Word of mouth is a very big topic, and one that is being discussed by many brands and agencies across the world at the moment. Read on to find out how we have built on existing theories and developed a new way of understanding and identifying influential people...
We have been researching influence, idea propagation and word of mouth. Through an extensive, multi-discipline programme of methodologies we have established what traits and abilities make one person more influential than another and have created a framework through which to identify them.
Weak Ties, Bridging Capital and the Status Bargain are the core of what makes a person influential. When combined these factors allow people to access and spread ideas and opinions faster and more persuasively than others.
Weak Ties, Bridging Capital and the Status Bargain are the core of what makes a person influential. When combined these factors allow people to access and spread ideas and opinions faster and more persuasively than others.
 | Our research suggests that most influential people, regardless of their specific area of interest and influence, share the following traits: 1. Weak Ties 2. Bridging Capital 3. Status Bargain |
Having an abundance of Weak Ties gives an individual access to new sources of information and the ability to spread that information. Bridging Capital enables them to package this information up in a way that makes it easier for other people to take it on board. And the Status Bargain helps them to make more informed and influential recommendations based on a range of opinions.
Underpinning these three concepts is a set of measurable characteristics (known by the acronym ACTIVE) which are evident in higher incidence among influential people. They are: Ahead in Adoption, Connected, Traveller, Information Hungry, Vocal and Exposed to Media.
Our research has proven that these qualities are prominent in individuals that others would characterise as 'influential' and that readers of the Guardian and Observer (both online and offline) score more highly against these characteristics than consumers of other media. They demonstrate a greater propensity to both generate and spread word of mouth.
A key output of the research is our Word of Mouth database. With results fused to TGI, it is a practical communications planning tool that can be used to both identify and understand those influential in word of mouth.
Underpinning these three concepts is a set of measurable characteristics (known by the acronym ACTIVE) which are evident in higher incidence among influential people. They are: Ahead in Adoption, Connected, Traveller, Information Hungry, Vocal and Exposed to Media.
Our research has proven that these qualities are prominent in individuals that others would characterise as 'influential' and that readers of the Guardian and Observer (both online and offline) score more highly against these characteristics than consumers of other media. They demonstrate a greater propensity to both generate and spread word of mouth.
A key output of the research is our Word of Mouth database. With results fused to TGI, it is a practical communications planning tool that can be used to both identify and understand those influential in word of mouth.