Glossary
GlossaryTerms from UGC, social media and design
UGC, social media and design come with a lot of jargon. Here we explain the most important terms in one or two sentences each.
Terms from A to Z
Each term is explained so that the definition makes sense on its own.
| Brand book | A brand book is a manual that defines logo, colors, fonts and rules for a brand's look. It makes sure everyone uses the brand the same way. |
| Brand identity | Brand identity is the consistent visual appearance of a company, made up of logo, colors, fonts, imagery and stationery. |
| Buyout | A buyout settles broad usage rights with a one-time payment. Which channels, uses and terms it covers should still be written into the contract. |
| Community management | Community management means looking after the people on your social channels, mainly by replying to comments and direct messages. |
| Content calendar | A content calendar sets which content goes out when and on which channel. It is used to plan and approve posts before they are published. |
| CPM | CPM stands for cost per mille, the cost of 1,000 impressions of an ad. It is used to compare ad prices across platforms. |
| Creative | A creative is a single ad asset, such as a video, an image or a carousel with copy. |
| Creative fatigue | Creative fatigue is the drop in an ad's performance once the same audience has seen it too often. New videos or new hooks fix it. |
| CTR | CTR stands for click-through rate, the share of people who click the link after seeing an ad or post. |
| DDP shipping | DDP means delivered duty paid: the sender pays shipping, duties and import taxes so the recipient pays nothing on arrival. US clients ship products to the FNLY Social studio in Germany on DDP terms. |
| Engagement | Engagement covers all interactions with a post, such as likes, comments, saves and shares. |
| Favicon | A favicon is the small icon of a website that appears in the browser tab, in bookmarks and in search results. |
| FTC disclosure | An FTC disclosure is a clear label such as "#ad" or "Paid partnership" that shows a material connection between a brand and the person promoting it. The FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255) require it when the audience would not expect the connection. |
| Hook | A hook is the opening of a video, the first one to three seconds that decide whether people keep watching. For ads, several hooks of the same video are often tested. |
| Impression | An impression is a single display of a post or ad on a screen, counted every time, even if the same person sees it several times. |
| Material connection | A material connection is any relationship between a brand and an endorser that could affect how people weigh the endorsement, such as payment, free products or family ties. Under FTC rules it must be disclosed when the audience would not expect it. |
| Model release | A model release is a written consent from a person shown in photos or videos that the footage may be used for a stated purpose, in stated media and for a stated term. |
| Organic usage | Organic usage means publishing content on your own channels without paid reach, for example as a post, Reel or on your website. |
| Paid usage | Paid usage is the right to use content in paid ads. It is usually limited in time and priced separately. |
| Partnership Ads | Partnership Ads are ads on Instagram and Facebook that appear under both the creator's name and the brand's. The creator has to approve the partnership. |
| Raw footage | Raw footage is the unedited material from a shoot. It lets you cut your own versions and additional variations. |
| Reach | Reach is the number of individual people who saw a post or ad at least once. |
| Reel | A Reel is a short vertical video on Instagram or Facebook, shown in the Reels tab and in the feed. |
| Right of publicity | The right of publicity is a person's right to control commercial use of their name, image and voice. In the US it is governed by state law, which is why UGC needs signed model releases. |
| ROAS | ROAS stands for return on ad spend, revenue divided by ad spend. A ROAS of 3 means $3 in revenue for every $1 of ad budget. |
| Short | A Short is a short vertical video on YouTube, shown in the Shorts feed. |
| Spark Ads | Spark Ads are TikTok ads that boost an existing organic post, including a creator's post with their authorization. Likes and comments stay with the post. |
| Story | A Story is a vertical post on Instagram or Facebook that disappears after 24 hours unless it is saved as a highlight. |
| Testimonial | A testimonial is a statement in which a person recommends a product or service based on their own experience. Under the FTC Consumer Review Rule it must not misstate that experience. |
| UGC | UGC stands for user generated content, photos and videos in the style of personal social media posts. Today the term usually means content that brands commission from creators. |
| Unboxing | An unboxing is a video in which a product is unpacked and the first impression is shown. The format is common in ecommerce. |
| Usage license | A usage license allows the use of a copyrighted work in a defined way, exclusive or non-exclusive, while the copyright stays with the creator. An exclusive license must be signed in writing under US law. |
| Voiceover | A voiceover is spoken commentary over footage, without the speaker appearing on screen. |
| White label | White label means a provider delivers a service without its own branding, and the buyer passes it on under their own name, for example an agency to its client. |
| Whitelisting | Whitelisting means a brand runs ads from a creator's profile after the creator has granted access. It needs a separate agreement and is usually billed per month. |
Updated:
Sources
- Federal Register, July 26, 2023: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (16 CFR Part 255)
- Federal Register, August 22, 2024: Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (16 CFR Part 465)
- U.S. Copyright Office: Circular 30, Works Made for Hire
- U.S. Copyright Office: 17 U.S.C. Chapter 2, including § 204
- New York Civil Rights Law § 50 (nysenate.gov)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between reach and impressions?
Reach counts the individual people who saw a post. Impressions count every display, even when the same person sees the post several times.
What is the difference between whitelisting and Spark Ads?
With whitelisting you run ads from a creator's profile, which works on several platforms. Spark Ads are a TikTok format that boosts an existing post with the creator's authorization.
What does creative fatigue mean for my ads?
When an audience has seen the same ad too often, its performance drops. New videos or new hooks for existing videos help.
What is the difference between a Reel, a Short and a Story?
Reels are short vertical videos on Instagram and Facebook, and Shorts are the YouTube equivalent. Stories disappear after 24 hours, while Reels and Shorts stay on the profile.
Is a buyout the same as unlimited rights?
Not automatically. A buyout only describes a one-time payment, and the contract still has to say which channels, uses and terms it covers.
What is a good ROAS?
That depends on your margin and business model, so there is no universal number. What counts is whether revenue leaves a profit after ad costs and product costs.
Glossary
Missing a term?
Email us at info@fnly-group.com. We add frequently requested terms to the glossary.