Glossary of Terms

Term

emfluence Definition

Industry Comparison

Section

A/B Split

A testing feature that allows you to send variations of a manual email to portions of your audience to determine which version performs better.

Common across platforms. May be called "A/B test," "split test," or "multivariate test."

Email Composition & Sending

Address Variables

Default merge fields for physical address information (typically displayed in email footers for CAN-SPAM compliance). Managed through Account Settings.

Other platforms may call these "default merge tags," "account variables," or "company info fields."

Content & Design

API

The platform’s application programming interface, allowing developers to programmatically interact with contacts, emails, groups, reports, and other platform features.

Most marketing platforms offer an API, though capabilities and documentation quality vary.

Channels & Integrations

Auto-Response Email

An email automatically sent to a contact when they are added to a specific group. Configured at the group level.

Other platforms call this an "autoresponder," "welcome email," or "trigger email."

Channels & Integrations

Automated Email

Very similar to manual email, except this email is associated with an automation workflow. It would be triggered by some action, addition of contact to a group, decision, etc.

Other platforms may refer to this as “autoresponder”, “drip campaign”, “email workflow”, “triggered email”, or “sequence”.

Core Platform Concepts

Bounces

Emails that could not be delivered to the recipient’s inbox. emfluence classifies bounces as either Hard Bounces (HB) or Soft Bounces (SB).

Standard across all platforms, though the handling and scoring of bounces varies.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Brand Colors

Account-level color definitions that appear in color pickers across the platform in emails, landing pages, Template Builder, and content blocks.

Some platforms call this a "brand kit," "style guide," or "design system."

Content & Design

Campaign

A higher-level marketing grouping used to organize and track related tactics. A campaign can contain emails, workflows, social messages, landing pages, surveys, and events for consolidated reporting.

In many platforms, "campaign" refers to a single email send. In emfluence, it is an organizational container more similar to what others call a "project," "program," or "folder."

Core Platform Concepts

CAN-SPAM Compliance

Adherence to the CAN-SPAM Act, which requires a physical mailing address in every commercial email. In emfluence, this address cannot be removed from your email template.

Required by law for all U.S. email senders. All platforms enforce this, though implementation varies.

Deliverability & Compliance

Click-to-View Rate

The ratio of unique clicks to unique views, indicating how effectively the email content drove action among those who opened it.

Other platforms call this "click-to-open rate" (CTOR) or "click-through rate" (CTR). The calculation is the same.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Clicks

Total Link clicks within an email.

Standard metric across all platforms.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Clicks (Page)

Any links clicked on a landing page by visitors.

Standard web analytics metric.

Landing Page Metrics

Client Admin

An administrative user role with full access to manage users, groups, permissions, and account settings. Client Admins can edit other users’ group access and platform permissions.

Equivalent to "admin," "account manager," or "super user" in other platforms.

Users & Permissions

Complaints

Instances where a recipient marked the email as spam. Note: Google does not return individual complaint data—only high-level daily aggregates—so Gmail complaints cannot be attributed to specific contacts.

Also called "spam complaints" or "abuse reports" in other platforms.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Contact

An individual person record in the platform, identified by email address and Contact ID. Each contact has a profile with standard fields, custom fields, group memberships, activity history, and scoring data.

Other platforms may use "subscriber," "lead," "recipient," or "member." emfluence uses "contact" universally.

Core Platform Concepts

Contact Activities

A reporting view that shows all recorded interactions for contacts across categories including Email, SMS, Landing Pages, Surveys, and Website Tracking.

Other platforms may call this an "activity log," "engagement history," or "timeline."

Contacts & Data Management

Contact Record

The complete data profile for an individual contact, including standard fields (name, email), custom fields, group memberships, activity history, and scoring data.

Other platforms may call this a "subscriber profile," "contact card," or "lead record."

Contacts & Data Management

Contact Scoring

A lead scoring system that assigns point values to contacts based on their engagement and behavior. The platform supports up to five separate scoring models.

Similar to "lead scoring" or "engagement scoring" in other platforms. Having five simultaneous models is a distinctive emfluence feature.

Contacts & Data Management

Content Block

A reusable piece of content that can be inserted into multiple emails. Content blocks have permission levels: Private (owner only), Public (all can view, default), Shared (specific users), and Custom.

Other platforms call these "saved blocks," "modules," "snippets," or "reusable content."

