Andy’s Answers: The difference between word of mouth and advertising
If it stops when you stop paying for it, it’s advertising. If it keeps going, it’s word-of-mouth marketing. When thinking about whether you should engage in word-of-mouth marketing or whether to go with traditional advertising, you’re really talking about when to spend money.
Three differences:
- Word of mouth allows for “test first, spend later.” Testing a campaign or a message on Facebook is free and takes a few minutes. If it takes off, then you know it’s worth investing in.
- Speed to launch. You can start a new word-of-mouth strategy in less than an hour, whereas advertising requires lots of planning, research, and coordination.
- Staff involved. One person can effectively reach lots of your fans and influencers to engage in conversations about you, while advertising often requires multiple departments and outside agencies.
Posted by SmartBlog On Social Media / Andy’s Answers: The difference between word of mouth and advertising « Eclectic Buzz Blog on February 27th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
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