Social proof marketing can be a game-changer for course creators.
Sounds like hyperbole, I know, but it’s true! Nobody wants to be a guinea pig. And that’s why we look for social cues to tell us whether or not we should bother trying or buying something.
That’s the entire point of social proof.
Social proof is a psychological and social phenomenon in which folks tend to mimic the actions of others, conforming to the behavior we think fits the situation. Here are a few examples of social proof:
And that’s just the start!
Some course creators also use real-time notifications to let their site visitors know when someone has bought their course:
97% of consumers say that online reviews impact their buying decisions (Podium).
I don’t know about you, but I don’t try new things easily. Well, experiences, sure, but not products and certainly not food.
I look at reviews.
I ask my friends.
I post on Facebook asking for info.
And I can assure you that I judge restaurants that are empty during what should be busy times.
I’m not alone in this. As humans, we’re pack animals. We want to do what the others in our group are doing.
And we shy away from doing things that others in our group AREN’T doing.
For course creators, social proof can tap into that to sell more courses to more members of your ideal audience.
How to Use Social Proof to Market Your Online Course
There are several ways course creators can use social proof marketing to boost online course sales. Here are my top three favorites:
Case Studies
I’m a huge fan of case studies. They give you the chance to dig deep into the experience of a single happy student and highlight how your online course helped them achieve their goals.
For greatest impact, carefully select the students you want to approach for a case study. You’ll want to include those who have had the best results or who have a unique story to tell.
You can format your case studies any way you want, but I recommend creating case studies across a broad range of formats — particularly with video elements.
You can then use your case studies in their entirety on your sales pages, showcase them in a dedicated case studies section on your website, and use clips or excerpts in your social media and email marketing efforts.
Testimonials
Testimonials are excellent social proof that don’t require as much work as case studies. That means you can cast a wide net and get testimonials from a larger pool of students.
I recommend getting video testimonials as well as text testimonials via survey response, email, social media, etc.
Testimonials provide quick, easy-to-consume social proof that you can use just about anywhere. Plus, you can get useful voice of customer data from them, too.
Real-time Proof
I already showed you an example of real-time proof, and there are several more you can use. You’ve probably seen airlines, hotels, and eCommerce businesses use wording like “2 seats left at this price,” “285 people have looked at this listing in the last 2 hours,” or even a simple “low stock,” right?
These are all examples of real-time social proof.
For course creators who offer a 1-on-1 coaching element or other finite, time-related resources, you might choose to limit the number of students who can enroll in your course at a time. This is where wording like “10 spots remaining” would work well.
Using real-time proof as urgency is a tricky matter. I don’t recommend using it all the time and never lie to your potential customers (like, don’t say there are 2 spots left in your mastermind if there are actually 20). Social proof isn’t an excuse for dishonest marketing.
Where to Use Social Proof
You can use your social proof everywhere:
Turn your case studies into downloadable PDFs
Add a dedicated page to testimonials on your website (sortable and searchable)
Add a special section for case studies on your website
Use excerpts from testimonials and case studies in subject lines, calls-to-action, and crossheads or subheads on your sales pages and opt-in pages
Turn them into GIFs!
What’s your favorite type of social proof marketing as a course creator?
You’re already spending time and money to get traffic to your site so you can sell more courses, right? Social proof is an easy and cost-effective way to boost your efforts even more.
When you use social proof marketing the way it’s intended, you can snag those visitors who are doing the “should I or shouldn’t I?” dance and encourage them to take action.
So, which type of social proof marketing will YOU be using?
How to Use Social Proof Marketing for Course Creators
Social proof marketing can be a game-changer for course creators.
Sounds like hyperbole, I know, but it’s true! Nobody wants to be a guinea pig. And that’s why we look for social cues to tell us whether or not we should bother trying or buying something.
That’s the entire point of social proof.
Social proof is a psychological and social phenomenon in which folks tend to mimic the actions of others, conforming to the behavior we think fits the situation. Here are a few examples of social proof:
Customer reviews & ratings
Referral marketing
User-generated content
Expert or influencer endorsements
Media mentions
Stats
And that’s just the start!
Some course creators also use real-time notifications to let their site visitors know when someone has bought their course:
97% of consumers say that online reviews impact their buying decisions (Podium).
I don’t know about you, but I don’t try new things easily. Well, experiences, sure, but not products and certainly not food.
I look at reviews.
I ask my friends.
I post on Facebook asking for info.
And I can assure you that I judge restaurants that are empty during what should be busy times.
I’m not alone in this. As humans, we’re pack animals. We want to do what the others in our group are doing.
And we shy away from doing things that others in our group AREN’T doing.
For course creators, social proof can tap into that to sell more courses to more members of your ideal audience.
How to Use Social Proof to Market Your Online Course
There are several ways course creators can use social proof marketing to boost online course sales. Here are my top three favorites:
Case Studies
I’m a huge fan of case studies. They give you the chance to dig deep into the experience of a single happy student and highlight how your online course helped them achieve their goals.
For greatest impact, carefully select the students you want to approach for a case study. You’ll want to include those who have had the best results or who have a unique story to tell.
You can format your case studies any way you want, but I recommend creating case studies across a broad range of formats — particularly with video elements.
You can then use your case studies in their entirety on your sales pages, showcase them in a dedicated case studies section on your website, and use clips or excerpts in your social media and email marketing efforts.
Testimonials
Testimonials are excellent social proof that don’t require as much work as case studies. That means you can cast a wide net and get testimonials from a larger pool of students.
I recommend getting video testimonials as well as text testimonials via survey response, email, social media, etc.
Testimonials provide quick, easy-to-consume social proof that you can use just about anywhere. Plus, you can get useful voice of customer data from them, too.
Real-time Proof
I already showed you an example of real-time proof, and there are several more you can use. You’ve probably seen airlines, hotels, and eCommerce businesses use wording like “2 seats left at this price,” “285 people have looked at this listing in the last 2 hours,” or even a simple “low stock,” right?
These are all examples of real-time social proof.
For course creators who offer a 1-on-1 coaching element or other finite, time-related resources, you might choose to limit the number of students who can enroll in your course at a time. This is where wording like “10 spots remaining” would work well.
Using real-time proof as urgency is a tricky matter. I don’t recommend using it all the time and never lie to your potential customers (like, don’t say there are 2 spots left in your mastermind if there are actually 20). Social proof isn’t an excuse for dishonest marketing.
Where to Use Social Proof
You can use your social proof everywhere:
Turn your case studies into downloadable PDFs
Add a dedicated page to testimonials on your website (sortable and searchable)
Add a special section for case studies on your website
Use excerpts from testimonials and case studies in subject lines, calls-to-action, and crossheads or subheads on your sales pages and opt-in pages
Turn them into GIFs!
What’s your favorite type of social proof marketing as a course creator?
You’re already spending time and money to get traffic to your site so you can sell more courses, right? Social proof is an easy and cost-effective way to boost your efforts even more.
When you use social proof marketing the way it’s intended, you can snag those visitors who are doing the “should I or shouldn’t I?” dance and encourage them to take action.
So, which type of social proof marketing will YOU be using?
Jacinda Santora
Jacinda Santora is a marketing consultant who uses marketing psychology to help businesses grow. She knows that research informs strategy informs execution — and nails it all.