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How to do e-Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Liu Zijiao

In traditional way, advertisements were always seen as television/newspaper/leaflet ads. At present, e-Word-of-Mouth is taking effect on marketing, lots of companies are using e-Word-of-Mouth to enhance their promotion strategy. Unlike the traditional ads, word of mouth is more reliable because it comes from other customers such as friends, family numbers and colleagues. Even it comes from strangers, people are more likely to trust them rather than seller’s praise.

Image result for e word of mouth

 

According to Dr. John Eaton’s theory, he divided e-Word-of-Mouth activities into specific categories based on the control and influence a marketer has over them.

 

Higher degree of marketer-controlled Word-of-Mouth Efforts

  • Viral marketing: information is delivered as “viruses” through people’s contact. The most common form are e-mail and website address link which can be spread online by consumers.
  • E-Referral marketing: it is one type of viral marketing. Marketers provide additional incentives such as coupons or special offers in their messages if the consumers forward the e-mail or website link to others.
  • Consumer profile targeting: providing customers with both positive and negative e-Word-of-Mouth. For example, when customers are doing online shopping, the company will provide other customers’ comments about that product on website, or that item’s start rating.

 

Lower degree of marketer-controlled e-Word-of-Mouth Efforts

  • Social networks: internet has been the major source of information. People can find plenty of goods online.
  • Brand communities: it is an influential eWOM channels between members can share their interests and respond to other member opinions.
  • Consumer message boards: it is a websites that customers can express their feelings and experiences freely. Becomes easy for consumers to get in chat rooms and message boards for consumer-related activity.

 

Disadvantage of using e-Word-of-Mouth marketing

But eWOM is not good for marketer all the way. People are more likely to share their negative experience of shopping with others than positive experience, which can bring bad influence to company. In other words, e-Word-of-Mouth provides a more easy way for customers to complain.

 

reference:

John Eaton, e-Word-of-Mouth Marketing, http://college.cengage.com/business/modules/eWOM_secure.pdf