You might have struggled with traditional advertising. No surprise there! With growing competition for consumer attention and market saturation, around 70% of people don't trust ads.
Looking for a powerful marketing tool to take your business to the next level? You probably already have it and you just haven't harnessed it yet.
The tool? Social proof. Having a solid plan to incorporate this in your marketing efforts is a great way to boost your business.
Not sure what social proof is? No worries! We've got nine tips, tricks, and social examples to help you use this idea.
What Is Social Proof?
Before we get into using it, let's talk about what it is. Humans are social animals and many times learn what is considered "correct" behavior by examining others' actions.
This seems like a biology lesson, but it's more about the psychology of your target audience. Think about what you want your ideal customer to do and find out how to demonstrate that they need to do it.
For example, if you see a celebrity you admire drinking a certain soda or using a specific face cream, you might be inclined to go out and purchase those items.
Another example is a TV show using a laugh track to give emotional momentum to their jokes. You'll be inclined to laugh if you hear others laughing.
Now that you've got some examples of social proof, we'll show you how to use it to your advantage.
1. Use Reviews
Reviews are probably one of the biggest and easiest ways to leverage others' reactions to improve conversions. In fact, reviews affect almost 68% of all purchasing decisions!
Here are the ways to use reviews to your advantage:
- Make it easy for your customers to leave reviews. For example, you can have accounts on Google, Yelp, and Facebook to get started.
- Look over and answer all of your reviews. This includes the negative ones so people can see you trying to address any unhappy customers.
- Include review sites in your social proof marketing strategy. Include links to review sites on your website and in your email signature.
Reviews are a great way to boost your authenticity and make others do all the work. Keep on top of them and you'll see a difference in your conversion rate.
2. Boast About Your Great Numbers
Have you ever seen the album 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong? Or seen the McDonald's slogan "Billions and Billions Served"?
It doesn't matter if you do or don't have 50 million people using your product. Make your numbers work for you.
Here's one social example: remember how important reviews are? If you've got a high rating, over 4.5 stars on Google, for example, let the world know!
This helps demonstrate how popular you are and brings in more business.
3. Get the Media Involved
Whether you can get a sponsorship on a major TV show or just get a write up in the local paper, getting the word out via media is a great idea.
See if you can submit your product to a magazine for a review. Send it to a local TV station and see if they'll do a segment about your idea.
4. User-Generated Content
Let your best customers do the heavy lifting for a bit and have them send you content you can use in your ads. User-generated content, content that comes from your customers, is a great way to show your product in use.
Not only does user-generated content demonstrate your product, but it also shows everyday people, not supermodels or celebrities. Your customers can see themselves reflected in your ads.
5. Give Them a Sense of Urgency
We all like to feel like we snagged the greatest deal on a limited time offer. That's FOMO -- or the fear of missing out -- in action.
Think of a timer counting down or listing how many items remain to bolster that need to "buy it now." Potential customers will feel like everyone else is getting in on a great deal and they shouldn't miss out.
6. Customer Testimonials
When you want to go deeper than just a quick review or a five-star rating, a testimonial works wonders.
If you can find a group of reviews that are lengthy and written in-depth, use them on your website. Contact your best customers and ask if they'll write a few words for you.
7. Show, Don't Tell
Let's say your new rug cleaner can supposedly wipe out weeks-old wine stains. If you tell your customers, they'll probably be skeptical. Show them a rug that's back to brand new after having a bottle of chardonnay dumped on it two weeks ago and they'll be lining up to buy it.
You can even combine this with customer testimonials and have them send you before and after pics of your products in action.
8. Case Studies
This one takes a bit more effort but it's worth it. Case studies take some time to generate but they demonstrate the long-term effects of your products or services.
Show how your business made a difference in a customer's life. Potential clients will look to see if any of the mentioned issues you've solved are similar to theirs and want to see the outcomes.
9. Show Logos Some Love
This one is kind of a weird social proof advertising trick, but you'd be surprised as to how well it works.
If you've collaborated with anyone notable in the industry, add their logo to your page. Showing off a row of recognizable logos boosts your credibility and makes you seem more trustworthy in the eyes of potential clients.
Make Your Own Social Examples
Ready to dive into the world of social proof marketing? These social examples are sure to get you started.
Need more? We've got a list of 10 examples of social proof at work.
If you're excited to get started and make your own social proof ads, you don't have to do it alone. We've got tons of packages at different price points to help guide you through the entire process. Choose the best one for you and your brand and get ready to see your conversion rate soar!