Social Proof- The Psychological Influence of Marketing

There are numerous areas of study that have always pointed to the human species as the social creatures of all time. This truth has been maintained from the Big Bang straight through all of evolution. The point is that we’ve always looked to each other for advice and confirmation. It’s in our nature. Look around and you’ll see a world word built on blood, sweat, and heaps of social influence and social proof.

Well at least, unlike in the past, it’s all gotten much easier. Today, we simply follow the latest trends or look to our friends before deciding on what’s ‘hot’. We inherently understand that there’s safety in numbers which is a highly influential factor when considering decision-making because, naturally, when we’re uncertain we base our decisions on similar experiences and actions of others’.

Business Social Proof in Action

The entire point of social proof is to fundamentally grant confirmation –  who doesn’t want it? Well, that works wonders for social media marketing. Simply because it’s in our nature to mimic the shape of things, based of course on what’s deemed more popular. So, whichever way you look at it, we need confirmation.

So in totality, social proof affects us in more ways than one. Like our tendency to prefer a product or service our friends have tried, for instance, or “FOMO” (which stands for “Fear of Missing Out”) which has become a real thing. Meaning social proof fused with social media marketing can trigger powerful emotions which can significantly influence consumer reaction and response to your brand or other products. It inspires confidence in their choice and gives them the feeling of being a part of something bigger. And for the business, it means more magnetic marketing. It validates important claims about your products while also justifying your pricing. That’s the magic and power of association.

In simple terms, every customer, follower, or expert who associates with your brand can do more for your image than you ever imagined possible. To say the least, social proof can drastically increase your conversions. That’s why we’re going to teach you how to start leveraging and converting. Follow the crowd.

Master 3 Types of Social Proof. Here’s how:

1. Recommendations & Reviews

Product and service reviews become particularly powerful when the opinions of larger populations are accounted for. Testimonials are one of the most straightforward ways of getting backing:

• They can be simple and straightforward text quotes, or
• You can go all out with videos.

What makes them effective is their objectivity, meaning, the most ideal testimonials would come from someone outside the brand, preferably an influencer. This is a powerful add-on for your social media marketing.

There are several ways in which to increase the number of reviews your product or brand receives. Be nice, offer incentives, and highlight customers who have left reviews. Or you could also reach out to repeat customers, include prompts in your surveys.

The Big Tip: Highlight your numbers of existing users who are already benefiting from your product or service. This will automatically generate FOMO in potential customers. This marketing muscle aims to impact the minds of potential consumers positively.

2. Influencer Endorsements

This one is quite straight to the point: the more relevant and influential the endorser, the more powerful the social proof. Somehow celebrities bring certain aspirational value to the brand. Giving your product the power to be relatable to the people on the ground. Look at it this way: it’s the ultimate stamp of approval from an authoritative entity to your business.

3. Kiss & Tell – Share Your Collaborations & Associates

Believe it or not, sharing your associations & collaborations on your social media channel’s landing page can significantly increase your conversion rate. It retains customer confidence. This is the type of social proof that reinforces your connections to your audience and it’s how many people actually get to trust and follow your brand.

Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing

Social Proof is like an invisible buzz around your product on an invisible platform called the cloud. It can Increase the time people spend on your website, affect brand visibility and association. In simple terms, the more social proof you include on your website and landing pages, the higher the chances of conversions and also the longer clients interact. We need someone we look up to – it’s the only way we know who we want to be. The Digital School of Marketing’s Social Media Marketing Course will teach you about social proof and how to harness social media for your business. For more information, visit the course landing page.