What is social proof?

Here’s how it’s defined on Wikipedia:

Social proof, also known as informational social influence, is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior for a given situation.

When someone visits our website or social media profiles, we want people to feel like they’re not the first one. As quickly as possible, we want them to see that we’re a legitimate, formidable business that will take good care of them and their money.

When we do live website evaluations during an eBoot Camp workshop, it’s one of the critical pieces of information we look for. Here are some common ways to communicate social proof:

– Industry specific certifications

– Logos of companies you’ve done business with

– The amount of connections you have on a particular social network

– Quality testimonials (even better if it’s a recognized name!)

– Industry awards or recognition

– Major or local news quotes

– Published article, report or book

Action I want you to take: 

1. Write down three pieces of ‘social proof’ that would mean something to a prospect.

2. Make sure this ‘social proof’ is displayed in a clear and obvious place on your website and social media sites.