by filling out a form or providing their information.

REGISTRATION RATE

The percentage of users who register out of everyone who saw the ad. Formula: (Registrations ÷ Total Viewers) × 100.

RETARGETING

Showing ads to people who’ve visited your app or site but didn’t convert, to bring them back.

RETURN ON ADVERTISING SPEND (ROAS)

How much money you make from ads for every dollar spent. Formula: Revenue ÷ Ad Spend.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)

Shows how much profit your campaign made compared to what you spent. Formula: (Profit ÷ Cost) × 100.

REVENUE

The total money earned from your campaigns.

REVENUE SHARE

Splitting the money made from ads between partners, like advertisers and publishers.

REWARDED ADS

Users can choose to watch ads in exchange for in-app rewards or bonuses.

S

SECOND-BY-SECOND ANALYSIS

A detailed look at how viewers interact with an ad (usually video or interactive). It helps identify which moments catch attention, spark emotion, or cause loss of interest.

SEGMENTATION

Splitting a broad audience into smaller groups based on shared traits, behaviors, or needs.

SKAN or SKADNETWORK

Apple’s privacy-focused system for measuring mobile ad campaign performance without compromising user privacy.

SKOVERLAY

A tool that lets users install an app without leaving the app they’re already using, making it easier to install and helping track installs better with Apple’s SKAN system.

SLIDER CREATIVE

An ad with two overlapping images that users can slide back and forth to interact with. After playing, users are sent to the app store.

SLOTS CREATIVE

A playable ad that mimics casino slot machines. Users spin the slots with a click and can go to the app store with another click.

STATIC AD

A simple, non-moving ad with images and text, without animation or interactive elements.

STREAMING DEVICE

Hardware that lets you stream digital media (movies, shows, music) from the internet to a TV or screen.

SUBSCRIPTION

When users sign up to pay regularly for ongoing access to a product or service.

SUBSCRIPTION RATE

The percentage of users who subscribe out of everyone who saw the option to subscribe. Formula: (Number of subscribers ÷ Number of users who saw the offer) × 100.

SUBSCRIPTION VIDEO ON DEMAND (SVOD)

A model where users pay a regular fee to access videos without ads.

SUPPLY

The available ad spaces or channels for advertising apps or services.

SUPPLY-SIDE PLATFORM (SSP)

A tool publishers use to sell and manage their ad space by connecting with many advertisers and networks to get the best revenue.

SUPPLY PATH OPTIMIZATION (SPO)

Choosing the most efficient and direct routes to deliver ads programmatically, cutting costs and improving results.

T

TELCO

A telephone company that provides phone and data communication services.

TESTING

Trying different strategies or creatives to see which ones work best for attracting and converting users.

THEME

The central idea or message of a campaign’s creatives.

THUMBSTOPPERS

Ads designed to grab attention and make users pause while scrolling on their touchscreen devices.

T-INTER

768 by 1024 tablet ads that appear full-screen in portrait mode.

TRACKER URL

A special web link with extra codes to track user activity and measure campaign performance.

TRAFFIC

The number of users visiting and interacting with a website or app. I could be Mobile Web Traffic people using phones or tablets, or App Traffic people using mobile apps.

TRANSACTIONAL VIDEO ON DEMAND (TVOD)

A model where users pay per video they watch, usually with no ads.

TRANSPARENCY

Sharing clear and accurate information about campaign results.

TV ADVERTISING

Traditional ads shown during scheduled TV programs, unlike CTV ads that target viewers on streaming devices using data.

U

UNIQUE VISITOR

A person who visits a website or app during a set period, counted only once, regardless of how many times they return.

URL

The web address that takes you to a specific website or landing page.

USER

Someone who interacts with digital content like websites, apps, or social media, and can be targeted for ads based on their interests.

USER ACQUISITION

The process of gaining new users for an app, product, or service.

USER BASE

The total number of active users a product or service has.

USER DATA LAKE

A central place where all kinds of data are stored as-is, letting us analyze it in many ways to make smarter decisions.

USER ID

A unique code given to identify each individual user.

V

ADVERTISING-BASED VIDEO ON DEMAND (AVOD)

A model where users watch video content for free but see ads that generate revenue for the content provider.

VIDEO COMPLETION RATE (VCR)

The percentage of viewers who watch a video all the way to the end. Formula: (Completed Views ÷ Total Views) × 100.

VIDEO ON DEMAND (VOD)

A service that lets users stream video content whenever they want.

VIEW

The count of times a video is watched or played.

VIEW RATE

The percentage of viewers who watch an ad out of everyone who had the chance to see it.

VIEW THROUGH ATTRIBUTION (VTA)

A way to measure ad success by crediting conversions to ad views, even if users don’t click the ad.

VISITS

The number of times users open and interact with a website or app.

W

WIN RATE

The percentage of successful wins or conversions out of all opportunities or bids. Formula: (Wins ÷ Total Bids) × 100.

X

X-LARGE

Ad size for smartphones (320×50) and tablets (728×90) screens.