AdTech Jargon: Digital Marketing Acronyms Explained

Listen, we’ve all been there. You're in a strategy meeting, deep into a new business pitch, or chatting around the office when the conversation suddenly pivots to three-letter terms that sound more like code than communication. You know a fair number of business acronyms. But this one? You’ve never heard it before in your life. “Are we hitting our KPIs with our current DSP? What’s the CPM on that placement?”

Cue the mental panic. You’re now faced with a classic professional dilemma:
Do you ask what it means—and risk sounding uninformed—or do you smile, nod, and silently pray that context clues will eventually reveal the meaning?

In fast-moving industries like cannabis marketing, jargon is everywhere. Especially when it comes to AdTech (advertising technology), where abbreviations dominate everything from campaign planning to performance reporting.

Why AdTech Acronyms Matter in Cannabis Marketing

AdTech acronyms aren’t just industry fluff—they’re shorthand tools. When used correctly, they streamline communication, align teams, and create a shared language for collaboration between cannabis brands, agencies, and ad platforms. But only if you actually know what they mean.

So, whether you’re new to digital advertising or simply tired of Googling acronyms mid-meeting, this glossary is here to help. Below are the most commonly used digital marketing and advertising acronyms that every cannabis advertiser should know—especially when working in a regulated, data-sensitive space like cannabis.

API – Application Programming Interface

A set of tools and definitions that allow different software programs to communicate with each other. APIs are the backbone of ad platforms, CRM tools, and integrations.

ATD – Agency Trading Desk

A centralized media buying unit often layered with a DSP (Demand Side Platform) to help agencies manage and optimize ad buys programmatically.

BR – Bounce Rate

The percentage of website visitors who leave after viewing only one page. A high BR may indicate poor UX, irrelevant content, or a weak landing page.

CAC – Customer Acquisition Cost

The total cost of acquiring a new customer—including ad spend, staff hours, and sales tools—divided by the number of new customers gained.

CMP – Creative Management Platform

A tool that allows creative teams to design, test, and scale multiple versions of ads efficiently. Perfect for testing different headlines, visuals, and CTAs.

CPC – Cost Per Click

The price an advertiser pays each time someone clicks on their ad. This is commonly associated with paid search or display campaigns.

CPM – Cost Per Mille (Thousand Impressions)

The cost to display an ad 1,000 times. "Mille" is Latin for 1,000—hence the “M” in CPM. It’s a foundational metric in display and video advertising.

CRM – Customer Relationship Management

Software that stores customer data and tracks interactions. In cannabis marketing, CRMs are key for segmentation, loyalty programs, and personalized email flows.

CR – Conversion Rate

The percentage of users who complete a desired action (like making a purchase or signing up) after interacting with a campaign.

CRO – Conversion Rate Optimization

The process of testing and refining marketing assets (pages, forms, ads) to increase the percentage of conversions.

CTA – Call to Action

The prompt that encourages users to take a specific action—“Shop Now,” “Learn More,” “Get Your Discount,” etc.

CTR – Click-Through Rate

The percentage of ad impressions that result in clicks. CTR = (Clicks ÷ Impressions) x 100.

CX – Customer Experience

Every touchpoint a customer has with your brand—before, during, and after a purchase. CX includes website usability, customer service, product delivery, and more.

DCO – Dynamic Creative Optimization

Technology that automatically customizes ad creative for different audiences, improving relevance and performance through A/B or multivariate testing.

DMP – Data Management Platform

Used to collect, store, and analyze audience data to create detailed targeting segments.

DSP – Demand Side Platform

‍One half of a programmatic ad buying platform (partner to SSP). Used by advertisers to buy impressions from publishers.

DNS – Domain Name Server

The system that connects website names to their IP addresses. It’s what helps users find your website when they type in a URL.

GDD – Growth Driven Design

A website design method that focuses on incremental updates based on user data and performance metrics, rather than full-scale overhauls.

KPI – Key Performance Indicator

A quantifiable metric that measures campaign success. Common KPIs include CTR, CR, CPA (cost per acquisition), and LTV.

LTV – Lifetime Value

The projected revenue a customer will generate throughout their relationship with your brand.

PMP – Private Marketplace

An invite-only ad auction where publishers sell premium ad inventory to a select group of advertisers, often with higher-quality placements and better brand safety.

ROI – Return on Investment

Measures how much value you get for every dollar spent. A core metric for campaign efficiency and budget justification.

RSS – Rich Site Summary / Really Simple Syndication

Both acronyms refer to the same thing: a feed that updates users with new website content, such as blogs or news.

RTB – Real-Time Bidding

The automated auction system that allows advertisers to bid on individual ad impressions in real time, based on targeting rules and budget.

SaaS – Software as a Service

Cloud-based software you access via subscription (e.g., CRMs, email marketing tools, analytics platforms).

SSP – Supply Side Platform

The publisher’s counterpart to a DSP. It allows media owners to sell inventory programmatically in real-time auctions.

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AdTech acronyms aren’t meant to confuse—they’re built for speed and shared understanding in a data-driven world. In cannabis marketing, where every impression, dollar, and click counts, knowing the difference between DSP and SSP or CPM and CPC isn’t just helpful—it’s essential to executing a successful cannabis marketing strategy. So next time you’re in a meeting and someone asks, “What’s the CTR from our PMP campaign?”—you’ll not only understand it, you might just be the one answering the question.

Ready to put your AdTech knowledge to work?Let MediaJel help you turn acronyms into action with data-driven campaigns that deliver real ROI.  Book a demo to get started.

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