• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, December 18, 2007

Following up on the ad spending Brief on WOM Marketing, here's a more extensive report by the Keller Fay Group describing the motivations of those who are driven to share their opinions.

Bazaarvoice released the findings of a study that surveyed over 1,300 online reviewers to discover what moved them to share their opinions. Overwhelmingly, the survey found, reviewers are motivated by goodwill and positive sentiment:

• 90 percent write reviews in order to help others make better buying decisions
• 70 percent want to help companies improve the products they build and carry
• 79 percent write reviews in order to reward a company
• 87 percent of the reviews are generally positive in tone

The survey data provides additional insight into previous analysis from Bazaarvoice, which revealed that positive reviews outweighed negative reviews 8 to 1. When charted, review distribution follows a "Ratings J-Curve" across clients in diverse industries.

Brett Hurt, founder and CEO of Bazaarvoice, said "...(this) trend analysis has shown that product and service reviews are very positive... These customers provide a vital source of authentic content to help others find the best products for their individual needs."

The new survey also found that:

• 79% of reviewers are active online participants who post reviews as a way of giving back to the review community
• 84% of reviewers also purchase products online
• 77% send more than 10 emails a day
• 25% engage in social networks
• 20% of reviewers post messages on other people's blogs or chat rooms
• 60% of reviewers have told friends and family about their product experience

Brad Fay, chief operating officer of the Keller Fay Group, said "... online reviewers tell us they want to reward brands that perform well. This... should encourage companies to be more comfortable with... inviting consumers to talk about their experiences."

1,300 reviewers provided new insight between August and October, 2007 into the places where consumers post online feedback. While 19 percent of reviewers post on independent product review sites such as ePinions or CNET, significantly more post directly on a retailer's own web site. Highlighting the prevalence of multichannel shopping, the survey also found that over 65 percent of reviewers have returned to the retailer's site to leave an online review about an offline purchase.

For additional information, please go to Bazaarvoice here.