Spread The Word Across The Internet
Traditionally, word-of-mouth marketing was when people told one another about products or services they tried and appreciated. Because people naturally trust their friends’ and family’s advice, they are more likely to purchase a product or service if someone they trust recommends it. Word-of-mouth marketing in the past consisted of spreading the word about something in person, over the phone, through a letter, or by other means of communication.
Today, the word can still get out through these methods, but word-of-mouth marketing also takes digital forms. For example, word can spread about a product through social media, email, or other digital communication channels.
Learn more about these digital word-of-mouth channels and how you can spread the word about your business’ offerings.
Top Digital Word-of-Mouth Methods
Want to learn the best way to spread the word about your business? Some of these methods are free or inexpensive, and if you are consistent, word can spread about your business and what you have to offer.
Blogs and Newsletters
Starting a blog or writing a newsletter each month may seem like a lot of work, but it’s an excellent way to talk about your business. It also allows you to share long-form articles you’ve written with followers on social media channels or through emails. Once you share an article from your blog or you send a newsletter, others can share it too. This can cause information to spread, much like word-of-mouth. People can learn more about your company, your goods or services, or your company’s mission.
Blogs and newsletters are excellent tools for reaching people, and they are virtually free. It’s important to post consistently on your blog, so you have a better chance of gaining a following that will help spread the word. Newsletters should be sent out on a regular schedule.
Social Media Platforms
It’s no secret that social media is the top way people communicate online. Social media is a wonderful tool to promote your business. The key is to write useful, interesting posts related to your business or industry. Make sure your posts help your customers in some way, or provide them with something they will want to share, such as practical tips, smart advice, or something beautiful that will make someone’s day.
Social media posts that get shared the most either help someone with something in their lives, make them laugh, make them feel something, or are inspirational in some way. Don’t share just to share because these posts won’t get shared. If you want to spread the word about your business, produce something worth spreading.
Email Marketing
Another way to reach customers is through email marketing. Emails are easy to forward to family and friends, so they are great forms of word-of-mouth marketing. Even though email has been around for a long time now, it is still a useful tool for marketing products and services digitally.
One way to get customers to share your emails is through promotions, sales, or giveaways. Customers love getting things for free, and they want their friends and family to get them for free as well. They will forward these emails, spreading the word about your company and offerings.
Pro tip: Include links to your blog and relevant articles on email campaigns. Make sure emails are interesting and attention-grabbing and insert visual media when possible. Include links to sites where customers can read and post reviews. Encourage customers to post honest reviews. You can send follow-up emails asking customers to review products.
Online Reviews
One of the best word-of-mouth marketing tools is the online review. There are many platforms where customers can post and read reviews, and obtaining reviews is an important task every company should prioritize. Most customers say they read reviews before purchasing a product online. They want to know everything about the product because no one likes to waste their money.
Even those in the service industry need reviews because customers want to know about the company before hiring it to perform a job. High-quality, positive reviews are the best types of digital word-of-mouth marketing.
Influencer Marketing
Another trend businesses are taking advantage of is influencer marketing. Those with large social media followings are able to persuade their followers to purchase products or services because their followers know and trust them. If you get an influencer to talk about your products, demonstrate them, and rave about them, many people will purchase your products and then go on to spread the word about them to others.
People also like to be “in the know,” so if they see influencers using a product, they want to use it too and share it with friends.
In addition to the above digital channels, word can also spread digitally through podcasts, videos, radio, and text messages.
Optimize for Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Do you want to make it easy for your customer base or potential customers to spread the word about your business’ products? Produce engaging content that is easy to share, and you will be on the right track to getting the word out about your business.
- Producing engaging social media posts that your customers can share with a click is one way to spread the word.
- Write useful, relevant blogs that people want to send to their friends and family.
- Create a website that is a resource itself, so people will consider your website a destination, will stop by your website often and share it with people they know.
- Be sure to make it easy for your customers to write reviews. Include links to review forms in email blasts, on your website, on articles, in social media posts, or on newsletters.
Get Started Spreading the Word Online
It’s not that difficult to get people to share information about your products. The key is to create beneficial, relevant, engaging content that people want to share. What that looks like for your company is up to you.
If you have a business where people can hire you to tell jokes at children’s birthday parties, you could share funny jokes on social media that get people to notice you. If you own a mobile pet grooming service, you could share articles about how to properly groom pets or tips about which pet shampoo to buy. Make it interesting, personal, and practical.
If you need assistance getting the word out online, digital marketing companies can help. They can write your blog, handle your social media accounts, manage your directory listings and reviews, develop your website, and more.