According to the Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising Report, more than 80% of all consumers throughout 60 countries worldwide are more likely to trust recommendations from family and friends over traditional advertising methods.
Using word-of-mouth advertising helps to accomplish something that only few other marketing mediums are capable of delivering successfully: credibility. When a business is viewed as credible and trustworthy it becomes much easier to generate leads while gaining loyal followers and potentially long-term customers.
Deliver Excellent Customer Service
When cusomters feel as though they are listened to, treated well, and respected by a business, they are much more likely to recommend certain services or products to family and friends in the future. Prioritizing customer service is a key factor in the success of eCommerce businesses, especially as mobile and online shopping habits continue to rapidly expand.
If a customer leaves a positive comment regarding your products, services, or your brand itself, be sure to offer a generous thank you note or an exclusive discount code. Word-of-mouth marketing works best when an individual feels excited and proud of a brand or the product and service they have purchased, prompting them to naturally and organically spread the word of your business without much additional effort on your behalf.
The more genuine your brand is perceived by prospective customers, the more natural recommendations will come for those who have a genuine interest in the products, services, or content you have to offer.
Create Viral Content
Content marketing is the cornerstone component of word-of-mouth marketing, especially with the advent of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Consistently publishing content, blogs, and new promotions is a way to get others talking about your brand and sharing your updates.
Create unique, engaging, and useful content that is most beneficial to your target audience and demographic to encourage shares and “likes”, thus increasing your post’s overall visibility and exposure on different networks. Consider what your loyal followers and prospective customers are most likely to benefit from when crafting new content and publishing pages from your website you wish to share.
Consider how “share-worthy” updates you post are for your followers and their family and friends (along with what may incentivize them to share your content even more often). Provide your customers with information and updates that are enjoyable, educational, and relevant to your brand and the products or services you represent.
Be Active on Social Media
Social media is one of the best tools to put to use when you want to implement word-of-marketing into your own campaign strategies. Savvy business owners put social media to work for them by encouraging a natural word-of-mouth spread to family members and friends of current followers.
Using social media is a way to gain exposure by targeting specific groups of individuals based on their age range, gender, location, and even various interests that are most relevant to your business or brand.
Whenever you use social media, be sure to utilize a friendly and relatable voice, avoiding the possibility of turning potential customers off from your brand by sounding too robotic or “corporate” for their liking. Learn more about which types of posts work best for your users on social media and run A/B tests when launching new visual ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Communicate directly with fans and potential customers by answering questions and providing feedback.
Get Influencers to Promote Your Products
Reach out to similar influencers such as bloggers and fans with large social followings to increase the visibility you brand and online presence has on the most popular platforms available. Offer discounts and free products in exchange of promotions or reviews from individuals who have an extensive online reach.
Focus on Customer Experience
Focusing on customer experience is also essential anytime you want to run a successful eCommerce store. If your products or services meet expectations exactly, it is much harder to stand out, especially in highly-competitive markets. Incorporating extra customer service and going “above and beyond” for your consumers is a way to get loyal followers talking about your brand with little additional effort from you. The more you cater to your audience and loyal customers, the easier it becomes to get the exposure you desire with likes, shares, and social media ad campaigns.
Knowing how to properly execute word-of-mouth marketing campaigns is essential when you want to guarantee growth and expansion of any brand or business, regardless of the market or industry you work in and represent. In addition to traditional marketing tactics, word-of-mouth marketing is essential to build a solid reputation for an online eCommerce business.
When you listen to what customers have to say and provide top-notch customer service, you generate organic word-of-mouth marketing that continuously helps to attract new consumers to your business and brand.
