A Word in Your Ear

'Word-of-mouth' marketing was the big buzz of 2007. And we think it's going to be important in 2008 as well. There's a great post over at Science News this week about the relationship between influencers and influenced in the types of social networks WOM marketers like to research. Here's a short extract:

More important than the influencers, the researchers found, were the influenced. Once an idea spread to a critical mass of easily influenced individuals, it took hold and continued to spread to other easily influenced individuals. In some networks, it was far easier to get an idea established this way than in others. The entire structure of the network mattered, not just the few influential people.

Furthermore:

The upshot of the study, Dodds says, is that "in the end, you don't have control over how people spread your message." The best way to increase the odds of person-to-person transmission of an idea is to make it a good idea and to give it "social worth," he says. "Some things are just fun to talk about."

So now you know: pass it on.