What is Social Proof? ⋆ The Social Media Lady

What is Social Proof?

The internet provides business owners with the ability to connect with potential clients from around the world. That's outstanding, but unfortunately, this vast marketplace also creates an environment where less than genuine people operate. One vital element that can help prevent these operators from gaining more traction online is social proof.

What Is Social Proof?

Social proof is a concept that people are likely to conform to behavioral norms that lead them to get accepted, liked, or approved by others or by society.

Regarding online marketing, high quantity in likes/followers, testimonials by connections, and multiple 5-star reviews are examples of social proof in action. When you see that other people are happy with their decision to buy from a vendor, you will purchase with more confidence.

"Social proof can give customers powerful emotional triggers that significantly influence their reaction and response to your brand or specific products. It can help them make a positive decision about your business and inspire confidence in their choice and give them the feeling of being a part of something bigger." Abhishek Shah of Social Media Examiner reports here.

In a nutshell, social proof is like borrowing influence from someone else to help persuade potential customers to buy or try services. For example, if a person buys a drink because Thor says, "This drink, I like it. Another!" then that person has weighed that decision using social proof.

Why Social Proof Matters For Your Business

According to data from the Small Business Administration, in 2019, there were 3.7 million small businesses in the United States. That is a lot of competition. It is an enormous task to place your business at the forefront of the prospective client's minds. Positive reviews on your site and trusted sites like Google My Business, Facebook, Yelp, Angie's List, and others help to establish a credible reputation and attract new clientele to your doors. Building social proof can put you miles ahead of your competitors in online searches.

Does your current state rank you high or low on the social proof scale?

Look at your competitors' profiles. How do you compare?

Tips On How To Increase Your Social Proof

Ask Your Customers To Review After Buying. Ask your customers to leave a review after they've bought from you in person or online. People love to give feedback, and if you consistently provide a positive experience, this is likely to shine through on customer reviews.
Email Your List And Ask For A Review. If you maintain a newsletter or customer email list, send them a friendly message asking for a review. While you have their attention, consider enticing a special offer attracting them back to your store or online shop.
Publish A Case Study. Don't Panic. A case study is simply a written version of a solution you have implemented for a customer or client. They are great for highlighting how your company solved a problem or tackled an issue usually presented in blog format. These content pieces also play a critical part in your overall content strategy, as many of them are made available after signing up.
Invite Your Friends to Like/Follow your social profiles. Use your email list again and ask them to Like or Follow your social profiles. Invite your friend list to like your Facebook page. We wrote an in-depth blog about increasing the likes/followers on your page a while ago. Check it out here. https://thesocialmedialady.com/2020/05/22/how-do-i-increase-the-likes-or-followers-on-my-social-profiles/
Run Facebook Ad Campaigns to Increase Page Likes and Post Engagement. Use the Engagement Campaign Goal to execute Facebook ads to increase your pages likes or post engagement.

Any company that wants to become a social superhero will find that social proof is their secret weapon.

The Social Media Lady is a constantly adapting social media agency that gets excited to exceed our clients' expectations. We serve the most value to those businesses without a social media professional on-staff. We enjoy the unusual but can make stodgy look stimulating. We want people to compliment your content. (C) 2020, Shreveport, Louisiana.