Share these talks and lectures with your colleagues
Invite colleaguesResearch paper
Let’s make them talk: An exploratory study on word of mouth and social media
Journal of Digital & Social Media Marketing,
3
(1),
80-94
(2015)
Abstract
The past several years have witnessed an increase in the use of social networking sites for both personal and commercial purposes. Major brands are now interested in having a presence on popular social networking sites. However, it is still not clear what actions cause consumers to engage in word of mouth (WOM) promotion in these online communities. Using an exploratory approach, the present study contributes to the knowledge of online WOM as well as knowledge about social media marketing strategies, specifically for Facebook and Twitter, by examining (a) how brands — depending on their individual characteristics — are effective in generating WOM on these sites; (b) the role that brands play on these sites to promote WOM; and (c) the type of content that generates the highest levels of WOM. The paper also proposes three types of moderator roles that firms can play in these online communities. The findings from this research have several implications for managers who are attempting to establish a social media strategy that fosters WOM.
Keywords: social networking sites; online communities; Facebook; Twitter; social networking strategy; word of mouth; brand role
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Flor Morton is Associate Professor of Marketing at Universidad de Monterrey. She holds a marketing degree from Tecnologico de Monterrey and a PhD in management sciences from the EGADE Business School. Her research interests focus on consumer behaviour. As a marketing consultant, she has collaborated on diverse projects for national and international companies.
Teresa Treviño is Associate Professor of Marketing at Universidad de Monterrey. She holds a PhD in management sciences and a master’s degree in marketing from the EGADE Business School, Tecnológico de Monterrey. Her research interests focus on online consumer behaviour and digital marketing, specifically consumer–brand relationships on the internet; the motivations of different online segments, regarding social media; uses and gratifications relating to social media; electronic word-of-mouth; and the impact of online marketing strategies on consumers. She is currently a member of Mexico’s National Researchers System.
