Do you ever wonder if social media is the new word of mouth? Word of mouth has always been a powerful marketing tool. This form of marketing is usually associated with earned media, and therefore is one of the most effective strategies that a business could encourage and invest in. The upcoming generations are more likely to be captured by “New” media efforts, rather than traditional advertising.
Unsurprisingly, businesses are advocating towards word of mouth, considering the beneficial effects on brand awareness and financial stability.
Word of mouth is the very reason many of us strive so hard to deliver the best possible service and customer experience.
In the same way that technology has evolved, the means to advertise our products has become one of the most popular ways to raise awareness for a brand/product.
In the digital age, brands that don’t acknowledge and embrace the power of social media aren’t achieving WOM. Being able to converse and engage with followers converts non-buyer into buyers after building a solid foundation of trust. Social media allows us to cultivate a lasting, positive experience for customers, fans and followers. Unlike other forms of marketing, it allows us to approach those most important to us with timely, relevant and engaging messages. WOM positions information in the right place, at the right time and in the appropriate tone.
Engagement
Positive engagement with a customer could result in a tweet or retweet to say thank you. Similarly, when a customer negatively about a situation social media is where they will go to talk about it. The trick is being ready and open to all feedback. As well as, suitably prepared to get the most out of each possible scenario.
You can never please everyone, that’s par for the course, but ask yourself this question; ‘Who would be best placed to deal with any negative sentiment received online? A business that has invested in its online presence and social media, or one that is averse to even going online in the first place?’.
A Facebook user shares his experience with a product and offers a download prompt to his friends.
Developing a rich user experience by providing relevant information, answering questions and becoming a thought leader online are positive steps and are exactly how you generate brand warming; this in turn is exactly how you drive targeted, interested web traffic back to your site. Getting your business’ social media up and running, however basic, is at the very least as valuable as a recommendation from one client to another.
Social media is a new breed of word-of-mouth marketing; you do a good job and people say good things, you do a bad one and people say bad things. But if you do nothing then they can say whatever they want and you won’t have the necessary tools and experience to combat it!
So whether you wholeheartedly embrace social media or resent it with every fibre of your being, it’s here, it works and there is always a use for a useful tool.
Equip
Give your audience a topic to talk about. Once your customers have something to discuss word-of-mouth will spread like wildfire. Creating amazing products, that are catered for your customer base can illicit discussion as well as great service. Maybe the packaging or the cool way you decide to market your brand. For example, brands like Ryanair and Duolingo have used their Tiktok accounts to create a fun environment for their customer base to discuss and engage with their brand and content.
Influencer Marketing
The most effective and fast-paced version of word-of-mouth is Influencer Marketing. It has become the most mainstream use of online marketing. “Influencer Marketing is a hybrid of old and new marketing tools. It takes the idea of celebrity endorsement and places it into a modern-day content-driven marketing campaign.” https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing/
Influencer Marketing allocates popular content creators, who closely resemble the brand’s buyer persona. https://www.giraffesocialmedia.co.uk/influencer-marketing-the-giraffe-guide/
Influencer Marketing is the easiest way to raise brand awareness since people trust people. Therefore an influencer’s loyal following base is more likely to convert into buyers from the influencer’s recommendation. https://www.giraffesocialmedia.co.uk/finding-the-right-influencer-for-your-brand-infographic/
