At a very early age, people generally want to be a part of
the majority mindset. Children often use the less-than-persuasive argument of
"but all my friends are doing it" to which mom's generally quip
"if all your friends jumped off the bridge would you jump too?"
Mom's' lesson of "think for yourself" is a good one. Until you grow
up and become a consumer.
While thinking for yourself is always your best option there
is also the need to make informed decisions.
That's where social proof comes into play. Nowadays, people
are consistently turning to reviews, testimonies, and the endorsement of others
when making a decision buy a product or utilize a service. From buying a $70k
automobile to getting Chinese takeout; we want to know what others think and
what experiences they have had in the past.
There are many types of social proof.
Celebrity endorsements are a huge business and a way of
winning the trust of consumers who may have zero knowledge about a brand. Think
about the impact William Shatner's thumbs-up had on Priceline.com. Won't it be
interesting to see what happens to sales at Lincoln now that Matthew McConaughey
has made it one of the sexiest vehicles out there?
Social proof is nothing new. McDonald's knew about the
psychology long before it became a buzzword and used it as a great marketing
strategy. In 1962, McDonald's introduced the Golden Arches logo. Depending on
your age, you may remember a social proof number under their logo; from 1
million back in the 1960s to the "Billions and Billions Served" that
you see today.
Is social proof on social media really proof at all?
Instagram hearts, Twitter follows and Facebook likes are all
considered forms of social proof, however are they as accurate as people would
like to believe?
Remember when Ashton Kutcher and his million Twitter
followers were all the buzz. Even if they weren't fans, people began to follow
Kutcher so they could be a part of history in the making. Everyone else was
doing it, so why not?
On Facebook, businesses use a fan page which allows consumer
to "like" the page as a stamp of approval and to engage with the
brand. Sounds great but there is a downside. Not everyone who "likes"
a page does it with the intention of actually engaging. Giveaways, favor for a
friend, peer pressure, and "just because" are just a few reasons that
people will like a page they have no interest in at all. This action creates an
inflated number of "likes" and therefore an inaccuracy in social
proof.
So how do you know which brands have a true consumer stamp
of approval on Facebook?
Look beyond the numbers. When looking at brands on Facebook,
the "likes" that the fan page has received is not the only thing to
take into consideration. Take a peek at:
How often the company shares content?
Do you consider the content to be worthy of your time or is
it fluff?
Are people engaging with the content via shares, comments,
and likes?
A business Facebook Fan page should not be there simply to
chase the numbers. It is there to be a quality go-to resource in the
niche/industry that they represent.
As a consumer, do businesses a favor and don't "like"
them just for the sake of liking them. Like them if you truly endorse their
product or service and want to get their updates in your timeline.
As a business, provide quality and consistent information on
your fan page. Engage with your followers. Don't let artificial numbers inflate
your ego. 200 engaged fans is far more valuable than 5,000 disingenuous
"likes" from people who will never like, comment, or share any of
your content.
Social media is an extremely powerful marketing tool. Used
incorrectly, it will be a waste of time, energy, and financial resources. Used
properly, it can be as influential as a billboard in Times Square.
Source From:- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
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