A lot of things have changed on the internet since online shopping was born.
The trust and credibility of a website have become crucial. The amount and speed of product exposure are growing. Competitive pricing has become more important than ever, leading many sellers to offer free shipping, lower prices, and better customer service.
But oftentimes, even with all these changes, most stores still manage to receive an increased number of sales by doing just a little more - including more social proof on the store to turn visitors into customers.
What Is Social Proof and Why Is It So Important?
Think about it this way - have you ever visited a location and asked for directions? The more people that told you where to go, the more confident you felt.
Well, that same idea plays out on the internet. When you see that other people are purchasing or engaging with what a business is selling, the more inclined you are to join the party!
Social proof is the act of convincing people that they should do business with you because you have a lot of customers who vouch for you already. It has a drastic effect on sales because it establishes trust and builds credibility.
In retail stores, there's a reason why you see those "We Sell 100+ Items Per Day!" signs at checkout counters around the world - it works!
Social proof is defined as "a type of persuasion in which a person or group's actions are used to determine what is acceptable behavior within a social group." In other words, when someone sees that a lot of people are doing something, they assume that it's right and do the same thing themselves.
That's why social proof is so important for e-commerce businesses. When someone is looking at your product on their screen or browsing through your website, they want to know if it's worth spending money on before making a purchase decision.
And this is where Shopify social proof comes in handy - if you can show that other people have bought your product and liked it enough to leave positive reviews or recommend it to their friends, then there's more chance that they'll feel comfortable making their own purchase.
That is why it is important to provide as much social proof as possible if you want to convert as many visitors into customers as you can.
But social proof is a lot more than just adding product ratings. Today, social proof marketing is much more advanced, intricate, personalized, and result-oriented.
That’s why you need to include it more strategically in your Shopify store web design.
13 Ways To Include More Social Proof On Your Store To Turn Visitors Into Customers
Every store owner wants more sales. However, just 22% of businesses are truly satisfied with their conversion rates.
Social proof is a great way to encourage your customers to buy from you rather than from your competitors.
Here are several ways you can improve your store with social proof -
1. Feature customer testimonials on your homepage
Testimonials on your Shopify store can increase conversions by 34%.
Show off customer testimonials. If you have customers who love your products and services, let them tell everyone about it in their own words.
You can include them in any section of your site but they're most effective when they're visible on your homepage.
The first thing that comes up when someone visits your store is often your homepage. This is the perfect place for showing off customer testimonials because they give visitors an idea of what other people think about your business, which will make them more likely to try it out.
Source - TheGoodThing
2. Flex your industry awards, rankings, and notable media mentions
Awards and certifications are also great for increasing conversions because they show that other people recognize you as being good at what you do, which makes them more likely to trust you as well.
If you're selling online, then make sure to include them on your website and social media profiles.
You might not be able to list every award or ranking you've won, but you should at least include a few notable ones. The goal here is to show visitors that you're an expert in your field, so it's important to highlight any industry recognition you've received.
If you don't have any awards or rankings, consider doing some research about what other people in your niche are doing. See if there are any industry awards or rankings that would be relevant for your store and run for them.
Source - Sirona
3. Collect and display expert endorsements
Expert endorsements from people like celebrities, social media influencers, or industry leaders are one of the most effective forms of social proof. In fact, studies have shown that consumers trust expert opinions far more than advertisements or company information.
If you have an expert who has reviewed your product or service, consider collecting their testimonials and displaying them on your site. This is a great way to build trust with new visitors.
4. Add customer reviews to all product pages
This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to add social proof. It only takes a few seconds to add this information, but it can have a significant impact on how much money you make.
By adding reviews and ratings to all of your product pages, you’ll be able to show potential customers what others think about your products. This will give them confidence in their purchase decision and encourage them to buy from you.
Did you know that 88% of consumers trust user reviews as much as personal recommendations?
However, most of them require an average of 40 online reviews before believing a business’s star rating is accurate.
Add customer reviews to all product pages, including both positive and negative reviews. If possible, show a quick view of how many reviews each product has received so that customers know how popular it is among other shoppers.
Source - Gymshark
5. Leverage user-generated content (UGC)
One of the best ways to use social proof is by making use of user-generated content.
That is, letting your customers do all the talking for you!
If you have a community where people are already talking about your products, why not encourage them to go ahead and share their experiences with others?
The benefits of using this type of content are as follows:
- It helps you get more social proof for your business.
- It helps you connect with your customers in an authentic way and make them happy about your products/services.
- It increases the likelihood of people sharing that content with others who will also become potential customers for you or them.
- It helps you build trust with visitors on your site by showing them that other people have already bought from you before they even made their purchase decision themselves!
Another way of doing this is by embedding the videos of those that review your products on channels like YouTube. Here’s how HeadphoneZone does it:
6. Highlight demand and scarcity
If you have limited quantities available, make sure to highlight this in your marketing. You can do this by adding a countdown timer or showing how many units are left in stock.
