What is Social Proof?

Posted on Apr 20, 2011 in Blog | 1 comment

You may have heard the phrase “social proof” tossed around by bloggers, marketers, or copywriters recently. Generally you’ll hear “Be sure to include social proof on your website/landing page, etc.!”

But what exactly is social proof?

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon that helps people determine how to behave in an uncertain or ambiguous situation. Let’s say for example that you’re in an unfamiliar city for a business expo and you pull into a parking lot in front of two similar restaurants, both open for the dinner crowd. One of the restaurants is utterly empty while the other has a wait line out the door, people milling about, and a feeling of great activity. You would probably think to yourself: “Hm, that busy restaurant must be much better. I should eat there.” You’ve made an assumption that the people in this town know more than you do about these restaurants, so you might as well follow along since you have no firsthand knowledge of the situation. You are using the testimonial of the crowd at the second dinner spot as social proof that the food, service, and/or atmosphere are far superior to the first place.

Are there different kinds of social proof?

Formal social proof is found in the way you communicate your own brand. You try to position your business as credible and popular by listing your awards, naming groups or other affiliations you are a part of, listing statistics that show your best characteristics (for example, “We have 87,000 subscribers!”), or sharing celebrity endorsements and popular reviews.

Informal social proof is what people are saying about your company. This may be something a former client mentioned in Twitter, a blog post, on Amazon or on their Facebook page about how well (or poorly) your product worked for them. It could even be as simple as the comments or Facebook “likes” that a customer gives you on your own page or post.

Why is social proof important for your business?

Social proof can be a key factor in creating desire for your product or services. Potential customers are looking at many factors that will influence their purchasing decision, but one of them is social proof, or what other clients of yours think and how those people have experienced your brand. If a potential client has little or no experience of your product or service, great social proof can be the critical factor in swaying their decision.

How can you get some social proof?

Social proof is easy to find if your brand is a popular one already. Simply check your emails, blog comments, and Facebook page to gather up the great things people are saying about you. Make a list of your awards and statistics you think particularly highlight your brand in a positive way.

If you are just starting out — and even if you aren’t — you can simply ask for social proof! Invite some of your best clients to share their experience of your product. Interview, survey, tweet, email, and phone your customers. Be sure to resolve any customer service issues or problems that come to light, and don’t forget to get your client’s permission to use their positive stories about you.

Be sure to read this article about how to use your positive client testimonials to increase your conversions and brand strength. And drop us a line and let us know how it goes! What did you discover as you began putting social proof to use? How has it changed your business?