They’re going to put their best foot forward when talking about themselves.īut social proof can take on other forms besides testimonials - like your Instagram follower count. To put this into context - if a brand is telling you how great they are, it’s awkward, right? Of course, they’re not going to discourage you from buying from them. It’s a lot less effective for a brand to talk about how great they are without the support of these real customer testimonials. It works because you’re more likely to believe that something is worth buying when other customers (or publications in this case) like you or are raving about something versus a company tooting their own horn. Here’s an example of how Glossier uses social proof on their website: When you see real customer reviews on a website or a person’s or brand’s social profiles, you are being influenced by social proof. People will be compelled by the fact that so many other people want access to your content.īut let’s get back to social proof, which will be a large focus of the rest of this article.Ī common form of social proof is the testimonial. You could also partner with another influencer with a high amount of perceived authority in your industry to tap their expertise and help grow your following.Īnd if you have a high follower-to-following ratio (more on that in a moment), the concept of scarcity (your reduced willingness to follow other accounts) might help to grow your follower count. If your brand was founded by a thought leader, their authority will help to attract more followers. Scarcity: Wanting more of things that are seemingly not freely availableĪll of these principles of influence can impact how a brand is perceived on Instagram and you should aim to explore them all when creating any type of marketing strategy.įor example, if you like or comment on someone else’s post, you may engage the principle of reciprocity - getting a like or comment on your content in return.Authority: Being compelled by people who appear to have greater knowledge or experience than us.Commitment/consistency: Staying true to the values your brand holds dear (even when it’s hard).Reciprocity: Feeling compelled to repay someone when they do something for us.Social proof is one of six principles of influence. Cialdini, PhD, introduced the concept of social proof in his groundbreaking book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Social proof works because humans are social creatures who are influenced by their peers. Social proof involves the act of turning to others to get their opinion on something (like making a purchase) before moving forward. Why? Because a large follower count acts as a form of social proof.
In either situation, you’ll need Instagram followers in order for users to take you seriously. Or perhaps, you want to use Instagram to launch a successful brand. So you want to be an Instagram influencer.