The Value of Social Influence, Part I

Oct 14, 2011     No Comments    Posted under: Journal, Online Ethos

Social influence is everywhere and is a predominant feature in our online lives as evidenced by our social media interactions and the volume of  information we seek online. There is no getting around that we are social creatures and our social lives influence our decisions, values, and beliefs. Even our actions are influenced by the real or perceived expectations of others. Understanding how important social interactions are, and using your influence wisely, can improve your online presence and relationships with your audience.

In this three part series we’ll take a closer look at what social influence is and its online impact, discuss the steps to building a social media strategy, and name a series of qualities critical to your social presence.

Defining Social Influence

The best way to begin our series is with a little Social Psychology 101.Keep in mind that social psychology is a deep field in no way completely summarized in the next few paragraphs!

Psychologists Morton Deutsch and Harold Gerard describe social influence in terms of two psychological needs which lead humans to conform to the expectations of others:

Informational social influence centers around our acceptance of information from another individuals  as evidence of reality. This becomes our “social proof”. For example, if we need to make a decision and find ourselves uncertain about the decision, we look to those around us for inspiration. We expect that if everyone in a group agrees with certain values, beliefs, or behaviors then chances are good that those values are “right”. Also, if we accept someone as an expert, we tend to trust his or her expertise without question.

Normative social influence is based on our need to belong. We tend to conform with values, beliefs, and behaviors of other individuals in a group in order to be accepted and liked. By conforming, we are more likely to gain approval within a group and be accepted as a part of the group. We generally conform to what people expect from us (or what we think they expect from us) .

Why Social Influence Matters To You

In his book, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell discussed how new ideas are transmitted by social influence. He suggested that new products, fashions, and ideas are introduced by innovators who tend to be creative and non-conforming. Early adopters soon join in and are followed by the early majority. By this time, such a large number of people seem to support the idea or product that informational and normative influences encourage others to conform as well.

“That’s all well and good, but what does this have to do with me?”  you might be asking.  First and foremost, you might see some of these “social innovators” in your Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ followers. These are clients and customers who can help spread the positive word about your organization. In addition, by simply understanding how the social economy works you can persuade your audience to try your service or product. Certainly, you can use this understanding to spread the word about the great services you offer.

Familiar Examples of Social Influence Online

Probably the easiest way to understand why social influence is important to your organization, is to take a look at some of the common examples we see online. Think about your own experience in a social context. How many times you have chosen a restaurant based on the reviews you found online? Ordered a book based on the recommendations of your friends or testimonials on a site? Gone to an event you really didn’t want to attend because your friends said it would be great?  Social influence  is a strong factor in our decision making process.

Here are several common examples of social influence you are probably familiar with:

1. References

Many websites feature the names and logos of the businesses and clients they work with. Recognizable, or familiar names, are a signal that the organization provides high quality services or products. After all, if the product wasn’t high quality few would use the product/service, right?

Loop 11 showcases their Fortune 500 clients

Be selective. If you are use references on your site, make sure they are references which mean something to your audience. If you are a local business showcase your local connections for example. Reference showcases are not only about getting the biggest names in the industry to put their logo on your site.

2. The Best Seller

A classic example of social influence is the best-seller list or a single best selling product. Amazon uses this method very effectively. Site visitors who read that the Kindle is the best selling e-reader in the world will likely not doubt that it is of high quality. If that many people have purchased and love the Kindle, it must be good.

Honesty is important. If you don’t have a best-selling product, don’t lie or expand the truth. Your audience is savvy to half-truths.

3. Testimonials

Testimonials of experts or recognized people are useful influencers. We trust experts to know more about their area of expertise than we do. It’s a reasonable leap of faith to believe what they say. Granted there are many examples of how “expertise” can lead people astray. But this serves only to underscore just how powerful perceived expertise is.

There must be balance. If you put testimonials on your website, know your audience and be sure you select people that resonate with your audiences’ needs.

4. Popularity

Popularity indicators on your site (such as the number of Facebook, Google+, or Twitter followers you have) can be an indication of your social impact. If a lot of people follow you, well you must be interesting or offer something of value.

Make sure you really do offer something of value. Getting people to follow you and giving them nothing to comment or interact with can detrimentally impact your popularity.

5. Sense of Belonging

We all want to be a part of a social tribe or community and it’s a central tenent of normative social influence. Your job in promoting your organization is to offer your audience a sense of belonging.  If your audience identifies with your organization, they are more likely to act in your interest.

Alumni communities are a terrific example of membership sites which create a sense of belonging.

Don’t rush out and start a new membership site. Think about what your audience really wants or need. Your community needs to be about value and importance in their life. It needs to be an open dialog and reflect the social value of  the “I’m part of something bigger” mentality.  Think carefully about how that can be achieved with your audience.

Summing Up

Face it. We are social creatures. If you ever doubted this, take another look at your Facebook news feed. What’s being shared? What’s being influenced? Do you see the communities growing in your groups of friends and followers? If you want to be a part of the social economy, and if you want audience to notice your services, expertise and products, you’ve got to be in the social game. That means integrating social influence into your site. But don’t simply throw every idea at the wall to see what sticks. Think creatively about who your audience is and how they might engage with you on a social level.

Next in this series we’ll talk about social media, the epitome of social influence, and discuss some easy ways to develop a social media strategy.

Got anything to say? Go ahead and leave a comment!