Let’s make them talk: An exploratory study on word of mouth and social media

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.