How online word-of-mouth influences consumer's decision? A study on travel/gourmet blogs as a marketing tool

Online reviews provided from consumers who had previous experiences have become major information resource for consumers and marketers. The blogs then becomes the Web-based consumer opinion platform; the Internet enables consumers to share their experience with other consumers as the online word-of-mouth (WOM) communication. Online reviews on traveling and food tasting and by consumers who previously experienced have become a major information source for consumers and marketers regarding to the tourist spots and restaurants. The study extends previous existing research on the effects of WOM and consumer decision making by conducting the in-depth interview with bloggers and an online survey on blog viewing and information searching behaviors. With the development of Web 2.0, word-of-mouth marketing is able to influence the consumers interactively. The user-generated contents created spread among the consumers soon and marketers become able to access millions of potential consumers over the world by understanding the new ways of communication. Word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing is the most honest form of marketing because consumers are sharing their own opinions, independent of messaging and manipulation (Throne, 2008). In the study, the researcher will discuss how the blog readers rely on the source of word-of-mouth conversations and the further suggestions on consumer behaviors and marketing insights, analyzed from the perspectives of user satisfaction, information credibility and consumer loyalty. Keywords: blog marketing, consumer decision making, online word-of-mouth (WOM)