Recently, I bought facewash because my friend was going gaga over it. She told me how it helped her acne, skin blemishes, and dryness. Why did I buy? It was because of word-of-mouth marketing. My friend suggested it, I read online reviews and bought it. Can you relate to what I did? If yes, this blog is for you. Discover the power of genuine recommendations! Learn What is Word-of-Mouth Marketing? Unleash secrets to boost your brand.
Some notable businesses appear to have grown with little or no effort. However, one of their biggest secrets is generally word-of-mouth marketing. 64% of marketers agree that word-of-mouth is the most effective form of marketing. You must have shared information about your favorite restaurant or product with a friend or you must have shared a software tool with a work colleague. These conversations are what create word-of-mouth marketing such a powerful opportunity for your brand and business.
Word-of-mouth is one of the most underutilized and affordable marketing techniques available. It happens when a business is able to impress a consumer to the point where they share it with their friend. Most marketers (83%) use word of mouth marketing because it increases brand awareness. So, reap the benefits of word-of-mouth marketing for your business to skyrocket your ROI.
What is Word-of-Mouth Marketing?
Some things are too good to keep to oneself. Great products, outstanding services- they beg to be shared. Word-of-mouth isn’t just a chatter; it’s the echo of genuine satisfaction.
Word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) is a strategy based on audiences that naturally spread the word about your brand. WOMM presents itself in a variety of ways. It most often includes a customer promoting a product or service to their friends and family. A customer shares its experience with the near and dear ones and recommends using the same. They already trust the person making the suggestion, and that confidence and credibility are instantly transferred to the brand being suggested.
Word-of-mouth marketing is now the fastest way to develop an ecommerce company since personal recommendations can be shared online, particularly through social media. Many of the personal suggestions come from social media now. These may be influencers, an online review, or a happy and satisfied customer simply sharing their pleasant experience. And when done right, it may have profound effects. Did you know that word of mouth marketing brings in 5 times more sales than paid media? So, hurry up brands, what are you waiting for?
WOMM is a form of advertising for brands that is fueled by consumer experiences and anecdotes. Although word-of-mouth marketing is a type of advertising, but remember, that it does not constituent as ads. It is far from it. Most of the time, WOMM is completely free. To be honest, it is organic. Natural and genuine interactions, feedback, and reviews cannot be purchased. Consequently, WOM is such a positive symbol: it’s the advertisement that takes place without any kind of sales pitch or sleazy practice.
Types of Word-of-Mouth Marketing
A word of mouth marketing campaign can be carried out in a variety of ways. But remember that the purpose is to spread the word about your brand and business or product or service and raise brand awareness.
Buzz Marketing
This type of word-of-mouth marketing improves the awareness of your business campaign or product. The buzz marketing method stimulates intense conversations in both in-person and online social communities. For example: ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The goal was to raise awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), popularly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Viral Marketing
Viral marketing depends on a specific target to gradually build knowledge and increase awareness about a product or service. When viral campaigns reach a large mass audience beyond their target demographic, they often fulfill business objectives. Viral marketing takes time to develop. Viral marketing can also spread as a result of a negative reaction, message, or content. For instance: Domino’s
Domino’s introduced the group ordering function available through the app in 2021, which lets you and your friends choose a certain order on their phone and pass it across to the person who is ordering. This function eliminates the need to wait half an hour for your friends to browse the menu and select what to order.
Social Media Marketing
Word-of-mouth marketing encompasses both online and offline efforts. Social media is a prominent avenue for digital word-of-mouth. Social media marketing leverages a range of social networks to engage with customers. For example: Wendy’s
HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS pic.twitter.com/4SrfHmEMo3
— Carter Wilkerson (@carterjwm) April 6, 2017
This social media post went viral and there have been so many retweets. Wendy’s social media is known for its on-point jokes, roasts, and pop culture references. Their reaction to Carter Wilkerson’s “free chicken nuggets” tweet sparked a viral word-of-mouth campaign.
More resources: How to Build Customer Relationships with Social Media?
Why Hiring a Social Media Manager for a Small Business Matters?
Blogging
The process of writing content and publishing it online is called blogging. Blogging allows businesses to build customer trust and loyalty. It allows businesses to engage more closely with their audience’s lifestyle, habits, and values.
Visit our blog section to learn more.
Also learn 10 Benefits of Blogging for Business and Marketing
Public Relations
Public relations (PR) creates awareness of your brand. It is the process of gaining and directing media attention. Crisis management, brand awareness, and reputation management are all part of public relations. For example: Subway
For the majority of time, Subway has run several marketing campaigns with the motto: Eat, Fresh! However, in the light of improvements to its brand and food, a new ad has developed appropriate branding “Eat Fresh Refresh.” Many sports stars, like Steph Curry and Serena Williams, are involved in the ad, using their wit to promote Subway’s new lunch options.
