This is the idea that people are more likely to do something if they believe that many others are already doing it. In marketing, sales, branding, design, and advertising, bandwagon bias can be leveraged to create a sense of social proof and increase engagement and persuasion.
Here are some ways to leverage bandwagon bias in marketing, sales, branding, design, and advertising:
1. Get them ‘Join the Crowd’
By highlighting the number of people who have already purchased, engaged with, or used a product or service, a creator can create a sense of social proof and increase the chances of persuasion.
Example: An online meeting app like Zoom, which highlights the number of daily meeting participants on their platform with a statement like “Over 300 million daily meeting participants.”
2. Celebrity Endorsements
By using endorsements from well-known and respected individuals, a creator can create a sense of social proof and increase the chances of persuasion.
Example: An athlete endorses the sportswear brand by wearing its products during competitions, posting about them on social media, and appearing in advertisements for the brand. This creates a sense of social proof and increased credibility for the brand, as consumers see a successful athlete using and endorsing its products. Additionally, the athlete’s followers and fans are exposed to the brand, increasing brand recognition and potential sales. The endorsement helps position the brand as a top choice for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, attracting consumers who value performance and quality in their sporting gear.
3. Creating a referral program
Use this technique by creating a referral program that rewards customers for referring friends and family to your product or service. This can help to create a sense of social proof and encourage individuals to conform to the actions or beliefs of their friends and family.
Example: An e-commerce company creating a referral program that gives customers discounts on their next purchase for every successful referral.
4. Using Influencer Marketing
Use influencer marketing to leverage the social proof and credibility of well-known and respected individuals in a specific niche or industry.
Example: A skincare brand partnering with a popular beauty influencer to showcase their products and the influencer’s positive experience with the brand.
5. Showcasing the ‘Best Sellers’
Highlighting popular products in your store, website, and advertising can entice shoppers to purchase those items because they are popular among other customers.
Example: An ecommerce store having a clickable banner of Top Seller Products at their homepage.
6. Real-time analytics
Displaying a live count of the number of people currently viewing or purchasing a product or service can create a sense of popularity and exclusivity among potential customers, leading them to make a purchase before the opportunity is gone.
Example: A stock trading app that displays real-time analytics such as the number of users currently trading on the app.
7. Trending Now
Highlighting products or services that are currently trending can entice customers to try them out because they are perceived as the newest and most popular choice among other customers.
Example: A food delivery service promoting its selection of plant-based meals. The service highlights that plant-based diets are currently a hot topic and becoming increasingly popular among consumers. It showcases images of happy customers enjoying the meals, along with testimonials from customers who have made the switch to plant-based diets and are raving about the delicious and healthy options available through the service.
8. Expert Reviews
Highlighting expert reviews and ratings can help build trust and credibility among potential customers.
Example: A travel website promoting its top-rated hotels. The website highlights that the hotels have received high ratings and positive reviews from travel experts and industry publications, such as travel magazines and popular travel blogs. The website showcases images of the hotels and testimonials from expert reviewers, praising the hotels for their exceptional service, amenities, and location.
9. Community Feedback
Highlighting feedback and testimonials from members of a specific community can help build trust and credibility among potential customers who are part of that community.
Example: A language learning app that displays testimonials from non-native speakers who have successfully learned a new language with their app.
10. Awards and Recognition
Highlighting awards and recognition your business has received can help build trust and credibility among potential customers.
Example: A hotel chain that displays their “Customer Choice Award” on their website and in-store, recognizing the hotels that have received the most positive feedback from customers.
11. Success Stories
Highlighting the success stories of customers who have used your product or service can help build trust and credibility among potential customers.
Example: A weight loss program that displays the success stories of customers who have lost weight using their program.
Several cognitive biases that are similar to the bandwagon effect,
Social proof bias: This bias refers to the tendency for people to conform to the actions and decisions of others, particularly in ambiguous or uncertain situations. This bias is closely related to the bandwagon effect, as both rely on the idea that people are more likely to do something if they see others doing it.
Herd behavior: This refers to the tendency for people to mimic the actions and decisions of a larger group or “herd”. This can be influenced by social proof and the bandwagon effect, as people are more likely to conform to the actions of the larger group.
Information cascades: This refers to the phenomenon in which individuals make decisions based on the actions of others, rather than on their own independent information or beliefs. This can be seen in situations such as stock market bubbles, where individuals make investment decisions based on the actions of others, rather than on their own analysis of the market.
Groupthink: This bias refers to the tendency for people to conform to the opinions and decisions of a group, even if those opinions and decisions are not rational or in their best interest. This can be influenced by social proof and the bandwagon effect, as people are more likely to conform to the opinions and decisions of the group, rather than thinking independently.
Citations
“The Impact of Social Influence in Advertising: The Role of Conformity and Brand Similarity” by Pradeep K. Chintagunta, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 32, No. 2, May 1995, pp. 191-205. URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3151719
“The Role of Social Influence in Online Consumer Reviews” by Wenling Li, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Vol. 26, No. 2, Apr. 2012, pp. 68-75. URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1094996811000716
“Social Influence in Online Product Reviews: The Role of Informational and Normative Cues” by Aditya K. Ghose, Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol. 28, No. 2, 2011, pp. 237-259. URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2753/MIS0742-1222280209
“Social Influence: A New Perspective on Advertising Effectiveness” by Pradeep K. Chintagunta, Journal of Advertising Research, Vol. 38, No. 5, Sep.-Oct. 1998, pp. 7-20. URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/eb053386/full/html
“The Bandwagon Effect in High-Involvement Decision Making” by C. Scott Armstrong, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 15, No. 2, Sep., 1988. pp. 305-313. URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2489051
“Herd Behavior in Financial Markets: A Review” by Joost M.E. Pennings, Journal of Economic Surveys, Vol. 15, No. 5, Oct., 2001. pp. 547-576. URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-6419.00176
