Robert B. Cialdini has a brilliant book called Influence, and in one section he gives an example whose videos we keep seeing on Instagram these days. He says that if you stop on a crowded sidewalk and stare up at the sky, almost no one will pay attention to you. But if you stop with a few friends and you all stare at the same spot, a good number of people will probably stop too and look at that spot for a few seconds. And the more of you there are, the higher the chance that even more people will stop and look. This is a simple example of social proof.
How Does Social Proof Affect Sales?
Because buying and parting with money is a bit painful, people look for social proof to convince both themselves and others, and to sort of hand the responsibility for their choice and purchase over to other people. The more painful the buying process, the harder the trust, and the higher the price, the more important social proof becomes, and the bigger an impact it can have on your customers’ conversion rate.
Types of Social Proof
There are several types of social proof, and the most important ones are these:
1. Customer Reviews
Showing customers’ positive reviews and experiences can have a big impact on users’ decisions. Displaying customer reviews on your website, or posting customer-satisfaction stories on Instagram and the like, are all examples of using the principle of social proof.
2. Celebrities and Influencers
When celebrities or influencers endorse a product, it has a big effect on grabbing the audience’s attention and trust, because these people are usually famous and expert in a particular field, or their audience trusts what they say. That’s exactly why, when they endorse a product, they have powerful social proof behind them that they can put to use. For example, saying that Professor Samii has endorsed this neurological medication.
3. Statistics
When you show numbers and figures related to your product or service, it can demonstrate its success and popularity, as long as the data itself comes from a trackable, trustworthy source. For example, that this book has been on Amazon’s bestseller list, or that more than a thousand people have bought this product, or that 200 people have recommended this item, and so on.
4. Expert Endorsements
Endorsements from experts or official certifications for many products, like food, pharmaceutical, and industrial products, can increase customer trust, and they’re a kind of social proof themselves. Think of an FDA approval for food products, or a standards certificate for industrial products, and similar things.
5. User-Generated Content
Content that others create about your brand is one of the most powerful types of social proof. For example, the good experience one of your customers shares about buying your product or service in their own Instagram post, or a positive tweet someone sends about your business, and so on.
How to Use Social Proof in Online Sales
To use social proof in online sales, you can lean on these approaches.
1. Build a Customer Reviews Section on Product Pages
Showing user reviews and product ratings on your website can help users decide to buy, as long as the product is genuinely good quality and earns a high rating and positive reviews.
2. Use Certifications and Endorsements
Official certifications and expert opinions can have a big effect on winning customer trust. Show them on the key pages of your website, like your landing pages and product pages.
3. Highlight Your Sales Numbers or Active Users
Mentioning your sales count or the number of satisfied customers can show how popular and successful the product is. Put this information on your product pages and homepage.
4. Make Use of User-Generated Content
Showing photos or videos that users have posted of your products builds a greater sense of trust. You can display this content on product pages or social media.
5. Show the Names of Well-Known Brands You’ve Worked With
You’ve probably seen on some companies’ websites that they use the logos of big brands they’ve worked with in their customers and partners section and so on. This is another kind of social proof that helps build trust.
Key Tips for Using Social Proof
- Honesty: Make sure all your reviews and social-proof content are real.
- Brand fit: The type of social proof should match your audience and your brand’s message.
- Constant updating: Keep adding fresh, relevant content.
Wrapping Up
Social proof is one of the most powerful marketing tools out there. It can win customer trust and lift your conversion rate. If you use this concept smartly in your online sales strategy, you can be more successful at attracting customers and growing your sales.