I’m sure you’ll agree with me that you need strong subject lines as well as captivating email content if you want to increase email opens and conversions.
You’ve definitely heard about the importance of creating interesting email copy and attention-grabbing subject lines.
Surely, these suggestions work, but most businesses are already using them—including your competitors.
So, how do you stand out in your subscriber’s inbox, given the sheer volume of emails people receive daily?
By adding social proof in email marketing campaigns. This article explores nine social proof strategies you can use in email marketing.
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Why is Social Proof Necessary For Email Marketing
Social proof is a powerful form of social influence. It reflects human behavior: people copy the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior in specific situations.
In marketing, social proof works because potential customers feel confident purchasing products or services that other customers have already used and enjoyed.
It’s a clever way to leverage social proof to build trust and credibility. Adding social proof in email shows potential customers that real customers value your offerings. This influences their purchasing decision.
9 Social Proof Email Strategies
Here are 9 social proof email strategies with examples:
1. Abandoned Cart Social Proof Email
Abandoned carts are a big problem for e-commerce businesses. To recover lost sales, combine social proof with abandoned cart emails.
Show visitors other people are buying the same product right now.
This creates a sense of urgency and gets people to buy. It’s a powerful form of social proof in email.
Here’s an example:
2. Quantify Your Popularity
Showing numbers is more powerful than saying your product is popular. Quantifying popularity provides real proof and trust.
Show real customer numbers so others have already chosen your brand, making it a safer and more attractive choice.
Here is an example:
Here’s what to Quantify:
- Customers
- Subscribers
- Downloads/installations
- Units sold
- Social media followers (focus on engagement)
- Years in business
- Growth metrics (e.g. % increase in customers)
How to Use:
- Use clear numbers (not vague terms).
- Highlight key milestones (e.g. reached a certain number of customers).
- Use visuals (charts/graphs) where possible.
- Contextualise the data for more impact.
3. Industry Expert Reviews
Endorsements from industry experts carry a lot of weight. Customers highly value their opinion.
Use these to boost your brand’s credibility and influence buying decisions.
Here’s an example:
How to Use:
- Use quotes from the expert.
- Briefly mention the expert’s credentials.
- Link to full review/endorsement.
- Use the expert’s photo (if possible).
- Expert is relevant.
4. User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC), such as customer photos and testimonials, is a form of social proof.
It shows real people using your product. Adding social proof via UGC makes your marketing more authentic.
Here’s an example:
How to use UGC in email:
Customer photos: Include customer photos in your emails. This will show your product in real life and make it more tangible.
Customer testimonials: Include customer testimonials in the email body. These will build trust and credibility.
Social media feeds: Embed social media feeds in your emails to show customer posts and interactions.
Reviews and star ratings: Show star ratings and excerpts from reviews in the email body.
Learn More: 9 Powerful UGC Platforms to Grow Your Business in 2025
5. Case Studies
Case studies are detailed proof of how your product or service has helped other customers achieve specific measurable results.
They’re a powerful combination of social proof and email marketing because they provide data and real life examples.
Here’s an example:
What makes a good case study?
A good case study should have:
A clear problem: Describe the challenge the customer was facing.
A solution: How your product or service solved the problem.
Quantifiable results: Show the exact results the customer achieved (e.g. increased sales, reduced costs, improved efficiency).
Customer quotes: Include customer quotes to add a human and personal touch.
6. Product Promotion
Promoting your best selling products is a great way to use social proof. If many other customers are buying a particular product, it tells potential customers it must be a good choice.
This is a strong form of social proof for new customers.
Here’s an example:
How to promote popular products via email:
Best sellers: Create an email campaign showcasing your best sellers.
Best seller badges: Add best seller badges or labels to product images in your emails.
Customer numbers: Show how many of the product have been sold.
Customer reviews: Feature reviews and star ratings for the promoted products.
7. Media Mentions
Media mentions, such as newspaper, magazine, blog or online publication features, are strong social proof. They prove your brand’s credibility and authority.
