Let’s talk about…Social Proof 💬
Imagine you’re shopping for a new fridge.
You’ve found three options that you love, based on the pictures alone.
One has over 1000 reviews with an average rating of 4.7 stars. The second has 150 reviews and a 2-star rating.
The third has no reviews.
Which do you buy? 👀
Of course, you’re drawn to the fridge with over 1000 satisfied customers.
Why is this?
It’s due to a psychological phenomenon called social proof.
”Social proof” is a term coined back in 1984 by author Robert Cialdini in his book Influence.
Essentially it’s the idea that people copy the actions of others in an attempt to emulate the behaviour in certain situations.
In marketing, social proof covers a similar idea – when people shop, they look for reviews, recommendations and ways that others have used a product before making their decision.
There are several ways you can incorporate social proof into your marketing to showcase your satisfied customers to potential customers 👇
📰 Case Studies: If you’re a service-based business, this could be a “ behind-the-scenes” style post highlighting the project you worked on, key takeaways and a client quote on their experience working with you. If you’re a product-based business, you could show a “day in the life” of a customer using your product (with their permission, of course!)
📣 Testimonials & Reviews: Not exactly new or groundbreaking but a lot of businesses underestimate the power of testimonials. These can be shared on social media, your website or weaved into email campaign copy. Testimonials/ reviews can also be very powerful video ads.
🥇 Awards & Accolades: If you’ve worked hard to train/upskill or educate yourself in your particular field, you should shout loud & proud about it. Showcase your expertise or experience by including logos on your website or referencing them throughout your online content.
🤳 User-generated content: The gold dust of online marketing. User-generated content (UGC) refers to content (photos, video, text, etc.) created and published by unpaid contributors. It can be shared on social media, used to create powerful, engaging digital ads or even repurposed on your website. Just remember to get permission before sharing.
⭐ Influencer Marketing/ Celebrity Endorsement: The marmite of online marketing. Love it or hate it, the influencer market still has huge impact… when used correctly. Before jumping on the bandwagon, consider if this type of social proof aligns with your business/product/service, and if so, who might be the right fit.
🤝 Brand Collaborations: We often think of other brands as the enemy. Collaborate with our competitors? Surely not! The thing is, you actually have one pretty big thing in common; your customer. Do some market research to find out what other businesses are doing something similar or offer products/services that complement what you’re offering. Consider if you could pair up for a campaign, giveaway or even for a social cause. Collaboration over competition!
💡 Do you use social proof in your marketing? Let’s chat in the comments 👇