If you're selling a product that is in high demand, or if you're running a limited-time sale, then highlighting how many people have already purchased that item can create a sense of urgency for customers.
Showing them how many people have already bought it will make them feel like they're missing out if they don't also purchase it soon.
Not only does this make them feel like they're missing out if they don't buy now, but it also makes them think that everyone else wants what you have too (which is true). You can do this by using phrases like "Limited Supply," "Sale Ends Soon," and "Only X Left."
7. Incorporate social media into product marketing
It’s in our nature to look to other people to determine what we should do, and the more we see other people doing something, the more likely we are to do it ourselves.
That’s why social media has become such a big part of our lives — because it’s made it easy for us to see what our friends are doing at any given moment.
Incorporating social media into your product marketing has become an essential part of success in e-commerce these days.
You could run contests and giveaways, host fun workshops, and do so much more to keep your consumers engaged and invested in your brand. The idea is to always be on top of their minds so your brand can continue to remain ‘relevant’.
8. Provide star ratings to make comparisons easier
Star ratings are probably the most common form of social proof and are used by nearly every e-commerce store out there. Star ratings allow visitors who aren't familiar with your business to get an idea of how well other customers liked their experience with your company.
If someone likes what they see on your site, they'll be more likely to trust you as a brand and make a purchase.
Source - Allbirds
9. Use case studies to demonstrate benefits
Case studies are an easy way to demonstrate the benefits of your product, service, or business. They allow you to showcase real-world examples of how people have used your product, and how it has helped them.
Case studies can be written in a variety of ways, but generally, they follow the same format -
The first paragraph is a basic introduction, which includes the name of the person who is writing the case study (this can be you or someone else), their role in the business or organization (customer service manager, etc.), and what they were looking for when they found your business online.
The next several paragraphs tell about the customer's experience with your business—what was going on in their life when they found your site? What were their goals? How did they use what you offered?
The last paragraph wraps up by telling us what happened as a result of this interaction—did they get what they wanted? Did they achieve success?
Source - Keyhole
10. Use “Sales Pop” notifications
One of the best ways to boost sales is by creating “sales pop-ups” in your store.
These are essentially small pop ups that constantly update the store visitors about your recent sales, etc.
This is a great way to get people excited about buying, especially if they see that other people have made purchases before them or if they see how much time remains until the product goes out of stock.
You can also use this method for coupons, special offers, or any other type of deal you want to promote with urgency.
Source - Freakins
11. Tag popular products to prevent choice paralysis
The simplest way to add social proof is by tagging popular products. This will encourage shoppers who are on the fence about a certain product to make a purchase.
When people visit your store, they're going to be faced with an overwhelming amount of choices. To prevent choice paralysis and get them moving toward purchasing a product, tag popular items that meet their needs.
This has two benefits -
- Firstly, it lets potential customers know which products are most popular with other people (which will hopefully encourage them to click on those products and try them out).
- Secondly, it prevents choice paralysis by making sure that visitors don't spend too much time trying to decide which product is right for them — they can simply look at the popular ones instead!
Source - Innisfree
12. Provide personalized recommendations
Over 52% of consumers actually expect brands to offer personalized product recommendations. And consumers consider this kind of recommendation twice as important as the generalized ones.
It's not just about what people are buying, but also what they're buying after they buy your product. People who already have an interest in your products will often be interested in similar things. This makes it a good idea to provide recommendations for related products after someone buys from your store.
The idea is to truly understand your consumer’s psychology and journey. Yet, only 40% of businesses use a strategic marketing approach based on their understanding of the customer journey.
Source - Amazon
13. Incorporate popularity into your branding
This means that when someone visits your site, they'll immediately know that they're looking at something that has widespread appeal or popularity among others in their niche or industry — which will give them confidence in the product or service being offered by your company.
Make sure that you incorporate popularity into every aspect of your brand — from the images on your website and social media channels to the copy on the packaging of your products.
The goal is for customers to associate your brand with other popular brands or influencers in their niche. This will help them feel confident about making an investment with you because they know they're getting something good from someone trustworthy (you!).
Wrapping Up
Including social proof in your store can help you convert more visitors into paying customers.
When using social proof, there are two basic types - implicit and explicit.
However, both should be used as either standalone methods or in conjunction with one another to create a seamless experience for your customer.
The bottom line is that social proof will help to solidify your brand as an industry leader, and it can potentially move the needle on sales. By deciding which methods work for you, you can create a strong sense of trust in your business from potential new customers.
In other words, social proof is worth the effort and time. It has grown to become an absolute necessity to survive in the e-commerce market today.
Also read: Why Your Shopify Store Design Is Important to Increase Conversion Rates
Reach out to us today and we'll help you increase conversions and expand your business.
