We know social proof works and can be a powerful tool when used in marketing, but did you know that it’s not always enough? Today’s episode dives into an article that focuses on the self-categorization theory, how we as individuals categorize ourselves, and what groups we identify with.   To understand whether laughter was a response to social proof or the self-categorization theory, the researchers recruited university students to conduct experiments. The experiments found that participants laughed three times more when they believed laughter was coming from their in-group (other students from their university). These findings revealed that the response to laughter was not necessarily a thoughtless response. Instead, who was laughing was more important than the laughter itself.   What does laughing and self-categorization have to do with copywriting? Listen in to hear my top three takeaways for you as a copywriter or marketer: 1. Research is important, so be thorough and know your audience well. 2. Social proof is not always enough. 3. Niche down as much as possible.   What To Look For In This Episode: [00:01:02] "I Love Lucy" reference. [00:18:00] The importance of thorough research. [00:21:00] Is social proof enough? [00:23:20] Niche down and build your tribe.   Journal Article: It’s not funny if they’re laughing”: Self-categorization, social influence, and responses to canned laughter. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.615.7853&rep=rep1&type=pdf   Platow, M., Haslam, A., Both, A., Chew, I., Cuddon, M., Goharpey, N., Maurer, J., Rosini, S., Tsekouras, A., & Grace, D. (2005). It’s not funny if they’re laughing”: Self-categorization, social influence, and responses to canned laughter. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 41(5), 542-550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2004.09.005   Resources: "I Love Lucy" episode (S02E01) – youtu.be/NkQ58I53mjk Brand Voice Template – brandvoicetemplate.com   Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Awesome! Go to geoffkullman.com/questions   Connect with Geoff:   Instagram: instagram.com/geoffkullman Twitter: twitter.com/geoffkullman Inquiries: geoffkullman.com     Subscribe To The Podcast Here: Do you have friends, colleagues, or clients who would find The Psychology of Copywriting podcast valuable? Spread the word!     *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   Danny helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com