Social ties and online word of mouth

Erin Steffes · Lawrence E. Burgee

534 citations0/0 files storedInternet Research

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Digital Marketing and Social Media Consumer Behavior and Marketing Influence Knowledge Management and Sharing

Abstract

Purpose The power of word of mouth (WOM) communication and its influence on consumer decision making is well established in academic literature. The recent adoption of online communication by many consumers has facilitated a fundamental change to the structure of many WOM interactions by exposing consumers to electronic WOM (eWOM) from virtual strangers. The current study seeks to uncover whether traditional findings on social ties and WOM communication hold for eWOM information. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 482 college students with varying levels of expertise with eWOM forums, specifically RateMyProfessors.com in the USA. Participants completed a 20‐question survey related to university professor and class choice. Findings The study finds that students seeking information on which professor to take weight the information they obtain from eWOM forums to be equally influential in their decision as their own primary experience with the professor. Furthermore, the information gained from the eWOM forum is more influential in their decision than speaking with friends in person (WOM). While existing research suggests that strong tie referral sources are more influential than weak tie information sources on decision making, this research finds that some weak tie information sources are rated as more influential. Research limitations/implications A limitation of the study is the focus on one eWOM forum, RateMyProfessors.com. Future research would benefit from expanding the number and type of eWOM forums. Originality/value While the emergence of the Internet and social networking has spawned an interest in the overall study of eWOM, this study is the first to evaluate eWOM in the context of tie strength, homophily and decision making. The study also investigates whether existing theories of interpersonal communication hold in an online context.

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References

1973The Strength of Weak Ties 2019Diffusion of Innovations 1 2004Electronic word-of-mouth via consumer-opinion platforms: What motivates consumers to articulate themselves on the Internet?2003The Digitization of Word of Mouth: Promise and Challenges of Online Feedback Mechanisms 1987Product/Consumption-Based Affective Responses and Postpurchase Processes 1987Social Ties and Word-of-Mouth Referral Behavior 1991Effects of Word-of-Mouth and Product-Attribute Information on Persuasion: An Accessibility-Diagnosticity Perspective 1967Role of Product-Related Conversations in the Diffusion of a New Product

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2019The effect of characteristics of source credibility on consumer behaviour: A meta-analysis 2011Harnessing the Influence of Social Proof in Online Shopping: The Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Sales of Digital Microproducts 2019Conceptualizing the electronic word-of-mouth process: What we know and need to know about eWOM creation, exposure, and evaluation 2021Social media interactions, purchase intention, and behavioural engagement: The mediating role of source and content factors

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