Adding social proof to your brand’s site is an incredibly effective way to increase conversions. People trust other people. It’s as simple as that. Whilst slick marketing, snappy copy and impressive stats can woo an audience, what it really boils down to is real people and their opinions. You therefore, need to source and display proof of your brands offering in order to gain your customers trust.
What is social proof and how does it work?
Social proof is an evidence-led marketing technique. The idea behind it draws on the idea that people are heavily influenced and motivated by other people’s decisions and habits. For example, you’re more likely to buy a coffee machine with good reviews or an endorsement from a well-known influencer or celebrity. Countless studies and articles address the fact that consumers decision making is more emotional rather than rational. Adding proof reinforces and supports peoples decision-making processes. This therefore, takes advantage of people’s innate inclination to conform and adhere to other people’s choices.
Drive conversions
Adding proof provides your audience with the reassurance they need to guide them through to the point of purchase. It can be said therefore, that social proof drives conversions. There’s a variety of ways you can add social proof to your brands site.
Here are five ways you can add social proof to your site:
- Celebrities and influencers – leverage a celebrities or influencers expansive network and platform to get your product in front as many people as possible.
- Friends and family – encourage customers to share your product to their own networks by incentivising them with discounts.
- Experts – draw in content from individuals who have a demonstrable record of expertise in a field relevant to your business.
- Users/customers – promote positive reviews from customers/people who have tried and tested your product. This is the most relatable form, as your customers will be able to identify with people just like them.
- Crowds – there’s power in numbers. People generally trust brands that have a lot of customers, so if you have a sizeable customer base, use this to your advantage!
Final thoughts
To conclude, adding social proof is instrumental in engaging and appealing to wide-scale audiences. As referenced above, there's a multitude of ways you can add social proof to your site. A reliable social media aggregator like Curator.io can help you navigate these options, to find a solution that best fits your company and strategy.