Social proof is a concept that is as old as time. It has just begun to gain traction amongst online marketers as it explains a lot about the success of some online ventures and the failure of others.
To put it simply:
“Social proof in a social media context is the theory that accounts that have high follower numbers are trusted and followed more often”
It can be used to build trust in a social media environment for your business.
Social proof marketing is not new but often forgotten.
Peer pressure
One of the earliest influences on human development is something we have all experienced…” peer pressure”. When one person within your group of peers pressures you into doing something, you’re not so likely to do it.
When many people within your peer group are pressuring you to do something, you’re much more likely to do it. This will escalate as more people join in.
The world of social media is, as you’d guess, much like the real world. In a social media context, social proof comes into play when web users see that a large number of people already follow, like, share, or commented on a piece of content. The increased activity is seen as something desirable to join in on.
What video are you more likely to watch?
Another view of social proof is the idea that people will refer to the past actions of others when they’re unsure as to what they should do. When on YouTube, if someone isn’t sure they should comment on a video or not, a large number of comments will say to them “Yes, you definitely should.” No, or few, comments will say “No, not worth your time.”
The search below was for “social media advice,” who are you more likely to watch when you look at viewer numbers?
Let’s take a look at a more practical setting that we’re all familiar with… television. TV shows have been using social proof for decades.
Watch a sitcom with canned laughter, or laugh tracks, in the background. When you hear those people laughing you’re more prone to laugh as well, increasing your enjoyment of the show and the chance that you’ll watch it more often.
Examples of social proof
There are a number of excellent examples of social proof on this blog. I’ll summarize them in point form so you can quickly expand your knowledge here before clicking over:
Facebook Sponsored stories rapidly increase exposure which leads to more likes, and even crossovers with other social platforms due to their recognition – even algorithms recognize social proof.
A key guest blog on a relevantwebsite can increase sales better than an article in the New York Times, or a spot on CNN.
Klout is a successful social media tool that actually only measures your social proof.
Yelp’s entire design is centered around social proof – higher star ratings and better comments are a result of customerreviews. You’re more likely to go when more people have given it a high rating – just like peer pressure.
Bloggers have been promoting their number of subscribers for years. More subscribers = more trustworthy.
Endorsements on your website from major news outlets a HUGE social proof. If your blog says “appeared on CNN, ABC, PBS, The Washington Post” along the bottom, expect your social proof to increase dramatically.
Customer testimonials have been used in commercials for years. Some real, some fake – both are examples of social proof.
These are all more advanced forms of social proof. That most immediate one, and the one that people will see the most often and make the highest number of judgments on, is quite simply your follower numbers.
A low number of Twitter followers leads to few people taking you seriously. Few subscribers on YouTube leads to people thinking that your videos aren’t any good.
What aspects of social proof should you focus on for success?
We just spoke about your follower numbers as a key aspect of social proof, but what else do you need to think about?
Here are 5 points to consider:
1. Positive social proof is better than negative
Negative social proof is the type of bullying behavior that we all resent. To look at the most basic examples in the Twitter images below, which are you more likely to click on? You’ll never truly win people’s trust with negative social proof, just like those schoolyard bullies.
2. Money is less persuasive than social proof
A study in the Wall Street Journal showed that consumers were more likely to make decisions based on social proof than the potential of saving money.
The study, “Your neighbors are already doing it,” was more persuasive than “you’ll save $54/month” when it came to influencing consumer behavior!
3. Use pictures to make your social proof real
Social media is the perfect platform for building social proof as it gives you a nearly limitless number of ways to attach pictures to your social proof. You can post photos with calls to action that breed comments that lead to social trust. You can take comments, with the author’s permission, and post them to your website along with their photo. Your blog posts can be filled with images of success enjoyed by your products or services.
Check out this excellent tweet that shows a brand with a story to tell, and with a picture added for visual impact:
4. Your best social proof may be the stories you tell
Statistics are great for bored, sorry, board meetings, but they are hardly ever going to truly interest people on social media. A compelling story, from a customer with a positive experience, could be positive social proof that increases engagement more than any other thing you do. People understand stories, people relate to stories, and people are entertained by stories – statistics works and are often ignored.
