In marketing, social proof is a tool used to influence customers to make a quick purchase decision, based on the actions of other people. It’s not a new concept, but the internet has injected a new life into it and became a powerful marketing tactic to increase awareness of a brand or a product.
Social proof capitalizes on people’s natural tendency to be influenced by groups of people whose actions are deemed the right behavior in ambiguous situations. Customers who are unable to make a decision tend to rely on other people’s comments, feedback, and suggestions in order to arrive at a purchasing decision.
The enormous power of social proof can manifest in different ways depending on which platform the business or the brand chooses.
To illustrate:
- Authors utilize reviews and ratings on Amazon to drive up book sales.
- Bloggers rely on many comments to drum up interest on the site or a particular post or article.
- Social media marketers and online personalities display their total number of followers, fans, friends, subscribers, and likes.
- Businesses use customer testimonials to attract even more customers.
These are that things that make them reliable, trustworthy, and credible in the eyes of the public. They make use of these social proofs to entice more of their targeted audience to follow them or buy their products.
Social proof lends the kind of credibility that hooks other people who are unable to make a decision straight away. It gets rid of the uncertainty, worry, and fear that people might have in trying the products or service.
If done right, social proof can be a very effective persuasion tool that can contribute considerably to the success of your specific marketing efforts. It would be a shame if businesses don’t leverage social proof in their marketing campaigns.