By Claire Durkin, Creative Coordinator, Fall 2021
Who do you trust more when buying a product: an endorsed celebrity or a friend? Of these two, who do you feel is more genuine about their opinion on these products? Most would trust their friend. We tend to trust someone who genuinely likes a product and is advising you to use the product rather than trust in someone being paid to spread the products to their followers or viewers. Word of Mouth Marketing, known as WOMM, taps into the power of a friend’s advice and how it can spread information and love for a product or brand.
Social media is a powerful way for WOMM to take its course for a product or brand. Since the rise of TikTok,I have heard countless times, “Oh, I think I saw something about that on TikTok!'' or, “Did you see this on TikTok?” While TikTok is an app for entertainment, it is an amazing tool for WOMM. The amazing part about TikTok is the spread it has as such a popular app with a variety of users. When videos go viral, it seems to spread to every user. Trends that stem from these viral videos go viral as well, and it is all a domino effect. This happens many times with products. A user will post about their love for a product and with the traction it receives, the product seems to sell out incredibly quickly. There are many times I have experienced this when I come across a video of someone talking about a product. I feel I could use the product in my life and when I go to purchase it, I have difficulty finding a place with it in stock. It allows a product or brand to become a trend. and trends sell. For example, CeraVe skincare products, specifically their SA cleanser and lotion, became all the rage on TikTok. Users would share how much it helped their skin, and professionals such as dermatologists shared more specific information and details on the products. I tried to join this trend by trying out CeraVe’s SA products. When going to make my purchase, all the stores seemed to be sold out, and I could only find it on Amazon for quite the upcharge! This type of WOMM might not be through someone one directly knows, but it is through someone one can relate to. The positive response from other users through likes and comments reinforces one’s want and trust in the product.
Word of Mouth Marketing is extremely impactful on a product or brand when successfully executed. On the other hand, WOMM can create a negative mass view of a brand or product. Therefore, it is important for a brand to create a positive relationship with its everyday consumers.
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