Why Social Proof Matters

Imagine you are shopping for a new car and don’t know where to start.

Many different car brands are on the market, and it can be overwhelming to consider them all. So, to narrow your choices down, you go online to read customer reviews and ask your friends if they would recommend their vehicles. Ultimately, you are drawn to the car with over 1,000 testimonials online.

There’s a name for this marketing phenomenon, and it’s called social proof.

Also known as “informational social influence,” social proof is the idea that consumers rely on reviews, recommendations, and the experiences of others to inform their buying decisions. Think of it as every interaction you make to represent your brand and your customers' actions to recommend your products to others.

Marketers that prioritize building their social proof are better at establishing their credibility and value than counterparts that don’t.

But how convincing is social proof?

Take a look at these stats:

83% of consumers recommend a brand they follow on social media to friends and family
95% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase
82% of Americans ask for referrals and recommendations from family and friends before making any kind of purchase

As a marketer, how can you position your products for success? The answer is user-generated content (UGC). Whether repurposing customer reviews into ad campaigns or highlighting case studies on your website, UGC can go a long way in supporting a buying decision.

UGC content creators are real people with a real passion for your products. Expressing this genuine interest can encourage consumers to invest their time, money, and energy into supporting your brand.

At Bambassadors, we are committed to helping brands in all industries find the right UGC content creators to partner with. We understand the power of social proof and want to help your products get authentic video content that drives sales and builds a community around your products.

@bambassad0rs You need to check out @Timmy Hart Barron in @Particle for Men vid! This is how you create amazing #ugc for amazing products! #bambassadors #growyourbusiness #ugccontent #business #creatoreconomy ♬ original sound - Bambassadors

Here are three key reasons to work on your Social Proof:

Boosts Your Credibility

9 out of 10 consumers say reviews play a role in discovering local businesses–and social proof establishes your company’s credibility and authority in the market. When a customer posts a positive review, they are letting fellow consumers know that your brand will deliver the results they are looking for.

The greater the buzz your brand receives online, the higher its authority within your industry:

54.7% of consumers read at least four reviews before buying a product
49% of shoppers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
62% of consumers say they will not buy from brands that censor online reviews

Marketers should repurpose these reviews, testimonials, and other kinds of UGC content into their social media strategies to highlight proven expertise in their field. This will set you apart from your competitors and help your company become the only choice for consumers to research further.

Proves That Your Strategies Drive Results

Social proof proves that you are an expert in your field, showing how you drive results for your customers.

At Bambassadors, we work with a lot of companies who want to demonstrate how their products work and improve their customers’ lives in real time. That is why we partner with UGC creators that offer unique and authentic content incorporating these products. Even more so, we choose partners who make content that is just as informative as it is engaging.

Whether highlighting fun and easy-to-use fitness products like the Bobo Balance Board or smart home devices like Sensibo, viewers want to see your brand’s products in action, without the fluff. This is why UGC is such a powerful way to prove your expertise in action.

Builds Client Trust and Loyalty

Marketers that integrate UGC content into their strategies will improve their social proof and boost client trust tenfold. This is because consumers can directly see your product's value in people’s lives.

Enthusiasm is contagious, and the more people hear about how your brand has impacted their lives for the better, the more they will trust you to help them solve their pain points. Plus, UGC can go much further in building a community around your products than brand-created content:

79% of people say that UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions
Although 92% of marketers think they’re creating authentic content, only 51% of consumers believe their favorite brands offer authenticity
Consumers are 2.4x more likely to say user-generated content is genuine compared to brand-created content

These are just three reasons why you should prioritize social proof in your brand’s marketing strategies. The more visible you are, and the more people share their stories working with you, the more likely you will build a loyal following that supports you through thick and thin.

And if you’re looking for help kickstarting your UGC campaign, you’ve come to the right place! Contact us – we’re here to help you establish your social proof in 2023 and beyond.