Word-of-Mouth and Interpersonal Communication: An Organizing Framework and Directions for Future Research

There is currently huge popular interest in word-of-mouth and social media more broadly (e.g., Facebook and Twitter). But while quantitative research has demonstrated the causal impact of word-of-mouth on diffusion and sales, less is known about what drives word-of-mouth and why people talk about certain things rather than others. Why do certain products get more word-of-mouth? Why do certain rumors spread faster than others? And why does certain online content go viral? Further, how does the audience people are communicating with, as well as the channel they are communicating through, impact what gets shared? This talk addresses these, and related questions, as it integrates various research perspectives to shed light on the behavioral drivers of word-of-mouth. It provides an integrative framework to organize research on the causes and consequences of word-of-mouth and outlines additional questions that deserve further study.