Influential Web Users Rely On Company Web Sites For Word On Brands & Services.

Company Web sites are the most frequently trafficked online information source by e-fluentialsSM, a powerful group of online influencers who affect millions of consumers’ purchasing decisions, according to a new study released today. Across a wide variety of sectors – technology, retail, finance, pharmaceutical, and automotive – company Web sites (85%) were found to be more widely used than online magazines (62%) and opinion sites (55%) as sources of Internet-based information among e-fluentials who advise on companies and products. These findings constitute a wake-up call for companies to proactively manage their relations with online customers. E-fluentials spread negative experiences about companies and products to 55 percent more people than positive experiences.

The study, commissioned by Burson-Marsteller and conducted by RoperASW, builds on earlier research and reveals a direct peer-to-peer network between e-fluentials and the larger U.S. consumer population. More importantly, the findings provide implications for companies, communities and special interest groups seeking to tap the power of e-fluentials and enlist their support. Reach Extends to 155 Million U.S. adults

“An e-fluential is the rock that starts the ripple,” said Chet Burchett, president and chief executive officer, Burson-Marsteller U.S.A. “Each one communicates with an average of 14 people, so word travels in ever-widening circles, growing exponentially with each successive wave. Our new research shows that an estimated 11 million e-fluentials reach 155 million U.S. adults with their messages. We can harness this tremendous communication force because we now know not
only what kind of people e-fluentials are, but also what they do, both online and offline.”

Bad News Reverberates

On average, an e-fluential relates a given positive experience to an average of 11 people, but spreads word of a negative experience even wider to 17 people, a stunning 55 percent difference. This powerful effect makes them preferred players and partners in direct- and viral-marketing campaigns. Not to be overlooked, this virtual influence group wields tremendous clout offline as well as online: 77 percent vote, 55 percent sign petitions, 48 percent e-mail government agencies, 47 percent e-mail congressmen or senators, and 40 percent serve on committees of local organizations.

“E-fluentials can be reputation-builders or busters,” said Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross, Burson-Marsteller’s chief knowledge & research officer. “It’s crucial for companies to build trust and value with influential visitors to their Web sites so they can neutralize the negatives and nurture the positives. Company Web sites that provide e-fluentials with straightforward, easy-to-use information-retrieval systems are pivotal in building and enhancing the value of brands, products and services in the public eye. Other consumers count on e-fluentials to be their hunters and gatherers of online information.”

Receptive to E-Mails From Known Sources

E-fluentials are receptive to e-mail from companies they know, the study showed, indicating the vital role played by familiar brands in e-mail viral marketing campaigns. Although not all efluentials open every unsolicited e-mail message – in fact, 94 percent report having deleted such e-mail on occasion – an astounding nine out of 10 say they have read unsolicited e-mail from people or Web sites that they know. “Once they open these e-mails, e-fluentials bring motion to the campaign by passing on the information to others and visiting the Web sites mentioned in the message. These findings underscore the importance of identifying these community opinion leaders and building strong, positive relations with them,” Gaines-Ross said.

E-fluentials provide a targeted marketing solution for companies seeking a cost-effective way to win over both existing and prospective customers. “Going forward, Burson-Marsteller will continue to identify emerging stakeholders that impact the marketplace and the public’s perceptions of companies and issues,” Burchett said.