A Netnographic Exploration
Listening to Oniine Consumer Conversations

RAMA K. JAYANTI Cleveland State University r.jayanti@csuohio.edu

Consumer conversations on a health-related electronic bulletin board are analyzed to investigate two key processes instrumental to creativity: analogical reasoning and reflective reframing. A netnographic analysis of these two creative strategies revealed two consistent themes of physician partnership and personal outcomes. To study the implications of these two themes for hospital communications, a content analysis of 40 comprehensive cancer-center Web sites was conducted. The results demonstrate a gap: although patients in online conversations emphasize physician partnership and personal outcomes, the majority of hospital communications emphasize reputation, expertise, and compassion. Strategic recommendations grounded in consumer conversations conclude the article.

INTRODUCTION

Consumers are in the midst of a conversation that isn't ours. The race is on to grow ears to learn what they are saying... listening in today's world is the most powerful selling tool because people want to be heard. Marketing needs to be a dialogue not a monologue.

— John Hayes, CMO, American Express (2009) Online consumer conversations are reshaping consumer connectivity, revolutionizing the conventional one-way communication marketing models (Neff, 2009). As American Express' chief marketing officer indicates, social networking has allowed consumers to increasingly turn to each other for product information and recommendations, wrestling control of brands away from marketers. A global Nielsen study found that consumer recommendations are the most trusted form of advertising (Nielsen Co., 2007). Consumers now view the Internet as a trusted third party that can be a valuable source of information for many product purchases. Ninety percent have used an Internet search engine to research a product or service (Fox, 2005). DOI: