Marketing and SEO termsUpdated
Social proof
Also called: social validation, testimonials and trust signals
Definition
Social proof is evidence that other people trust, use or recommend you, such as testimonials, reviews, client logos, follower counts or endorsements. Visitors lean on it as a shortcut when deciding whether a business or person is credible.
Forms of social proof on LinkedIn
You can only request a recommendation from a 1st-degree connection you work or worked with, which is part of why recommendations carry weight.
| Source | What it shows | How convincing |
|---|---|---|
| Recommendations | A named connection describing their experience of working with you | High: specific, written and attributed |
| Certifications | A credential issued by an outside organization | High when it links to verification |
| Endorsements | Connections vouching for a listed skill | Moderate: quick to give |
| Followers | How many people chose to see your posts | Depends on context and size |
| Post engagement | Reactions and comments on your posts | Shows activity, not satisfaction |
Where it works on a website
One specific, named quote usually does more than a wall of short ones. If you have plenty, show a few strong ones and let visitors open the rest.
- Next to the decision: by the pricing table, the contact form or the booking button.
- Matched to the claim: a recommendation about your project management on the page that sells it.
- With identity attached: name, photo and role make a quote believable.
- Kept current: recent proof suggests the business is active now.
Mistakes that weaken it
- Anonymous quotes that nobody can check.
- Proof that doesn't match the page, such as a design testimonial on a page selling accounting services.
- Editing someone's words to sound stronger.
- Featuring other people's posts or praise without asking; see permission to embed someone else's post.
- Showing a small number prominently, such as 40 followers, where it undercuts rather than supports.
LinkedInEmbed's recommendations widget shows recommendations with each writer's photo, headline and relationship to you.
Related terms
- User-generated content (UGC)
- User-generated content (UGC) is content about a brand created by people outside its marketing team, such as customers, employees, partners or fans. Reviews, social posts, photos and testimonials all count when someone other than the brand made them.
- LinkedIn engagement rate
- Engagement rate is the share of a post's impressions that led to an interaction. In LinkedIn Page analytics it's clicks, reactions, comments and shares divided by impressions, so 30 interactions on 1,000 impressions is a 3% engagement rate.
- Employer branding
- Employer branding is how an organization presents itself as a place to work: its culture, values, people and the experience of working there. It influences whether candidates notice the company, apply for roles and accept offers.
- LinkedIn follower
- A LinkedIn follower is someone who has chosen to see your public posts and articles in their feed. Following is one-way: unlike a connection, it needs no acceptance and doesn't make either of you part of the other's network.
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