For bonus points, get one of your customers to shoot a video:
5. Influencers: The friendly online bullies
As discussed in the point form notes above, nothing quite equals the positivity of having a respected leader say something positive about your products or services. Their behavior is able to “bully” their users with their positive influence. They’re much more likely to trust your product when someone they trust speaks of it positively.
Social media is an absolute dream for this type of social proof – no more paying celebrities for an expensive commercial, just cut right to the key influencers in your industry!
Social proof is more than an ego
Social proof is something as old as the human race itself, but social signals and social media have made it something tangible for modern marketers to use. Remember the next time you make a push to increase your followers that you’re not stroking your own ego, you’re trying to show the next person that finds your account that you are worth their time and trust.
Social proof is a concept that is as old as time. It has just begun to gain traction amongst online marketers as it explains a lot about the success of the marketing influence of some online ventures and the failure of others.
“Social proof in a social media context is the theory that accounts that have high follower numbers are trusted and followed more often”
It can be used to build trust in a social media environment for your business.
Social proof marketing is not new but often forgotten.
Peer pressure
One of the earliest influences on human development is something we have all experienced…” peer pressure”. When one person within your group of peers pressures you into doing something, you’re not so likely to do it.
When many people within your peer group are pressuring you to do something, you’re much more likely to do it. This will escalate as more people join in.
The world of social media is, as you’d guess, much like the real world. In a social media context, social proof comes into play when web users see that a large number of people already follow, like, share, or commented on a piece of content. The increased activity is seen as something desirable to join in on.
What video are you more likely to watch?
Another view of social proof is the idea that people will refer to the past actions of others when they’re unsure as to what they should do. When on YouTube, if someone isn’t sure they should comment on a video or not, a large number of comments will say to them “Yes, you definitely should.” No, or few, comments will say “No, not worth your time.”
Let’s take a look at a more practical setting that we’re all familiar with… television. TV shows have been using social proof for decades.
Watch a sitcom with canned laughter, or laugh tracks, in the background. When you hear those people laughing you’re more prone to laugh as well, increasing your enjoyment of the show and the chance that you’ll watch it more often.
Examples of social proof
There are a number of excellent examples of social proof over on this blog. I’ll summarize them in point form so you can quickly expand your knowledge here before clicking over:
Bloggers have been promoting their number of subscribers for years. More subscribers = more trustworthy.
A key guest blog on a relevantwebsite can increase sales better than an article in the New York Times, or a spot on CNN.
Yelp’s entire designs are centered around social proof – higher star ratings and better comments are a result of customerreviews. You’re more likely to go when more people have given it a high rating – just like peer pressure.
Customer testimonials have been used in commercials for years. Some real, some fake – both are examples of social proof.
These are all more advanced forms of social proof. That most immediate one, and the one that people will see the most often and make the highest number of judgments on, is quite simply your follower numbers.
A low number of Twitter followers leads to few people taking you seriously. Few subscribers on YouTube leads to people thinking that your videos aren’t any good.
What aspects of social proof should you focus on for success?
We just spoke about your follower numbers as a key aspect of social proof, but what else do you need to think about?
Here are some points to consider:
Positive social proof is better than negative
Negative social proof is the type of bullying behavior that we all resent. To look at the most basic examples in the Twitter images below, which are you more likely to click on? You’ll never truly win people’s trust with negative social proof, just like those schoolyard bullies.
Money is less persuasive than social proof
A study in the Wall Street Journal showed that consumers were more likely to make decisions based on social proof than the potential of saving money.
In the study, “Your neighbors are already doing it,” was more persuasive than “you’ll save $54/month” when it came to influencing consumer behavior!
Use pictures to make it real
Social media is the perfect platform for building social proof as it gives you a nearly limitless number of ways to attached pictures to your social proof. You can post photos with calls to action that breed comments that lead to social trust. You can make comments, with the author’s permission, and post them to your website along with their photo. Your blog posts can be filled with images of success enjoyed by your products or services.
