Social Proof10 WAYS TO DRIVE MORE

@markwschaefer

In the online world, social proof is POWER.

In a world of overwhelming information density, we’re starved for clues to help us know who to trust, what to believe,

and what company can help us as quickly as possible.

But what is social proof exactly?

Here’s a simple example.

Let’s say you are looking for advice on how to keep your houseplants alive.

You find two articles.

One has been tweeted 5 times.

5

The other one has been tweeted 500 times.

5

500

Which one do you read?

5

500

500

500

This is the power of social proof in action!

500

The post is set to ignite because of the social proof alone. You picked this post

because of a number -- the content success may have had little to do with

the actual content!

Here are 10 ways you can drive more social proof online.

1. promote content “as seen on…”

Have you been featured on a well-known blog, newspaper, or tv show? Don’t keep it a secret!

2. KEEP TRACK OF SUBSCRIBER COUNTS.

People feel comfortable joining the crowd. Many sites feature a counter with subscriber numbers to a content channel.

Hubspot has a simple call to action on their site: “Subscribe to our blog. Thousands of others have.”

LinkedIn Endorsements are public and permanent and you can use them anywhere. Ask some of your favorite customers for a recommendation then promote the heck out of them.

3. REQUEST ENDORSEMENTS.

Every person in your company has a stake in making your marketing as successful as possible. Identify employees who

are social media enthusiasts and ask them to support the effort with social sharing.

4. activate employees.

If you’re just get starting, don’t be shy about asking for help. Explain to everyone how important it is to get your blog off

the ground and ask them for a little love on Twitter or Facebook.

5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

If you’re listed, named, featured, or honored…let people know. Display badges in a prominent place on your

website like the sidebar or footer.

6. PROMOTE BADGES.

If your company collects testimonials, sprinkle them throughout your website on your most viewed pages. A quote from someone

who learned something from your content can persuade a potential content subscriber.

7. HIGHLIGHT TESTIMONIALS.

When was the last time you made a meaningful purchase on Amazon without looking at the reviews? Scoring systems

are powerful proof.

8. FOCUS ON CUSTOMER REVIEWS.

When people tweet nice things about you, save them as “favorites.” Then you can link to the list of recommendations

as an entire stream of public, published social validation.

9. COLLECT KUDO TWEETS.

Display client logos on your site! It’s an easy way to establish credibility for your company by simply showing

who you work with.

10. PUBLICIZE CLIENTS.

Let’s do a quick recap.

10 ways to DRIVE more social proof online

1. Promote your content “As Seen On…” 2. Keep track of subscriber counts. 3. Request endorsements. 4. Activate employees. 5. Take advantage of friends and family. 6. Promote badges. 7. Highlight testimonials. 8. Focus on customer reviews. 9. Collect kudo tweets. 10. Publicize clients.

@markwschaefer

I hope this helps you drive more social proof online.

The good news is, you don’t have to do it alone!

I wrote my new book for you!

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“This is the text book for the content marketer of the future.” — Ryan Hanley

“This book is a game-changer.” — Jay Baer

"The wisdom in this book is a gift to us." — Emeric Ernoult

Learn how to ignite your content, your marketing, and your business with The Content Code.

GET IT NOW ON AMAZON

“This is the text book for the content marketer of the future.” — Ryan Hanley

“This book is a game-changer.” — Jay Baer

"The wisdom in this book is a gift to us." — Emeric Ernoult

Hey! That’s social proof!

SAY HELLO ONLINE!

DESIGN @sarahsmason

CONTENT @markwschaefer