Earn Trust with Social Proof in Your Marketing Strategy

How do you know if you should trust a product? What can make you believe that something is worthy of purchase, or that it's worth the investment of your time and attention? Facts and reviews are important factors that contribute to making a decision, but social proof may be the most powerful marketing tool available. If you don't have social proof on your site, you're missing a huge opportunity to outrank the competition. We’re going to help you understand social proof and how you can start using it immediately to generate more traffic and sales for your business.

What is social proof?

The concept of social proof is founded on the concept of normative social influence, which states that people will conform in order to be liked, similar to, or accepted by the influencer (or society).

When you're browsing a landing page and come across a testimonial from a respected industry expert, that's social proof. When you're browsing a pricing page and notice that an industry titan is already using the tool, you're looking at social proof. Signing up for a demo because you saw the tool solve the exact problem you have for a similar company is an example of social proof.

In essence, it is leveraging third-party influence to persuade potential customers.

How to Use Social Proof in Your Marketing

Now that we've talked about what social proof is, let's talk about how you can use it in your marketing. Here are some of the best ways to use social proof in your marketing:

Be honest. Don't lie to people about the results you're getting with your product or service. People will see right through that and be angry with you for lying to them. You don't want someone who was a potential customer to turn into an angry customer instead.

Differentiate yourself from competitors. If there's something that makes your product or service different from a competitor's, then let people know—but don't make it up if it really isn't true! Instead, focus on things like testimonials from customers as well as positive reviews you've gotten on third party websites and/or social media sites.

Social Proof Works Best if You Have a Solid Customer Base

The more people “share” something, the more others want it. But if you're just starting out and don't have a lot of customers or followers, you can always call in a favor from your friends and family for some social proof. As long as it's an honest review, it's better than nothing.

Four Types of Social Proof

Social proof comes in four varieties. Let’s take a look at each of them and then discuss how you can use social proof for your business.

1. Expert Social Proof

If you’re not an expert in your field, people aren’t going to trust you with their money. If that’s the case, try talking to yourself in front of a mirror until you are.

But if you really are an expert in your field — a thought leader whose opinion is respected and sought after — then social media was made for you. Just be sure to show off your expertise as much as possible through blog posts, videos, and stories on various channels. That way, when someone searches for industry-related content online (and we know they will), it will come up on Google and lead them straight to your website or social platform where they can see what else you have to say.

While many experts use LinkedIn as their main channel, others find success with podcasts or YouTube channels. If you ask us, it’s smart not to limit yourself to just one channel since different platforms attract different audiences — and even though they may be looking for the same information, everyone wants to consume that info in a slightly different way.

2. Celebrity/Influencer Social Proof

Celebrity social proof is when a celebrity/influencer endorses your product. The first type of social proof is the most traditional, but it's also becoming increasingly less effective as time goes on. Today, consumers are less likely to be convinced by a celebrity's endorsement of a product. This isn't necessarily because people don't care about celebrity endorsements anymore, but rather that celebrities who endorse products may not have as much influence over their fans as they used to.

For instance, let's say you're trying to sell leggings and you've got a popular influencer endorsing them, even wearing them in your ad campaign or whatever. If an influencer was able to sell you on something, what would be the main reason? Would it be because she said so? Or would it be because she has earned your trust through her actions? You see where I'm going with this: It's the latter.

The most effective celebrity social proof doesn't come from getting some big name like Kim Kardashian to endorse your product—it comes from finding someone whose followers feel a strong connection with them and trust their judgment.

3. User Social Proof

When current users recommend your products and services based on their interactions with your brand, this is referred to as user social proof. Praise on social media, for example, or positive ratings on review sites.

4. Wisdom of the Crowd (or ‘Wisdom of the Friends’) Social Proof

Wisdom of the Friends, or what we like to call “wisdom of the crowd” social proof, is a type of social proof that shows the opinions of people who are similar to you. This can be used on social media, on your website or even in an email. And it’s arguably one of the most powerful forms of social proof out there.

Social proof is an extremely powerful tool that marketers can use to increase sales, conversions, trust in their brand, and credibility while decreasing distrust in their brand and perceived risk of purchasing from them. Just as one might turn to a friend for recommendations, people are more likely to engage with your product or service if someone else has. Social media and reviews are two of the most powerful ways you can use social proof on your website.