Social proof: what it is and what it consists of
W
ith the term social proof we mean that psychological phenomenon whereby a person, in the absence of sufficient information to make a decision independently, tends to conform to the behaviour of others. In the field of web marketing, in particular, social proof is a real persuasive technique used to improve brand reputation and convince users to make a certain purchase. An example of this are online reviews of products and services, very powerful tools that users use to learn more about a company. Through the ratings of other consumers, in particular, users decide whether or not to buy a product or, alternatively, request a certain service. Reviews, therefore, are able to strongly influence the behaviour of a potential customer. When one needs to book a restaurant one does not know, for instance, one of the first actions one tends to take is precisely to search for the place on Google and read the reviews present, so as to have a more or less balanced picture of the service offered. The same applies to hotels, shops and businesses of various kinds. In all these cases, social proof plays a very important role and must therefore be taken into serious consideration.
Social proof: how to take care of it
This means paying attention to the reviews received and making sure that the positive ones prevail over the negative ones. To do this, it is not necessary to produce false reviews or delete negative ones (users would notice). On the contrary, it is good to adopt a good customer service strategy, so as to make reviews a really powerful social proof tool. A correct approach in this sense is certainly to always reply, both in the presence of positive and negative comments. In the first case, for instance, one should thank and show the utmost cordiality. In the case of criticism, on the other hand, the advice is to avoid heated tones and to be open to dialogue and listening. In fact, not only reviews, but also any replies provided by the company fall within the scope of social proof social proof. And it doesn't end there.
Social proof: influencers and testimonials
Social proof' can also consist of the promotion of a product or service by a testimonial or influencer. In this case, the sponsorship is done through a post in which the public figure recommends the use of the product or service. social proof, , however, is closely related to the authority of the person in question. This is precisely why it is essential to choose the testimonial carefully, starting with the target audience and the brand's values. The influencer in question must in fact represent the company and above all the brand's target audience. Not only that, apart from notoriety, it is equally important that the testimonial knows the product/service he/she is sponsoring and therefore has some experience in the sector.
Social proof: when is it useful?
In short, social proof is a very powerful marketing tool that can make a difference, especially in the case of little-known companies and businesses. In this case, in fact, the consumer has little information about it and does not have the possibility to easily make a decision. The presence of an important social proof, on the other hand, can help the user to trust and make the purchase with more confidence. Of course, social proof is a very powerful weapon, which one should know how to wield carefully. If badly managed, in fact, it can turn into a real boomerang for the company. That is why it is good to take care of it in the right way, providing truthful data and being absolutely transparent. Not only that, it is equally important to entrust your brand image to trusted testimonials, people who know how to represent the company correctly and also have the right authority.
