Electronic word of mouth and the hidden impact of incidental influencers

Purpose In this digital era, electronic word of mouth (eWOM) plays a crucial role in the spread of brand messages. While businesses and scholars are often focused on current and potential customers in eWOM management, a counterintuitive hypothesis emerges that a substantial proportion of eWOM is created by “Non-Market Participants” (NMPs), people who are neither current nor potential customers. We study this hypothesis that, if supported by evidence, could potentially change the way eWOM is perceived and expose flaws in current marketing practices. Design/methodology/approach We used a mixed-method approach to collect and analyze our data. In addition, we adopt Uses and Gratifications (U & G) as our foundational theory. U & G has been increasingly used for studies on digital communication platforms and is relevant to our research topic. Unlike other research, our interviewees are people who have created actual eWOM instead of simply having the intentions to do so. Findings We find evidence that a significant number of NMPs are spreading brand-related eWOM. Using the principles of U & G, we also uncover their motivations for doing so. These include meeting aspirational, informational, and social needs. Practical implications Marketers have been focusing on current and potential customers in their eWOM strategies. This study highlights the shortcomings in their narrow segmentation approach, overlooking a substantial segment of people who have a significant role in generating eWOM for their brands. As such, there is a need for change in eWOM management strategy – one guided by the NMP motivations uncovered in the study. Originality/value To the best of our knowledge, no other studies were conducted on NMPs and their role in eWOM generation. Our paper addresses this gap in the literature. This also helps to chart new directions for research on eWOM and introduce “Incidental Influencer” as a new construct for marketing practice.