How do you start your day?
Perhaps you look for a caffeine kick to get yourself going.
You peek into a local café, and it's empty. When it seems that no one likes the coffee here, you go to the café across the road.
Since it is buzzing with customers, you think, "This café serves the best coffee in town!"
Why do you think we are drawn to crowded places?
Psychologists, sociologists, and media marketing strategists call this tendency "social proof". And in the era of digital marketing, social proof can be your most valuable marketing asset.
Keep reading as we will talk about the top 10 benefits of social proof for your business. And how you can use it to boost your conversion.
But, before that, I’d like to define the term ‘social proof.’
What Is Social Proof?
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon coined by Dr. Robert Cialdini. It is the human tendency to rely on the opinions or actions of the majority to make a decision.
For example, we rely on any positive reviews or negative feedback from others, say, on our purchase decision.
In simpler terms, we can say the social proof is "to follow the crowd".
Business owners use social proof as an effective digital marketing weapon. Here’s why:
Why Is Social Proof Your Most Valuable Marketing Asset?
The driving force behind the social proof is the bandwagon effect. It means a person is more likely to do something if other people are doing it.
Here's a perfect example.
Suppose more than 5 million people have watched and enjoyed a Netflix series. You will think that you will enjoy it too.
Because you believe that over 5 million people can’t be wrong, right?
Did you see how it affects your decision-making process?
Because of this, social proof could be a super helpful marketing tool. It can attract quality leads and widen the customer base.
So what exactly are the types of social proof you can leverage?
Let me list it out for you...
What Are The Types Of Social Proof?
For social proof to help you in your online marketing, you need to know the different types of it.
- Reviews: This form of social proof comes from your satisfied customers.
- Expert Social Proof: It comes from industry experts.
- Wisdom Of The Crowd: When a large group of people vouches for your products and services.
- Referrals: A form of social proof that comes from the approval of your friends and family.
- Celebrity Social Proof: When a well-known person says kind words about your business.
- Certification. Such social proof happens when a figure of authority gives you their approval.
- Case Studies. An in-depth analysis of a product or service. Case studies are driven by data.
When making a purchase, these heavily influence your potential customers. And you can nudge them into doing "correct behavior".
Let’s check out the top social proof benefits for your business.
Top 10 Social Proof Benefits For Your Business
1. Social Proof Builds Reputation
Customers are the foundation of a business's reputation. Thus, the ones with more customers than their competitors are more reputable.
Remember the example of the café that we discussed before?
The empty café didn’t look appealing. While the café that buzzed with customers makes you assume that it’s the best.
Just how many product reviews will convince you to try out a local business? You'd need to have at least 4-6 reviews before customers can take you seriously. The same goes for online stores.
Many businesses mention the number of customers they serve on their website. The significant number of customers makes the business appear reputable.
See how Shopify displays the number of its customers:
If the business displays such whooping numbers, do you think clients will think twice?
Not a chance!
Instead, these numbers are the key to building trust.
Speaking of how to build trust...
2. It Helps Win Customers’ Trust
Customers will happily give you their money…
If you have a broad customer base who rave about your brand.
If your website has reviews from happy customers, your visitors won’t hesitate to trust you. They’ll want to enjoy the same experience as your customers.
Displaying social proof on your website is a surefire way to win the trust of your prospects.
A positive social proof also...
3. Establishes Credibility
If you have some renowned customers, scream it to the world!
When people see famous personalities as your customers, their doubts go away in a snap. Your business appears credible to the prospects.
Neilpatel.com displays the logos of some of its famous clients. Now don't the big brand names just boost credibility?
Is there any chance people won’t trust a website that serves companies like Facebook and Google?
I don’t think so… In fact, people will hand over their money without a speck of doubt. They won’t even consider the other options in the market.
This brings us to our next social proof benefit, which is:
4. Provides A Competitive Edge
Quick, make a decision!
From which website should you buy mobile accessories? Your options are:
- Shop A- It has more than 200 reviews and a 4.8-star rating
- Shop B – 0 reviews and no ratings
I bet you’ll choose Shop A. Do you know why? Because there are reviews and star ratings that tell you that this website has lots of customers.
And what about Shop B?
Will you consider it? I won’t!
So, displaying social proof gives your brand a competitive edge. It also attracts more customers. Makes sense, right?
Social proof also…
5. Increases Conversion
Displaying customer reviews and testimonials works like magic to boost conversions.
Did you know people visit a website 9 times before they convert?
