3 Effective Strategies to Leverage Social Proof in Email Marketing [+Examples]

Understanding Social Proof in Email Marketing

Social proof is a compelling psychological phenomenon where individuals often align their behaviors and beliefs with those of others. For instance, research highlights how human behavior is influenced by societal norms and peer actions. In essence, it’s a critical component in the realm of persuasion, anchored in social psychology.

Why Incorporating Social Proof in Email Marketing Works

Given the bombardment of promotional content that an average person encounters daily—about 10,000 ads—infusing social proof in your email marketing campaigns compellingly endorses your brand. People naturally have a tendency to trust their peers. By weaving testimonials, user-generated content (UGC), and popularity metrics into your emails, you build credibility and forge a human connection with your audience. This approach is particularly crucial today, as artificial intelligence (AI) plays a more significant role in marketing.

Inspired by customer success with social proof? Delve into our Guide to Live Polls and Social Proof in Email for real-life results. →

Effective Methods to Leverage Social Proof in Email Campaigns

Explore three innovative ways to seamlessly incorporate social proof into your email initiatives using Litmus Personalize:

1. Utilize Interest Signals

Interest Signals provide dynamic click metrics for specific email elements like products or services. This visible engagement not only adds authenticity to your emails but also motivates recipients to engage further, amplifying the perceived value of your offerings.

How It Functions

Interest Signals are triggered by user actions. Each recorded click updates in real-time upon opening the email. You can present these as “likes,” “favorites,” or any label that resonates with your audience.

Check out a demonstration of Interest Signals in action, showcasing how it improved Litmus’s click-through rates by 4.5%:

Example: DFS

DFS utilized ongoing click data, represented with a vivid purple banner above product images, to engage subscribers and validate product appeal through peer endorsement.

Source: Litmus’ Guide to Live Polls and Social Proof in Email

Example: T.M. Lewin

The T.M. Lewin campaign asked subscribers to select their favorite styles, highlighting “trending” outfits upon reaching a click threshold. This interactive experience generated over 20,000 clicks, proving the power of captivating content to maintain engagement.

Source: Litmus’ Guide to Live Polls and Social Proof in Email

T.M. Lewin then converted these insights into a targeted nurture campaign, following up with personalized emails showcasing preferred selections.

Example: Puma

Puma highlighted live product engagement with click counts displayed next to heart icons, giving subscribers instant insight into popular choices.

Source: Litmus’ Guide to Live Polls and Social Proof in Email

Example: New Look

By utilizing stock data, New Look implemented banners signaling “Almost gone” when supply dipped, creating urgency and leveraging scarcity as a form of social proof.

Source: Litmus’ Guide to Live Polls and Social Proof in Email

Example: Litmus 👋

Yes, B2B brands like Litmus also harness Interest Signals effectively! Each click in our announcement emails symbolizes a growing interest, reaching out to “email geeks” recognizing their engagement with our content.

Similarly, we apply this tactic in virtual event invites, increasing awareness and involvement with every click. You have the creative freedom to tailor Interest Signals, as we did by categorizing clicks as “views.”

Looking to enhance your email campaigns even further? Click Here For More Email Marketing tips and strategies.