The Role of Word of Mouth (WOM) in Building Consumer Trust in New Brands: Strategy Analysis and Impact
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56910/literacy.v4i1.2190Keywords:
Consumer Trust, Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM), Marketing Strategy, New Brand, Word of Mouth (WOM)Abstract
This research examines the role of Word of Mouth (WOM) in building consumer trust in new brands and the strategies that can be applied to make WOM more effective. In an increasingly competitive business world, WOM, both in conventional and digital forms (electronic Word of Mouth/e-WOM), has become one of the main factors that influence brand image and consumer purchasing decisions. This study explores how WOM can enhance the credibility of a new brand through customer recommendations, online reviews, and interactions that occur on various social media platforms. Through literature analysis and theoretical studies, this study found that WOM has a significant influence on shaping consumer perceptions of a new brand. Some of the factors that play a role in the effectiveness of WOM include the level of trust in the source of information, the frequency of conversations about the brand, and the media used in disseminating information. In addition, the utilization of digital marketing strategies that integrate social media with active consumer involvement can further strengthen the impact of WOM in building customer trust and loyalty to a new brand. With these findings, businesses are expected to maximize WOM as an effective marketing strategy to improve the competitiveness and positioning of new brands in the market.
References
Bartschat, M., Cziehso, G., & Hennig-Thurau, T. (2022). Searching for word of mouth in the digital age: Determinants of consumers’ uses of face-to-face information, internet opinion sites, and social media. Journal of Business Research, 141, 393–409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.11.035
Benevento, E., Aloini, D., Roma, P., & Bellino, D. (2025). The impact of influencers on brand social network growth: Insights from new product launch events on Twitter. Journal of Business Research, 189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.115123
France, S. L., Davcik, N. S., & Kazandjian, B. J. (2025). Digital brand equity: The concept, antecedents, measurement, and future development. Journal of Business Research, 192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115273
Han, L., Mingying, H., & Peng, Z. (2025). The influence of social media marketing on the quality of hotel services and the behavioral intentions of tourists. Acta Psychologica, 255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104881
Jesse, T., Niina, S., Lauri, H., Vilma, L. aho, & Terhi-Anna, W. (2025). Young consumers’ brand distrust model: Understanding the antecedents of young consumers’ distrust of brands. Journal of Business Research, 190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115250
Kim, W. Bin, Kim, C., Go, I., Fukuda, R., & Imai, M. (2024). Actions are more than just words: Relationships between word-of-mouth, personal interaction, and product attachment. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 81(June). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103994
Li, W., Zhao, F., Lee, J. M., Park, J., Septianto, F., & Seo, Y. (2024). How micro- (vs. mega-) influencers generate word of mouth in the digital economy age: The moderating role of mindset. Journal of Business Research, 171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114387
Li, X., Tse, Y. K., Zhang, M., & Phi, H. D. (2023). Impact of relocation strategy on brand trustworthiness and word-of-mouth: Experimental vignette research on the US fashion industry. International Journal of Production Economics, 257(April 2022), 108775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2023.108775
Liu, H., Jayawardhena, C., Shukla, P., Osburg, V. S., & Yoganathan, V. (2024). Electronic word of mouth 2.0 (eWOM 2.0) – The evolution of eWOM research in the new age. Journal of Business Research, 176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114587
Mero, J., Vanninen, H., & Keränen, J. (2023). B2B influencer marketing: Conceptualization and four managerial strategies. Industrial Marketing Management, 108, 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2022.10.017
Milovan, A. M., Dobre, C., & Moisescu, O. I. (2025). Boosting brand behavioral intentions via integrated explicit product placements in podcasts. Journal of Business Research, 189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.115129
Nasution, M. R., Rasyid, A., Golf, J. L., Tengah, K., Pancur Batu, K., Serdang, K. D., & Utara, S. (2024). Pengaruh Electronic Word Of Mouth (e-WOM) Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Produk Somethinc Official Shop Di Shopee. Journal of Creative Student Research (JCSR), 2(1), 230–240. https://doi.org/10.55606/jcsrpolitama.v2i1.3543
Papadopoulou, C., Theotokis, A., & Hultman, M. (2023). Managerial mindset effects on international marketing strategy adaptation decisions. Industrial Marketing Management, 115, 266–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2023.09.014
Schiaroli, V., Fraccascia, L., & Dangelico, R. M. (2024). How can consumers behave sustainably in the fashion industry? A systematic literature review of determinants, drivers, and barriers across the consumption phases. Journal of Cleaner Production, 483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.144232
Shams, R., Chatterjee, S., & Chaudhuri, R. (2024). Developing brand identity and sales strategy in the digital era: Moderating role of consumer belief in brand. Journal of Business Research, 179(June 2023), 114689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114689
Shamsuzzoha, A., & Fontell, L. (2024). The perspective of environmental sustainability from Finnish consumers viewpoint on eco-friendliness and corporate governance. Journal of Cleaner Production, 479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.144061
Sridhar, A., Honkapuro, S., Ruiz, F., Mohammadi-Ivatloo, B., Annala, S., & Wolff, A. (2025). Aggregator decision analysis in residential demand response under uncertain consumer behavior. Journal of Cleaner Production, 495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.144997
Tam, F. Y., & Lung, J. (2025). Digital marketing strategies for luxury fashion brands: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jjimei.2024.100309
Troiville, J. (2024). Connecting the dots between brand equity and brand loyalty for retailers: The mediating roles of brand attitudes and word-of-mouth communication. Journal of Business Research, 177(January 2023), 114650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114650
van Doorn, J., Risselada, H., & Verhoef, P. C. (2021). Does sustainability sell? The impact of sustainability claims on the success of national brands’ new product introductions. Journal of Business Research, 137, 182–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.08.032
Walter, N., Föhl, U., Sander, F., & Nies, A. (2024). Act as you preach! Authentic brand purpose versus “woke washing’s” impact on brand credibility: The moderating role of cause involvement and consumer skepticism. Journal of Business Research, 184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114868
Wang, W. (Britney), Deleersnyder, B., & Yildirim, G. (2025a). The impact of new product entry on brand sales volatility at the retailer: A Detailed Look into volatility drivers. Journal of Business Research, 191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115267
Wang, W. (Britney), Deleersnyder, B., & Yildirim, G. (2025b). The impact of new product entry on brand sales volatility at the retailer: A Detailed Look into volatility drivers. Journal of Business Research, 191(January 2023), 115267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115267
Weiger, W. H., Giertz, J. N., Hammerschmidt, M., & Hollebeek, L. D. (2025). Blurred lines? Disentangling the roles of consumers’ influencer- and brand engagement in shaping brand performance. Journal of Business Research, 194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115280
Wiśniewska, A. (2025). Attitude towards sustainability as a predictor of consumer behavioral intention. A test of 3x3-item scale in the context of the food market. Journal of Cleaner Production, 493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.144947
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 LITERACY : International Scientific Journals of Social, Education, Humanities

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.




