Social proof – the phrase sounds like a spellbinding psychological thriller doesn’t it?

While Social Proof isn’t a new film coming to Netflix, it is a psychological mechanism used by marketers to steer the public towards one a brand or another.

Social Proof relies on the notion that if a product is tried and true, it must be trustworthy and worthwhile.

Most easily put, Social Proof is the spark of energy that each of us give off each time we scroll through a social feed. We offer it in the form of likes, recommendations, comments and shares.

Few brands can exist without social proof, and in the abscence of it, find competing in a crowded marketplace very difficult.

In the age of Instagram and TikTok, Social Proof often starts at your current follow count, and extends through to the amount of likes and comments on each post. If you have 50,000 followers, and 500 likes per post, but nary a comment from an actual human, it can look quite suspicious.

As such a healthy Instagram feed alone isn’t enough anymore, as so many synthetic methods of IG boosting have made it possible to almost totally fake a robust social following.

Consumers have grown savvy to the game and look to IG Live and stories; PR hits and Podcast appearances; guest posting; other social media feeds; website design and blogging; and email style to get a feel for the authenticity of a brand’s appeal.

Genuine Social Proof takes time to develop in order to be effective. But if you need to get things rolling quickly there are strategies you can employ to jump start your brand’s community. We’ve put together some suggestions for swiftly adding the element of social proof to your brand:

1) Testimonials and Reviews: Do you have great reviews on your website, Facebook, Amazon, Yelp or from direct correspondence? These are virtually marketing gold and can be used on your website, as a graphic on IG and Twitter, in your emails, and more.

You can cultivate great reviews through giveaways, the offer of free product or services, or by directly asking for references and reviews.

Reaching out to micro influencers (aka “users”) is also a good way to garner reviews that have an objective feel.

2) Offer a Tally: Count up the number of products sold, happy customers served, courses offered, years in business, or positive reviews received and use that number in your social profiles, marketing communications and in your website design.

3) Show Your Press and Features: When you receive press mentions and features, make sure to let your customers and audience know you’ve appeared in media. Grab those coveted logos and add them to your website. Include a list of media titles where you or your brand have appeared in your presentations, emails, and press releases.

4) Celebrity Outreach: Nothing is more alluring than having a well-regarded personality wear your product or mention you on their blog or social feed. It’s important to strategize which celebs are the best for your brand, are accessible and aren’t tied up in a corporate contract that precludes using other brands. The process can be very swift if you have an appealing product to offer.

5) Certifications, Degrees, Training and Awards: Be sure to include any certifications, important levels of education, or titles on your website, social profiles and email signature. These can be anything from a PhD to being Leaping Bunny Certified.

If you’ve won any award, be sure to include it in your description.

On your website, if you sell via shopping cart or order form, any sort of Trust Certificate you can add will truly help sale conversions. These simple badges have been shown to boost customer confidence when it comes to offering an address, phone, credit card and even email addresses.

Each of these Social Proof strategies can be accomplished in a short amount of time. With artful application you’ll make your brand one that customers search out, trust and buy for years to come.

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