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Why word of mouth is the best advertising your blog can have

by Darren

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Nothing beats a personal recommendation. Personal referrals are so potent, in fact, that marketing companies try to harness their power every day. “Friends and Family” type discount plans are their attempt at monetizing something that should come quite naturally. A ‘word of mouth’ referral is one that says: “this website is so good, I gladly recommend it to all of my friends and family”. The more trusted the person who gives you the referral, the more likely the person who’s referred is to give your blog a real chance.

Word of mouth goes digital. The phrase used to mean ‘from my mouth into your ear’, but we’re living in the digital age, so word of mouth can encompass:

• 1) An old-fashioned direct word of mouth referral
• 2) An email referral - Tell a Friend style
• 3) An electronic mention - a link in a blog or newsletter

Anything “viral” can be a word-of-mouth referral, but it’s even better if it comes with a personal recommendation.

Anytime someone thinks enough of you to vouch for you, it adds to your mystique. If you get this type of referral visitor often, it’s almost a guarantee that you’re doing something just right.

How can you encourage people to refer others to your website? Make it easy, and show them how. The main thing you can do is provide your users with tools to refer your website to others. If it’s easy for them to do, and they’re a big fan of your website, there’s no doubt they will. An occasional, non-pushy prodding might help, but it’s not a hand I’d want to overplay. You need to earn word-of-mouth business, rather than achieve it through salesmanship.

How much of a role does word of mouth traffic play in your blog’s success? Are you doing anything to encourage more people to refer your website to others?

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