Using Social Proof to Build SEO

How to Use Social Proof to Build SEO

There’s no doubt that Search Engine Optimization is and will continue to be a focus for businesses wanting to build their business. According to Google “Where to buy” + “near me” mobile queries have grown by over 200% in the past two years”. Meaning stakeholders are relying more and more on Google to find products, services, and business. 

Here’s just a few more insights that showcases the importance of SEO:

• 61% of marketers say improving SEO and growing their organic presence is their top inbound marketing priority. (Stateofinbound.com)
• 70% of marketers see SEO as more effective than PPC. (Databox.com)
• On the first page alone, the first five organic results account for 67.60% of all the clicks. (ZeroLimitWeb.com)
• In 2021 (to date), Google accounted for just over 70% of all global desktop search traffic (Impactplus.com)
• Among all traffic sources, organic search delivers the most traffic to websites, accounting for 53% of all web traffic (BrightEdge)

Because SEO clearly is and will continue to be a necessary tool for businesses, obtaining high Google rankings will be vital to business success. There are many ways (some speculate more than 200) to increase rankings, but one important aspect is social proof.

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What is social proof?

Social proof is a psychological and social phenomenon wherein people copy the actions of others in an attempt to undertake behavior in a given situation. The term was coined by Robert Cialdini in his 1984 book Influence.” (Wikipedia) Basically it’s using psychology to explain how influence impacts another person’s actions and judgements. In marketing and business this means that our stakeholders and communities make decisions and judgements based on others. 

There are 6 basic types of social proof that we can utilize:

1. Case Studies/Data: Utilizing data-driven and a in-depth analysis of a product or service to influence a buying decision.
2. Testimonials: A pretty well understood idea. Using success from previous clients/buyers to influence. This is a referral or recommendation.
3. Reviews: Think of this as a similar to a recommendation but less refined and not filtered by a business/owner.
4. Social Media: Engagement from stakeholders in the form of tweets, Facebook posts, Instagram comments, etc
5. Trust Icons / Expert: Utilizing influencers, celebrities, experts, news, etc to influence stakeholder opinion and buying influence.
6. Data / Numbers: Utilizing insights, numbers and comparisons to influence a stakeholder’s buying decision.

By looking at social proof we can look at multiple ways we can utilize social proof to boost our SEO results. Any of these methods can be used individually, but have more impact when combined. 

Using Case Studies Social Proof to boost SEO: 

Case studies are in abundance. That’s because they work. Searching the web you will find an insane amount of case studies in every industry. Case studies are real-life examples of businesses solving a problem which is why they are so powerful as social proof. Whether it’s a yearly industry report or an in-depth comparison, case studies are a great way to build traffic, backlinks, and social proof to influence stakeholders. 

Here’s just a few examples:

1. Yearly industry reports
2. Product comparisons
3. Industry insights
4. Guides as in-depth analysis
5. An in-depth analysis from a stakeholder or industry expert (Trust icons + Case Studies)

Using Reviews and Testimonial Social Proof to boost SEO: 

I feel like this one is pretty self explanatory. Reviews and testimonials shared on social media, websites, and other platforms can help create backlinks to your page. If people can testify to your product or service, use it. 

Using Social Media Social Proof to boost SEO: 

A good social media strategy is a vital part of any good marketing strategy. It helps generate new leads, opens up new doors in advertising, assists in building a community, and is an efficient way to combine all social proof types. Social media allows you to share and collect case studies, testimonials, reviews, guides, and trust icons. You can use social media for one or all of these steps to expand your marketing and sales strategies.

Ask us about our consulting services – we can help you identify and implement a solid social media strategy. 

Using Trust Icons / Experts Social Proof to boost SEO: 

Getting an expert to mention or recommend your business is a very bold and quick way to boost your rankings and get eyeballs on your biz. Experts get a lot of traffic to their social and websites, so when they mention your business you’ll get instant spikes from stakeholders. Additionally, you’ll get How do you do this though? 

Here are just a few ways:

1. Get an industry expert to mention you on their website.
2. Have a well established blog mention you in an industry or link to your page
3. Have an expert do a social media take over and mention/link to the event on your blog
4. Collaborate with experts on a social media event
5. Collaborating with Celebrities to feature, recommend, or discuss your product or service
6. Trust icons completing an in-depth review or guide (Trust icons + Case Studies)

Using Data and Numbers Social Proof to boost SEO: 

This is my personal favorite form of social proof. It’s raw data quickly absorbed. Like case studies, data and insights use real information to influence stakeholders. Unlike a case study though, this form of content is “bite-sized” information that can be digested quickly. 

There’s thousands of examples, but here are a few:

1. Hubspot does this with their “State of Marketing Report“.
2. Using Google Trends to showcase top or least searched keywords
3. Showcasing how much money your services saved businesses in a given time period
4. A statistic showcasing how many people preferred your product or service (i.e. 3 out of 4 recommend)

So to recap, There are many ways (some speculate more than 200) to increase rankings, but one important aspect is social proof. By looking at social proof we can look at multiple ways we can utilize social proof to boost our SEO results. Any of these methods can be used individually, but have more impact when combined. 

Unsure where to start building a SEO strategy around social proof? Contact Us today to learn about our consulting services or ask about our FREE 70-point SEO audit. 

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