Among countless other things the 1980s gifted us, one treasure is the concept of “social proof” from psychologist Robert Cialdini’s 1984 book, Influence: Science and Practice. In short, social proof is the concept that “we view a behavior as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it.”

It makes sense: When we see someone else doing something, our brains presume it to be safe, so we do it too. Even if you’d describe yourself as a mainstream-averse hipster, it’s only natural to lean on the opinions of like-minded people to guide your own decisions and actions. Inherent psychological concepts like survival of the fittest and mob mentality are still alive and well today; except now, they manifest themselves through laugh tracks on (probably unfunny) TV shows or sending photos to multiple group chats for positive affirmations before buying that Etsy macrame wall hanging you don’t really need. (Okay, maybe that’s just me. But still.)

That’s why understanding social proof is so critical for developing a solid marketing strategy. Whether consumers know it or not, social proof drives decisions—and marketers need to take note.

While social proof applies to nearly every area of marketing, the medium through which it is arguably most evident today is social media. For better or worse, we (quite literally) go on social media to see what other people are doing—including brands. Using social proof to your advantage can help your brand gain industry credibility, consumer trust, and new leads. But are your social accounts positioned to do this? Check the three Ps of social proof on social media:

Professionalism
Especially for younger, digitally native generations, Instagram and Twitter have largely become a replacement for Google when it comes to vetting companies and brands. Instead of Googling reviews (or even visiting your website, in many cases), many consumers will scan your social media feeds before making a purchasing decision. And considering Gen Z makes up 40% of all consumers, these users that have replaced a search engine with social media make up a huge chunk of your audience.

What are they looking for? Reassurance. They want to know that you’re legit. This means that your social profiles are set up (at a minimum), active, and aesthetically pleasing. Still, this is easier said than done. Across all platforms, you’ll need a bio and description aligned with your mission, credible links, valuable content, appealing photography, and regular posts.

It’s common sense: If you were choosing between two businesses and the first had regularly updated social media accounts while the second hadn’t posted since 2013 and didn’t even have a cover photo on Facebook, chances are you’d go with the first. In this way, the goal of social media isn’t all about generating likes (contrary to popular belief). It’s about establishing a backdrop for your credibility. (Yep, we’ve outgrown the like-hungry high school years. It’s about the big picture now.)

Proactive
Another way to leverage social proof on your social media accounts is to be proactive about audience and community engagement. This includes actively responding back when people leave comments, answering questions, and proactively engaging with the community. Again, regular account monitoring is much easier said than done. While the number of customers who expect a response through social media has doubled since 2013, seven out of eight messages to companies go unanswered for 72 hours. Chances are, these organizations don’t have a dedicated team to handle engagement which, to be honest, isn’t gonna fly with consumers in 2020. It’s been about a decade since social media platforms like Facebook have been relatively mainstream and, at this point, audience members are very skeptical of inactive, fake, and bot-run accounts. If you’re putting a ton of content out there but never take the time to engage with your audience, consumers are going to take note.

That’s why you’ve gotta be proactive about community engagement on social media accounts these days. Take a note from Wendy’s and spark conversations with your consumers in the comments. Seek out others in your industry or community (even competitors!) and engage with them as well. Not only claim but prove that your business is giving back to customers or the community, and promote local businesses. It sounds pretty dystopian, but in this decade brands need to do whatever they can to prove that their accounts aren’t run by bots or just a series of pre-scheduled posts. Proactive engagement is key.

Provide
I’ll say it louder for the people in the back: Effective social media isn’t free. It is an investment. It costs money. It’s important to see your social media accounts as the investment they are, and provide adequate resources for them to flourish.

We get it—for many organizations, it might seem like social media is one of the most DIY-able aspects of a marketing strategy. “Social media is easy!” they say. “I have a Facebook, so I can run my company’s account!” they say. They think strategic social media content and engagement will just magically appear on their feed, and that the consumers will follow. For that reason, social media too often gets the short end of the stick when organizations allocate marketing resources. And it gets forgotten.

But, truth is, social media is an investment, and it should be treated as such. Those beautiful Instagram feeds and quirky Twitter replies from brands? The vast majority have a dedicated team of social media experts, photographers, designers, and an extensive strategic plan backing them up. While these brands’ social accounts seem personable and effortless, there are hours of work going on behind the scenes to make them appear that way. (Cue the duck swimming analogy.)

Thanks to social proof, an organization’s social media accounts are more important than ever. Today, consumers are essentially replacing websites, reviews, and word-of-mouth opinions with your social accounts. So if your social media strategy is given the time, expertise, and financial resources it requires, you’ll likely see ROI. When social proof is used to your brand’s advantage, there is serious opportunity to generate leads—you just have to commit to harnessing it.