Using Social Proof to Make LinkedIn Ads More Credible
People trust other people. Here's how to leverage that.
Nobody wants to be the first customer. Social proof builds trust fast. Here's how to use it in LinkedIn ads.
Types of social proof:
Customer testimonials - Real quotes from happy customers
Logos - Companies that use your product
Statistics - "5,000+ companies trust us"
Case studies - Detailed success stories
Awards - Industry recognition
Press mentions - Media coverage
User count - "Join 10,000+ marketers"
Star ratings - Review site scores
Expert endorsements - Industry leaders voicing support
Where to add social proof:
Ad copy - "Trusted by [Company Names]"
Images - Logo walls or customer photos
Landing pages - Multiple forms throughout
Video ads - Customer interview clips
Lead forms - "Join [number] other [job titles]"
Social proof dos:
Use real names and companies
Be specific - "Increased revenue 34%" not "improved results"
Match proof to audience - show similar companies
Update regularly - fresh testimonials matter
Get permission - always okay to use quotes/names
Social proof don'ts:
Don't fake testimonials or statistics
Don't use outdated logos (companies that stopped using you)
Don't obscure names ("J.S., CEO" feels fake)
Don't overdo it (subtle is often more effective)
Collecting social proof:
Ask happy customers for testimonials
Survey users about results
Track success metrics for case studies
Request LinkedIn recommendations
Monitor review sites
Save positive emails/messages
Formatting social proof:
Pull quotes - highlight the juiciest part
Before/after - show transformation
Specific numbers - percentages or dollar amounts
Photos - real people add credibility
Job titles - show relevance to prospects
Testing social proof:
Try different customer types
Test statistics vs. testimonials
Experiment with quantity (many logos vs. one deep testimonial)
See if industry-specific proof performs better
When you lack social proof:
Offer early adopter incentives for testimonials
Use founder credibility or team expertise
Share media mentions or blog features
Highlight process or methodology
Offer strong guarantees or trials
Industry-specific social proof:
SaaS - product screenshots showing results
Services - client results with metrics
B2B - well-known company logos
High-ticket - detailed case studies with ROI
Stirling helps you incorporate social proof effectively in ad copy. Input your testimonials and success metrics, and get ad variations that leverage them persuasively.
People trust people more than they trust companies. Social proof bridges that gap and makes your claims believable.
