WHAT'S THE BUZZ?
My latest NYT column looks at some interesting research that uses Usenet postings to track the effect of word of mouth on the ratings of new TV shows. As imperfect as Usenet may be as a proxy for word of mouth, the technique got results that suggest strategies for marketers. Bottom line: It's not just how much people talk, it's how dispersed out they are. You don't want your word of mouth concentrated among people who just talk to each other.
In related work, which I didn't have room to cover, Dina Mayzlin and Judith Chevalier, whose research I wrote about last month, looked at the effects of the reader reviews posted at Amazon.com and BN.com. They found reviews did make a difference, with bad reviews (which are relatively rare) significantly depressing sales. So if you like my new book, please post a nice review. And if you don't like the book, please don't waste your time.