Even while there has always been some type of word of mouth marketing, in the last couple of decades, because to the advent of a variety of tools, technologies, and platforms, it has grown a lot more sophisticated. The ability of social media and digital PR reviews to affect a company’s reputation and financial line is something that many businesses have begun to recognise. Industry-leading premier firms have begun to actively encourage to share customer reviews, evaluations and experiences online, as opposed to just relying on customers to disseminate information about their companies. By taking these steps, businesses may earn the trust of their target audiences and instil a greater sense of self-assurance in customers regarding their purchase decisions.
Because the majority of customers “resort” (or favourably turn first) to social media platforms to learn more about brands in a manner that is not unlike from that of public relations, this presents businesses with an excellent opportunity to capitalise on word of mouth marketing efforts.
Build Reputation Through Social & Digital PR
Social media platforms: word of mouth spread
By using this method, a great deal of success has been gained by a great number of organisations; as a result, other companies can draw some motivation and model their own success after those of their competitors.
A business is able to employ a variety of marketing tactics, such as interacting with its customers, disseminating humorous content such as memes, incorporating references to current events and popular culture throughout its content marketing, and offering freebies to its customers.
PR overview for word of mouth
“Management of One’s Online Reputation Using Online Reviews” should be something that marketers should hold under consideration constantly. With Management of One’s Reputation, the aim of the reputation management approach employed by any organisation is to proactively manage the firm’s reputation by delivering outstanding customer service, reacting to bad reviews in a positively resolute and mutually helpful manner, and in finding solutions to difficulties experienced by customers (overcome pain points publicly).
Management of a company’s reputation is an important factor that may influence how much success a company has, ultimately. Word of mouth marketing is utilised by a variety of well-known companies, like KFC and Microsoft who continue to pioneer leading social media campaigns, and one strategy that these companies employ is reputation management.
For instance, leading sportswear brand Nike makes it a point to respond rapidly to any requests made by customers, and the company even has a separate Twitter account just for the purpose of ensuring that any questions or concerns raised by customers are answered promptly.
On the other side, if a customer’s order is delayed for whatever reason, some restaurant chains will provide them with a free drink coupon to use during one of their subsequent visits. This method assists the brand in maintaining pleased consumers, which in turn strengthens the customer’s loyalty to the company.
Digital Reviews for word of mouth
These days, digital evaluations are an extremely effective marketing tool. In fact, they are so strong that they have even been known to create or destroy enterprises. Customers are able to voice their thoughts on a variety of topics across a number of sizable online review sites.
These kinds of sites include TrustPilot, BBB, and Google Customer Reviews, among others. Reviews are an essential component of any word of mouth marketing plan since the vast majority of buyers, prior to making a purchase decision, will look at the feedback that a firm has gotten from its previous clients in the form of reviews.
The most effective method for businesses to encourage their consumers to post reviews on their websites is to make personal contact with those customers and urge them to share their opinions with other people. The other option is to incentivise by offering rewards, program or event inclusion, or something else which confers VIP status to voluntary contributors.
Companies who want to get the most out of this strong instrument can use social listening (using platforms such as Brand24) to stay ahead of any possibly unfavourable remarks about them and incorporate customer satisfaction surveys to their after-sales plans. This will allow the company to get the most out of this powerful weapon.
They can also send clients questionnaires (in the old-school restaurant approach, but modernised through digital channels) to gain additional input regarding their products or services, and they can add their social media connections to those surveys to make it simpler for customers to share their experiences with their friends and family members. Other options include: Last but not least, businesses should encourage customers to provide evaluations by providing them with financial incentives, such as discounts.
