Word-of-mouth is powerful. Humans have been using it to survive since the beginning of time.
You probably still use word-of-mouth as a survival mechanism today. Do you poll friends about which mechanic will take good care of your car, what doctor you should trust, or which preschool will make sure your child doesn’t wander off?
Reputations on the line
Word-of-mouth can make or break a business’ success. Good referrals drive profit and bad reviews jeopardize reputation.
Historically, word-of-mouth has been the most influential, yet least controllable advertising technique. Marketers have been trying to harness its power forever through referral credits, influencer partnerships, affiliate marketing, and more.
However, with the increased use of AI, word-of-mouth as a marketing strategy is changing.
The search game has changed
Online search behavior is shifting and people are replacing Google with AI to collect and distill thousands of pages on the internet and find the most specific answers to their questions. You can use AI as a super-researcher for your next shoe purchase or tonight’s dinner reservation.
ChatGPT and other members of the AI family are like the friends you consult when you need to make a decision. AI will deliver more analytical and researched information than any friend could come up with.
There are limitations, however. AI can’t do more than pull from what it’s fed or what’s currently on the internet. Many subjective elements that come from human lived experience are going to be missing.
But more and more people are using AI as an intelligent personal assistant in their pockets; it’s easier to communicate with than a Google search or a social media algorithm.
How to get ahead of the trend
As a marketer, you have the opportunity to add your business to AI’s playbook for your industry. AI is still relatively young and you don’t want to miss this opportunity. Harness the power of an AI word-of-mouth marketing strategy by getting your business in front of the right people.
If you are looking for a starting point, ask AI some questions about your business. When you find information gaps or inaccuracies, start writing and get that content out on your website. The more information you provide, the more AI has to pull from.
Don’t let your competition establish themselves as AI’s first choice. Secure your spot and define your story.
