Other Business Commons^™

Conceptualizing The Electronic Word-Of-Mouth Process: What We Know And Need To Know About Ewom Creation, Exposure, And Evaluation, Ana Babić Rosario, Kristine De Valck, Francesca Sotgiu

Marketing: Faculty Scholarship

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) is a prevalent consumer practice that has undeniable effects on the company bottom line, yet it remains an over-labeled and under-theorized concept. Thus, marketers could benefit from a practical, science-based roadmap to maximize its business value. Building on the consumer motivation–opportunity–ability framework, this study conceptualizes three distinct stages in the eWOM process: eWOM creation, eWOM exposure, and eWOM evaluation. For each stage, we adopt a dual lens—from the perspective of the consumer (who sends and receives eWOM) and that of the marketer (who amplifies and manages eWOM for business results)—to synthesize key research insights and …