Social proof marketing is based on the principles of psychology, and it’s a strategic way to strengthen your brand. People naturally base their purchase decisions on the opinions of others, even if they don’t know them personally. These can be influencers, customer reviews, or celebrity endorsements.
Learn more about the power of online validation and how you can unlock several business opportunities from a credible reputation.
Understanding the Benefits of Social Proof Marketing & Why It Matters
Social proof psychology is when people are influenced to make decisions or take actions based on others. It’s a form of validation because it makes them more comfortable doing something, because many other people have done it. In the digital age of influence, social proof marketing has become more prominent than ever.
Here are some benefits of using social proof in your marketing strategies and why it’s essential.
Social Proof Builds Your Brand’s Credibility
Customers nowadays are tech-savvy and will make informed purchase decisions. They’ll take time to research your online reviews, customer testimonials, and case studies before buying from a brand. Studies show that 87% of buying decisions begin with preliminary research before a purchase is made.
That’s why having a positive online reputation is crucial nowadays. It can influence consumer behavior because your brand is seen as trustworthy.
Social Proof Boosts Conversions
When your brand is seen as credible from social proof, it can increase conversions as a result. According to social proof statistics from OptinMonster, testimonials alone boost sales page conversions by 34%, with 35% of them buying from a better-rated company when comparing similar products.
Shoppers see people vouching for your brand and will let those opinions sway how they spend their money–making them more likely to buy from you, including over your competitors.
Social Proof Strengthens Your Online Presence
Social proof is especially useful for small to medium-sized businesses looking to increase brand awareness. You can use social proof marketing on various platforms, including Google Business Profile, social media, and websites.
If your company doesn’t have an established digital footprint, it can build trust for audiences who are unaware of your brand and make them more likely to take the chance to buy from you, too.
A Look at Different Social Proof Types and How to Integrate Them Into Omnichannel Marketing
Below are examples of social proof and how to integrate them into your omnichannel marketing efforts.
Social Proof Referral Marketing
A referral program is one of the most successful ways to generate social proof. While the opinions of strangers are highly effective, the ones of peers are the most impactful. Consumers will rely on people they know personally when referring to a brand.
In fact, referrals are the highest customer acquisition channel, driving up to five times more sales from offline word of mouth, including paid ads. Having a referral program with personalized incentives, like exclusive loyalty programs or special discounts, motivates people to share and review your business with those they know.
Social Proof on Websites
Your website is the foundation of your business. It’s where users go to learn more about your brand, browse your products or services, and eventually buy from you. That’s why it’s necessary to integrate social proof on your site to guide them through each step of their buyer’s journey.
Some ways to incorporate social proof on websites are:
- Customer testimonials
- Case studies
- Industry accolades on the About Us page
- Embedded Google reviews in the website footer
Website social proofing is an effective marketing strategy to showcase your brand’s positive online reputation and industry credibility.
Social Proof Advertising
Social proof advertising can be a worthy investment. While it’s technically a paid form of social proofing, it can still be effective when done right.
Some ways to use social proof ads in your campaigns are:
- Micro-Celebrity Endorsements: Asking industry bloggers or smaller-scale businesses within your niche to endorse your brand in paid social media posts can seem more authentic and less like a sales pitch.
- User-Generated Content: Using posts from happy customers who posted reviews on their personal profiles in your paid ads generates 29% more conversions because it’s not a paid promotion.
- Influencer Video Testimonials: Having influencer endorsement videos can serve as impactful social proof ads, as 45% of shoppers are more likely to buy a product because they recommend it.
While there are many ways to implement social proof strategies for free, you can generate a greater ROI by leveraging them in your paid ads.
Social Proof on Social Media
Social media is a powerful platform for social proofing. Even if your audience isn’t following your channel, it’s a strong form of social proof persuasion, especially with younger generations.
Studies show that 88% of Gen Zs and Millennials use social media to research products they’re interested in buying. Incorporating social proof marketing in your social channels can give shoppers a more authentic look into your products or services.
Some examples of social proof on social media are:
- User-generated content
- Influencer video reviews
- Celebrity or industry expert endorsements
Users may not follow your social channels, but they can find them from influencers or celebrities they follow. In return, it builds brand trust and channel engagement.
Social Proof for E-Commerce
Social proofing is especially crucial for e-commerce brands. When your bottom line is based on product sales, it’s imperative to invest in it with omnichannel marketing.
E-commerce sites should always have customer reviews on their product pages. It not only strengthens your social proof for that product but also optimizes it for SEO. Consumers won’t always visit your site when shopping online. They’ll also browse search engines for relevant products you offer that they’re interested in.
Embedding customer reviews also enhances your product page SEO because it can generate rich results. These are visual snippets that showcase your product differently and above traditional search results. Implementing customer reviews can help your product page generate review snippets, displaying reviewer information, the number of reviews, and the average rating.
When users click on rich results 58% of the time versus 41% for non-rich results, it’s worth combining SEO and social proof to boost product sales.
You can also combine SMS and email marketing to ask customers to leave a review after a recent purchase. Platforms like MailChimp and Constant Contact can even create SMS email drip campaigns to help you streamline review requests. They have automated features like follow-up text messages with direct links if they haven’t left a review after you asked via email, after a set time.
Social Proof Marketing FAQs
What is Social Proof?
Social proof is a psychological concept that influences people to behave or make decisions because many others are doing it. It’s a form of validation that people naturally seek to ensure they’re doing the right thing.
What is Social Proof in Marketing?
Social proof in marketing is when businesses leverage psychology to influence purchase patterns based on the opinions of their customers. They’ll commonly share positive online reviews, positive customer testimonials, and influencer promotions to showcase why their brand is trustworthy because others have vouched for them.
Does Social Proof Work?
Yes, many studies show that social proof is effective because it’s based on psychology to persuade people to purchase from you. When consumers see many people buying from a brand that had a positive experience, it makes them more likely to do the same.
Credibility Sells: Boost Your Bottom Line with Social Proof Persuasion
The principles of social proof show that it can better support your bottom line, no matter what industry your business is in.
At Reach Marketing Pro, we’re a full-service digital agency and can maximize your brand’s impact with platform-wide reputation management. With in-house social media managers, SEO specialists, and website copywriters, we can optimize your social proofing strategies across all channels you market on.
Learn more about our reputation management services or contact us to start building your brand’s credibility today.