They engage with the business to make sure that their money goes into the right hands. And mark my words... displaying reviews is an important factor for them to trust you.
Do you need proof of that? Read the following stats:
- 61% of people read online reviews before buying a product or service.
- 91% of people trust online reviews as much as a recommendation from family or friends.
- In a 2018 eMarketer survey: When buying online, 100% of people aged 18-29 checked online reviews.
- 63% of customers are likely to buy from online stores that have reviews and ratings.
As you can see, positive reviews on your eCommerce site can greatly increase conversions.
Do you want your customers to leave reviews on your website before they checkout?
Debutify's Order Feedback Add-On can help! It lets business owners collect customer reviews and ratings.
Download Debutify today to collect valuable feedback from your customers!
Let’s move forward and see what else can social proof do for your business.
6. You Can Flaunt Your Expertise
Are you THE BEST in the market?
Then don’t shy away from showing off your unique skills.
Let your prospects know what you’re capable of.
Again, social proof can be your best friend for this.
We have sprinkled some of the best reviews from our customers on the landing page. See how this wonderful review from Kamil Sattar talks about our theme.
We can tell the world what our theme is capable of doing without even bragging about it.
The next benefit will entice you to use the social proof right away.
7. Increases Site Traffic
Social proof can generate good traffic to your website.
50% of people say that they visit the website after reading a good review about it.
You know what to do, right?
Promote your customer reviews everywhere. Be it your website, newsletter, social media handles, or even paid ads.
Apart from increasing traffic, social proof can boost your social media following.
8. Gain More Followers On Social Media
Social media reviews, collaborations with celebrities, and influencer marketing can help you attract followers.
This increases brand awareness and follower count. More followers mean you have more of an audience to market your products on social media.
A great example is the collaboration of Heinz and Ed Sheeran on social media. This is a fantastic social proof marketing example:
Ed Sheeran’s fans click the follow button without giving a second thought. And if Heinz posts this on its website?
The visitors will go crazy. And they will follow the company’s social media accounts because of their favorite celebrity. That's how powerful influencer marketing is.
By the way, are you interested in showing aesthetic Instagram pictures on the website without installing extra applications?
Debutify's Instagram Feed Add-On lets businesses display their Instagram posts on their landing page.
Social proof is equally beneficial for your email marketing.
How? Let’s talk about it at the next point.
9. More Newsletter Or Loyalty Program Subscribers
You can entice people to join your subscriber list or loyalty program with social proof.
All you have to do is show how many people are part of your newsletter and loyalty program. See how Shopify mentions the number of subscribers in its newsletter opt-in form.
When people see the number of subscribers, they will enter their email address right away.
You can do it too with Debutify.
Use Debutify's Newsletter Pop-Up Add-On to show off the number of subscribers. And capture your visitors' email instantly.
The last social proof benefit for your digital marketing on today’s list is that it…
10. Creates A Buzz
What gets business owners ecstatic?
When their brand becomes the talk of the internet. They love it when they see their website rank higher on SERPs or get more social media followers.
So, if you want to create a buzz or increase brand awareness, make social proof your best pal. And watch the conversion rate increase, and followers pour into your website.
Social proof is a powerful digital marketing asset. It can increase brand awareness and attract more leads.
Using social proof can be beneficial for the success of your business.
There are many other benefits that your business can enjoy.
Here are some simple ways you can use social proof for your business:
- Display customer reviews on your website and social media handles.
- Show the number of customers you serve on your website.
- Collaborate with renowned influencers and celebrities.
- Feature the logos of your famous customers on your homepage.
- Publish your customers’ pictures of them using your product.
Let's discuss how can you get social proof to use on your own marketing.
How Can You Get Social Proof?
So, how do you get social proof in the first place?
Here's a quick list for you:
- Send them a short, personalized message asking how was the product or service.
- Add a feedback form on your landing page after making a purchase. You can also use review sites.
- Encourage them to post about your product or service and tag your social media handle.
Now that you know how to get it...
Did you know Debutify Theme makes it pretty easy for Shopify brand owners to display social proof on their website?
With 50+ Add-Ons, it can also increase conversions, AOV, and profits!
But that's not all...
Keep an eye out for what Debutify has in store for your social proof... Very soon! ?
Enjoy The Social Proof Benefits To The Fullest With Debutify— For Free!
14-Day Free Trial. 1-Click Installation. No Credit Card Required.
Ricky Hayes
