Online Persuasion: How the Written Word Drives WOM

ABSTRACT Consumer-generated product reviews are important sources of information for producers and consumers. This research includes two studies designed to investigate how language style, organizational structure, and other content features affect the perceived helpfulness of online product reviews. In study 1, researchers analyzed a data set of online product reviews regarding a consumer electronic device and identified content characteristics shared by helpful reviews. Study 2 used an experimental approach to probe the boundary conditions under which specific content features may or may not influence review helpfulness.