When we talk about improving marketing strategy, the most important part is understanding your customers. Why will they pick you over other companies in the business? How will you prove the worth of your company? Here is where you want to use the science of psychology to try and understand their needs and intent. If there is anything that the average consumer likes to see, it is positive comments and recommendations about a product they want to purchase. Or testimonials showcasing the experience of previous customers. All of that contributes to a form of social proof that plays an important role. With that in mind, today we want to show you how to use social proof in your marketing strategy, and how it can benefit your business.
What is social proof?
Before we show you how to use social proof in your marketing strategy, let us first talk about the general definition. In this form, social proof represents the proof that other consumers bought products from the business, and enjoyed them.
There are a couple of different types of social proof you should understand:
- expert social proof – comes from an expert in your niche, a person that can speak in great detail about your business and products;
- celebrity social proof – celebrity influencers are a part of one underutilized digital marketing strategy. They basically endorse your product and share it with their followers, and that represents social celebrity social proof;
- user social proof – one of the best ways to advertise is to show reviews of other customers that used your products in the past. This form of social proof is one of the most efficient approaches;
- word-of-mouth through friends – if you see that your friends are using a specific product and saying great things about it, there are high chances that you will also get interested in it. In that situation, if a friend of someone who uses your product or service starts following your business on social media, that is another form of social proof;
- the proof of certification – companies that excel at their niche usually have certification to support their marketing strategies. Proof of certificate speaks on its own and is very useful for any line of business;
It is crucial to understand these differences if you want to use social proof in the best way and contribute to your business.
1. Hire an industry expert to contribute to your channel
Having an industry expert speak on your social media channel is a huge benefit. This can give your business a seal of approval that will have a high impact on your marketing strategy. Consumers will have high regard for a business that is approved based on the official industry standards.
The expert guest could do a review of the business of the products, speak with followers on social media, answer questions, and much more.
2. The benefit of working with influencers
As mentioned above, having an influencer advertise your business will significantly impact your marketing strategy. Influencers have a vast global outreach and a lot of faithful followers. Thanks to that, they can create content that has the potential to go viral.
Even if you are starting your company and looking for the right solution for small businesses, you can also work with micro-influencers. They have fewer followers, but they are also cheaper. And they will invest more in your project because they want to develop.
3. Do not miss the opportunity to share reached milestones
Every project has a main goal and important milestones. Whether that is the number of reached followers, customers, app downloads, or any other metric, you should make it public. This is a very clever way to show others how your company is slowly moving forward.
If done the right way, it will also impact your conversion rate. People like to be in the company of those who are successful. When it comes to consumers, they are more likely to shop from those who proved their worth and are showing substantial progress over time.
4. Respond to all mentions and positive comments
Mention of your company’s name in social media is a very powerful advertisement. Companies spend huge amounts of money on building citations. When you get organic mentions from your clients or even from partners, that is the moment when you want to say thanks.
The two major benefits are:
- you get to respond to a mention, which only strengthens the communication between both parties;
- you also publically display your response, which gives more visibility to your company;
Remember, mentions are the right type of social proof that will help you to build a brand.
5. Working with brand ambassadors
Brand ambassadors are people who used your products in the past. When you have a customer who is very satisfied with the product, they will talk about it on their social media. This is the right type of publicity and social proof your company needs. These people become ambassadors of your brand, and you need to be aware of who they are.
You can always thanks them, reward them with a special offer, or ask for permission to share their content on your social media and your website. Always maintain good connections with the ambassadors of your brand. They are your most loyal customers.
6. Give shoutouts to your most loyal consumers
Once you pinpoint who your most loyal consumers are, do not forget to give them a shoutout on social media. This is the first step toward acknowledging their efforts to advertise your business.
A simple “thank you” goes a long way!
7. Create a page with customer reviews
Customer reviews bring a lot of value to your business. Even the negative ones. It is crucial to allow them to post reviews. Whether it will be on the website page or through social media, it is important that they have a public channel where they can speak freely.
8. Verify your social media accounts
There are many different social media accounts out there. People often create fake celebrity accounts. It would be an intelligent move to verify your account, so people know it is the official account of your business.
If you struggle with managing multiple social media accounts, it is worth researching social media tools for your business. They will streamline the entire process and help you save time.
Use social proof in your marketing strategy and help your business grow
There are many ways to use social proof in your marketing strategy. What is important is to understand your needs and the needs of your clients. Use as many strategies as possible because your business depends on this positive publicity!
Celia is a digital marketing specialist at Set Fire Creative. When she isn’t writing ads and driving sales for clients, she is working out, cooking some delicious comfort food, or camping in the mountains with her family.
