Media in Focus - WOMOW

Name of your media brand:  WOMOW – Word Of Mouth On the Web
Target Markets:  Consumers looking for good services, businesses looking to promote themselves with word-of-mouth
Launched:  2007
Staff:  10

See WOMOW's advertising listing with MediaScope

Please provide a brief overview of your brand, your market position and forward plans?

WOMOW.com.au stands for Word Of Mouth On the Web and it's the No 1 Service Review Site in Australia.  It's a forum for helping people find awesome businesses and exposing the dodgy operators.  It helps consumers get better service, while also helping good businesses stand out from the crowd and be recognised for providing great service.

Can you give us an overview of your background and experience?

WOMOW's Founder - Fiona has a background in marketing and IT.  She was previously a strategy consultant and then moved to the IT field where she got a deep understanding of small business needs.  She has an MBA, a degree in marketing and is passionate about promoting businesses based on merit and holding dodgy businesses accountable.  She is also a mum of two and is the 3rd Australian woman to have climbed Mt Everest.

Tell us how & why your site was launched?

In 1999, Fiona was renovating her house and needed several different tradespeople.  Opening a directory gave plenty of options but no real guidance in deciding who to call.  What she wanted was word-of-mouth recommendations...  the rest is history.

What benefits does your site offer advertising buyers and marketers?

WOMOW gives advertisers access to Australian consumers that are oriented towards quality.  For small-medium businesses, WOMOW offers a unique word-of-mouth marketing platform which allows them to have their customers doing their marketing for them.

What is the best & worst thing about being an independent media publisher?    

The best thing is the impact WOMOW’s having on both consumers and small businesses. We’re constantly receiving feedback from businesses that tell us that WOMOW is bringing in the majority of their new customers.  

The worst thing is educating the market about how powerful reviews can be and getting over the perception that reviews will be negative (in reality, only 7% of our reviews are negative).

Tell us about your advertising sales structure?

Our display advertisements are sold through PostClick while our word-of-mouth marketing programs are sold on the WOMOW website, and via our team of consultants (we try to contact businesses that get reviewed by their customers).  We have thousands of businesses using WOMOW to promote their good service and build trust and confidence in their business.  Popular industries include health and beauty, tradespeople, restaurants, and professional services.

What tips can you offer other media owners when dealing with advertising buyers?

Any marketing spend has to deliver measurable results – and no businesses scrutinise this more than small businesses.  At WOMOW, we’ve spent a lot effort developing a package that is incredibly effective – even going so far as to have a money-back guarantee (if a business doesn’t believe they’ve got great value, they get their money back plus $100).

Can you offer any advice to someone starting a new commercial media business?

To offer a compelling media value proposition, you need to stand out and be different from other online providers.  There’s room in the market for a fish shop in every suburb but consumers only want websites that are unique.  Solve a problem and the market will respond.

Where do you get your advertising and marketing information from?

A variety of online sources – both based in Australia and the US.  These include SmartCompany, Anthill, Inc Magazine, LinkedIn, and others.

Like to be profiled like WOMOW?  Please get in touch

_________________________________________________________________

Other Pages of Interest