Title: Identifying, segmenting and profiling online communicators in an internet music context

Authors: Gianfranco Walsh, Vincent-Wayne Mitchell

Addresses: Institute for Management, University of Koblenz-Landau, UniversitAtsstrasse 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany. ' Faculty of Management, Cass Business School, City University, 106 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8TZ, UK

Abstract: The internet increases the importance of information dissemination, which can enhance the success of online and offline products. Indeed, in certain markets, online communicators can play a central role in influencing others| purchase decisions. Previous research has identified e-Mavens as one such group, but has not profiled them and has treated them as a homogenous group. From an online sample of some 2500 consumers, we identify e-Mavens and systematically examine their demographic, socio-economic and psychographic characteristics as well as their motives for visiting websites and disseminating information in a music context. In addition, cluster analysis identified four meaningful and distinct e-Mavens groups, which have implications for e-marketing research, e-practitioners targeting online music communities and the market maven concept.

Keywords: electronic word-of-mouth; e word-of-mouth; internet marketing; market mavens; music industry; segmentation; world wide web; information dissemination; online retailing; customer behaviour; purchasing decisions; e-Mavens; eMavens; demographic backgrounds; socio-economic influences; psychographic characteristics; motivation; websites; cluster analysis; online communicators; online communities; virtual communities; web based communities; e-marketing research; electronic marketing; e-practitioners; electronic practitioners; downloads; downloading; Germany; advertising.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2010.030432

International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2010 Vol.6 No.1, pp.41 - 64

Published online: 16 Dec 2009 *

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