Nowadays, a majority of customer purchase journeys begin online. However, when you run an online business, establishing credibility and trust is difficult as there is no tangible product for the customers to base their decisions upon. This is where establishing social proof can help you create a positive influence on your leads and get more conversions.

But, what is social proof and why is it getting attention? Let’s find out. 

What is the concept of social proof?

The concept of social proof works on the principle of herd mentality. It states that people will imitate the behaviours of the masses by believing that if everyone else is doing something, it must be the right thing to do.

Why are businesses interested in social proof?

With the increasing competition and multiple businesses endorsing themselves on digital platforms, It gets difficult to grab the customers attention. Moreover, new clients look beyond just the features of your product. 

Customers often see what other people have to say about your product or service before committing to purchase it. This is why an increasing number of online businesses are leveraging this aspect of consumer behaviour to establish social proof.

Why is social proof so important?

Some of the reasons why you should start collecting social proofs for your online business are:

• Boost credibility and trustworthiness in your brand
• Increased conversion as social proof can convince your customers better than any sales pitch
• Sourcing local proofs will help you stay in touch with your customer base and strengthen your relationship, contributing positively to your business. 
• A strong network of social proof can build your brand authority. 

So, now that you know how social proof can bring multiple benefits to your business, let’s see how to use social proof in digital marketing.

How to use social proof for your online business

There are various methods to leverage social proof in your digital marketing efforts, but they all hinge around demonstrating that other people appreciate your business offerings. Some of the common ways to establish social proof are:

• Customer reviews and testimonials
• Awards and recognition
• Number of users
• Case studies
• Celebrity and influencer endorsements
• Number of followers on social media
•  

Let’s see how to use these social proofs on your websites and social media pages to build credibility. 

How can I use social proof on my website?

As your website is the most integral part, ensure you include enough social proofs to convince the customer about your products and services. Some of the social proofs you can use on your website are:

Customer Reviews and Testimonials

We’re all familiar with the behaviour of checking online reviews on ecommerce sites before purchasing any product online. Customer reviews are one of the most well-known social proofs because they have a significant impact on purchasing decisions. 

Simply stating that your product or a service works is insufficient to persuade people to purchase it. However, stating or referencing someone who has used your product and had a favourable experience is what convinces the buyer to make the purchase happen.

Here we see how Trello is using customer testimonials to establish social proof:

Awards and recognition

Awards and recognitions are a very strong social proof as they come from reputed, third parties and customers relate it with authenticity. It provides your business with their seal of approval, and your award’s source will be more important to list on your website.

Here, we see how airmeet has showcased its multiple rankings by third-parties that act as recommendations:

Number of users

Use your figures as social evidence if your company has a large consumer base or that you have handled a bunch of major projects. Showing the numbers also displays a sense of confidence and demonstrates that people value what you’re offering. 

Here’s an example of Hubspot showcasing its number in various product offerings:

You can also showcase your clientele as it helps businesses make decisions by getting a reference. , make sure you mention companies that your target audience is familiar with. It will have a greater impact and provide you with more credibility.

Here, workday displays its wide range of companies across the globe:

Case Studies

Case studies are very powerful social proof as they help a potential customer understand how that product helped the business. In addition, it can assist in reinforcing the concept that your product or service is effective.

Try incorporating some of the case studies of your clients to address the concerns of many sceptics.

See how workday has showcased case studies with the help of videos:

What is social proof on social media?

Nowadays, when social media has become a primary tool where most consumers are likely to check the feed of your business, in addition to testimonials, awards, case studies and statistics, there are many ways you can establish social proof on social media.

Number of followers on social media

Your number of followers on social media represents the visibility of your business. This is because people like to trust businesses that are well-known and recognized by a lot of people. Therefore, your number of followers on social media can work as social proof, especially if you are an online business.

Celebrity and Influencer endorsements

Social proof works better if it is from a person that the customer know about and trust. When an influencer or a well-known celebrity, liked and trusted by your target audience, posts referencing your business, a website review of your goods, or services, it also helps in boosting the brand image and business visibility.

How do you develop social proof?

Although there are many ways to go about building social proof, some of them are:

• Incentivize the customer for writing reviews
• Create customer surveys and share the results
• Get a testimonial or a product review from a reputed expert in your industry
• Use social media sites to get customer views
• Establish a strong social media presence

Wrapping up…

Social proof can help you increase your conversions significantly while also improving your business visibility and brand credibility. Try out these social proof tactics for your business to witness tremendous results!

Seems interesting but are you confused about where to start from?

Let MajorBrains help you establish social proof with its extensive digital marketing offerings.