E-WOM as a Digital Public Relations Strategy in Building Organizational Reputation

Abstract

Electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) has become an increasingly important component of Digital Public Relations (Digital PR), enabling organizations to engage stakeholders and shape organizational reputation through online interactions. Although studies on e-WOM have expanded across communication and marketing disciplines, evidence regarding its strategic role in Digital PR remains fragmented. This study systematically synthesizes the existing literature to examine how e-WOM has been implemented as a Digital Public Relations strategy for building organizational reputation. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted following the PRISMA approach. Literature published between 2015 and 2025 was identified through searches of Scopus, the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and Google Scholar using predefined Boolean search strings. After applying the eligibility criteria, 19 studies were included in the qualitative thematic synthesis. The review identifies five recurring themes that characterize the strategic role of e-WOM in Digital Public Relations: (1) digital engagement as a mechanism for stakeholder interaction, (2) trust building through credible online communication, (3) stakeholder participation and co-creation, (4) content credibility and communication quality, and (5) reputation management through strategic e-WOM practices. Across the reviewed studies, these themes consistently indicate that e-WOM is associated with stakeholder engagement, organizational credibility, and digital reputation management. However, the evidence also highlights contextual differences across digital platforms, organizational settings, and methodological approaches, suggesting that the effectiveness of e-WOM depends on organizational responsiveness and communication strategies rather than e-WOM alone. This review contributes to Digital Public Relations scholarship by providing an integrated synthesis of recent research and identifying key strategic themes, theoretical perspectives, and future research directions for leveraging e-WOM in organizational reputation management.