What Is Word-of-Mouth Marketing (WOMM)?

To promote your business, product, or service, you need to have satisfied customers spread the word to their social networks. It's like when Regina George exclaims, "You can't sit with us!" All the other girls echo her. Substitute "our brand" for "we" and "sit with" for "buy from," and you'll have the right idea. One of the best parts about WOMM is that it costs little (or at least not as much as more conventional forms of advertising) but can still be very efficient. Friends and family recommendations are more credible than advertisements. You know the adage, "Ask a local who has dined at the establishments you're considering. Ask me where not to eat if you want my honest opinion on a restaurant." WOMM comes in a variety of flavors, such as: Word-of-mouth recommendations from loved ones Marketing based on online product reviews Campaigns based on word-of-mouth Use of the #hashtag in marketing The earliest known example of WOMM was word-of-mouth endorsements from friends and family. It's like when your mother recommended a specific brand of laundry detergent, and you bought it simply because "your mother said so." Online product reviews are like personal recommendations, except those from strangers. It's like reading a glowing review of a sushi restaurant on Yelp and deciding to give it a shot. When companies collaborate with influential people on social media to promote their goods, they engage in influencer marketing. Similar to when you watch your favorite YouTuber unbox a new phone and immediately go out to buy it because you thought it looked so awesome. In referral marketing, current clients are rewarded for bringing in new ones, like when a cable TV service provider offered you $50 off your next bill if you convinced your next-door neighbor to join the service. Hashtag campaigns allow you to monitor and respond to social media conversations about your brand using a centralized hub. For marketing purposes, businesses create unique hashtags for each campaign and instruct their customers to use them whenever they discuss the company online. It's like when you saw #BestBurgerEver and immediately knew which fast food chain was responsible for it. To sum up, word-of-mouth marketing aims to increase brand awareness and appreciation. #WordOfMouth #Marketing #InfluencerMarketing #ReferralMarketing #HashtagCampaigns