The Power of Social Proof
Ask yourself; have you ever acquired a product or service after a recommendation from someone else? Have you ever picked a product with many reviews even when you didn’t understand its benefits? Have you ever walked into a restaurant just because it’s filled with people enjoying their meals?
If you have, that’s the influence of social proof, and you’ve already shown yourself how it can be a great marketing strategy for businesses. The positive review you saw is what prompted you to make a purchase decision and not some kind of promotion from that business. That’s the power of social proof, which you can use to grow your brand.
What Is Social Proof?
Social proof is social psychology that makes people adapt their behavior based on what others are doing. It’s the reason why we browse Yelp reviews before visiting new places or skim through product reviews on Amazon before “adding to cart”. It’s inherent human nature to care about what others think..
This is why businesses work so hard to get people to review their products and services; social proof works wonders in increasing conversions. Social proof in marketing includes reviews, existing customers, product ratings, social media presence, and more.
Benefits of Social Proof to Your Brand
One of the top benefits of social proof is that it almost always results in better sales. Below are some statistics to show the impact of social proof on your brand:
- Over 60% of customers consider online reviews before making a purchase decision
- Over 90% of customers aged 18-34 years trust online social proof reviews and recommendations from someone they know
- 82% of Americans agree that endorsements from friends and family help them to purchase the rights products
- 70% of Americans depend on opinions from independent review sites to make purchases
- 63% of consumers are more likely to buy from a website with many positive reviews and product ratings
It’s clear that social proof builds customer trust and loyalty. It provides upfront reassurance for customer doubts and uncertainties. Those questions about whether or not they should purchase something are drowned out as they see other people reacting positively to it.
How to Use Social Proof to Increase Your Conversion Rate
Take Advantage of Happy Customers’ Reviews
Customers trust reviews more than other types of social proof. What this boils down to is that you’re always going to want visible positive customer feedback. Displaying customer reviews on your website and other social media pages will indicate to your potential clients that your business is honest, transparent, and a good company to do business with.
Blogging will Help You Gain Social Proof
Position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. Content marketing and blogging show that you’re a brand that cares about educating its customers and not only about making sales. Make sure to optimize your blog by including social media share and mailing list buttons to your blog. This will lead to increased traffic to your website, which will ultimately increase conversions.
Display Testimonials on Your Website
This is an excellent way to show potential clients how pleased your current customers are with your products or services. Display these testimonials on your online pages so your users can see and recognize the incredible work you’re doing.
Other ways to leverage social proof to grow your brand include:
- Producing user-generated content.
- Onboarding brand ambassadors to create awareness about your products or services.
- Engaging with your clients online.
- Encouraging customers to leave a good rating on your pages.
- Reaching out to customers to write a case study about their experience with your products or services, then share it on your website.
Pink Dog Digital Can Help You Incorporate Social Proof in Your Marketing Strategy
When it comes to introducing social proofing tactics into your marketing strategy, Pink Dog Digital can help. From online reputation management to social media marketing and digital advertising, our team has the expertise to help you increase sales conversions through social proof.
For more information, email us at pinkdogdigital@gmail.com, call us at 410-696-3305 or contact us via our website.