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!

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

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