In the offline world, people don’t walk around with their numbers of Facebook likes plastered on their foreheads. But in the world of online, entire business models may be built around social proof.
Here are 10 ethical ways your content can use social proof to improve your credibility:
Social proofing #1 Promote your content as seen on…
We’re no strangers to this technique from blog, newspaper to TV shows. “As seen on…” testimony signals a strong sense of social proof.
Social proofing #2 Request endorsements.
The cool thing about LinkedIn endorsements is they’re public and permanent. And you can use them anywhere. Go ahead and ask someone to your favorite customers for a recommendation.
Social proofing #3 Activate employees.
Every person in your company has a stake in making your brand as successful as possible. Identify social media enthusiasts and ask them to support your efforts.
Social proofing #4 Take advantage of friends and families.
Don’t be shy about reaching your strong ties and ask for help. Explain to them how much it means to your company and ask them to leave a like, share or comment.
Social proofing #5 Highlight testimonies.
Collect testimonies and sprinkle them throughout your social media and website. A quote from someone who has benefited from your product or service can convert a mere visitor into a paying customer.
Social proofing #6 Promote badges.
Visit any university website and you’ll find at least one badge touting “Named one fo the Top 10 Business Schools in…” Everyone is known for something. You are too.
Social proofing #7 Focus on powerful reviews.
Scoring systems are a powerful social roof but don’t get too upset about negative ones. Nobody’s perfect and the balance actually adds some credibility.
Social proofing #8 Keep track of subscriber counts.
People feel comfortable if they’re joining the crowd. Hubspot has a simple call to action on their site saying “Subscribe to our blog. Thousands of others have”.
Social proofing #9 Collect kudos tweets.
Collect the nicest things people tweet about you, and mention them in your content, as in “Don’t take my word for it. Click here to see what others are saying about my blog/book/product/…”
Social proofing #10 Publicize clients.
Logo porn is a popular website tactic of displaying client logos. It’s an easy way to establish credibility by simply showing who you work with. Most customers will be happy to help you out this way.
