If you do it, I’ll do it: Why social proof is so powerful for marketing
Humans are inherently social creatures. We look to others for cues on what to do, what to value, and how to behave.
That’s why making behaviour change feel social can be such a powerful strategy.
This is where the EAST framework comes in. Developed by the UK government’s Behavioural Insights Team, EAST stands for Easy, Attractive, Social and Timely and is a practical framework that helps apply behavioural science to real world decisions.
At Leopard Co, we use behavioural insights to diagnose target behaviours, and come up with science-backed solutions that strengthen campaign strategies. We call this approach BxROAR: Behaviour, Research, Opportunity and Activation. It is our strategic blueprint for understanding what people do, why they do it, and how brands can influence action.
In this blog, we explore the power of social influence, how to enhance it, and how to avoid it backfiring.
Social proof
Good marketers know that showing that behaviours, brands, or products are popular can increase how much people want to engage with them. In behavioural science this is known as social proof: the idea that people look to others’ actions to guide their behaviour.
But why is this case? Psychologists suggests it stems from our desire to fit in with the crowd, or as our ancestors might have seen it, to belong to a pack. Aligning with others can therefore be seen as a strategy to avoid isolation and move up the social hierarchy.
When we’re uncertain about a decision we look for social proof to inform our behaviour.
Brands utilise this principle all the time. Messages such as “best seller”, “join 10,000+ customers” and product reviews all highlight popularity, helping reduce the uncertainty around purchase decisions.
Leopard used this insight to capture the pub atmosphere during the Six Nations and Euros for O’Neill’s. By creating authentic content showing groups of friends watching, and enjoying sport together, the campaign positioned O’Neill’s as the go-to pub for a summer of sport.
The rise of social media has created powerful opportunities to leverage social proof, particularly through influencer marketing. Research suggests it works best when influencers feel both relatable and aspirational. When audiences see them using a product, it signals social acceptance, while transferring positive perceptions of the influencer onto the brand.
The team at Leopard apply this principle with impact. When luxury dog treat brand, Ruffingtons, launched in 2024, it needed a strategy with real bite. Leopard partnered with influencers to showcase their dogs enjoying Ruffingtons’ treats and attending a dog-friendly afternoon tea in central London. Within six months, the campaign reached over 1.8 million users, achieved a 227% engagement rate – and crucially, drove a significant uplift in sales
How to enhance social proof
Social proof is strongest when coming from highly relevant or similar peer groups to the target audience. Seeing relatable evidence for a behaviour can help a social proof message cut through the noise and target the relevant group. In behavioural science, this is known as tailored social proof.
Online marketplace recommendations are built around this. Prompts like “customers like you also bought this” or “recommended for you” create immediate and relevant appeal, often making them more persuasive than generic social proof.
Another way to increase the effects of social proof is by making it dynamic. Dynamic social proof means updating it in line with real, or near real, time. It works by emphasising momentum. People are acting now, so the product feels popular, relevant and time sensitive.
Real-world examples of this include online product prompts such as “15 shoppers are viewing this item”, or Netflix’s “Top 10 this week”. Not only do these messages increase the appeal of products, but they can also motivate quick action in order to avoid losing the product or missing out on the hype.
When social proof goes wrong
Social proof is powerful, but it can also backfire. When brands or organisations highlight how common a negative behaviour is, they risk normalising it and making it seem more acceptable.
A famous example comes from Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park, where signs warned visitors about the number of people stealing rare pieces of petrified wood. Rather than discouraging theft, the message made the behaviour feel more common and contributed to an increase in stealing. Similar effects can occur when signs focus on how many people litter.
Behavioural scientists suggests that, when trying to discourage a behaviour, it is better to highlight what most people approve or disapprove of, rather than how often the unwanted behaviour happens (e.g., “Most people think its unacceptable to litter”).
So, while social proof can be an effective way to influence behaviour, it needs to be used carefully. When applied badly, it can reinforce the very behaviour it is trying to prevent.
Conclusion
Understanding social proof can help us see how people’s environments, peers and perceived norms can shape behaviour. As this blog has shown, these insights can be applied to marketing to increase brand appeal, product uptake and consumer action.
At Leopard, social proof is used to inform all of our work. Through our BxROAR framework, we diagnose where social influence can have the greatest impact and use it to shape our strategies.
To find out how behavioural science and social proof can support your marketing, get in touch.