The two biggest misconceptions in word of mouth?

By Molly Flatt

Yahoo have released a report in alliance with Keller Fay on ‘WOM and the internet’, and although most of it is a thinly disguised bit of self-promotion, their first two metrics are worth absorbing.

Firstly, they found that on average WOM is far more positive than negative, with 66% brand references coming out as positive and only 8% negative.

Secondly, they found that offline WOM is still far more prevalent than online WOM, with 76% of conversations happening face to face (see below).

The two assumptions most people make about WOM is that it’s hugely negative; and that they only need to listen to, engage with and stimulate conversation going on in social media. No wonder, if brands think consumers are hordes of miserable, cynical, internet addicts, they’re reluctant to listen or build a relationship with then. We don’t sound very fun to be with, do we?

But as the study reinforces, we’re people who love to associate ourselves with positive experiences, recommend great products and dig out the things that will make us happy. Yes, we like a good moan, but we actually want to have a good time, in real life. Your common sense will tell you that.

Now that sounds like a bunch of people brands might want to come and play with, after all. If you want to open the box of toys, give us a call.

Like this?

Brought into the world on Friday, July 2nd, 2010 and filed under Offline/Online, Stats & Research.

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    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by 1000heads and others. 1000heads said: The two biggest misconceptions in word of mouth? http://bit.ly/b78EW3 [...]

  • http://scottgould.me/ Scott Gould

    Thanks for this Molly.

    All this talk of Social Media being the next big think – how about people doing some engaging stuff to create more face-to-face conversation!

    Thank goodness for people like you guys

  • mollyflatt

    Yep, it's easy to loose sight of the whole point of this stuff – people – under the rhetoric. Time to move the conversation on about how we connect in innovative ways, not just the tools we use – and also show that we're doing it! It's why we've started releasing our case study decks and videos…

    Thanks for all your support Scott, we really appreciate it :)

  • http://www.sytaylor.net sytaylor

    Something combining value vs volume & the value of an advocate combined would make a pretty strong re-usable, linkable* argument for Social Media and WOM as a business investment.

    (Apologies for creating a verb, I work in a sales led team, some of the hybrid verbs that fly around are dangerous to health).

  • http://scottgould.me/ Scott Gould

    I made a new one today when describing Social Media and the fact that being trackable, it is therefore “interjectable” ;-)

  • http://www.sytaylor.net sytaylor

    You scare me sometimes. Putting it out there.

  • http://scottgould.me/ Scott Gould

    Scare you how? lol

  • http://www.sytaylor.net sytaylor

    Cheesy grin + omnipresence.

  • http://www.1000heads.com/2010/07/4150/ 1000heads :: The Word of Mouth People

    [...] most WOM happening offline, much of 1000heads’ work happens in the real world (yes, there is life [...]

  • http://www.1000heads.com/2010/09/another-study-proves-the-obvious-real-world-wom-rules/ 1000heads :: The Word of Mouth People

    [...] we’ve posted about this a few times before: here and here and here, for example. Or check out our dedicated offline/online blog category, which has [...]