The significance of consumer reviews and user-generated content
Today, consumers are more connected, more empowered, and more active than ever. They have plenty of questions to ask, they expect answers, and while they used to look to brand owners for information, the proliferation of consumer reviews and user-generated content has given them new—and, in their eyes, more reliable—sources to find it. This brings up the question: can marketers compete with consumers for influence over their customers’ purchasing decisions? Related, and perhaps even more significant, should they?
This paper examines the expansion and growing importance of new information sources and their role in evolving consumer paths to purchase. We’ll touch on issues of consumer trust, information democracy, content creation and management, and—most importantly—the changing role of brand owners and marketers in a world where the consumer has control.