Can anyone still be in doubt that peer to peer word of mouth is the one most influential factor in determining where consumers spend their money, attention and time? Neilsen’s latest Global Online Consumer Survey, which polled 25,000 Internet consumers from 50 countries, has reiterated research we’ve seen year on year by finding that 90% of people trust recommendations from those they know.
There are a couple more really interesting findings here. One is that brand websites are considered equally trustworthy to consumer opinion published online - a change from previous reports and perhaps an indication that brands are becoming much more skilled in creating engaging, transparent and personalised presences which encourage a dialogue with consumers rather than broadcasting marketing spiel. The other is that online ads - video, banner and SEO - are right at the bottom, below equivalent methods offline. For me, this proves that social media is simply not a traditional marketing tool. Interruptive brand ads are just not welcome in a space which is all about emotion, independence and UGC. Word of mouth, of course, most definitely is. ~ Regards, Ashe... IT Bloke, {G.B.}.
