The Tangible and Intangible Benefits of Social Proof
As a business, you might be wondering about the tangible and intangible benefits to surrounding your brand with social proof. You might even be wondering what all those terms mean.
What is ‘social proof’?
Coined in 1984, social proof is the psychological and social phenomenon of people copying the actions of their peers. Today, social proof is the influence of digital media on consumer behaviour. In other words, ‘if I see my friends and peers accepting and validating this product, then I will too’.
Tangible means ‘measurable’. So, what are the tangible benefits of social proof?
Increased traffic and conversions.
The debate over the value of traffic over conversions continues. Social proof drives both! Create a seamless flow of high-quality traffic through your website for high conversion rates.
Increased profit margins.
Selling on trust and reputation is a great way to avoid unnecessary discounting. Social proof throughout the buyer journey and at the point of sale fast-tracks purchasing decisions.
Audience engagement.
What better way to build a brand than increasing local audience participation? When your customers promote you digitally to their network, others are motivated to chime in.
Content creation.
Always having a steady stream of raw, user-generated content available is a great way to build content and create hype for little to no extra cost to you.
SEO.
Generating more reviews on public platforms like Google increases visibility and search ranking. Additionally, adding user generated content to appropriate pages of your website also provides SEO benefits.
Intangible means ‘immeasurable’. Intangible benefits to social proof include:
– Build your brand image.
Authenticity is the key to a successful brand image. Deploying authentic content works to validate your marketing claims to endorse the meaning attached to your brand.
– Brand awareness.
It is difficult to put a figure behind notoriety, but the value of building a deep-rooted psyche in local groups is immeasurable. Establish the trust that leads to loyal customers.
– Conquest Competitors.
Every company spends money advertising. And almost all consumers do their research. Superior social proof allows your business to win the research war effortlessly.
– Generate a customer-focused business culture.
Customer-focused businesses are more likely to succeed in the long term. Manage and learn from feedback in real time for a smooth, business-wide culture shift.
– Motivate staff.
Positive feedback is a simple and effective way to retain and motivate staff. Real time social proof encourages teams to go the extra mile for every customer.
In a digitally connected world, customer reviews have never been so important. Online forums, niche blogs and social pages give customers the power to make or break a business.
Ensure your brand is given the advantage it needs by integrating social proof in your marketing strategy today.
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