F2F Is Biggest WOM Medium

Don't give up on your telephone just yet. Dr. Walter Carl writes on the WOMMA Research blog in answer to an email question about word of mouth marketing and the differences between ages.

Here's a quote from the post I found particularly interesting.

Face-to-face is consistently high across all age groups (nearly 80%) with no significant differences. Phone is the next most frequent medium, but interestingly it's more prevalent for those in their 50s and 60s. The only significant difference for youths is that teens, 13-17, are more likely to engage in WOM episodes via instant messaging than other age groups. But even among teens the overwhelming majority of reported WOM episodes were in offline settings (either F2F or phone).

I wonder if Dr. Carl has any research on the differences between WOM via F2F, telephone or online? Which medium is best for each industry or product? Or are there any differences between products and industries and the medium used for WOM? Which medium is the most effective WOM medium? I'd suggest the web if you are recommending technology or Internet related sites. You can IM, blog, post, or email the URL.

Posted by johncass at June 16, 2006 11:19 AM