Some 64% of marketing executives believe that word-of-mouth (W-O-M) marketing is more effective than traditional marketing, says a new survey from the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) and the American Marketing Association (AMA). While there may be some skew to the survey results (some respondents were drawn from the WOMMA), consumers seem to agree when it comes to the power of W-O-M: a recent survey of global consumers by Nielsen found them more willing to trust and act on recommendations from people they know than any form of paid media.
The WOMMA and AMA survey included both online and offline forms of W-O-M marketing – although spending plans tend to show a focus on social media. According to the study, 7 in 10 marketers believe that their companies will increase their social media spending next year. Comparatively fewer – 29% – expect to increase spending on “offline word of mouth marketing.” (Just 9% will increase spending on TV – although research has found TV to be the leading driver of word-of-mouth both online and offline.) Read the rest at MarketingCharts.
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