Content & Design

Conversion

Occurs when a visitor submits an emfluence form on a landing page. Conversion data includes field submissions (email, name, etc.), date, IP address, and source URL.

The definition is narrower than in some platforms—emfluence specifically ties conversions to form submissions, not other goal completions.

Landing Page Metrics

Custom Fields

User-defined data fields on contact records for storing additional information beyond standard fields. Standard accounts include 25 custom fields; enterprise accounts can expand to 250. Referenced as variables like $$Custom02.

Universal concept across platforms. Some call them "custom properties," "custom attributes," or "user fields."

Contacts & Data Management

Delivery Type

Indicates whether an email is sent manually or through automation. Options include Manual (one-time send initiated by a user) and Automated (sent through a workflow).

Some platforms distinguish between "broadcast," "triggered," and "automated" send types.

Email Composition & Sending

DKIM (Domain Keys)

An email authentication protocol that verifies the sender’s domain. The emfluence platform documentation refers to this as "Domain Keys" or "DKIM authentication."

Industry-standard protocol. The "Domain Keys" terminology is specific to how emfluence references it in their help documentation.

Deliverability & Compliance

Drag & Drop Editor

A visual, no-code email and landing page editor where content elements are dragged from a right sidebar into editable areas. Supports text, images, buttons, social links, spacers, dividers, forms, surveys, and videos.

Most modern platforms include a drag-and-drop builder. Names vary: "visual editor," "design editor," "block editor," or "canvas."

Content & Design

Dynamic Group

A group whose membership is automatically determined by query rules or criteria. The contact list updates as the underlying query is run to determine which contacts meet or no longer meet the defined conditions.

Equivalent to a "smart list," "dynamic segment," or "filtered audience" in other platforms.

Core Platform Concepts

Email Metrics Over Time

A reporting view in the Reports section that displays sending volume and engagement metrics in a month-by-month chart format.

Similar to "trend reports" or "performance over time" dashboards in other platforms.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Events

Calendar-only items that can be added to campaigns. Events appear on the Marketing Calendar but do not correspond to an email send or other platform action.

Unique to emfluence’s campaign/calendar model. Other platforms may track events differently or not at all within the marketing calendar.

Channels & Integrations

Form / Formbuilder

A data capture form created using the platform’s Formbuilder tool. Forms can be placed on landing pages and trigger conversions when submitted. Like landing pages, forms are inactive by default.

Similar to "web forms," "signup forms," or "capture forms" in other platforms.

Core Platform Concepts

Forwards

Contacts who used the Forward to Friend system link to share the email with others through the platform’s tracking system.

Only tracks forwards via the platform’s F2F link, not native email forwarding.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Google Analytics Integration

Built-in support for appending Google Analytics UTM tracking parameters to links in emails and landing pages.

Most platforms offer similar UTM integration, though implementation depth varies.

Channels & Integrations

Group

A collection of contacts used as the audience for sending emails and other communications. Groups can be either Static or Dynamic and have an Owner and permission settings.

Equivalent to "list," "segment," or "audience" in other platforms. emfluence distinguishes between Static and Dynamic types within the same concept.

Core Platform Concepts

Hard Bounce (HB)

A permanent delivery failure, typically because the email address does not exist. Hard-bounced addresses are immediately marked as held.

Standard definition across the industry.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Held

A contact status indicating the person is being temporarily removed from active sending due to scenarios such as the contact mailbox is full, the contact's server was temporarily offline, or the contact might just have an Out of Office message going out.

Other platforms may call this “quarantined", “paused”, “frozen”, “inactive”, “excluded”, or “suspended”.

Contacts & Data Management

Integrations

Connections to third-party systems including Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM, Salesforce, and other tools via the platform’s open API.

Integration availability and depth vary by platform. emfluence emphasizes CRM integration with Microsoft and Salesforce.

Channels & Integrations

Landing Page

A standalone web page created within the emfluence platform. Landing pages can include forms, surveys, videos, and other content elements. They are inactive by default until published.

The concept is common across platforms. Some call these "web pages," "microsites," or "capture pages."

Core Platform Concepts

Layout

A structural element in the Drag & Drop Editor that defines the column arrangement and responsive behavior of a section. Content elements are typically placed inside layouts.

Some platforms call these "rows," "structures," "sections," or "containers."

Content & Design

Library Block

A reusable piece of content created in the email builder based upon aspects of the current email. These blocks are only available within the email builder and cannot be edited once created.

