What is Social Commitments?

The concept of Social Commitments has been around for quite some time in marketing and psychology, often viewed through the lens of societal and peer pressure.

The principle is simple - people are more likely to carry out a commitment if they publicly declare it. It’s backed by psychological theory, centered around the innate human desire to appear consistent in front of peers and avoid embarrassment of failing to meet a commitment.

In the realm of digital marketing, Social Commitments mean offering opportunities for consumers to publicly showcase their commitment or plans to utilize a brand's product or service on social networks. This strategy is particularly effective in the Retention stage of a customer lifecycle, where user loyalty needs to be maintained. Every time a customer broadcasts their intentions to use a product, they're making a social commitment, creating a sense of accountability not just to themselves, but to their social network, increasing the likelihood of sustained usage.

Examples of Social Commitments

1. Fitness apps often deploy this strategy, encouraging users to share their workout schedules or fitness goals on social platforms. Every share not only increases the chance of that individual sticking to their plan but also acts as a mini endorsement for the app.
2. A restaurant could have a feature on their booking page that allows a customer to easily share their reservation details with friends on social media. This creates excitement around the dining experience while binding the customer more securely to their commitment.
3. An eCommerce store could initiate a feature where customers broadcast their upcoming purchases or wish lists. It helps create a fear of missing out among peers, driving more purchases, while also boosting the customer's commitment to buy.
4. Course providers often encourage students to announce the start of their courses on their social profiles, enhancing both commitment and publicity.
5. Online platforms releasing new features or products can incentivize existing users to publicly share their intent to use them, creating buzz and setting behavioral norms among user sets.

Marketing Tactics Similar to Social Commitments

• Social Proof: It is a psychological and social phenomenon where people emulate the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior in a given situation.
• Influencer Marketing: It leverages the reach of established influencers in similar niche segments to encourage actions or promote products among their follower base.
• Brand Advocacy: It banks on the power of satisfied customers sharing their positive experiences with a brand or product, thereby encouraging others to try.
• Public Pledges: Somewhat of a subset of Social Commitments, public pledges encourage users to publicly commit to a cause or goal, often associated with charitable or non-profit organizations.
• Recurring Subscriptions: These are modelled to bind customers into committing to a product or service over a specified period of time, thereby ensuring continued usage and loyalty.

Link to this page

If you share this content in your blog post or email newsletter, you can use the tool below to quickly copy and paste the link.