Referral Marketing
Referral marketing provides customers with rewards in exchange for spreading the word about their products or services. This enables your references to offer their thoughts on any platform via which they might engage with potential customers.
Featured resources: What is Referral Marketing? And How to Use it Successfully?
10 Best Referral Marketing Strategies (Ultimate List 2024)
Emotional Marketing
To influence consumers, emotional marketing messaging focuses on unique human emotions. This type of word-of-mouth marketing is most often image-based and generated in reaction to some news or the latest developments.
Featured resource: What is Emotional Marketing? Everything You Need to Know
Benefits of Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Most people are willing to believe the opinions of people they know than advertising messages from unknown brands and businesses. 59% of customers like to give word-of-mouth feedback- they tell others about new products and services (Referral Candy).
The best conversations don’t happen on screens, they happen over coffee, across dinner tables, and amidst laughter. Word-of-mouth marketing is about creating stories so compelling, people can’t help but share them.
If a person receives a favorable review of a product or service from a family member, friend, or coworker, they are more likely to try the product because they feel the reviewer is offering an honest description of their experience with the brand. Word-of-mouth marketing can also assist a firm in passively reaching a new customer base. Customers effectively provide free advertisement; therefore, it needs little effort on the part of the business. So, here are some benefits of WOMM for you:
Builds Trust
People like products and services from reliable brands, yet they may be skeptical of marketing. They are more inclined to believe ideas and reviews from other countries than brand advertisements.
Cost-effective
Unlike print and digital marketing, word-of-mouth campaigns are generally cost-effective. When customers share their great product experiences with others, it costs the business nothing.
Supports Buying Decisions
When a business promotes a product or service by word-of-mouth, it becomes easy for someone to buy that product or service. Unlike advertising, this style of marketing does not overwhelm a potential buyer with product information, and it also clearly displays the comparison of your product in relation to your competitors’.
Creates a Community
Word-of-mouth can help a business create a dedicated audience. As opposed to purchasing a product or service and then forgetting about it, consumers connect with the brand and exchange their positive experience with their near and dear ones.
Importance of Word-of-Mouth Marketing
| Aspect | Importance |
|---|---|
| Credibility & Trust | Word-of-mouth recommendations are perceived as more trustworthy because they come from real people’s experiences and opinions. |
| Higher Conversions | Potential customers are more likely to make a purchase based on recommendations from friends, family, or peers, leading to higher conversions. |
| Customer Retention | Satisfied customers who engage in word-of-mouth marketing are more likely to become loyal and repeat customers, ensuring long-term business relationships. |
| Cost-Effective | It is a low-cost marketing strategy compared to traditional advertising, making it suitable for businesses with limited budgets. |
| Enhanced Brand Reputation | Positive word-of-mouth contributes to building a strong brand reputation, fostering a positive image in the market. |
| Emotional Connection | Personal recommendations create emotional connections with the brand, leading to a deeper sense of loyalty and attachment among customers. |
| Wider Reach | Word-of-mouth recommendations can reach a broader audience, especially in the age of social media, where information can quickly go viral, expanding brand visibility. |
| Feedback Loop | Businesses can gather valuable feedback from word-of-mouth discussions, helping them understand customer preferences and areas for improvement. |
Conclusion
To sum up the blog what is word-of-mouth marketing, it is clear that it should be a top priority for any business today. In the U.S., word-of-mouth marketing is 48% of businesses’ best marketing tools.
Create a WOMM campaign that brings out your products and services’ best features. Definitely, you need a product or service that stands out in the crowd. It takes little effort to let your most loyal and devoted customers assist you in growing your brand.
Word-of-mouth marketing typically happens over dinner parties, texting, and random conversations between friends and families. Buzz, blogs, social media, and viral marketing can help establish your brand in the community.
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FAQs
What is an example of word-of-mouth?
Sharing reviews, or suggestions on social media, chatting with friends and families about products or services, and submitting evaluations on websites are all examples of word-of-mouth marketing.
How useful is word-of-mouth?
Word-of-mouth marketing allows a corporation to reach new consumers while also establishing a strong brand reputation. Businesses can attract customers, enhance profitability, and deepen their relationships with current customers by utilizing this unique and organic marketing method.
What percent of word-of-mouth is online?
Half of all word-of-mouth occurs online. According to a study, offline word-of-mouth is more convincing. According to a Keller Fay Group survey, 50% of consumers claim they are extremely likely to make a buying choice based on a real-life discussion.