Check out this excellent tweet that shows a brand with a story to tell, and with a picture added for visual impact:
Your best social proof may be the stories you tell
Statistics are great for bored, sorry, board meetings, but they are hardly ever going to truly interest people on social media. A compelling story, from a customer with a positive experience, could be positive social proof that increases engagement more than any other thing you do. People understand stories, people relate to stories, people are entertained by stories – statistics are work and are often ignored.
Influencers: The friendly online bullies
As discussed in the point form notes above, nothing quite equals the positivity of having a respected leader say something positive about your products or services. Their behavior is able to “bully” their users with their positive influence. They’re much more likely to trust your product when someone they trust speaks of it positively.
Social media is an absolute dream for this type of social proof – no more paying celebrities for an expensive commercial, just cut right to the key influencers in your industry!
Social proof is more than an ego
Social proof is something as old as the human race itself, but social signals and social media have made it something tangible for modern marketers to use. Remember the next time you make a push to increase your followers that you’re not stroking your own ego, you’re trying to show the next person that finds your account that you are worth their time and trust.
I couldn’t do it if I hadn’t learned a few things over the years about how to get people on my side:
Lots of time listening
Listening well.
Even if you already know what people are going to say, and even if there’s no way you can do what they want, start by listening. Being listened to is one of the things they want–that’s true of just about everyone.
That was one mistake I made on my first project: I had listened to people who wanted to volunteer but not to those who had volunteer jobs to offer. I assumed they’d be happy to have new volunteers, but I was wrong.
Ask lots of questions
Not only because everyone wants to be listened to. Careful questioning will help you determine what people really want, which is often different from what they say they want. It will also tell you what they have to offer.
Human-to-human connection
Look for ways to connect that have nothing to do with the work at hand. Maybe they have children the same age as yours, or they live somewhere you’ve vacationed, or you share the same hobby.
Even if none of that’s true, you can still make a bit of a connection on the basis of universal experiences. For instance, right now a large portion of the United States is suffering through extreme winter weather.
Let your own guard down
It’s always tough to know just how much of your personal life it’s OK to share in a business context. Many people err on the side of caution by sharing little or nothing about themselves. Instead, decide what you feel comfortable having other people know, and then give them a few details. You’ll make other people feel safer and engage their human side.
Say thank you
Think hard about who’s helped you or put him- or herself out, and make sure to thank him or her. That makes it much likelier he or she will put him- or herself out again for you next time.
Give praise
Most of us never get enough praise for the things we work hard to do. So if you want to influence someone, make sure to call out what he or she has done well and how he or she has contributed to your organization or your well-being. Do it in public if you can.
Always give people what they want
Obviously, this isn’t always an option. But if you can figure out what people really want or need and make sure they get it, they’ll be that much more likely to give you what you need from them.
Let’s assume you’ve come up with a fantastic idea for a new product. How are you convincing others to say yes? Do you have compelling convincing skills for your clientfocus?
Convincing skills.
But there is a catch. You haven’t had much success with this in the past. So, how can you get everyone to support your idea?
According to an old military axiom, the weakest point always follows success. At those times it’s hard to resist the temptation to loosen up, take a breather, and abandon the intense concentration needed to fight your way up the next hill. Once a battle is won, soldiers are liable to ignore the sound of a twig snapping beneath the boot of an approaching scout, or overlook the glow of a distant campfire.
Like soldiers, mountaineers say the most dangerous moment of their ascents is after they’ve reached the peak of a mountain. That’s when they’re most likely to fall into a crevasse or slip on a ledge. Surgeons, too, can find it difficult to stay focused once an operation has apparently succeeded. Until then, the demands of operating absorb their attention so completely that the scalpel seems almost to move itself.
This is where it’s useful to know about Robert Cialdini’s Principles of persuasion.
Persuasiveness is one of the most important skills anyone can learn because it is useful in countless situations. At work, at home, and in your sociallife, the ability to be persuasive and influence others can be instrumental in achieving goals and being happy.
