Anyone who wants their product, service, or brand to excel will need to invest in marketing. However, as many marketing experts will attest, it's not enough to inform users that you exist. Modern marketing uses many psychological techniques to draw the attention of online audiences. One of the most popular and effective techniques is leveraging social proof to boost your online marketing campaigns. Therefore, we will explain how to use social proof in your digital marketing strategy.
What is social proof in digital marketing?
Social proof refers to the psychological phenomenon of copying the actions of others and emulating behavior. This phenomenon is based on the universal human willingness to conform to what others are doing. There is a strong chance that most people will follow suit when presented with evidence of how others have acted. In digital marketing, social proof often shows users how your previous customers have behaved. Although it sounds like psychobabble, most customers prefer making purchase decisions based on social proof. Users will go out of their way to find reviews to make informed online shopping decisions.
To use social proof in your digital marketing strategy, you must find creative and amusing ways to give your users the correct information. It will make them confident and ready to make a purchase. Designing your entire campaign around the needs of your users is one of the best ways to grow your brand. However, this doesn't necessarily mean you should bombard users with statistics. You'll need to prove that your products and services provide value to stand out from the competition. That proof needs to be sincere but also informative and engaging.
Here are six social proof techniques for your digital marketing strategy:
1. Customer reviews and testimonials
One of the most widespread forms of social proof in modern marketing is through the use of reviews and testimonials. There are two things you should pay attention to here.
Obtaining reviews. You can have a reviews section on your website where customers can voice their opinions. Google also lets you manage reviews and send customers a direct URL for the review page.
Displaying reviews to interested users. Once you have obtained many favorable reviews, you can place them on your landing page. You can also include snippets from testimonials and reviews in various forms of marketing.
2. User-created content
This technique is sometimes also called user-generated content. It entices users to create and share content linked to your brand. One of the most popular forms of UCC in digital marketing is branded hashtags and filters on social media platforms. However, user-created content can also be paired with evergreen marketing methods such as email marketing. Placing UCC in marketing emails can draw users' attention and get them to engage with your brand.
3. Place customer statistics in your marketing
Again, the trick here is to know which stats to use and how to display them. You can display similar popular items on your online store if you monitor what your users are purchasing. You should showcase which articles customers bought together to inspire other users to add those items to their shopping carts. Have a special place in your online store for the latest trending items. You can also rely on FOMO (fear of missing out) and have a diminishing counter which displays current stock numbers.
We realize that user data and shopping habits can be hard to track. Even if you have all the information available, the relevant stats can sometimes be almost impossible to correlate. The experts from moverstech.com recommend using CRM software to stay on top of things. The right CRM software can give you all the information you need from your customers. It can also allow you to monitor the customer journey and follow up on their progress through the sales funnel.
4. Invest in influencers
Social media has become the place to make a name for your brand. Unfortunately, many social media myths are floating around, and unless you have a carefully devised marketing strategy, you will quickly squander your marketing budget. Instead of just targeting a social platform and spending your money on ads there, we recommend finding the right people to represent your brand on that platform. Numerous influencers cater to various audiences, so you should have no trouble finding someone right for your brand. Users are generally much more receptive to the promotion from influencers they already follow than from the brands themselves.
5. Word of mouth and referrals
If there is one thing that users are likely to trust, it's direct recommendations from their friends. The most effective way to use social proof in your digital marketing strategy is to implement a rewards program for satisfied customers. Word of mouth can do wonders in online spaces, and if you manage to leverage the goodwill of your customers, they will be happy to recommend you to their friends and acquaintances. On the other hand, if customers are singing praises about your company, you can feature their posts and comments. Companies often focus only on sharing reviews, but even positive mentions can go a long way in convincing others to become your customers.
6. Be proud of your awards
If your business has existed for a few years, and you have been doing a good job, you may have a few accolades or awards. You should be proud of your achievements. Nowadays, most awards come with a digital badge. The best place to put these is in the footer of your website. However, if the rewards are particularly noteworthy, you can also include them in your ads.
The bottom line
Keep in mind that every business and product is going to be unique. You should devise a plan to use social proof in your digital marketing strategy to best suit your brand. Although, as long as you have satisfied customers, you are already doing something right.
Meta description: Here are 6 surefire ways to use social proof in your digital marketing strategy, which can draw in more customers and drive sales.