The so-called “social test” is an instinct that makes people appreciate something when they perceive that a large group of people have done it previously.
The social proof is one of those aspects that continue to connect us with our ancestors. It is a primitive behavior, since it can be easily seen in nature. People tend to follow the majority and accept as positive what they follow the most follow-up.
The social test in digital marketing
The level of interaction in social networks conditions our perception of the contents. A news on Twitter with many retweets, likes and answers will attract our attention, while a tweet without interaction will go unnoticed by our screen.
In Spotify, each artist has a list of the five songs most listened to by the users. In addition, within the page of each artist, there is the tab “your fans also listen”, which indicates what people who have in common the taste for an artist. This indicates that companies already understand that social proof is important in their strategies.
These are only two examples of what social proof supposes. The companies, in turn, can apply it in order to achieve benefits in different ways:
- Opinions: opinions are the best ally of the buyer and the greatest fear of the seller. As a general rule, they tend to be fair and help undecided clients to make a decision. In some way, they break that barrier that exists between the consumer and the product in eCommerce.
- Recommendations from influencers or celebrities: advertising with influencers or celebrities continues to be an important part of the digital strategy of many brands. It is one of the most farsighted examples of social proof. It follows the logic that, if such an influential person uses or promotes a product or service, that product or service must be of quality and deserves at least the attention of the consumer.
- Opinions from former clients: many eCommerce bet to include opinions of former customers, since in the face of potential customers have a very high value. The reasoning is as follows: “If all these people have been satisfied, I will too.”
- The most sold: it is a section that is not missing in any eCommerce. Although a user knows exactly what they are looking for, they will pay attention to this section for the simple reason that many other users have purchased the products or services detailed there.
Choose your strategies in an intelligent way
When using these techniques, it must be checked that they will not cause the opposite effect to the desired one. You cannot display customer opinions if they are few or negative. It is also not advisable to carry out a promotion with an influencer with a bad reputation.
The power of social proof is very powerful, both positively and negatively.
