Social proof is a strong element in online social networks. Wikipedia defines Social Proof as a “psychological phenomenon where people
assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior for a
given situation.” Social
proof is obvious to all in the forms of “liking” something and then seeing how
many of ones fiends like something.
Social contagion and virility are one of the cornerstones of the
internet and one of the driving forces behind the dialogues that occur between
companies, users, and marketers.
At the heart of social proof is conformity, where uncertainty or an
over-abundance of choice leads people to look towards others for information on
the best thing to do. This is evident in
sheep, pack animals, monkeys, and all other social animals. From an evolutiontionary perspective, a
social animal derives a significant amount of information about its
surroundings and environment simply by watching other animals. When one gazelle sees another suddenly break
into a sprint, it too will begin to run.
When stock traders see a sudden unanimous behavior being undertaken by
others in their surroundings, there is strong pressure there for them to act
likewise. Social proof is an underlying
physchological mechanism that has its roots in our evolutionary history and it
is strongly embedded in how we behave.
The implication for marketers is that, wherever and wherever possible,
it is effective to frame their desired result in terms of how many other people
are doing it. Whether it be making a
specific purchase (“your friend just bought this product from this store) or
raising brand awareness (your friend likes this product/company), the more a
marketer can frame its message in terms of something that the target’s
community already supports, the more effective the message will be.
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