Social proof in marketing plays a very important role. Due to what is known as the ‘bandwagon effect’ or herd mentality, people tend to buy what they see other people buying. Therefore, social proof has a lot of potential to boost up marketing campaigns. That being said, let’s talk about the best ways to use social proof for digital marketing success.
Your customers are online.
You may already know this. But what’s worth focusing on is most of them are searching for your business on social media. Why?
When researching a business, customers tend to go to social media for a number of reasons. They want to know how your business engages with its customers. But most importantly, they want to hear what your customers have to say about your business.
This is because people tend to take the word of fellow consumers more seriously in face of what a business has to say about its own product.
If they find there is a positive social perception of your business on the internet, it’ll help them trust it better. As a result, they will feel encouraged to engage with your business further.
This explains why small businesses are increasingly investing in social media marketing.
There can be different types of social proofs—like a friend approving your brand choice or an existing user recommending you a product. Moreover, having an industry expert or a celebrity recommending your product can also be helpful. Some people also consider the perception that a mass has for your brand when examining your social proof.
Moreover, your social proof can also help improve Search Engine Optimization.
So, with the importance of social proof established, let’s talk about…
Ways of Using Social Proof for Successful Digital Marketing in 2021
# Flex your happy customers
Customer testimonials are recommendations made by satisfied buyers of a product. This mode of promotion is practically unpaid. Happy customers may either voluntarily make the recommendation or upon the request of the company. In any case, they write what they genuinely think of a brand. Hence, customer testimonials are generally highly trusted.
Therefore, you should flex your happy buyers in front of your potential customers. Make it a point to incorporate customer testimonials in your website. This way, you will not only be able to improve your digital marketing but also generate a high conversion rate.
# Work on getting more positive reviews
The quality of your product and service lie at the foundation of generating a positive customer experience. Such experiences make customers give reviews. Reviews can be both positive and negative. It’s no rocket science that positive reviews are good for your business.
However, there is one important thing to keep in mind:
The consumer of the present day is smart and aware. They can very well identify fake positive reviews. Hence, make sure to only cultivate genuine positive reviews.
But how to do that?
You should simply have a mechanism to approach your customers post service for their feedback. Ask your happy customers to leave 5-star ratings and positive reviews of your brand. If that’s manageable, you can also give them some sort of incentives for it.
Good reviews work like magic. At many times, it can work as the final push for making the purchase. Therefore, you should try cultivating positive reviews.
# Deal with negative feedbacks the right way
Negative feedback! Bad reviews! That sounds like a nightmare. However, these things are an important factor of growth. Criticism is necessary if you really seek to improve. Hence, you should try to take it in a constructive manner.
Moreover, customers are generally interested to know how your business deals with customer grievances. Hence, this adds to your social proof.
If you try to run from or turn down negative feedbacks and reviews, it can leave a bad social impression. Therefore, if you receive genuine negative feedback publically, acknowledge it right there and promise immediate action.
Remember, if you don’t deal with negative reviews right where people can see them, your audience may remember your business in a bad shade.
# Show gratitude for mentions
Whenever your brand receives a mention on social platforms, make it a point to appreciate them. These mentions could come from a variety of entities like the press or some industry leader in your field.
However, it is best advised to avoid boasting. Whenever your business receives an honorable mention, you can share it on your social media with simple captions like: “Thanks for the mention”, “Happy to be featured”, and so on.
This will help you kill two birds with a stone. You will not only encourage future mentions but you will also be able to showcase them to your audience. Such things add to the building of a positive social image.
# Collaborate with industry leaders
Are you planning a virtual event for your business? You could approach an industry leader to speak at your event. Again, you can benefit from it in two ways:
First, the face of that leader will help with the marketing of a brand.
Secondly, when people see an industry leader associating himself/herself with a particular business, it strengthens their trust in that organization.
This was one example. You can also try approaching a big name in your industry who has social media popularity. This can be a great way of influencer and social media marketing.
All of it will eventually translate into positive social proof and will take your digital marketing to another level.
Bottom line
Social proof is an essential part of marketing. Thanks to the bandwagon effect, the mass perception of a business greatly shapes that of an individual. Therefore, it is important to maintain a positive social image for digital marketing success. There are a number of ways to do this. You can try cultivating good reviews and showcase customer testimonials. Moreover, you should try collaborating with industry leaders to build trust. Appreciating mentions is also a great way of showcasing social proof all while encouraging future mentions. However, there is one important thing to keep in mind. Whatever medium you choose, you should make sure to keep it real.
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