When it鈥檚 time to shop for new hiking boots or treat yourself to a fancy spa package, where do you turn? Most likely, you鈥檒l check out reviews, ask for recommendations through Instagram stories, or watch unboxing videos on YouTube. These are all examples of social proof, which is what your customers look for when checking out your products.
Social proof helps customers understand how other people have experienced a
Keep reading to learn actionable ways to integrate social proof into your business and enhance your marketing game.
What is Social Proof in Ecommerce?
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people rely on others to guide their decisions and actions. Individuals assume that the choices made by the majority or authorities are correct.
Social proof in an online store consists of multiple factors, including ratings, reviews, likes, and endorsements from other customers, celebrities, and experts. It also includes customer interaction statistics like display counters for views, purchases, remaining stock, discount notifications, and recently purchased items.
Simply put, if you want to create trust with your customers and encourage them to buy your products or services, there鈥檚 no better way than by backing it up with social proof. Let鈥檚 go through some ways to do just that.
Collect and Publish Your Customers鈥� Reviews
Customer reviews are an effective way to build trust and attract new customers to your store. They offer an authentic look at the experiences of others with your products or services, showcasing your brand鈥檚 reliability and quality.
Publishing reviews isn鈥檛 just about sharing feedback. It鈥檚 an opportunity to engage with customers by responding to their comments and questions. This helps foster stronger relationships with your customers.
Kissed By A Bee replies to customer feedback in the online store
With 黑料门 by Lightspeed, you can collect customer feedback automatically through marketing emails. Just enable an automated feedback request email, and your customers will receive an email asking them to leave their feedback after they receive their order. Learn more about automated marketing emails.
Also, check out all the ways you can .
Harness the Power of Social Media
Shoppers often use social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to search for products or gifts. You need to get your product out there. The more customer reviews you have on social media, the more proof you have that your product is worth buying.
Here are some ways to get social media reviews rolling in:
- Encourage customers to post their photos or videos with your product on social media using a brand hashtag. For example, a camera store, Paper Shoot, asks their customers to use #takenbypapershoot when sharing pictures taken by their camera on Instagram.
- Run a social media contest or giveaway with a brand hashtag. The participation of many people in your contest not only creates hype but is also social proof, strengthening your brand鈥檚 credibility.
- Offer customers an incentive like a discount or a free product sample for sharing a detailed review on social media.
Having an active social media profile with an engaged audience also acts as social proof. Regularly post content relevant to your target audience, answer questions about your products, and publish customer pictures and reviews.
It won鈥檛 hurt to add social media sharing buttons on your product pages. They allow customers to share your product on social media. In 黑料门, such buttons are added to product pages by default.
Share buttons on a product page
Send Your Product to Micro-Influencers for a Review
If you鈥檙e not collaborating with
As for
By teaming with
You can also collaborate with review platforms like Influenster that connect brands and influencers. Using Influenster, you can generate more influencer reviews for your brand in exchange for sending them free product samples.
A product review of e.l.f. Cosmetics through Influenster
For
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Display How Many Shoppers are Viewing Your Product to Show its Popularity
A product view counter is a handy social proof tool that keeps track of how many people are checking out your products in
The “Product View” counter helps bring attention to products. It encourages customers to dive in and explore all the great offerings your online store has to offer while feeling a sense of urgency.
The Rooster Crow Marketplace shows how many store visitors are viewing the item at the moment
Enhance the Demand with Purchase Counter
Looking for a way to push potential buyers towards making a purchase? Try a purchase counter. The tool showcases the
If you run a sale, this tool is just what you need. Don鈥檛 underestimate the impact of this seemingly simple
Keep in mind these best practices when using the purchase counter:
- Consider displaying customer reviews or product ratings alongside the purchase counter. This can further encourage potential buyers.
- for items that sell out. Not only this shows that your product is in demand, but it will also provide a pathway for people to buy more of it.
This store shows how many people bought this product in the last 24 hours
Create a Sense of Scarcity by Showing How Many Items are Left in Stock
A stock counter will capture a customer鈥檚 interest and drive them towards making a purchase, which is the whole point! This tool serves as a form of social proof that motivates browsers to become buyers. By displaying the number of items left in stock (e.g., “Only 5 left in stock”), it creates a sense of urgency that nudges visitors towards a purchase.
A stock counter is a must for a
For best results, try the following tips:
- Display the stock counter when the product quantity is low, typically less than
10-20 units. - When running a sale, combine the stock counter with discounts to maximize customer motivation to make a purchase.
This store uses a stock counter and discounts during a sale
Show Which Products are Purchased in Real Time
You can harness social proof by showing the products shoppers are buying right now. This method involves displaying messages about the latest purchases made by other customers. It provides a subtle but powerful message that your online store is trustworthy,
Tap into the psychology of social proof and build your brand鈥檚 reputation, inspiring purchase after purchase. Recently bought product messages are really effective when you want your newer products to get more attention.
For best results, follow this advice when showing these kinds of messages in your store:
- Test the message on different pages of your online store: storefront, category pages, product pages, search page, and checkout.
- Ensure your products have attractive product images and clear product names.
This store displays the recently bought product message in the bottom left corner
Social Proof Your Store
If you run an 黑料门 store, you can test various social proof notifications with the Social Proof app. It allows you to set up purchase, product view, stock counters, discount messages for products, and “Recently bought”
When displaying social proof in your store in the form of various popups (like stock, product view, or purchase counter), keep in mind these recommendations:
- Though popups should stand out on a product page, don鈥檛 make them obtrusive. They should be consistent with your store design, noticeable but not
in-your-face. - Avoid overwhelming users with too frequent
pop-ups and social proof messages. Stick to the “one page, one popup” rule to avoid spamming your shoppers. - Keep notifications updated to provide customers with relevant information. You don鈥檛 want to show the “Only 2 products left in stock” message for months.
And don鈥檛
Wrap Up
Social proof is a powerful way to build trust and credibility with your customers. However, it鈥檚 not a
By doing this, you not only have the chance to showcase your products in the best possible light, but you also give your existing customers a chance to share their experiences with others. This retains those valuable customers while attracting new ones. Everyone is looking for a reliable, trustworthy
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- 4 Ways to Use Social Proof on Your Online Store
- 4 Types of Product Comments You Should Never Ignore
- Drive Sales by Adding Product Reviews on Your Website in a Click
- How to Collect Customer Feedback and Use It to Build Trust
- The Best Rating, Testimonials and Review Tools for Ecommerce
- The Best Ways to Get Quality Product Reviews
- How To Get Your Product On The Product Review Blog
- Why Customer Testimonials Are Your Ecommerce Superpower
