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59% of College Students Pick WOM to Learn About New Stuff
The proliferation of social networks and blogs has made it even easier for college students to keep tabs on what their friends are doing. And this has grander applications than knowing where the next big party is taking place. According to a recent article from WOMMA member company eMarketer, which sited June 2007 research from YouthTrends, 59% of college students pick word of mouth as their preferred method for learning about new products and services. Another 13% of college students choose online product reviews as their preferred way for learning about new stuff.
According to eMarketer senior analyst Debra Aho Williamson, "The fact that students favor word of mouth, combined with their use of social networking, indicates that they are a strong audience for online word or mouth marketing efforts." Something smart companies already know.