Is Word of Mouth Still Effective?
Written by: Jade Martin, Social Media Coordinator, The Good Lemon
Is it just us, or have you noticed that when you open up any social media platform you are immediately being told about this amazing new product that definitely works?
Our feeds are flooded with these kinds of ads, featuring “real” people saying “honest” things. How effective is this kind of marketing, known as digital word-of-mouth, versus getting a recommendation directly from someone you actually know?
Traditional vs Digital Word-of-Mouth (WOM) Marketing
WOM marketing is the informal exchange of information among peers. It operates on the premise that individuals are inclined to act upon recommendations from trusted people, as opposed to relying on advertising or alternative marketing strategies. You know this as your bestie telling you about a great new lip gloss they’re using. If she likes it, it has to be good, right? You trust her!
Digital WOM is the exchange of information that can sway your opinion through the internet, whether that be from a comment section, your friend’s Instagram stories, a review of a product, or a rec from a mom blogger you follow. For many of us, the opinions of a mass group of reviewers might be even more convincing than our bestie’s insistence that their lip gloss is incredible. Or we might need to double-check our bestie’s opinion against the opinions of that group.
For us digital marketers, relying on traditional WOM marketing to promote our stuff can feel, well, inefficient. Why ask your consumers to verbally promote your products or your campaigns when you can push your content directly in front of thousands or millions of eyeballs through an ad, or reach an influencer’s audience with some simple negotiation? If you have the budget, you’re saving time.
However, consumers feel the effects of this daily. Opening up Instagram quickly leads to an avalanche of selfie videos, with someone supposedly credible telling you how a product or a hack (which is usually a product) will change everything.
This surplus in ads creates confusion and distrust between marketers and consumers, because the truth is that not all marketing is bad. Sometimes a marketer is genuinely trying to promote something great! And 92% of marketers are confident that the branded content they produce resonates as genuine with consumers.
But consumers don’t see it that way: 51% of consumers indicate that fewer than half of brands succeed in creating authentic content as they perceive as genuine. Fewer than half!
The Filter Bubble
Digital algorithms deliver content on websites or social channels based on their assessment of your preferences, resulting in the content that you see feeling curated specifically “for you.” This creates what is known as a “filter bubble,” or the little bubble you live in on your digital channels where all of what you see is catered specifically to you and your interests. That means there’s a lot online you won’t see.
Algorithms exert influence on consumers’ decision-making processes when determining what to buy, or where to donate, or even what content to consume. A digital marketer should have a solid understanding of their audience’s preferences and habits online to target content specifically to reach them, inside that filter bubble, if they hope to be successful. But to do this authentically, the consumer shouldn’t feel like your brand doesn’t belong inside their filter bubble.
So, Should You Try Digital WOM Marketing?
A study by the Keller Fay Group found that 50% of consumers say they are likely to make a purchase based on a real-life conversation, while only 43% of consumers feel the same way after an online conversation. There might be a lot of ads and chatter online, but the fact that your bestie is wearing that lip gloss is still the most effective way to get you to buy it too.
However, digital WOM marketing can help you reach a large audience quickly and build greater brand awareness, to complement the great reviews you hopefully are already getting from your customers. It makes sense to embrace both digital and traditional WOM marketing, but here are some things to keep in mind:
Be Genuine: Your content should be transparent to be able to resonate with your audience, creating a sense of trust with your audience. Promote products you believe are worth promoting; mean what you say when you talk about them.
Include Sources: If referring to a study/statistic, include the source to back up your findings so your audience won't have to fact-check it themselves. Not every marketer bothers to do this, and many of them share fake statistics, but we aren’t those kinds of marketers and we don’t think you should be either!
Humble Brag: If you have an email newsletter, every so often include a section to shout out what customers, partners, or donors have to say about collaborating with you. If you’re truly doing great work, other people will be more than willing to talk about it.
Balance: Ensure that not every post you create is aimed at swaying your audience's choices. Instead, create content that provides value for your audience. How can you solve a problem for them, or teach them something, or entertain them?