Social Proof: A Marketing Strategy to Convert Your Prospects [+ 10 examples]

Author: Ad Hacks April 19 | Blog

What is social proof?

Social proof is the idea that people are more likely to do something if they see others doing it.

It’s important not only in conversion but also retention because prospects/customers want reassurance from others before making or continuing to invest in a product or service.

There are a number of ways you can use this principle when marketing your business or your clients’ products/services online.

The most obvious way, as Karen Sahetya – Digital Distillery Pro coach puts it, to implement social proof into your marketing sales funnel is at every stage along the customer journey – here’s why:

Creates brand and solution awareness at Top of funnel (TOF).

Builds authority and trust at Middle of funnel (MOF).

Pushes your prospect over the ‘should I buy it’ fence or retain existing customers and convert them to advocates of your product/service at Bottom of funnel (BOF).

This means including social proof on your website, in all email campaigns, and at every step along the customer journey until conversion and/or reconversion occurs.

Let’s take a look at 10 examples:

1. Screenshots of reviews

Reviews could be in the form of anything like Google or Facebook ratings and or written reviews.

The screenshot below is of a Facebook rating:

2.Testimonial video

A great testimonial video is not fluffy, it’s to the point and it tells a story of an individual’s journey before, during, and after they used your product or services. As such, these videos need to include specific results that the individual was able to unlock after using your product or service.

Here are some questions to include when creating or asking somebody to record a testimonial video:

• What problems were you facing before finding our product or service?
• What are the specific results that you’ve been able to achieve? e.g.
• Revenue has gone from $200K a month to one million!
• How has your life changed since using this product or service?

E.g. I’m able to retain my staff, hire more, work less in my business and spend more time with my family.

Here’s an example of a testimonial video with specific results.

3. User-generated content (UGC)

UGC is content that is created by the service user/product customer.

UGC has been shown to have an impact on conversions because it highlights real people who use your product/service and tell their story about how you’ve helped them overcome a particular obstacle with ease.

This gives prospects confidence when looking at what other customers think of said company/product which helps convert more prospects into paying clients!

Some examples include photos taken after purchasing your service, unboxing-style videos (great for eCommerce), product wear tests, and more.

4. Case study

A case study is essentially a story about how your product or service helped someone overcome a problem they had.

Case studies usually follow the following simple framework:

Problem

The problem section dives into what the customer was facing before the product/service and can explain how they came to find your company and why you were their best option.

Solution

This is where you get into what exactly happened when your prospect contacted you for help with a problem that was holding them back from achieving success.

Result

Here it’s time to make your product/service shine! Key is to list specific results, i.e. Revenue has gone from $200K a month to one million!

5. Influencer/celeb endorsements

Similar to user-generated content, there’s nothing better than repurposing content that’s been endorsed by celebs/influencers who have similar values.

What’s better is partnering with influencers and celebrities (where budget allows) who have an established following of people interested in what that influencer/celeb eats, sleeps, thinks, and does all day long.

This makes us think about Chrissy Tegan and Kris Jenner’s promo video for their new product line, Safely.

6. Number of Members/Users/Downloads/Purchases

It’s human nature to want to feel like we’re making the RIGHT choice.

But with more information and options available than ever, it’s become harder to convert.

That’s why social proof in the form of the number of [prospects who have converted before you] is helpful to push somebody in the consideration phase over the line.

Here’s an example of using social proof in a call-to-action to encourage media buyers to join our Facebook group – Facebook Ad Hacks.

7. Website social proof pop-ups

Have you ever been on a website and seen that pop-up at the bottom of the screen saying something like; “Mary from Austin, TX just requested a product demo.”

Well, that’s what a website social proof pop-up is and you can use platforms like Proof or Proverly to add this to your website.

8. Media Mentions

A media mention is an article or blog post that has been written about your company.

This can be in the form of press coverage and/or high-ranked blogs.

Marketers often used press logos and the words “As Seen In” to present this social proof.

9. Partner Logos

Nothing screams that you’re backed by an industry leader or partner company more than by sprinkling logos or badges into your sales funnel.

Examples of this include; Facebook Partner, Google Partner, SemRush Certified, or logos of well-known brands, etc.

10. Award Mentions

And last but not least, what’s possibly even better than partner logos are award logos because they’re even more exclusive and provide social proof that your company is the best of its kind. Facebook award-winning agency has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

Okay, so there you have it – 10 types of social proof you can include in your marketing strategy to convert your prospects.

Oh and not that you asked, but. . .

. . . This article was written in 1hr45mins with the help of our copywriting robot – Jarvis and his new long-form feature. What we particularly liked about Jarvis’ help with this blog is his headline & intro generator, and sentence expander.