Provided by Triple Whale
The growth of the e-commerce landscape is undeniable, with new online stores popping up every day. Recently, one of the biggest challenges in e-commerce has become getting consumers to buy from your store over theirs. So what can you do to entice shoppers to throng your e-commerce store, shunning away your competitors?
It’s simple — social proof. The good news is, social proof isn’t rocket science at all. Social proof refers to a psychological trend in which uncertain people look to others — often strangers — for validation that resolves their concerns. In e-commerce, social proof comes in the form of content or visual assets that confirm to prospective consumers that previous buyers have found value in your product or brand. Without further ado, let’s dig in!
Social proof enforces a bandwagon effect — a social psychology chain reaction that ripples throughout the masses. Simply put, when viewing social proof, the human brain thinks: “If others have enjoyed using the product, chances are, I will, too!” People want validation, and social proof helps justify their purchases to reduce any apprehension they may have.
Trust, which is key to the success of any e-commerce business, can be cultivated via social proof. Since many customers are happy and satisfied with your online store, sharing this information conveys trust and convinces prospective buyers that your store is both legitimate and can be trusted.
Let’s take a look at the different ways you can utilize the power of social proof to your advantage and boost your sales.
1. Display user reviews and ratings
As of 2023, more than 70% of online buyers check out customer reviews before making a purchase. People naturally trust such written reviews and ratings more than any business’ marketing effort. Therefore, it is no wonder that more websites are displaying online reviews and ratings as social proof!
By including a review and rating section in your online store, you offer prospective customers the social proof they’re seeking. Encourage your previous buyers to leave reviews by motivating them with free gifts or discount codes. Show off your positive reviews — but be careful not to omit the negative ones, as doing so only raises doubts in your readers’ minds about review authenticity. Additionally, negative reviews direct your brand’s team for areas of growth opportunity!
Consider compiling positive reviews and sharing them via social media, in your ads, in email or SMS campaigns and through your other marketing channels.
2. Get active on social media and leverage your online presence
The number of social media users will reach almost six billion in 2027. You would be missing an opportunity not to leverage this powerful media platform to generate social proof! Having a solid presence on social media creates an online audience naturally talking about your brand and products in real time. And whenever someone mentions you and posts something about your brand or product, this creates user-generated content (UGC).
UGC is a wildly impactful form of social proof. The more people are talking about you, the more publicity you get and the broader your brand awareness becomes. When customers share pictures or videos with/using your product via social media, save those and implement them on your website! The presence of “real people” using your products will increase the trust of your site visitors.
Running contests via social media is another way to generate brand buzz. Ask participants to share a selfie using your products and post something about themselves for a chance to win. Make your giveaways attractive enough to entice more to join and increase social engagement. Then use all of those wonderful assets on your website and in your marketing campaigns!
Ultimately, your goal is to have your brand and its products mentioned with the utmost positivity on social media. People who view these posts will form a more positive view of your business and products, thus increasing conversions.
3. Highlight expert reviews
User reviews are wonderful, but expert reviews are next-level amazing! Featuring expert reviews is an extremely effective method for influencing consumers to buy from you, especially when the highlighted rave reviews come from those well recognized as the best and brightest in the industry.
For example, a brand may select a top-rated dentist to endorse toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth or a celebrity dermatologist to review an anti-aging topical cream. Such recommendations are deeply impactful on a consumer’s perception and can help remove the purchase hesitation holding a customer back from converting. So reach out to the relevant professionals for your product and gather recommendations from them. Doing so can help you and your products garner more credibility and give that needed validation to prospective buyers.
4. Show off customer testimonials
Testimonials are in-depth customer reviews that are typically more persuasive and detailed than a short 5-star rating or short line of positive feedback. Testimonials help validate your business and brand by featuring a happy customer’s experience in the form of a longer review or video asset. These are especially effective for pricier products or products that offer a long-term impact rather than a short-term result. Videos are typically the most influential format for testimonials, as they truly humanize the customer experience to better convince prospective buyers.
It’s critical to note that embedding video on an e-commerce website can slow down your website, so be sure to use an optimized app or experienced web developer to ensure your store can accommodate this type of content. Frankly, there is no point in embedding testimonial videos into your website if they cannot run smoothly. Your potential buyers will tire of waiting for the site to load and close the page.
When it comes to sourcing testimonials, quality is always better than quantity. Narrow down a short list of your favorite happy customers and reach out to them. Seek permission to interview them and create your testimonials or encourage them to film a short video themselves sharing their story. Then use these powerful pieces of social proof across your marketing channels!
5. Disclose your number of sales
Literally displaying the number of buyers of a particular product, or number of that product sold in total, is a powerful piece of social proof! As prospective consumers browse your website, just seeing the “300,000 pillows sold!” will help them to feel more confident in their purchasing decision.
Consumers are also more likely to purchase products that appear to be in high demand. When used wisely, sales numbers both build trust and create a sense of urgency for purchase.
6. Label top-selling products to draw attention
Aside from displaying sales numbers, adding product labels such as “Best Seller,” “Hot Product” or “Almost Sold Out” further drives demand. These labels push customers to buy highly desirable products quickly so they don’t risk missing out, all while presenting social proof.
Of course, highlighting your best-selling products and displaying them prominently on your store site will also further drive conversions.
7. Recommend similar products
It is good practice to include recommended products similar to a buyer’s interests on your website, as this introduces your buyers to more options in the market. This feature can be padded with social proof by including copy such as “Other ___Lovers Have Also Bought ___.” This is a great way to upsell existing customers, increase average order value/cart value and encourage website visitors to buy multiple products from the first time they encounter your brand.
To test this quickly, add a section on each product page with “Others have also bought,” followed by a list of several recommended products. Review your customers’ website behaviors and purchases to see if they explored the additional products and were motivated to buy more!
8. Engage influencers and brand ambassadors
Engaging relevant influencers is another compelling social proof tactic to grow your e-commerce store while influencing a massive audience.
Influencers and celebrities have solidified reputations with loyal followings online. Their followers and fans are very likely to purchase the products they recommend. When selecting an influencer to work with, be careful to choose a partner that is relevant to your industry, respected by your target market, has a high engagement rate online and doesn’t constantly promote a variety of different/competitive products.
Alternatively, you can consider building a brand ambassador program. Unlike influencers, brand ambassadors might not have massive followings, but still have highly loyal followings and are more likely to engage in a long-term relationship with your brand. Rather than paying an influencer for a one-off promotional product post, a brand ambassador could be engaged to regularly promote your product/brand for payment, free product or a commission on sales generated. Brand ambassadors are also more likely to regularly engage with prospective customers, answer questions and authentically share more about their experience with the product.
9. Implement trust badges
Trust badges may seem like tiny emblems on your e-commerce store, but these little symbols are powerful visual reminders of your online store’s legitimacy and credibility! Each badge is a recognizable form of social proof that can deeply impact website visitors, assuring them that they can safely shop in your store.
For e-commerce stores that face cart abandonment issues — folks adding to cart but leaving the webpage before checking out — this can be a key sign of a consumer trust issue. Implementing a Mastercard or Visa logo at checkout helps increase conversion rate and improve consumer confidence. Many types of badges are available that can help with the uncertainties of purchasing online, such as money-back guarantee icons, satisfaction guarantee symbols, free return logos and more.
Third-party endorsements also sway consumer trust. Explore options through the Better Business Bureau or Google Customer Reviews for additional trust-based social proof.
In closing, leveraging the power of social proof cements your brand’s image and reputation as a trusted seller. By implementing these tactics, your business will ultimately see higher conversions, greater customer satisfaction and enjoy exponential business growth.