Content & Design

Manual Email

The message that is composed, designed, and sent to contacts within the emfluence Marketing Platform. An email has a Title (internal name), Subject line, content body, and associated metrics.

Other platforms may call this a "deployment," "campaign," "blast," or "send." In emfluence, an email is specifically the individual message—not a higher-level grouping.

Core Platform Concepts

Marketing Calendar

A calendar view within the platform displaying scheduled and sent marketing activities across all channels. Events (calendar-only items) can be added through campaigns.

Some platforms call this a "content calendar," "campaign calendar," or don’t include one natively.

Channels & Integrations

Owner

The platform user assigned to a contact, email, group, or other record. Ownership controls visibility and editing permissions, especially for Restricted Users.

Some platforms use "created by" or don’t have per-record ownership. emfluence’s ownership model is more granular than many competitors.

Contacts & Data Management

Permissions

Access controls that determine what a user can view, edit, and send. Permissions apply to groups, emails, contacts, and platform features like Template Builder.

Permission models vary widely across platforms. emfluence ties permissions to record ownership and explicit grants.

Users & Permissions

Proof

A test email sent to yourself or colleagues before final deployment. Proofs let you verify formatting, links, and dynamic content in an actual inbox environment.

Other platforms call this a "test send," "test email," or "preview email."

Email Composition & Sending

Recipients

The total number of contacts the email was sent to.

Also called "sends," "delivered to," or "audience size" in other platforms.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Resend

A feature to re-send an existing email to selected contacts. The platform creates a new copy of the email and a new static group of the selected recipients.

Some platforms call this "re-deploy" or simply "copy and send." The automatic group creation is unique to emfluence.

Email Composition & Sending

Response Page

The page displayed to a visitor after they submit a form on a landing page. Can be a custom URL or a page created within the platform.

Other platforms call this a "thank you page," "confirmation page," or "success page."

Landing Page Metrics

Restricted User

A platform user who can only view and manage emails, groups, and contacts they own or have been explicitly given permission to access.

Some platforms call these "limited users," "team members," or use role-based access control (RBAC) with custom roles.

Users & Permissions

Scheduling & Throttling

Controls for setting when an email sends (scheduling) and how quickly it delivers to the full list (throttling). Throttling spreads delivery over time to manage inbox placement and server load.

Scheduling is universal. Throttling may be called "send rate limiting," "delivery pacing," or "batch sending" in other platforms.

Email Composition & Sending

Sending Issues

A metric capturing delivery problems that don’t fall neatly into bounce categories.

Some platforms call these "delivery errors" or "failed sends."

Email Metrics & Reporting

Shares

Contacts who shared the email on social networks using the Share system link.

Some platforms call this "social shares" or include it within a broader "viral" metric.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Smart Score

The platform’s intelligent scoring system for soft bounces. Different bounce types receive different point values (e.g., out-of-office gets half a point, server error gets a full point). When a score reaches 5 without a successful delivery, the email address is flagged as held.

This is an emfluence-specific feature. Other platforms may use simpler rules like "suppress after X consecutive soft bounces."

Contacts & Data Management

SMS Text Messaging

A built-in channel (powered by Twilio) for sending text messages to contacts. SMS activities include Sent, Failed, Unsubscribed, and Incoming Message (replies from contacts).

Some platforms require add-ons or third-party integrations for SMS. emfluence includes the Twilio integration natively.

Channels & Integrations

Social Messages / Social Media

Posts created and published to social media networks (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X / Twitter) from within the platform. Social messages can be added to campaigns.

Some platforms call these "social posts," "social publishing," or require separate social media tools.

Channels & Integrations

Soft Bounce (SB)

A temporary delivery failure (e.g., full mailbox, server temporarily unavailable). The platform uses Smart Score to track repeated soft bounces and suppress addresses that consistently fail.

Standard concept, but emfluence’s Smart Score approach to managing soft bounces is platform-specific.

Email Metrics & Reporting

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

An email authentication method that specifies which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain.

Industry-standard protocol referenced across all email platforms.

Deliverability & Compliance

SSO (Single Sign-On)

A login method that allows users to authenticate through an external identity provider. emfluence currently offers SSO through Okta, with other providers available upon request.

SSO support is common in enterprise-tier plans across platforms.

Channels & Integrations

Standard Editor

An HTML/code-based editor for composing emails and landing pages. Provides more control for users comfortable with HTML coding.

