Glossary: Video Marketing That Works

Every key term from the course, in plain English. When a lesson says a word you don't know, it lives here.

Video job

The single business purpose a video serves: attract strangers, build trust, answer objections, or close sales. Every video gets exactly one.

Hook

The first 3–5 seconds. Its only job is to stop the scroll by promising something worth watching.

B-roll

Supplementary footage cut over your main shot — product close-ups, process shots, location views. What makes a video feel professional.

A-roll

Your main footage — usually you talking to camera. B-roll exists to cover its edits and illustrate its points.

Jump cut

Removing pauses and filler from a talking-head video, creating small visible 'jumps.' The standard fast-paced editing rhythm.

Lower third

Text overlay in the lower part of the frame — names, titles, key points. Keeps viewers oriented without stopping the video.

Call to action (CTA)

The one next step you give the viewer. 'Book a call' beats 'like and subscribe and visit our site.'

Retention graph

The second-by-second viewership curve platforms show you. Dips reveal exactly where viewers left — your editing notes for next time.

Thumbnail

The still image representing your video in feeds and search. On YouTube it decides clicks as much as the title does.

Native publishing

Uploading the video file directly to each platform instead of linking from elsewhere. Platforms reward native video with reach.

Aspect ratio

The video's shape: 16:9 (landscape, YouTube), 9:16 (vertical, shorts/Reels/TikTok), 1:1 (square, feeds). Shoot for where it'll live.

Watch time

Total minutes viewers spent watching. The metric platforms optimize for — and the one your editing should optimize for too.

Testimonial video

A customer explaining their result in their own words. The highest-trust video format for closing sales.

Explainer video

A short video that answers one question or demonstrates one thing. Built to rank in search and get shared.