Learning about the tricks of persuasion can also give you insight into when they’re being used on you. The biggest benefit of this is that money will stay in your pockets as you realize just how sales people and advertisers sell you products that you don’t necessarily need. In this article, we’ll examine these principles, and we’ll look at how you can apply them to influence others. We’ll also think about the ethics of doing this, and we’ll explore how you can “see through” people who try to use these principles to manipulate you.
Shane Parrish of Farnam Street reads a lot of books—up to 14 each month—so it means something when he picks Robert Cialdini’s Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion as one of the most important books he’s read. In the book, Cialdini outlines six principles of persuasion, most of which will likely sound a bit familiar based on our previous discussion on psychology.
One of the common threads from Cialdini’s list is that of social. The principles of liking, authority, and social proof all deal with relationships with others: We are persuaded by those we like, by those whom we deem to be authority figures, and by the general population.
Here are a few unique applications of these, as told by Cialdini and Parrish:
Client focus … liking
One way people exploit this is to find ways to make themselves like you. Do you like golf? Me too. Do you like football? Me too. Although often these are genuine, sometimes they’re not.
Liking is similar enough to the consistency that it bears pointing out the difference here. Someone might say, “Do you like having more visitors to your blog?” They aren’t necessarily looking for a connection with you (as in Liking) but rather they’re seeking Consistency. Of course you’ll say yes, and in theory, you’ll have a harder time backing off that statement when you are pitched a product or service later.
Social proof.
Client focus examples … authority
Something as simple as informing your audience of your credentials before you speak, for example, increases the odds you will persuade the audience.
Noah Kagan does this for the each guest post he publishes at OK Dork. He writes a quick intro on how he made the connection with the guest writer and all the amazing credentials the guest writer has.
Here you can use both your authority and the authority of others, as influencers.
When you use your authority, be careful not to use it negatively. An article on French and Raven’s Five Forms of Power has more on different sources of power and explains how you can use power and authority positively.
To use authority, get support from influential and powerful people, and ask for their help in backing the idea. (Use Influence Maps to help you network with people who can help.)
If you’re marketing a product or service, highlight well-known and respected customers, use comments from industry experts, and talk about impressive research or statistics.
Client focus skills … social proof
People will more likely say yes when they see other people doing it too. Social proof is not all bad. It’s one of the main ways we learn in life.
Basecamp has a great example of social proof on their website, showing the wide variety of respected clients that use the product—and doing so in a fun, approachable way.
Two others that are worth pointing out are consistency and scarcity.
Personally, consistency is the one I find myself most susceptible. I identify with how Parrish describes the effect: “If you ask people to state their priorities and goals and then align your proposals with that in mind, you make it harder for people to say no.” This concept hit home for me.
Parrish connects this to the Ikea effect, the way you love your IKEA furniture because you’re invested in it from building it yourself.
As for scarcity, Visual Website Optimizer wrote an extensive post on all the different ways you can use scarcity to increase e-commerce sales. Have you noticed that Amazon tells people there are only a certain number of products left? That’s scarcity at play.
Persuasion applications.
Client focus … persuasion applications
You can use these principles whenever you want to influence or persuade others.
First, make sure that you understand the people in your audience and that you know why you want to influence them. Think about your ultimate objectives, and decide which principles will be most useful in your situation.
Let’s explore some strategies you can use with each principle.
To use reciprocity to influence others, you’ll need to identify your objectives and think about what you want from the other person. You then need to identify what you can give to them in return.
Our article on the Influence Model takes an in-depth look at how to use reciprocity to gain influence.
Remember that you can sometimes use this principle by simply reminding the other person of how you have helped them in the past.
Here, try to get people’s commitment early on, either verbally or in writing.
For example, if you’re building support for a project, talk about ideas early on with stakeholders, and take their comments and views into account.
Or, if you’re selling a product, sell a very small quantity (a “taster”), or make it easy for people to change their mind once they’ve bought it. (Here, buying the product is the early commitment, even though they have the right to return it if they want to.)
Social Proof
You can use this principle by creating a “buzz” around your idea or product.
For example, if you’re trying to get support for a new project, work on generating support from influential people in your organization. (These may not always be managers.)