Other platforms may call this the "code editor," "HTML editor," or "source editor."

Content & Design

Static Group

A group where contacts are manually added or imported. The membership does not change automatically—contacts remain until manually removed.

Similar to a "manual list" or "uploaded list" in other platforms.

Core Platform Concepts

Subject

The subject line that recipients see in their inbox. This is distinct from the Title (internal name).

Standard across all email platforms.

Email Composition & Sending

Suppressed

A contact status indicating the person has been removed from active sending, either through opting out, repeated bounces, or manual suppression. Suppressed contacts remain in the system but do not receive emails.

Other platforms may call this "unsubscribed," "blacklisted," "excluded," or "do not contact."

Contacts & Data Management

Survey

A questionnaire or feedback form created within the platform. Surveys can be embedded in landing pages or linked from emails. Each recipient gets a unique survey link for tracking individual responses. Note that survey responses are NOT saved to the contact record.

Some platforms require third-party integrations (e.g., SurveyMonkey or Typeform) for survey functionality. emfluence includes surveys natively.

Core Platform Concepts

System Links

Built-in platform links that can be inserted into emails. There are four types: Unsubscribe, Forward to Friend, View as Webpage, and Share.

Other platforms may auto-insert these or call them "default links," "compliance links," or "footer links."

Email Composition & Sending

Template

A pre-designed email layout that controls the visual structure and branding of your messages. Templates are reusable starting points for composing emails. They may contain sections that cannot be edited within the subsequent email, such as unsubscribe footers, social links, etc.

Similar across platforms, though some call these "designs," "layouts," or "master templates."

Core Platform Concepts

Template Builder

A platform tool for creating and editing email templates. Accessible through the Options menu or the Messages section; availability depends on user permissions.

Some platforms include template creation within a general "design studio" or "brand center."

Core Platform Concepts

Theme

A preset design style for landing pages in the Drag & Drop Editor. Themes include default values for colors, fonts, and layout that can be customized. Users can also create Landing Page Themes for reuse.

Similar to "templates" or "starter designs" in other platforms’ page builders.

Content & Design

Title

The internal name assigned to an email for organizational purposes within the platform. The title is not visible to recipients—it is separate from the Subject line.

Some platforms call this the "internal name," "campaign name," or "email name."

Email Composition & Sending

Transactional Category

A classification label for transactional emails that groups related triggered messages together for organization and reporting.

Some platforms use "transactional templates" or "triggered email types" for similar categorization.

Core Platform Concepts

Transactional Email

An email triggered by a specific action or event (such as an order confirmation or form submission) often through a call to an emfluence API, sent to an individual contact rather than a list. Transactional emails are organized by Transactional Categories.

The concept is standard across the industry. Some platforms handle transactional email through a separate system or API.

Core Platform Concepts

Unique Clicks

The number of unique recipients clicking any link within an email.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Unique Views

The number of unique recipients opening an email.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Unsubscribes

Contacts who opted out of receiving future emails by clicking the unsubscribe link.

Standard across all platforms.

Email Metrics & Reporting

Variable Content

Dynamic content that changes per recipient based on a variable assigned to their contact record. Can include text, images, and formatting—such as personalized signature blocks or product recommendations. This can also include personalized content which is essentially contact field data.

Other platforms may call this "dynamic content," "conditional content," "personalization blocks," or "smart content."

Content & Design

View as Webpage

A system link that opens the email content as a hosted web page. Displays a "Preview" page when clicked from a draft or proof; shows the live version once sent.

Other platforms call this "view in browser," view with images”, “"web version," or "mirror page."

Email Composition & Sending

Views

The number of times an email was opened by all recipients.

Most platforms call this "opens." emfluence uses "views" and "unique views" rather than "opens" and "unique opens."

Email Metrics & Reporting

Views (Page)

The number of visitors who viewed a landing page.

Also called "page visits," "page views," or "impressions" in other contexts.

Landing Page Metrics

Web Views

Contacts who viewed the email as a web page using the View as Webpage system link.

Other platforms may call this "browser views" or "mirror page views."

Email Metrics & Reporting

Website Tracking

A feature that monitors and records visitor behavior on your website. The tracked activity is "Visited Page," which ties anonymous and known contact visits to their contact records.

Other platforms may call this "web tracking," "site tracking," "behavioral tracking," or "web analytics integration."

Channels & Integrations

Workflow

An automated series of actions triggered by defined conditions. Workflows allow you to build multi-step automated email sequences and other marketing actions.

Other platforms call this an "automation," "journey," "drip campaign," "flow," or "autoresponder series."

Core Platform Concepts

Industry Term

emfluence Term

A/B test

A/B Split

abuse reports

Complaints

account manager

Client Admin

account variables

Address Variables

activity log

Contact Activities

admin

Client Admin

audience

Group

audience size

Recipients

automated

Delivery Type

automation

Workflow

autoresponder

Automated Email

autoresponder

Auto-Response Email

autoresponder series

Workflow

batch sending

Scheduling & Throttling

behavioral tracking

Website Tracking

blacklisted

Suppressed

blast

Manual Email

block editor

Drag & Drop Editor

brand center

Template Builder

brand kit

Brand Colors

broadcast

Delivery Type

browser views

Web Views

campaign

Manual Email

campaign calendar

Marketing Calendar

campaign name

Title

canvas

Drag & Drop Editor

capture forms

Form / Formbuilder

capture pages

Landing Page

click-through rate

Click-to-View Rate

click-to-open rate

Click-to-View Rate

code editor

Standard Editor

company info fields

Address Variables

compliance links

System Links

conditional content

Variable Content

confirmation page

Response Page

contact card

Contact Record

containers

Layout

content calendar

Marketing Calendar

copy and send

Resend

created by

Owner

custom attributes

Custom Fields

custom properties

Custom Fields

default links

System Links

default merge tags

Address Variables

delivered to

Recipients

delivery errors

Sending Issues

delivery pacing

Scheduling & Throttling

deployment

Manual Email

design editor

Drag & Drop Editor

design studio

Template Builder

design system

Brand Colors

designs

Template

do not contact

Suppressed

Domain Keys

DKIM (Domain Keys)

drip campaign

Automated Email

drip campaign

Workflow

dynamic content

Variable Content

dynamic segment

Dynamic Group

email name

Title

email workflow

Automated Email

engagement history

Contact Activities

engagement scoring

Contact Scoring

excluded

Held

excluded

Suppressed

failed sends

Sending Issues

filtered audience

Dynamic Group

flow

Workflow

folder

Campaign

footer links

System Links

frozen

Held

HTML editor

Standard Editor

impressions

Views (Page)

inactive

Held

internal name

Title

journey

Workflow

layouts

Template

lead

Contact

lead record

Contact Record

lead scoring

Contact Scoring

limited users

Restricted User

list

Group

manual list

Static Group

master templates

Template

member

Contact

microsites

Landing Page

mirror page

View as Webpage

mirror page views

Web Views

modules

Content Block

multivariate test

A/B Split

opens

Views

page views

Views (Page)

page visits

Views (Page)

paused

Held

performance over time

Email Metrics Over Time

personalization blocks

Variable Content

preview email

Proof

program

Campaign

project

Campaign

quarantined

Held

re-deploy

Resend

recipient

Contact

reusable content

Content Block

rows

Layout

saved blocks

Content Block

sections

Layout

segment

Group

send

Manual Email

send rate limiting

Scheduling & Throttling

sends

Recipients

sequence

Automated Email

signup forms

Form / Formbuilder

site tracking

Website Tracking

smart content

Variable Content

smart list

Dynamic Group

snippets

Content Block

social posts

Social Messages / Social Media

social publishing

Social Messages / Social Media

social shares

Shares

source editor

Standard Editor

spam complaints

Complaints

split test

A/B Split

starter designs

Theme

structures

Layout

style guide

Brand Colors

subscriber

Contact

subscriber profile

Contact Record

success page

Response Page

super user

Client Admin

suspended

Held

team members

Restricted User

templates

Theme

test email

Proof

test send

Proof

thank you page

Response Page

timeline

Contact Activities

transactional templates

Transactional Category

trend reports

Email Metrics Over Time

trigger email

Auto-Response Email

triggered

Delivery Type

triggered email

Automated Email

triggered email types

Transactional Category

unique opens

Views

unique views

Views

unsubscribed

Suppressed

uploaded list

Static Group

user fields

Custom Fields

view in browser

View as Webpage

viral

Shares

visual editor

Drag & Drop Editor

web analytics integration

Website Tracking

web forms

Form / Formbuilder

web pages

Landing Page

web tracking

Website Tracking

web version

View as Webpage

welcome email

Auto-Response Email