Open Access

Natalie Rottler

• Due to the development of the social web, the traditional word-of-mouth has obviously spread into this widely-used medium and developed. Products, services, brands, and enterprises are still the main topics of word-of-mouth. However, senders and recipients are no longer restricted to their circle of acquaintances. Every consumer who has access to the Internet is able to consume and publishDue to the development of the social web, the traditional word-of-mouth has obviously spread into this widely-used medium and developed. Products, services, brands, and enterprises are still the main topics of word-of-mouth. However, senders and recipients are no longer restricted to their circle of acquaintances. Every consumer who has access to the Internet is able to consume and publish reviews. This paper deals with the importance which is awarded to the word-of-mouth on the social web referring to B2C markets. First, consumers and their motives for spreading and consuming word-of-mouth are examined since they, as purchasers, determine the success of enterprises substantially. Afterwards, the paper focuses on the importance of word-of-mouth for enterprises by revealing potential opportunities and risks. To achieve this aim, the paper is based on secondary research and therefore consults a wide range of literature. Furthermore, the results rely on studies, statistics, and consumer surveys. It turns out that word-of-mouth on the social web supports consumers in satisfying a variety of needs. Particularly when it comes to decision and opinion making processes consumers seek advice from the Internet community. This also implicates the remarkable importance of word-of-mouth for enterprises, which is illustrated by the potential opportunities and risks. Since the extent of these opportunities and risks cannot generally be determined for all enterprises, it is necessary for every single enterprise to identify the consequences of these opportunities and risks individually by using a monitoring. For this reason some recommendations are attached, which help handling the word-of-mouth on the social web.…