Word of Mouth Marketing Standards Released

The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), the official organization for the word of mouth marketing industry has released the first set of standards for tracking and quantifying word of mouth (WOM) marketing. The standards will be be called "Measuring Word of Mouth, Volume 1."

Both the Terminology Framework and the "Measuring Word of Mouth" report begin to answer the 6 critical questions that have a fundamental impact on the ROI of word of mouth campaigns:

1. How do you track and measure word of mouth?
2. How do you prove the ROI of WOM?
3. How do you know which strategies work best?
4. How do you optimize messages so they will go viral?
5. Why do consumers become advocates or detractors?
6. How does WOM fit into your media plan?

"Word of mouth marketing has a direct impact on all other marketing initiatives," says WOMMA CEO Andy Sernovitz. "If you can't measure word of mouth, you can't effectively measure the rest of your marketing, either."

Top experts from business and academia worked for six months to draft the Framework under the banner of WOMMA's Research and Metrics Council. The Council is chaired by Ed Keller, CEO, GfK NOP (and co-author of The Influentials); Jonathan Carson, CEO, Buzzmetrics; and Dr. David Godes, Harvard Business School. Key authors also include Idil Cakim, Burson-Marsteller; Walter Carl, Northeastern University; Karthik Iyer, Intelliseek; and Gregory Wester, VoodooVox.

WOMMA member companies which participated in the drafting of the Terminology Framework or authored a paper for the book include: AOL, BIGresearch, Brand Autopsy, BzzAgent, Brandimensions, Burson-Marsteller, BuzzMetrics, ComBlu, comScore Networks, CRM Metrix, Cymfony, DEI Worldwide, Decision Analyst, Duke University, Future Now, GSD&M, Higher One, Intelliseek, Jupiter Research, Kaava, Market Navigation, Matchstick, Moroch, Millward Brown, Nielsen//NetRatings, GfK NOP, OnMessage Communications, The Phelon Group, REACH Media, Starcom, Simmons Market Research Bureau, StartSampling, Target Marketing, and the University of Maryland.

"Measuring Word of Mouth, Volume 1" is the 226-page book published along with the Terminology Framework. Containing 30 white papers and articles, the book covers the latest thinking and trends in WOM research, and how standard media plans and existing research can utilize the Framework. Future volumes will be published semi-annually.

These topics will be discussed in depth at WOMMA's Measuring Word of Mouth Conference, taking place July 13 in Chicago. This first-ever industry event devoted to word of mouth research was sold out in 20 days, using only word of mouth marketing. Nearly 200 marketers and researchers are attending.

Written by Steve Hall    Comments (6)     File: Word of Mouth     Jul-12-05  
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Comments

Is this a joke? The very act of observation and measurement has an effect on word of mouth. It is impossible measure true word of mouth without skewing your results, and true word of mouth (the kind that happens in casual conversation, around the proverbial watercooler) does not follow any set standards. You can measure and standardize the way you qualify the effects of word of mouth, but you cannot measure word of mouth itself.

Posted by: word? on July 12, 2005 11:13 AM

Where can you get a copy of the WOM standards report you mentioned?

Posted by: Stacey Witt on July 12, 2005 04:33 PM

Stacey, you can find lots more info about the effort at http://www.womma.org/research.htm.

And to user "word?": This is not a joke; we are researchers, and we therefore do not make jokes.

Posted by: carson on July 13, 2005 12:36 AM

Carson, you may not make jokes, but you apparently have no problem making money off this snake oil you're peddling. Any research that says you can effectively measure the content of personal conversations is pure bullshit.

Posted by: word? on July 14, 2005 12:11 PM

Rugby players spend a lot of time physical training Compared to other form of sports.I have read the
Rugby laws mentioned on this site. It's a gripping sport which targets the grip strength and the active mindedness of a player. American football and rugby league are also primarily collision sports, but their tackles tend to terminate much more quickly. For professional rugby, players are often chosen on the basis of their size and apparent strength and they develop the skill and power over the passage of time. In modern rugby considerable attention is given to fitness and aerobic conditioning as well as basic weight training.

Posted by: Rugby Fan Steve on August 1, 2006 04:10 PM

Rugby players spend a lot of time physical training Compared to other form of sports.I have read the
Rugby laws mentioned on this site. It's a gripping sport which targets the grip strength and the active mindedness of a player. American football and rugby league are also primarily collision sports, but their tackles tend to terminate much more quickly. For professional rugby, players are often chosen on the basis of their size and apparent strength and they develop the skill and power over the passage of time. In modern rugby considerable attention is given to fitness and aerobic conditioning as well as basic weight training.

Posted by: Rugby Fan Steve on August 25, 2006 02:34 AM

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