Have you ever found yourself hooked to a product you kept seeing while browsing Instagram? Have you ever been drawn to the coffee house with a long line instead of the one around the corner with no customers? You have encountered social proof if you have ever felt a sudden FOMO (fear of missing out) after witnessing the use or wearing of a product or brand by a large number of other individuals.
If used effectively, this psychological phenomena can boost brand awareness and sales. We won’t judge you if you haven’t thought of social proof marketing before.
This is what we mean by “social proof,”
Just what does it mean when people back up your claims? Consensus behaviour refers to the tendency of individuals or markets to mirror the choices made by those with the largest numbers of participants. It is predicated on the widespread credulity that whatever the majority opinion happens to be, it must be correct. Even if the majority isn’t always right, the weight of their opinions still matters when making decisions.
Social proof is not a novel idea. One of the most well-known experiments is the 1935 psychological study by Muzafer Sherif, in which participants were asked to record their impressions of a moving light. It didn’t matter if the individuals’ individual observations were completely off the mark or if they were pooled together, they consistently arrived to the same measurements. According to the results of the study, people have a strong tendency to follow the norm regardless of the situation.
7 methods for incorporating social proof into your marketing strategy
Now that you know why and how social proof marketing works, you can begin investigating its potential for increasing sales on your e-commerce platform.
React quickly to consumer needs
You can brag about your quick responses to consumer inquiries on many different sites, whether social or commercial. There’s an option on Facebook to share your response time and rate with your fans. Keeping your response time low will encourage potential customers to contact you with inquiries regarding your items, the buying process, and product feedback. This has the potential to increase client participation and devotion to the brand.
Have social media takeovers
There is a growing trend of using a social media “takeover” to reassure sceptical consumers. Strong connections between the expert’s followers and yours can be forged by having them taking over your social networks for a day. Your fan base will appreciate the support of an industry expert, and theirs will be swayed to view your brand in a more positive light. You can use this as a springboard for future instructional content creation.
Revel in your mentions
Being cited or tagged in a social media platform by a well-known company or influencer or by the media is a new form of social proof. Expert and famous social proof can greatly increase brand loyalty and build trust among new customers. Reciprocity is a common theme in social media. Depending on your audience, you can increase the impact of your mentions by sharing them on your own social media profiles with captions like “grateful to be featured by,” “honoured to be acknowledged by,” or “OMG, can’t believe we were mentioned by.”
Make use of brand advocates.
Social media ambassadors are another type of influencer marketing that, depending on your choice of ambassadors, can provide social proof from users, celebrities, or experts. Brand ambassadors are social media users who promote your company and its products on a regular basis, much like brand affiliates.
Make use of evidence from social media in your ads
The usage of social proof can take many forms, including but not limited to including it in sponsored advertisements on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Google. Social proof, in which a large group of people attest to the quality of a product or service, is frequently employed in advertising material. Your website is another great place to showcase these eye-catching numbers.
Join forces with niche opinion leaders.
Using celebrities to endorse your product is nothing new, but with influencer marketing you can do it in a modern and effective way. Micro-influencers, on the other hand, can be the ideal balance between well-known figures and regular customers when it comes to marketing.
Micro-influencers are those who have between one thousand and one hundred thousand fans. Although their audiences are smaller, micro-influencers are able to forge deeper bonds with their fans. Sometimes, micro-influencers in your field might provide credible third-party endorsement of your goods.
Confirm Your Status
Having your Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter account verified adds a stylish blue checkmark to your bio and serves as strong social proof of your credibility. With this endorsement, your company will be seen as reliable and respected. Being recognized on social media is a huge social proof marketing potential beyond just unlocking premium services.
Steps to Take
Social proof can be a game-changer for your online sales if you approach it strategically. Do you feel prepared to take advantage of this psychological phenomena and utilise it to boost your internet marketing efforts now that you understand what social proof is and how to use it?
Before you launch your internet marketing campaign, you may want to peruse the articles on the eCommerce blog offered by Constant Contact. Then it’s time to use social proof to boost your company’s success.