The Word of Mouth Marketing Association topped yesterday’s newsletter with a plea for readers to go to Wikipedia.
Help save “word of mouth marketing” at Wikipedia. A proposal has been made to close the Wikipedia entry for “word of mouth marketing” and subsume it into the larger entry for “viral marketing”. Viral is a marketing technique of word of mouth equally valid with others such as buzz, grassroots, evangelism, and more.
Read the discussion on Wikipedia. I enjoyed Srini’s observation that WOM is a voluntary result of satisfaction, whereas viral marketing connotes less of a choice.
For myself, I’d like to see WOM become broader and better defined, differentiating itself from gossip and propaganda. Remember the early 80’s, when computer networks were mainframes and “networking,” referred to meet and greet marketing?
Ironically, from scholarly contribution to editorial tug-of-war, Wikipedia itself is a heartland of conversational collaboration. How is it that WOMMA was not mentioned as a resource in Wikipedia’s current WOM entry, or that WOM enthusiasts have not yet helped to build a broader series of articles? Methinks hindsight bit WOMMA in the wazzu.
How do you define WOM? Where does viral end and word of mouth begin? Pull up a chair and swap some talk about this topic at Cre8asite Forums.
Elizabeth –
Thanks for the post and helping to spread the word. We definitely appreciate it.
Speaking from the wazoo, at one point, the Wikipedia entry for WOM did include a link to WOMMA. We don’t know the full details, but at some point, it was removed. We would rather the focus be on our members and thbe incredible work they’re doing to help build this industry, anyway, so we let it pass.
Obviously, it’s a different story when we’re talking about the entry for the entire category being removed.
…Michael
Comment by Michael Rubin, WOMMA — July 18, 2006 @ 8:14 am
Michael,
Thanks for stopping by!
Wikipedia will try to make an unbiased, consensus decision about how to present WOM, depending on available information and accepted norms. They’ll work it out, one way or another. It’s confusion over what WOM really is that fascinates me.
What an opportunity for WOMMA, and WOM marketers! Public opinion is mixed and the natives are restless. Try a Google search for define:wom. Surely I am not the only one who sees an opportunity there! Trot out out some definitions that will clarify WOM for the general public, and discuss, discuss, discuss.
And, welcome to Cre8asite! Come on into the forums and stay a while.
- Elizabeth
Comment by Elizabeth Able — July 19, 2006 @ 1:37 am