The World of Mouth Marketing describes a targeted effort that pushes users to share their satisfaction for a brand through different touchpoints and with people around them.
According to statistics from November 2019, 92% of the world population trusts recommendations from friends and relatives more than any other form of marketing.
In the hyper-connected world we currently live in, a single product or service recommendation can have a remarkable impact. This is exactly what digital marketing is trying to take advantage of: the possibility to convey and amplify users' positive opinions on social media.
Among the main word of mouth marketing tools and strategies we find:
Buzz Marketing
Exactly like the sound it takes its name from, it aims to attract public attention on a specific topic, product or service that will create a buzz among customers.
Buzz Marketing can be generated through special events, promotions, contests, giveaways or unconventional advertising campaigns that emotionally provoke clients and push them to talk about it both online and offline.
Community Marketing
Today's businesses are based upon relationships built with users. This is exactly what Community Marketing does: it gets rid of barriers between consumers and sellers and puts the brand in a position of active hearing towards customer's queries.
This marketing strategy is formed where users meet: social media. Facebook groups, Twitter pages as well as Instagram hashtags become a place of discussion, engagement and direct contact with a brand.
Influencer Marketing
88% of people believe in online reviews written by other consumers as strongly as they trust advices given by people close to them.
Influencer Marketing consists in identifying the so-called "opinion leaders" and letting them talk about the brand. This allows for much more engagement from consumers compared to classic advertising techniques.
Nowadays, Influencer Marketing is one of the most efficient long-run strategies.
Monitoring feedback
Businesses need to constantly keep their feedback (given through comments or reviews) monitored, in order to always keep a good online reputation.
Positive comments should be boosted and amplified since they reassure and induce other users towards the purchase. It is recommended, for instance, to ask “silent customers” (those who did not leave any sort of assessment) for a feedback.
Criticism, on the other hand, must not be faced impulsively. Users’ complaints should be always answered promptly, calmly addressed and appreciated for the report.
You can keep your brand reputation monitored using the following tools: Google Alert, Facebook Graph Search e Buzzsumo.
Offering quality products or services and regularly optimizing the customer journey is also another often overlooked method for generating satisfied customers who can later leave positive reviews online or offline.
According to international statistics, an efficient UX can increase the conversion rate by up to 400%.
To conclude, the WOMM has the advantage of generating Brand Awareness both for the brand and the product and it enables sales to increase with zero advertising expenses.
Given the ongoing phenomenon of online fake reviews, it is important to point out that constantly aiming for ethical marketing strategies brings greater profits in the long term: reviews and positive comments must therefore be authentic and spontaneous.
Lastly, negative opinions can also be perceived as positive from a business point of view: paying attention to critical issues is the first step towards improvement.
E-Business Consulting is by your side and can help you redefine your communication strategy in a multichannel perspective in order to generate a process of word to mouth and amplify the results for your business.
Contact us and we will be happy to help you!
