What is social proof and why is it useful?
It can be overwhelming and difficult to stand out as a business when we are living in such a saturated buying market... Why is that? Industries are competing with one another daily to be able to get you to purchase their products and there are thousands of businesses to choose from when browsing online! One way to beat your competition is through social proof.
What is social proof? Social proof is a concept where people are influenced from others to make their purchasing decisions. For example, this could be from friends, family, and influencers or content creators, and it comes in many forms such as reviews on a website, word of mouth, videos online discussing a product with a friend or family member, or endorsements from your favorite celebrities. An example of a social proof is UGC (user generated content). UGC is perfect social proof because it is someone posting online and showing their followers who might not be familiar with what they are promoting a new trend, product, class, etc.
If people are seeing their favorite influences promoting products, people feel less of a risk when buying the same things. If you see a product online such as a sweater, or a pair of jeans you may feel some sort of disconnect not seeing it being used, or on a model that does not look like you. If you have your favorite content creator that you connect with for example, you feel more at ease or comfortable to make that purchase because you KNOW someone else is enjoying the product that you like, or feel similarly to.
One of the big places that I myself find social proof if through TikTok and my friends! If enough people have a product that I want, I am more likely to buy it with seeing multiple videos of people raving about it because I feel as if I know that is a good product if so many people are talking about it. Same with my friends. If my friends have a new thing they are telling me about, I feel as if I need the product as well. If my friends do not have the thing I want, I hesitate harder and longer on a decision. Social proof helps decrease buyers remorse!
Social proof is so important because it helps your business gain trust within potential customers, and to let them know that your product is worth buying. It is basically free advertising, which is great! Another reason Social Proof is great for your business is it creates feedback on what you are selling. If you get a bad review (that is honest) you can use that to gauge if change needs to happen.
Be authentic online and let social proof start to happen.
Gatekeeping is out, social proof is in!
