Social proof…have you heard of it?

Social proof is basically a shortcut for consumers to decide how to act — and, as such, it can be a very effective marketing tool to help businesses of all sizes and types grow in popularity and wield influence while increasing their bottom line.

Social proof can be integrated into various marketing campaigns. Today, we’re going to dive into email marketing, specifically. 

First, let’s take a closer look at the psychology of social proof.

Social Proof Definition

The Social Proof Theory, popularized by psychologist Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., in his bestselling book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, “maintains that if people don’t know the proper behavior for a specific situation, they will look to others to imitate what they’re doing and to provide guidance for their actions.”

Cialdini writes: “Whether the question is what to do with an empty popcorn box in a movie theater, how fast to drive on a certain stretch of highway, or how to eat the chicken at a dinner party, the actions of those around us will be important in defining the answer.”

It’s not just empty popcorn boxes, though. Social proof is integral in marketing and the buyer’s journey as people make purchasing decisions.

Social Proof in Marketing

Social proof is a psychological principle across many categories, including marketing, where customers want to feel assured that purchasing a product or service is the right decision. Social proof can help companies validate and simplify their customer’s buying decisions, build consumer trust, and increase credibility.

You’ll often hear the phrase “show, don’t tell” in social proof — and email is a perfect channel to do just that.

Here are a few easy and compelling examples of social proof in marketing emails.

1. Showcase Real Customer Reviews

While customer reviews may seem relatively basic, the research shows that they work — and they work well. In fact, 94% of people say that positive reviews make them more likely to use a business — 91% of individuals aged 18 to 34 trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Whether you’re listing the number of five-star reviews received in your email, or highlighting direct feedback from customers, it all can tip the scales in your favor when consumers are evaluating your business or product offering.

2. Feature User-Generated Content

Utilizing user-generated content (UGC) to your advantage is a perfect way to lean into social proof — especially as email content. That’s because 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions, and consumers find UGC 9.8x more impactful than influencer content when making a purchasing decision. 

UGC includes things like giveaways or contests asking people to submit a video, photo, or testimonial. Social listening tools can also help you find organic content from customers — or you could always just ask your customer base!

3. Celebrate Case Studies

Results speak for themselves. Whether it’s “before and after” photos or an in-depth overview of problems solved, these case studies are convincing to consumers.

Email provides a way to succinctly summarize the top takeaways and results — while offering a CTA to link to the entire downloadable case study.

4. Highlight Expert Recommendations

An endorsement or “seal of approval” from an industry thought leader, influencer, or expert can go a long way in ratcheting up your social proof. It lends credibility to your business and your products or services — and it’s easy to integrate this type of content into an email.

5. Maximize Your Popularity

You want to show others that your brand is popular. One of the best ways to do that is by using real numbers. For example, you could integrate live social feeds into your email content that show how many people have “liked” a product post on Instagram. You could also create urgency by specifying how many people have already claimed an offer — and that only a certain number of products or offers are left.

6. Brag About Media Mentions

If your biz received some good press or was featured in a news story, interview, blog, or other media outlet, now is the time to tell your email list. These types of media features continue to build trust with your audience — and it’s the perfect opportunity to show off your company without being the one to do the talking. You can even devote an entire email to showing off the media story.

 7. Put Your Subject Line to Work

While email subject lines are sometimes an afterthought, they should be a big part of your email marketing strategy and include some social proof cues. In your subject line, you could mention a standout statistic, say that “people are talking,” or tease an accolade, media mention, or expert endorsement — all to entice your email list to know what’s inside.

After all, it doesn’t matter how great your email is if people don’t click to open it! In fact, 47% of your email recipients will open your email solely based on the subject line.

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At Denver Post Media, we specialize in activating content strategies that effectively integrate social proof. But we don’t expect you to take our word for it!

“Since the Denver Post took over management of our digital marketing, we have double-digit revenue growth.” -Anthony Nicosia, EVP, Doctor Fix It

(See what we did there with social proof?!)

Check out more testimonials from our clients and key case studies here.