341: Is Word of Mouse Getting Less Important?

Adam and Jeannie discuss the apparent decline in trust of Word of Mouse and how businesses and consumers are navigating the misinformation associated with online reviews.

Navigating the new Word of Mouse

Positive word of mouth can be very powerful in driving sales and forging loyalty. But because marketers know this, review sites and forums are becoming rife with fake reviews. For example, it’s been said recently that up to one-third of reviews on TripAdvisor are fake.

“People are more and more suspect of fake reviews.” -Adam Toporek

However, it’s not just TripAdvisor we’re talking about here. There’s a huge market for fake reviews, and some marketers have started using “review farms” and other clever (or not-so-clever) ways to sneak them into giants like Amazon. As a result, customers are trusting word of mouse, or online reviews, less and less.

“They are gaming the system to the detriment of those of us who do trust reviews…” -Jeannie Walters

So, is word of mouse as a means to influence customers on the decline? Yes and no…

As businesses find more ways to exploit customers’ dependence on online reviews, customers are becoming more savvy in determining which reviews to trust. In fact, they’re finding ways to share more trustworthy information on platforms where the businesses in question have less control.

In today’s episode, Jeannie and Adam explore what is driving this shift and what it means for your business. How can you approach reviews in the age of fake word of mouse? Will your genuinely fantastic online reviews get lost in the din? Listen in and put your money where your mouse is!

Related Content 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Survive Dangerously Casual Customer Reviews Customers That Stick® post, When Sales Does Service on Social with Phil Gerbyshak Episode 183: Online Reviews More Important Than Ever Episode 152: Daniel Lemin, Manipurated We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

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