Here’s an example:
How to use media mentions in email:
Mention the publication: State the name of the publication that featured your brand.
Quote: Use a relevant quote from the media mention in the email body.
Media logos: Show the logos of the publications that have featured your brand.
Link to the article: Link to the original article or media mention.
8. Customer Retention
Retaining existing customers is often more cost effective than acquiring new ones. Showing new customers you have a base of existing happy customers is strong social proof.
It proves your brand delivers value and builds long term relationships. This is a key part of social proof in email.
Here’s an example:
How to use customer retention as social proof in email:
Customer loyalty programs: Promote your loyalty programs in your emails to show the benefits of being a repeat customer.
Share customer testimonials from long term customers: Feature testimonials from customers who have been with your brand for a long time. This will add credibility and show consistency.
Customer lifetime value: If possible show the average customer lifetime value to show the long term benefits of choosing your brand.
Milestones: Celebrate milestones like reaching a certain number of loyal customers or years in business.
Build trust & FOMO
Highlight real-time activities like reviews, sales & sign-ups.
9. Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing uses the credibility and reach of individuals with a large following on social media or other platforms.
When influencers promote your products or services it’s strong social proof for their followers.
Here’s an example:
How to use influencer marketing in email:
Mention the influencer: State the name of the influencer promoting your product.
Quote or endorsement: Use the influencer’s quote in the email body.
Influencer content: Show photos or videos of the influencer using your product.
Link to influencer’s social media: Link to the influencer’s social media profile or relevant content.
When to Send a Social Proof Email?
Timing is everything in email marketing. Sending social proof emails at the right time can make all the difference. Here are the situations where social proof emails work best:
Welcome Emails
When someone joins your list for the first time, this is your chance to make a great first impression.
Add social proof to this email to build trust right from the start.
Showcase customer numbers, reviews or media mentions to demonstrate your brand’s popularity and value.
Product Launch Emails
Launching a product can be tough. Social proof can generate buzz and encourage early adopters.
Showcasing pre-orders, early reviews or influencer endorsements can create a sense of urgency and FOMO (fear of missing out).
Abandoned Cart Emails
As mentioned above, abandoned cart emails are a great opportunity to use social proof.
Remind potential customers that others are buying the same product right now and they should too.
Promotional Emails
Social proof can supercharge your promotions or sales. Showcasing best-sellers, customer testimonials or recent sales figures can get more conversions.
Post-Purchase Emails
After a customer buys, send a follow-up email asking for a review or user-generated content is a great way to generate more social proof.
You can also show other products that similar customers have bought.
Re-engagement Emails
Social proof can be a powerful tool to re-engage inactive email subscribers. Showcasing recent wins, new customer testimonials or media mentions can remind them of your brand’s value.
Timing your social proof emails right can make all the difference and get better results from your email marketing.
21 Social Proof Email Subject Lines
Here are 21 social proof email subject lines with variations and explanations:
1. Join 10,000+ happy customers! (Variation: Join over 10,000 satisfied customers!) (Focuses on customer numbers)
2. As seen in [Media Publication] (Variation: Featured on [Media Publication]!) (Highlights media mentions)
3. [Influencer Name] recommends [Your Product] (Variation: [Influencer Name] loves [Your Product]!) (Leverages influencer marketing)
4. Our best-selling [Product] is back in stock! (Variation: The wait is over! Our best-selling [Product] is back!) (Promotes popular products)
5. Don’t miss out! This is flying off the shelves. (Variation: Selling fast! Get your [Product] before it’s gone.) (Creates urgency and uses recent sales as proof)
6. See why 5-star reviewers love [Your Product] (Variation: Discover why customers rate [Your Product] 5 stars!) (Focuses on positive reviews)
7. Featured in [Media Publication]! (Variation: We’re in [Media Publication]! See what they said.) (Highlights media mentions)
8. [Number] customers can’t be wrong. (Variation: Over [Number] customers trust us.) (Emphasizes customer numbers)
