We’re two weeks in now and still learning something new each day. As a 20-year-old college kid who isn’t fluent in agency lingo yet, a lot of my aha moments have centered on terminology. For those readers who are just becoming familiar with the agency life, I have a few simple definitions for you. If you already know this stuff, have mercy on me and don’t judge, okay? This is a judgement-free zone, people. Here are three key terms to know before you walk in the door (or pretend you know as soon as you cross the threshold):

1. Impressions.

I don’t mean making a good impression, or the dental impression mold they use at the orthodontist when you have jacked up teeth. I’m talking about media impressions. This was a term that I hadn’t used in my everyday vocabulary until HLK. Impressions refer to “the point in which an ad is viewed once by a visitor, or displayed once on a web page.” This just means there’s a chance someone could see the ad. Whether this is subconscious or intentional, part of media buying’s realm includes impressions.

2. KPI

Blahg an acronym you’ll never remember, right?

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicators. A KPI is “a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives. Organizations use KPIs to evaluate their success at reaching targets.” Read: KPIs are something you want to meet and exceed.

3. Deliverables

They are “a project management term for the quantifiable goods or services that will be provided upon the completion of a project.” So for our little intern team, this means things like certain social media posts, banner advertisements, recommendations for ad placement and media spends, etc. Fairly self-explanatory, but good to define anyway.

So there you have it! Three simple agency terms that you should familiarize yourself with before you start walking around like you own the place. Even then, confidence is key -- but stay humble whydont’cha. Best of luck!