Yoko Co Announces Results of “Word of Mouth Marketing in the Digital Age” Survey

MCLEAN, Va. - June 18, 2014 - PRLog -- According to a survey conducted by Yoko Co. (http://www.yokoco.com/), an interactive marketing agency based in the Washington, D.C. area, traditional methods are still more frequently used to facilitate word of mouth referrals, even beating out major social networks, despite the growing ubiquity of these and other digital platforms.

The online survey asked professionals how they give and receive word of mouth marketing and referrals, how and what information they exchange, and how they follow through after the referral. The results of the word of mouth marketing survey have been presented in an infographic (http://www.yokoco.com/2014/06/word-of-mouth-marketing-in-the-digital-age/), which is available on Yoko Co.’s website.

One of the biggest findings the survey revealed is the major role websites play in the exchange of word of mouth referrals. An organization’s website is most commonly the first piece of information that is shared in a referral, beyond direct contact information. In this order, the information most commonly given is Name, Phone Number, Email Address, Website.

After receiving a referral , over 90% of respondents researched it before they decided to make contact. 92% of these respondents said that the first platform they use when researching a referral is their website. Search engines were the next closest, trailing approximately 19 points behind.

The website was also the second most important factor in deciding whether or not the respondent chose to work with a new referral, led by the most important factor - the person providing the referral. Trailing in third were online reviews, and fourth was the referral’s LinkedIn profile, followed by Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

“Even though these statistics may vary for individual businesses, the survey illustrates that how vital it is to have a website which positively reflects your business. Your reputation alone may not be enough to seal the deal,” says Chris Yoko, CEO of Yoko Co.

Ultimately, the survey results make it clear that social media platforms, despite their continued growth, aren’t as prevalent a factor in referrals as may be assumed.