The Search Marketing Advisor Newsletter Article:
October 2007, Volume 6, Issue 10

Word of Mouth Marketing and Search: Let Your Customers Speak

by Casey Williams, Search Marketing Specialist, iProspect

Word of mouth (WOM) marketing is hot. It's everywhere, and in more forms than you can name. But regardless of the shape it takes, its purpose is the same. The Word of Mouth Marketing Association defines it as "the art and science of building active, mutually beneficial, consumer-to-consumer and consumer-to-marketer communications." In essence, WOM marketing is a process that empowers and encourages customers to share their experiences with others. But how does it relate to search marketing?

Today, consumers of all types of products and services actively participate in online discussions about everything from their favorite hair products, to where they ate dinner last night, to the cars they like to drive. These online discussions are part of the search landscape. Search properties like Google and Yahoo! are not only indexing social networking profiles, they're also indexing review sites like CitySearch and Yelp, as well as personal blogs, group blogs,
etc.

So What Does This Mean to Search Marketers?

Much of the time, when users search on your targeted keyword phrases within the major search engines, the results include related content on social networking and user review sites. Is this a good thing? It depends. The upside is that it gives you an opportunity to increase your page real estate in the search results. The downside is that customers can share their bad experiences along with the good. Is that a risk you are willing to take?

The bottom line is that conversation relevant to your brand/products/services is taking place online. Do you want to be a part of it?

One of the basic premises of search marketing is to capture online "buzz" on keyword phrases relevant to your business. Employing your own WOM marketing campaign can help you both capitalize on the existing buzz about your products or industry, as well as create your own buzz. It can also help build thought leadership and brand awareness, offset negative publicity, and drive more visitors to your website or physical store location. If you haven't considered WOM marketing as it relates to your search marketing campaign, you should start. Today.

Five Tips to Keep in Mind When Creating a WOM Campaign

Become familiar with the online conversation taking place about your brand/products/services. Doing so will help guide your strategy. For example, if people are asking about your latest product on Yahoo! Answers, you should consider dedicating resources towards participation on that site.
Get a handle on what your competitors are doing. Are they promoting themselves on Facebook or MySpace? Or maybe they're all over Digg. Research your competitors' efforts and use their work as a springboard for your own WOM marketing campaign.
Be specific about your goals. What do you want to get out of your WOM marketing campaign? More brand awareness? Website traffic? This will help you target your campaign and ensure that each step you take is helping you reach your goal.
Determine if the "buzz" you'll be generating warrants creating landing pages on your website. The last thing you want to have happen is to drive people to your site via your WOM marketing campaign, and not have the content to meet their expectations.
Be sure to promote your WOM marketing campaign through traditional means. The best place to start is with people you already know - employees, friends, family, etc. Submit a search-optimized press release about your new Facebook application, or your profile on MySpace.

Moving Forward

When properly initiated, implemented, and maintained, WOM marketing can give your marketing campaign that extra boost. Plus, by engaging in a conversation (about the positive or negative) with your customers, you are perceived as more credible. So it's time to open your eyes to this unique marketing method - you, as well as your customers, will be happy you did.

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The Search Marketing Advisor Newsletter Article: October 2007, Volume 6, Issue 10

Word of Mouth Marketing and Search: Let Your Customers Speak

The Search Marketing Advisor Newsletter Article:
October 2007, Volume 6, Issue 10