6 Types of Social Proof

In the easiest terms, there are typically 6 categories that social proof can fall into. They are

Expert
Celebrity
Certification
User
Wisdom of the Many
Wisdom of the Few

Learn what each of these means below. See what businesses are using these different types of social proof. Also, check out this blog post to learn how to leverage social proof on your own site!

Expert Social Proof

Expert social proof is when you use an expert in your field/industry that can recommend your product or services or is associated with your brand.

Examples of Expert Social Proof:

Hosting an AMA (ask me anything) thread on Reddit
Reposting a Twitter shoutout by an expert
Having experts take over your Twitter/Snapchat/Instagram/Facebook for the day to chat with followers

Celebrity Endorsements

Celebrity endorsements and social proof is when you use a celebrity (influencer, actor/actress, model) to either model, use or endorse your products. Oftentimes companies will use influencers (people with large social media followings) to either post about their products or say that they use them. Examples:

Kim Kardashian & Fit Tea on Instagram
Kendall Jenner in the Pepsi commercial
Brooklyn Beckham for Burberry
Steph Curry for Vivo

Certification as Social Proof

This social proof is achieved by being given a verification or "stamp of approval" by an authority figure. This can also be achieved through having an expert approve/recommend/certify your product. Examples of Certification as Social Proof:

Blue verification checkmark on Twitter or Facebook
"4 out of 5 dentists recommend Trident/Colgate/Crest"

User Social Proof

User social proof is leveraging those people who already love your brand and/or your products/services. You can use these loyal followers or buyers to recommend your products or services to new potential customers based on their own experiences with your brand. Examples:

Positive ratings on review sites like Google Maps & Facebook
Reviews from happy customers or shared photos/messages of love and support

Wisdom of the Many

This type of social proof is great for bigger businesses. This type attracts new customers as they see a large group of people promoting and endorsing your brand. This works because you're more likely to do something when you see lots of others doing it. Consequently, this can also be called social validation. Examples: High social media followings on different platforms

sdsadasd Crowdsourcing

Wisdom of the Few (Friends)

This type of social proof is when people see their friends approve your product. Similar to the wisdom of the many, you're more likely to try/buy something if you've either seen someone you know using it, or they've recommended it to you directly. This is especially relevant with social media being on the rise! Examples:

Seeing friends use a product or service
Having a product recommended to you by a friend
Noticing a friend follow your brand on social media

In addition, you can check out our other blog post and see how to boost conversions by using social proof on your Shopify store on your own e-commerce store! You can finally get the same IRL magic, but online!