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Word-of-Mouth Marketing in the Digital Era

In the age of digital advertising and social media influencers, it’s easy to overlook one of the oldest and most effective forms of marketing – word of mouth. But make no mistake, word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) remains a potent force in shaping consumer and business opinions and driving purchasing decisions.

What Is WOMM?

Let’s face it, people love to talk.

Word-of-mouth marketing is exactly what it sounds like: the act of people telling others in their social and business circles about a product, service, or brand that has left an impression on them, whether it be good or bad. It can take many forms, from casual conversations between friends to online reviews and recommendations on social media platforms. At its core, word-of-mouth marketing relies on the trust and credibility that comes from personal recommendations.

As Andy Sernovitz states, “Nobody talks about boring companies, boring products, or boring ads.” In fact, Sernovitz breaks down the four rules of WOMM as being:

  • Rule #1: Be Interesting
  • Rule #2: Make People Happy
  • Rule #3: Earn Trust and Respect
  • Rule #4: Make It Easy

The foundation of successful WOMM is delivering exceptional customer experiences. When customers are delighted with a product or service, they’re more likely to share their positive experiences with others. With the power of social media at our fingertips, companies are now easily able to identify their most loyal customers and turn them into brand advocates.

A single recommendation from a satisfied customer can reach a wide audience thanks to the power of social media and online communities. This recommendation can have a lasting impact on your brand’s reputation and credibility. And now, positive recommendations can continue to influence potential customers long after the initial conversation or social media post.

The Four Main Types of WOMM Are…

Buzz Marketing
The cream of the crop when it comes to WOMM is buzz marketing. This is the act of getting your current customers and prospective customers excited and talking about your product(s), services, or brand.

Toward the end of 2019, Tesla revealed the idea of the Cybertruck. For days following the big reveal, memes and opinions of the new futuristic vehicle were taking social media by storm.

While not everyone was a fan of the concept, Tesla ensured they came up with a product that generated the buzz they were looking for.

Content Marketing
Content can be the buffer to build the bridge between a brand and its prospective customers. The best way to get started is to create content that starts the conversation instead of hoping your customers create it.

Sharing as much information as possible by becoming the go-to resource for guides, tutorials, and other sought-after content is a great example of this. Hubspot excels at content marketing with its social media approach, blog strategy, and more. I mean, who else to lead the charge other than a CRM platform with all the resources you need to connect marketing, sales, content management, and customer service?

Referral Marketing
Sometimes it is tough to get the conversation going, and that’s where referral marketing can take a role. Everyone loves incentives. One of the best ways to get people to start talking and sharing a brand is by offering an incentivized referral program.

Uber is one company that excels at referral marketing. Uber offers both the referrer and the person they refer a $20 ride credit once the new user signs up.

Social Media Marketing
By 2025, 56.7% of the world’s population will be active on at least one social network. WOMM, through social media, comes in many shapes and sizes, including follower engagement, online reviews, sharable content, user-generated content, influencer marketing, and so much more.

Wendy’s thrives on Twitter and getting their customers to talk. Not only do they roast competitors, but they also have sassy comments back to their followers and generate content that is consistently shared with hundreds of thousands of their followers’ followers and talked about for years to come.

So, How Does This Tie Into the Digital Era?
WOMM continues to be one of the most effective forms of marketing, especially as social media continues to be on the rise as one of the fastest-growing ways to get a message out into the world. People trust what others have to say about a brand and its products or services, and the best way to get the message across is through the internet.

Communication is no longer just a face-to-face interaction. The WOMM map has grown from one person telling another to that person telling two more friends, and so on. Now, that person can go online and tell hundreds of people about their experience with a brand with one tweet, one Google review, or one viral TikTok video.

While information overload and distrust of traditional advertising is rampant throughout advertising channels, WOMM offers a refreshing alternative. However, for companies to be truly successful with WOMM in the digital era, they need to coherently combine their digital marketing strategy with social media, and PR.

Taking advantage of personal recommendations and social networks can help businesses build trust, credibility, and long-term relationships with their customers. So, don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth marketing—embrace it and watch your business thrive.

If you’re ready to take the next step in accelerating and expanding your online presence as a thought leader, 0to5 can help. Contact us today.

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