Marketing automation uses software and rules to send the right message to the right contact at the right time, without doing it by hand. This glossary explains 84 marketing automation terms from A to Z in plain language, each tagged Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced, from workflows and triggers to lead scoring, orchestration and CRM sync.
Marketing automation is the use of software and rules to run repeatable marketing tasks, such as sending emails, scoring leads, tagging contacts and routing leads to sales. A contact's actions start each step, so every person gets a timely, relevant message.
Start with the Beginner terms, such as workflow, trigger event, lead scoring, drip campaign and CRM integration. Move to Intermediate terms as you build branching and segmentation, and use the Advanced terms for orchestration, data sync and predictive scoring.
Search by term or filter by level above. Related terms link to each other, so you can follow an idea from one concept to the next.
The trigger decides when a contact enters or moves through a workflow. Most mature setups combine more than one type.
| Trigger type | Fires when | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action-based | A contact clicks, visits or submits | Welcome series, content follow-up and abandonment flows | Only reacts to tracked actions |
| Property-based | A contact field or lifecycle stage changes | Lead handoff, onboarding and segment updates | Needs clean, consistent data |
| Date-based | A set date or anniversary arrives | Renewals, birthdays and event reminders | Depends on accurate date fields |
| Score-based | A lead or engagement score passes a threshold | Hot lead alerts and MQL handoff | Scoring rules need regular review |
| Webhook | Another system sends an event | Connecting tools with no native integration | Needs technical setup and testing |
Quick answers to the most searched marketing automation basics.
Marketing automation is software and rules that run repetitive marketing tasks for you, such as sending emails, scoring leads, tagging contacts and passing leads to sales. A contact's actions trigger the next step, so the right message reaches the right person at the right time without manual work.
A drip campaign is a fixed series of messages sent on a schedule. A workflow is broader: it can include conditions, branches, waits, tagging, CRM updates and handoffs to sales, and it reacts to what each contact does.
Lead scoring gives each contact points for their profile and behavior, such as job title, pages visited or emails clicked. When a score passes a set threshold, the contact is marked as ready for sales, so your team spends time on the leads most likely to buy.
A marketing qualified lead (MQL) has shown enough interest and fit to be passed from marketing. A sales qualified lead (SQL) has been reviewed or meets stricter criteria and is ready for direct sales follow-up.
A trigger is the event that starts or moves a workflow along. It can be an action, such as a form submission or link click, a change in a contact property, a date, or a signal from another tool sent by webhook.
A CRM integration syncs contact records, activity and lifecycle stages between your automation platform and your CRM. Field mapping decides which data goes where, so marketing and sales both see the same up-to-date information.
Exit criteria are the conditions that remove a contact from a workflow, such as a purchase, a reply or an unsubscribe. Without them, people can keep receiving messages that no longer apply to them.
Use frequency capping, a global suppression list, re-entry rules and sunset policies. Also set exit criteria on every workflow so a contact is never in two conflicting sequences at once.
No. Most platforms offer a no-code, drag-and-drop workflow builder. Coding knowledge only helps for advanced work such as webhooks, custom data feeds and complex integrations.
Yes. It is completely free to read, with no sign-up. You can search it, filter it by level and jump to any letter.
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