15 Word-of-Mouth Statistics That Reveal Customer Influence

Word-of-mouth remains one of the most powerful drivers of business growth. Recommendations from friends, family, or trusted sources influence buying decisions across generations and industries. Understanding how consumers and marketers interact with word-of-mouth marketing can help businesses focus efforts where they have the greatest impact.

These statistics provide insight into how word-of-mouth shapes consumer behavior, retention, and sales, both online and offline.

How we collected this data

The statistics below are compiled from reliable marketing sources, including WiserNotify and SEMrush. The data reflects surveys of marketers and consumers, as well as industry analyses on purchasing behavior, social influence, and online engagement. Sources were chosen for credibility and relevance to current marketing trends.

15 Key word-of-mouth statistics

1. About 50% of marketers believe that 20%-40% of leads are directly generated by personal recommendations. [WiserNotify]

2. 95% of consumers check online reviews before making purchase decisions. [WiserNotify]

3. Word-of-mouth influences millennials 115% more than any other traditional marketing channel. [WiserNotify]

4. Word-of-mouth leads to almost 5 times more sales than paid advertisements. [WiserNotify]

5. 66% of word-of-mouth marketing happens through offline recommendations. [WiserNotify]

6. Word-of-mouth recommendations are 37% more effective in retaining consumers. [WiserNotify]

7. On average, word-of-mouth drives $6 trillion in annual global spending and accounts for 13% of all sales. [SEMrush]

8. 21% of people will lose trust in a brand, whether they’ve been a customer or not, because of negative word-of-mouth. [SEMrush]

9. Among the top five ways to recommend a business, word-of-mouth ranks first, followed by Facebook, Google, and Twitter. [SEMrush]

10. 78% of people share positive experiences with friends or family at least once per week. [SEMrush]

11. 70% of marketers plan to increase online word-of-mouth spending, while 29% focus on offline strategies. [SEMrush]

12. Generation X is the most likely to discover products through word-of-mouth, with 18% regularly finding products this way. [SEMrush]

13. 20% of people become aware of smartphone apps through word-of-mouth recommendations. [SEMrush]

14. In Colombia and Mexico, 39% of people hear about products for the first time from word-of-mouth recommendations. [SEMrush]

15. Only 12% of Generation Z discover new products through word-of-mouth. [SEMrush]

Key takeaways

Word-of-mouth marketing remains a critical tool for both customer acquisition and retention. Businesses should encourage and facilitate positive recommendations through exceptional service, customer engagement, and online review management.

Actionable steps include:

• Creating opportunities for satisfied customers to share experiences.

• Monitoring and responding to online reviews to maintain trust.

• Incorporating referral programs to incentivize recommendations.

• Targeting demographics most influenced by word-of-mouth, such as millennials and Generation X.

Focusing on these strategies can help businesses convert word-of-mouth into measurable growth and long-term loyalty.