Did you ever play Follow the Leader or Simon Says as an adolescent? Can you recall saying the phrase “All the cool kids are doing it” as a teenager. Ever avoided visiting a restaurant or watching a movie because of bad reviews? If so, then you my friend, have been under the influence of Social Proof.

Social proof isn’t all that unlike those childhood games.

People with authority and influence often call the shots and those of us who are unfamiliar, often follow along happily, and without second thought. But it’s also more than just who is speaking up. Social Proof is a numbers game. For example, when shopping on Amazon are you more likely to purchase the product with one hundred reviews or six thousand reviews? Probably the product with more reviews. So why am I telling you all of this? Because it can improve your business! We can use this insight to influence your audience to gain their trust. That trust is key if you are trying to convert followers into customers. But how do you go about actually applying this information? Well, here are a few suggestions to increase your online authority and leverage social proof.

Let Others Speak on Your Behalf:

-Encourage Customers to share Photos and Testimonials -Spotlight and Reward Customers who do Give Reviews -Share Reviews on 3rd party sites like Yelp and Google -Begin a Customer Referral Program -Work with micro-influencers to endorse your brand

Proudly Display Your Best Numbers:

-How many followers do you have on Social Media? -How many customers have bought your product or used your service? -Have you saved your clients money, if so how much?

Take Advantage of Visuals:

-Showcase before and after photos -Share videos of your product/service in action

Brag on Yourself:

-Have you won any awards for your work? -Has your business been featured locally? -Showcase any certifications you may have. We hope this encourages you to jump on the bandwagon as well. If you’re serious about increasing conversions and driving traffic you may want to consider implementing some of the above mentioned suggestions. After all, leveraging Social Proof is fairly simple, affordable and can have huge payoffs for your business.