What kind of people generate word-of-mouth hype?

Word-of-mouth hype can make or break a product or business, and new research has now revealed that it is a particular type of person who tends to spread the word about their consumer experience, Marketing Charts reports.

Word-of-mouth hype can make or break a product or business, and new research has now revealed that it is a particular type of person who tends to spread the word about their consumer experience, Marketing Charts reports.

According to a survey of more than 15,000 consumers by research firm BIGresearch, the more online research a person generally does before making a purchase, the more likely they are to tell others or contribute a product review or rating themselves.

Close to 50% of those who are regular online researchers say they like to share their views about the products or services they buy, compared to 29% of the general population.

According to the research, heavy online researchers tend to be slightly younger, slightly richer and more likely to hold a professional or managerial job than the average person.

“Consumers who research products online appear to be more knowledgeable and eager to share information,” BIGresearch president Gary Drenik says. “Because they are likely to tell a friend about their experience, they become a building block for viral marketing efforts.”

Read more on word-of-mouth and viral marketing