• by Julie Bleasdale , December 2, 2008

But if we found those skies less than friendly, we probably relayed our dissatisfaction to a few friends and family members. If we were really disgruntled, we'd sit down and write a complaint letter to the airline. But suffice it to say that our opinions and experiences -- both negative and positive -- had little (if any) impact on other consumers. The landscape has changed completely.

Fast forward to today. The Internet has given consumers the ability to broadcast their opinions about products and brands to millions of people every day. And do they ever.

According to Forrester¹, 19% of all U.S. online adults can be classified as "critics," or consumers who comment on blogs or post ratings and reviews on web sites like Amazon.com.  Considering that approximately 7 in 10 adult Americans (or roughly 141 million people²) now use the Internet, that means about 27 million people are creating some of the most influential content online. 

Just how influential is it? Consider these findings from a recent survey³:

·         72.2% of respondents research companies' customer care online prior to purchasing products and services at least sometimes

·         74% of respondents choose companies and brands based on others' customer care experiences shared online.

·         59.1% of respondents use social media to "vent" about a customer care experience

·         81% believe that blogs, online rating systems and discussion forums can give consumers a greater voice regarding customer care, but less than 33% believe that businesses take customers' opinions seriously

In fact, reviews and comments posted by actual users are more influential than third-party reviews or information posted by manufacturers⁴.

Back when we'd book tickets to "fly the friendly skies," there were no such things as blogs, social networks, search engines, and online communities. So consumers' horror stories were largely limited to a small group of people. 

No doubt times have changed. The Internet has given a whole new meaning to, "Power to the People." And it's those people who have more power over brands than any marketing manager.

Do you know what's being said about your brand online? Chances are, your prospects certainly do.