9. Hear what our customers are saying. (Variation: Real customers. Real results.) (Focuses on customer testimonials)
10. Discover why [Your Product] is so popular. (Variation: The secret’s out! Discover the [Product] everyone’s talking about.) (Promotes popular products)
11. The product everyone’s talking about. (Variation: The internet’s favorite [Product].) (Creates buzz and uses word-of-mouth as proof)
12. Join our community of [Number] members. (Variation: Become part of our growing community!) (Focuses on customer community)
13. [Industry Expert] calls it “the best.” (Variation: “[Product] is the best in its class,” says [Industry Expert].) (Leverages industry expert reviews)
14. See how others are using [Your Product]. (Variation: Real people. Real results. See customer photos.) (Highlights user-generated content)
15. Don’t just take our word for it. (Variation: See what our customers have to say.) (Encourages readers to check customer testimonials)
16. The [Product] with [Number] positive reviews. (Variation: [Number] happy customers can’t be wrong about [Product].) (Focuses on positive reviews and customer numbers)
17. See what all the buzz is about. (Variation: Find out why everyone’s raving about [Product].) (Creates buzz and uses word-of-mouth as proof)
18. Join the thousands who have already benefited. (Variation: Thousands of customers have already seen results with [Product].) (Emphasizes customer numbers and positive outcomes)
19. The internet’s favorite [Product]. (Variation: The most popular [Product] online.) (Uses popularity as social proof)
20. As featured on [TV Show/Podcast]. (Variation: We were on [TV Show/Podcast]! Check it out.) (Highlights media mentions)
21. The [Product] that everyone’s raving about. (Variation: Everyone’s talking about [Product]. Find out why.) (Creates buzz and uses word-of-mouth as proof)
3 Mistakes to Avoid in Social Proof Emails
Using social proof requires finesse. Here are 3 to avoid:
1. Fake Social Proof
Faking testimonials, reviews or customer numbers is a big no no. It damages credibility and can have consequences.
Customers value authenticity and if they find out you’re faking social proof, they’ll lose trust in your brand. So always use real customer data and real testimonials.
2. Ignoring Negative Reviews
While it’s important to focus on the positives, ignoring the negatives can be bad.
Negative reviews give you valuable feedback and show you’re transparent and willing to listen to customer concerns.
Responding professionally to negative reviews and offering solutions can turn a negative into a positive and show you care about customer satisfaction. This is a clever way to turn negative social proof into positive social proof.
3. Not Targeting Your Audience
Social proof is most effective when it speaks to your target audience. Using irrelevant testimonials or celebrity endorsements can be useless or even backfire.
Make sure the types of social proof you use is relevant to the segment of your audience you’re targeting.
For example if you’re targeting a younger demographic, user generated content from social media might be more effective than industry expert reviews.
How Wisernotify Works Beyond Social Proof Emails
Wisernotify is a tool that allows you to add social proof to your website by showing real-time notifications. These notifications can include recent sales, website visitors and other relevant data points.
While Wisernotify is designed for websites, the principles of social proof can be applied to email marketing.
How Wisernotify works on websites: Wisernotify integrates with your website and shows small nonintrusive notifications in the corner of the screen.
These notifications tell site visitors about recent activity on your site, such as “Someone in New York just purchased [Product]” or “10 people are viewing this product right now”. This creates a sense of urgency and encourages visitors to take action.
Adapting Wisernotify principles for email: While you can’t embed Wisernotify notifications in emails, you can include similar data points in your email copy.
For example you can mention recent sales numbers, website visitors or product popularity. This is social proof within the email context.
Conclusion
Using social proof in email marketing is a winning formula for building trust, conversions and sales.
By using the 9 tips above and avoiding the mistakes, you can harness the power of social influence for your email marketing.
Remember to target your audience, use real social proof and address negative feedback.
Using these social proof tactics together is a winning formula that speaks to customers and gets them to buy. Good idea for your email marketing.
Remember to always put your customer first and what will make them feel good about their buying decision. This social proof in email will work for you.
Boost Conversion Instantly
Add Social Proof & Urgency to your website