Or, if you’re selling a service, highlight the number of people using it, use plenty of relevant testimonials, encourage people to talk about it using social media, and publishcase studies with current customers to demonstrate its success.
Liking
To build good relationships, ensure that you put in the time and effort needed to buildtrust and rapport with clients and people you work with, and behave with consistency.
Also, don’t try too hard to be liked by others – people can always spot a phony!
Scarcity
With this principle, people need to know that they’re missing out if they don’t act quickly.
If you’re selling a product, limit the availability of stock, set a closing date for the offer, or create special editions of products.
This principle can be trickier to apply within your organization if you’re trying to influence others to support your ideas or projects. You can, however, use urgency to get support for your ideas. For example, you can highlight the possible urgent consequences of the problem that your idea helps to solve.
Here are 9 of the best tricks to be persuasive and influence others: Framing
Framing is a technique often used in politics. A popular example of framing is inheritance taxes. Politicians who are opposed to inheritance taxes will call them death taxes. By using the word death instead of inheritance, all kinds of negative connotations come to mind.
Framing is quite subtle, but by using emotionally charged words, like death, you can easily persuade people to your point of view. Mirroring
Mirroring someone is when you mimic their movements. The movement can be virtually anything, but some obvious ones are hand gestures, leaning forward or away, or various head and arm movements. We all do this unconsciously, and if you pay attention you’ll probably notice yourself doing it, I know I have.
How to mirror someone is self-explanatory, but a few key things to remember are to be subtle about it and leave a delay between the other person’s movement and your mirroring, 2-4 seconds works best. Herd Behavior
We are all natural born followers. It’s sad but true. We constantly look to those around us to determine our actions; we have the need for acceptance.
A simple, effective way to use this to your advantage is to be a leader, let the herd follow you. Congruence We all try, subconsciously, to be consistent with previous actions. One great example is a technique used by salespeople. A salesperson will shake your hand as he is negotiating with you. In most people’s minds, a handshake equates to a closed deal, and so by doing this before the deal is reached, the salesperson is much more likely to negotiate you into a closed deal.
A good way to use this yourself is to get people acting before they make up their minds. If, for example, you were out and about with a friend and you wanted to see a movie but the friend was undecided, you could start walking in the direction of the theater while they make up their mind. Scarcity
This is one that advertisers use a lot. Opportunities, whatever they are, seem a lot more appealing when there is limited availability.
This can be useful to the average person in the right situation, but even more importantly, this is a method of persuasion to be aware of. Stop and consider how much you’re being influenced by the fact that a product is scarce. If the product is scarce, there must be a ton of demand for it right? Reciprocation
It’s the old saying, “Do unto others…”. When someone does something for us, we feel compelled to return the favor. So, if you want someone to do something nice for you, why not do something nice for them first. In a business setting, maybe you pass them a lead. If at home, maybe it’s you letting the neighbor borrow the lawn mower. It doesn’t matter where or when you do it, the key is to compliment the relationship. Timing
People are more likely to be agreeable and submissive when they’re mentally fatigued. Before you ask someone for something they might not be quick to agree to, try waiting until a more opportune time when they’ve just done something mentally taxing. This could be at the end of the work day when you catch a co-worker on their way out the door. Whatever you ask, a likely response is, “I’ll take care of it tomorrow.”
When we talk, we often use little interjections and hesitant phrases such as “ummm” or “I mean, ” and of course there is the ubiquitous “like.” These little conversation quirks have the unintended effect of making us seem less confident and sure of ourselves, and thus less persuasive.
If you’re confident in your speech, others will be more easily persuaded by what you have to say.
Friends and Authorities
We are far more likely to follow or be persuaded by someone we like or by someone who is in an authority position. Not only is this a good one to be aware of to combat persuasive techniques being used on you, but it’s also a good one to use on others because you would be surprised how easy it is to get people to like you and establish authority within groups.
Give some of these ideas a shot and let us know if you are suddenly selling more, having more favors done for you, or becoming a master of delegation and persuasion at work!
Are you devoting enough energy to improving your continuous learning for yourself and your team?
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of your business. Find them on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed how reasonable we will be.
Check out these additional articles on customer insights from our library:
