The Psychology of Social Proof: Why Numbers Influence Your Growth

Imagine you're walking down a street looking for a place to eat.

Restaurant A is completely empty. You can see the waiters standing around.

Restaurant B has a line out the door and every table is full.

Which one has better food? You assume it's Restaurant B. You didn't taste the food. You simply trusted the crowd.

This is Social Proof. And it rules the internet.

!Crowd Psychology

The "Bandwagon Effect"

In marketing psychology, the Bandwagon Effect states that "the rate of uptake of beliefs/ideas/fads increases the more that they have already been adopted by others."

On Instagram, your follower count is your "line out the door."

The Trust Thresholds

< 1,000 Followers: "This account is new or inactive. I'll pass."

1,000 - 10,000 Followers: "They are established. Safe to follow."

10,000+ Followers: "They are an authority/influencer. I should* follow them to stay in the loop."

How to Fake It 'Til You Make It

There is no shame in building the line yourself. By purchasing your initial base of followers, you are essentially paying people to stand in line at your restaurant. Visual popularity breeds real popularity.

Don't let great content go unnoticed just because you have an empty restaurant.

Build your social proof today