The reason why social media marketing fits various market sensibilities, and invariably clicks if done right, is because while it is 
doubtlessly powered by modern technology, it works on very fundamental psychological levels. This post will discuss one such psychological concept that you as a social media marketing professional can exploit for greater success. It is called ‘social-proof’.
The Psychology behind Social-Proofing
We’ll explain by way of an example. Let us say you have two hypothetical nightclubs, in close proximity (for the convenience of this particular hypothesis). For further simplification, let us also imagine that they both are similarly sized structures, with similar flashing neon signs. But, where they differ (again imagine) is that one of them has just a bored looking doorman standing out front, allowing entry to all visitors; the other nightclub, contrastingly, has a long line of enthusiastic party-goers queued up outside. Which of them would you go to, if you’re out looking for a great time? Everything suggests that the place with the long queue is already crowded, while the other place may not be as lively. And therein lies the rub; nightclubs often slow down their entrance rates to keep the lines longer.
That is “social proof” at work. It’s a powerful psychological phenomenon that extends well beyond nightclub lines. It shapes how standing ovations form at live events. It makes restaurants seat you at the window table first. It’s the motivation behind laugh tracks in sitcoms; while it may not fool many, shows with canned laughter have been shown to have a higher “perceived funnyness” as compared to the same show without the canned laughter. This psychological factor is also how that ‘like’ button is going to help your social media marketing campaign.
The psychological theory behind this whole way of doing things is simple: an action is considered more appropriate when we see others doing it.
In short, our thoughts and behavior patterns are shaped by the opinions and actions of others—and that force is even stronger when those opinions and actions are of people we know and respect.
The important lesson for social media marketing professionals is that the same behavioral laws can be applied to your organization’s social-media marketing campaign. The motivation of following the majority becomes even stronger when you apply it to social media marketing: the way social media networks puts a high premium on grabbing attention through certain act, and thus, you have people looking to confirm to one group or clan indulging in similar behavior.
When social proof works with your social media marketing campaign, it helps keep visitors on your Web page and improves conversion rates on your landing page (encouraging clicks, likes, and subscriptions).
After all, no matter what you sell or promote, social media marketing is all about persuasion. And social proof is one of the most persuasive tools around. We’ll talk about social proofing your social media marketing campaign in greater detail in future posts, so keep an eye out!