Are You Taking Advantage of Your Secret Weapon?

There’s a weapon in every marketing leader’s war chest that is often sought after but rarely discussed. We pursue it through influencer and earned media channels as well as software like Bazaarvoice and Yotpo. It’s pure gold when it happens organically, even though every other channel manager will try to take credit for the conversion.

The weapon, of course, is social proof.

Social proof works for both B2B and B2C marketers. It’s a staple for eCommerce sites, but it’s popping up in more and more places. Now even CPG brands will have to level up their review generation game: Albertson’s recently launched ratings and reviews on its eCommerce site, and other grocers will be sure to follow.

Everyone knows that social proof helps with conversion rate optimization, but oftentimes it’s an afterthought in site designs and even more so in off-website applications. One of the best applications for social proof is in middle-of-funnel ads as you nurture potential buyers on their journey to purchase.

There are plenty of non-traditional applications beyond the traditional eCommerce uses for social proof content. The “Bob in San Diego just bought this” widget may be tired, but it still works surprisingly well- as does seeding product to Amazon’s power users. For a sports team, that’s going to be fan testimonials and UGC. For B2B brands, it’s leveraging testimonials in sales materials, ads, and landing pages. For all brands, implementing more social proof into organic social channels is a win when executed well, and great social proof can be the difference between winning or losing earned media coverage opportunities as well.

With a recession in full swing, marketing leaders can’t afford to leave sales on the table. If you need help leveraging social proof (or other marketing strategies) to grow your brand, we’d love to chat.