Word-of-mouth marketing is essentially the most natural and organic form of marketing that has been occurring long before the existence of social media or the internet. It relies on the need for human connection through sharing experiences, thereby making it one of the most consistent marketing tools available today. While the saying goes that there is no such thing as bad publicity, bad word-of-mouth has an equally large impact on a customer�??s perception of the brand. As such, it is crucial for brands to have several strategies in place to ensure that the number of positive reviews being spread exceeds the negative ones.
Here is the ultimate guide to word-of-mouth marketing for better conversions:
1. Deliver quality
The one attribute that all successful brands have in common is their excellency in providing quality service from the start of a business transaction to post-purchase assistance. This includes many aspects, including the product itself, the pricing set, the website navigation, and the customer service offered. To elaborate, customers buy and share more positive experiences about brands that provide quality products and services.
That being the case, brands need to take all the necessary steps to establish quality is being churned out at every stage of the business �?? The products or services being offered should serve a purpose (or better yet, solve a problem!) and leave a good impression. For example, an e-commerce site should be user-friendly (i.e. easy to navigate) and contain crucial information that motivates customers to tap on the �??add to cart�?� button. The manner of communication when liaising with customers should be cordial and helpful to build good relationships.
All of these aspects combine together to create and nurture customer loyalty that inevitably converts to brand recognition and positive word-of-mouth marketing. Consider it a chain reaction for curating the best service possible. One customer would share with five people who each share with another five people, thereby increasing the brand�??s public reach and revenue.
2. Encourage UGC
Another more modern form of word-of-mouth marketing is the curation of user-generated content, where customers share their experiences with a brand�??s products or services on the internet. These written or visual reviews are placed on blogs and social media platforms, where they tell the story of the product or showcase its unique selling points for the masses to take note of. This relates back to the first point as, without quality products and services, daily people would prefer not to be associated with a brand.
Research shows that almost 80% of people are influenced by user-generated content when deciding to make a purchase, making it necessary to include it in the brand�??s marketing strategy. For example, brands could dedicate a particular section of their content strategy to user-generated content through the use of custom hashtags, such as LuluLemon�??s #thesweatlife and La Croix�??s #livelacroix hashtags. These efforts encourage its customers to share their experiences and build a community of brand advocators.
While content creators would typically produce user-generated content for their personal branding, many companies have also taken advantage of its appeal and provided incentives for its creation. This could be in the shape of monetary incentives (i.e. discounts, cash rewards) or social benefits (i.e. invitation to an exclusive event, or ambassadorship program).
3. Connect with influencers
The latest way to create digital word-of-mouth on a large scale is by hopping onto the influencer wave. Influencers are everyday people with a big number of followers who are best known for creating content for a specific niche, such as fashion, beauty, music, and cooking. Similar to celebrities, influencers are knowledgeable in their crafts and therefore act as community leaders in their chosen niche.
By partnering with influencers, you provide an alternative platform for the brand to reach a wider audience and increase its exposure to potential customers. This is especially advantageous when the brand is promoting products with a niche and specified target audience. For example, Kellogg�??s engages with influencers who are known in their communities for being parents and family-oriented people to promote their line of child breakfast cereals. Through this collaboration, Kellogg�??s products obtained more publicity to a relevant audience, thereby increasing its potential conversion rates.
For better management of influencers, brands could opt for influencer marketing services, like Partipost! We help you to organize the influencer campaigns, liaise with your chosen influencers, and provide you with a one-stop center to ensure these collaborations produce satisfactory results.
At Partipost, we�??ve made it our mission to figure out all the right strategies and sweet spots for your brand when it comes to influencer marketing. Since our beginnings in Singapore 2016, we�??ve partnered with hundreds of brands across Southeast Asia to create influencer campaigns that lead to real results by humanizing your brand with the power of everyday people�??s word-of-mouth. We would love to partner with your brand! Leave us your details here and experience the Partipost difference in no time!