Social Proof: The Market Magnet

Our previous post “Social Proof: The Breakdown” was just the introductory phase. Have you hopped aboard the social proof train? If you weren’t quite convinced, we are about to open the books and tell you why social proof is an unsung marketing hero.

Let’s start by sharing a fun fact. There are different kinds of social proof!

Here’s the breakdown of the basics: Expert social proof comes from prominent influencers in specified industries; let’s use business leaders or bloggers as an example. They seem like the people that know the stuff, right? There is also celebrity social proof which is mainly recommendations made to others through multiple mediums by celebrities both on and offline (like Usain Bolt endorsing a new Puma release). Additionally, there’s ‘wisdom of the crowd’. Wisdom of the crowd is the kind of social proof that speaks to how the public responds to a product or service based on its popularity. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? That’s just to name a few!

It’s pretty straightforward stuff, but here’s why it’s useful:

Social proof uses tools such as testimonials, ratings, reviews and endorsements. This is because when someone outside of the brand speaks for the brand it seems a lot more credible. It’s like a sprinkle of magic. We want to know what customers have to say about the brand, in theory their credibility is higher than that of the brand itself. When was the last time you made a purchase without checking how many stars the seller has managed to rack up?  The point here is that the more relevant the influencer, the more powerful the social proof will be. You just have to get the right kind of social proof out there for your brand.

Be sure to share this post with a friend or anyone you think may find it valuable. Check us out for a brand new topic next week!