Word of Mouth Marketing: The ultimate guide to leveraging customer trust

Word of Mouth Marketing: The ultimate guide to leveraging customer trust
Micky Weis
Micky Weis

15 years of experience in online marketing. Former CMO at, among others, Firtal Web A/S. Blogger about marketing and the things I’ve experienced along the way. Follow me on LinkedIn for daily updates.

Word of Mouth marketing, also called WOMM, is one of the most effective ways to spread the word about a brand, product, or service.

As the name suggests, WOMM is about the process in which an authentic account of a product is passed from one person to another.

Let’s take a closer look at what WOM marketing is all about.

What is Word of Mouth marketing?

When talking about Word of Mouth marketing, it refers to authentic reviews shared between consumers.

This can be verbal reviews, comments on online review platforms, social media, etc.

Regardless of the medium, this organic sharing creates a high level of credibility and trust, making it valuable for attracting new customers.

In fact, this type of marketing has proven to be even more valuable than traditional ads.

WOMM contributes significantly to reach and builds strong trust around authentic reviews. Several studies indicate that consumers generally trust their social circles and other consumers more than brands themselves through ads and campaigns.

WOMM strategy

For businesses wanting to use a WOMM strategy, it is necessary to create a space where experiences and reviews can be freely shared among consumers.

This can be done by encouraging reviews on platforms like Trustpilot, opening forums on social media, influencer marketing, UGC, etc.

It may also be necessary to create incentives for consumers to leave reviews and provide feedback through rewards like discount codes.

How to measure the effect of Word of Mouth marketing?

Since WOMM is an organic form of marketing that can take place outside of accessible forums and review platforms, it can be difficult to measure precisely which experiences are being shared about a brand.

To track this, various tools are needed, such as sentiment analysis to analyze consumer emotions in reviews, brand mention tracking with tools like Hootsuite, monitoring ratings on review platforms, and measuring the impact of influencers and UGC.

Advantages and disadvantages of WOMM

Like many other marketing strategies, there are pros and cons to consider.

One of the biggest advantages of WOMM is the high level of credibility that can be achieved at relatively low costs—since in most cases, consumers themselves are the ones marketing a brand.

Additionally, recommendations can spread quickly in a short amount of time through digital platforms.

However, there is a high level of unpredictability associated with Word of Mouth marketing. A disadvantage is that brands cannot control the type of publicity they receive.

For example, if negative reviews and feedback arise, it is important not to hide them from consumers but instead be proactive, openly respond to reviews, and resolve any issues that may arise.

This fosters trust that a brand is willing to work with consumers to deliver the best service.

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