Social Proof: Why You Need It & How You Can Get It

One of the first question I ask prospective and new clients when talking to them is what their goals for our program are. Whether we’re working on marketing initiatives or PR outreach, it’s impossible for me to do my job well without knowing where their priorities lie.

The answers often vary, but are typically a rendition of driving leads and sales.

“And providing social proof,” I usually say at the end of their list of goals.

This is often met with silence. I think a lot of people have heard the term “social proof,” and can gauge its definition, but they’re not following where it comes into the marketing program that we’re talking about.

To me, social proof is one of the most important benefits of a PR program. I once worked with a local food company that got a mention in the New York Times. Great, you might say, except their coverage area is Boston, so to be honest, a NYT reference had a great big audience that they primarily couldn’t serve.

But you’d better believe we slapped that New York Times coverage all over their website. We included it on their press page, we promoted it in social, we always were talking about that mention in the New York Times. Because when a prospective customer came along to the website and started comparing this client to one of the many other services they were considering, there needed to be as many differentiators as possible there. And being written up in the NYT, or any other number of reputable places, meant a tremendous amount when it came to differentiating.

When I talk about social proof with my clients, I always tell them that what other people say about you is much more powerful than what you say about yourself. (It’s why you might be a little more excited to go on a date with your BFF’s cousin’s amazing best friend you’ve been hearing about for years than the guy on your dating app with the bathroom selfie.)

And beyond that, what people say about you for free, as in, earned media or reviews from real customers, always carries more weight than an ad. (Again, the cousin’s BFF vs. the guy on Tinder.)

And that, quite simply, is social proof. It is why a news hit is more valuable than just the customers it drives to your site or store—you also need to think about the value it will add to your press mentions page, and the opportunity you’ll have to share that writeup with customers who come to your site by other means.

It’s why many companies live or die by their reviews on Facebook, Google or Yelp.

It’s why most of us ask Facebook for recs on a new hairdresser or daycare or the best place to buy furniture.

Social proof is an essential part of any marketing program and you should be thinking about how you can get it and leverage it from Day One. Here are some ways to get social proof:

Ask for it

People often shy away from directly asking for social proof—referrals, testimonials or reviews—because it feels like you’re asking them to compliment you. Which, admittedly, would be awkward. But in fact, when people have had a great experience with you, they’re typically happy to share it. You just need to ask.

If you’re a business that serves a small base of clients one-on-one, I recommend simply emailing those you' have a great relationship with and asking them for a testimonial for your website. Often, I actually point out what things they may want to include (for example, “If you’re willing to provide a testimonial, it would be great if you could highlight how working with me addressed some of the pain points in getting your content written and scheduled.”). I usually even offer to draft something for them, if they need it.

If you have a larger customer base or storefront, I suggest implementing a process for asking for reviews, feedback and recommendations. (Bonus: this can also help you flag any issues with your business before they become bigger.) You may have signage in the store or an automated email that asks the customer to leave a review on your preferred platform.

Earn it

Earned media (PR hits) means that it’s press you’re not paying for (so, not advertising but editorial). This means, in theory, the content and what’s being said about you has been run through the filter of an objective writer and his or her editors, and their job isn’t to flatter or compliment you, but to tell a story.

So when you get a great press hit, you can see how it would be a fantastic piece of social proof. If you’re already executing a PR program, make sure you’re repurposing any hits for social proof. Link to them on your website and perhaps even use pull quotes throughout the site when necessary. If you have a storefront, frame them and hang them on the wall. Talk about them on social, and mention them in emails. It will give your customers even more confidence in you.

Get an Endorsement

Depending on your budget and product, an endorsement is a great way to enhance your social proof. While most brands we work with can’t afford high-end athletes or celebrities, a smaller version of this is working with social media influencers, who will often partner with brands to help demonstrate to their followers some of the brand’s benefits or attributes. This often blurs the earned media/advertising line, and needs to be executed carefully, but it can be a great option.

Gain Credentials for Your Field

Depending on your business, credentials from within your industry or field can be a great way to demonstrate social proof. Join the right associations or undergo the right training or testing to get credentials that truly mean something to your customer base.

Ramp Up Your Social Presence

A lot of new prospects will click around on your social profiles. It can be worth an initial investment in social media strategy to get these numbers up to respectable levels so anyone poking around feels like you’re a “real” business. (If it’s not on Facebook, does it exist?) You can increase your followers quickly through paid campaigns, and post compelling content that people will like and share, adding to social proof.