Reconceptualizing eWOM Communication: An Interactive Perspective

Abstract

The pervasive use of digital technologies allows individual consumers to generate and obtain consumption-related information through digital media platforms, thereby catalyzing the emergence and penetration of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in the consumer market. Although WOM marketing highlights the significance of two-way communication, the interactive nature of eWOM has often been neglected. Drawing upon academic literature and industry observation of interactive marketing and eWOM, this chapter reconceptualizes eWOM communication through the theoretical lens of interactive marketing. Focusing on the interactivity of eWOM, this chapter develops a new typology of eWOM media based on their functionality, information types, and interactivity. Furthermore, in addition to the customer-to-customer communication in eWOM, this chapter takes a managerial perspective to categorize and evaluate proactive and reactive eWOM strategies. This chapter is concluded by developing a future research agenda that has implications for potential research and the practices of interactive eWOM.