Why your business should be making the most of social proof

Social Proof

We’ve shared some thoughts on social proof in a previous blog post about Cialdini's 7 Principles of Persuasion. It’s the idea that the opinions of people around us have a huge impact on our own behavior and the decisions we make. 

Growing up you probably heard the phrase ‘if he/she jumped off a bridge, would you?’ and that kind of sums up the theory of social proof. Essentially it’s the idea that if someone does something and tells you it was great you’re more likely to follow them and repeat the action.

In the context of marketing, social proof can have a big impact on the decisions consumers make. It can be incredibly powerful and can have a huge impact on your conversion rate. So if you’re not using it already, you definitely should be.

Whether it’s featuring customer testimonials and case studies on your website or leveraging the influence of experts and industry leaders in your field, social proof is all about building an audience that will ultimately champion your brand for you. 

Why social proof works

We’re social creatures. When we’re uncertain about something we often look to the actions of others to determine what we should do. There’s a reason restaurants like to fill up seats by the windows first - you’re far more likely to choose the restaurant that looks busy than the one that’s empty.  Interestingly, a study by Durham University in 2021 found that a restaurant's rating on Google reviews was more important in people’s decision making than the actual service received and more important than a restaurant’s hygiene rating (something that if we were deciding whether to book a restaurant without any outside influence would surely be a key element of our decision making process). 

Humans are social creatures by default, and always have been - what started as a survival mechanism is now something ingrained in us. We follow trends, we look to our family and friends for advice and in modern times we have spread that net further and further as social media and the internet have opened up an almost infinite database of opinions and guidance we can look to when making decisions. 

If you are like most people then even just one bad review on a website like Amazon can be enough to make you think twice about a purchase. The impact of influence from people we don’t know is a modern phenomena and one that has been capitalised on by social media influencers and celebrities endorsing certain brands, products or services.

Social Proof as a business tool is not going away anytime soon. 

Using Social Proof

What’s important to remember is that no matter how good your product or service is, when someone finds you for the first time they don’t know that, unless they’ve been recommended to you (which is of course social proof in action already). If you’re looking for some ways you can integrate social proof into your marketing campaigns here are some ideas:

Testimonials

Testimonials help build trust and position you as a safe choice. They should be prominent on your website landing page and shared on your social media channels - cutting straight to the chase with the goal of overcoming any initial buyer objections. Testimonials work because they are objective - just make sure they are saying something positive that ties in with your brand identity and that they are coming from someone credible. 

Case Studies

Case Studies are a great way of showing your audience that what you do works. Looking to our peers and seeing how your business, product or service has been used is a fantastic way of passive objection handling. It can help peel back the curtain and show a glimpse into your business and the positive impact you have had on other people who have already given you their business. Simply put, customers don’t want to take risks and case studies are a sure fire way of reassuring them that there is no risk, only reward.

Reviews

The whole concept of social proof is that we, as social creatures, will look to others for advice and reassurance. Nowhere is this more applicable than with looking at reviews left by others, and this can be both positive and negative. Research conducted by Dixa found that out of the 93% of people who read online reviews ahead of making a purchasing decision, 47% would share a positive experience but a staggering 95% would shout about a negative experience. If you say your product or service can do something then you better be sure it can. Negative news will spread far quicker than positive news - again it’s all part of our human nature. Bad reviews can have a far reaching negative impact too. Good news against a backdrop of bad news does not have this impact and so we look not just at individual reviews but overall reviews and user experiences. This is backed up by research revealing 92% of people would use a local business if it had at least a 4/5 star rating and a one star increase on Yelp leads to a 5% to 9% increase in business’s revenue. 

Ultimately making a purchasing decision is an emotional decision and not always entirely logical. When we are unsure we look to other people who are in a similar position to us to see how they have acted and generally will follow suit if there is enough positive evidence to do so. 

Social Shares 

The more people you have sharing your brand the more people you will be reaching. A strong social media presence can really be a game changer for your business. It’s not only a great way to promote your business but also to build your brand identity, tone of voice and  show what you are about and what you believe in. Done the right way you can really start to build a following of like-minded people who will champion your brand for you. The number of followers and shares you have can also reassure people that you are legitimate and trustworthy. Social shares from influencers and celebrities can increase reach and impact but you needn’t worry if you don’t have that - having a social media following who are invested in what you do and will share your social posts can be more than enough to grow your business. 

User-generated content

Think unboxing videos, make-up tutorials, selfies with design clothing or a vlog talking through your latest hiking gear. These are all examples of user-generated content. It’s content created by consumers and posted online and can be anything from videos, pictures, reviews and podcasts blogs and vlogs. User-generated content is great at cutting through the noise online and helps cement a brand as truly authentic and credible but it isn’t always easy to achieve. Modern audiences are not easily fooled when it comes to brand authenticity and the more user-generated content you have out there supporting your cause the better. 

 Look at brands like GoPro, Patagonia and Dryrobe as great examples of brands that have tapped into user-generated content on social media as a great way of promoting their brands - and best of all, it’s pretty much free!

Influencer outreach 

Like user-generated content and social shares, influencer outreach leverages the power of social media to get your brand out there and circulating within a specific audience. It works by leveraging the trust and credibility of the influencer with any recommendations they make acting as a strong form of social proof and endorsement of your brand. Of course the match needs to make sense, there’s no point having an influencer from TOWIE promoting your artisan bread business based in Cornwall but the correct match can be a great way of reaching a like-minded audience with a credible and trustworthy source. There’s a reason the influencer market has grown from an estimated £1.2 billion in 2017 to £10 billion in 2021. 

Interested in creating social proof content? Get in touch.