Definition
Social Proof is a psychological technique used in marketing and sales to influence consumers’ perception of a product or service. It consists of demonstrating that other people have used and approved the product or service in question, with the aim of creating a sense of trust and validation.
This technique is based on the theory that people are strongly influenced by what others do, especially their peers and people in their immediate environment. That is why a recommendation from a friend or family member is considered more effective than any advertising or promotion of a product or service.
How to use Social Proof in Digital Marketing
Some of the most common forms of Social Proof are the following:
- Get testimonials and reviews from satisfied customers on the website and on your social networks to show how they have obtained real benefits from a product or service.
- Use visual social proof in your social media posts. For example: a company that sells clothes, will use images of influencers with it. If gadgets are sold, you use videos of people using and enjoying those products.
- Create a strong online presence. Having a good amount of followers, comments and “likes” on posts is an indicator of social approval that strengthens trust in the brand.
- Use data and statistics in the Digital Marketing strategy. For example: mentioning that a high percentage of customers have been successful thanks to the product or service creates a sense of security and trust.
- Make collaborations with other brands and pages. These collaborations enable the exchange of “social approval” among key communities, reaching a wider audience and strengthening trust in both brands. Social Proof Tools:
Examples of Social Proof tools
Here are some Social Proof tools that can help businesses showcase their achievements and customer reviews:
- Fomo: Displays real-time notifications of other users’ actions, such as recent purchases or subscriptions, to boost trust and urgency.
- ProveSource: Social proof tool that presents customizable notifications of user actions and business achievements, improving credibility.
- Yotpo: Comprehensive marketing platform to generate, manage and display customer reviews, ratings and testimonials.
- TrustPulse: Displays pop-up notifications of recent user actions, such as purchases and registrations, to increase trust and conversions.
- TrustSpot: Collect and display customer reviews in real time, offering valuable insights into customer satisfaction and product performance.
- Testimonial.io: Facilitates the collection and management of customer testimonials to display on your website or in marketing campaigns.
- Bazaarvoice: User generated content and opinion management platform that helps brands build relationships with their customers.
- Reviews.io: Customer review and review solution that helps businesses increase their online reputation and improve customer experience.
- ReviewTrackers: Online review tracking and analysis tool that allows businesses to monitor, manage, and respond to customer reviews.
- Google My Business: Make it easy to manage your business’ online presence on Google and allow customers to leave reviews and ratings.
- TripAdvisor: Travel review platform that allows users to rate and share their experiences in hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions.
- Yelp: Website and app for local business reviews where users can rate and share their opinions about restaurants, shops, and services.
- Feefo: Customer feedback platform that collects and displays authentic reviews and ratings, improving customer trust and loyalty.
- Endorsal: Testimonials and reviews tool that automates the collection and display of customer reviews on your website.
- SocialProve: Displays customizable notifications of user actions in real time, increasing confidence and urgency in the purchase process.
- Wiremo: Social proof tool to collect and display customer reviews, increase customer trust, and improve user experience.
- NiceJob: Reputation and marketing platform that helps businesses get and share customer reviews to increase trust and conversions.