51ÊÓƵ

When it’s time toÌýshop forÌýnew hiking boots orÌýtreat yourself toÌýaÌýfancy spa package, where doÌýyou turn? Most likely, you’ll check out reviews, ask forÌýrecommendations through Instagram stories, orÌýwatch unboxing videos onÌýYouTube. These are all examples ofÌýsocial proof, which isÌýwhat your customers look forÌýwhen checking out your products.

Social proof helps customers understand how other people have experienced aÌý±è°ù´Ç»å³Ü³¦³Ù—t³ó¾±²õ fosters trust inÌýaÌýbrand. Make sure you provide authentic feedback andÌýrecommendations soÌýthat potential customers feel confident inÌýtheir decision toÌýchoose your product orÌýservice.

Keep reading toÌýlearn actionable ways toÌýintegrate social proof into your business andÌýenhance your marketing game.

What isÌýSocial Proof inÌýEcommerce?

Social proof isÌýaÌýpsychological phenomenon where people rely onÌýothers toÌýguide their decisions andÌýactions. Individuals assume that theÌýchoices made byÌýtheÌýmajority orÌýauthorities are correct.

Social proof inÌýanÌýonline store consists ofÌýmultiple factors, including ratings, reviews, likes, andÌýendorsements from other customers, celebrities, andÌýexperts. ItÌýalso includes customer interaction statistics like display counters forÌýviews, purchases, remaining stock, discount notifications, andÌýrecently purchased items.

Simply put, ifÌýyou want toÌýcreate trust with your customers andÌýencourage them toÌýbuy your products orÌýservices, there’s noÌýbetter way than byÌýbacking itÌýupÌýwith social proof. Let’s goÌýthrough some ways toÌýdoÌýjust that.

Collect andÌýPublish Your Customers’ Reviews

Customer reviews are anÌýeffective way toÌýbuild trust andÌýattract new customers toÌýyour store. They offer anÌýauthentic look atÌýtheÌýexperiences ofÌýothers with your products orÌýservices, showcasing your brand’s reliability andÌýquality.

Publishing reviews isn’t just about sharing feedback. It’s anÌýopportunity toÌýengage with customers byÌýresponding toÌýtheir comments andÌýquestions. This helps foster stronger relationships with your customers.

With 51ÊÓƵ byÌýLightspeed, you can collect customer feedback automatically through marketing emails. Just enable anÌýautomated feedback request email, andÌýyour customers will receive anÌýemail asking them toÌýleave their feedback after they receive their order. Learn more about automated marketing emails.

Also, check out all theÌýways you can .

Harness theÌýPower ofÌýSocial Media

Shoppers often use social media platforms like TikTok andÌýInstagram toÌýsearch forÌýproducts orÌýgifts. You need toÌýget your product out there. The more customer reviews you have onÌýsocial media, theÌýmore proof you have that your product isÌýworth buying.

Here are some ways toÌýget social media reviews rolling in:

• Encourage customers toÌýpost their photos orÌývideos with your product onÌýsocial media using aÌýbrand hashtag. For example, aÌýcamera store, Paper Shoot, asks their customers toÌýuse #takenbypapershoot when sharing pictures taken byÌýtheir camera onÌýInstagram.
• Run aÌýsocial media contest orÌýgiveaway with aÌýbrand hashtag. The participation ofÌýmany people inÌýyour contest not only creates hype but isÌýalso social proof, strengthening your brand’s credibility.
• Offer customers anÌýincentive like aÌýdiscount orÌýaÌýfree product sample forÌýsharing aÌýdetailed review onÌýsocial media.

Having anÌýactive social media profile with anÌýengaged audience also acts asÌýsocial proof. Regularly post content relevant toÌýyour target audience, answer questions about your products, andÌýpublish customer pictures andÌýreviews.

ItÌýwon’t hurt toÌýadd social media sharing buttons onÌýyour product pages. They allow customers toÌýshare your product onÌýsocial media. InÌý51ÊÓƵ, such buttons are added toÌýproduct pages byÌýdefault.

Send Your Product toÌýMicro-Influencers ´Ú´Ç°ùÌý²¹Ìý¸é±ð±¹¾±±ð·É

IfÌýyou’re not collaborating with micro-influencers forÌýproduct reviews, you’re missing out onÌýaÌýwhole lot ofÌýpotential. Sure, partnering with famous celebrities may seem like theÌýway toÌýgo. But let’s beÌýreal here: they can beÌýexpensive toÌýwork with andÌýmay not even have anÌýaudience that resonates with your product.

´¡²õÌý´Ú´Ç°ùÌýmicro-influencers, they have aÌýloyal following that trusts their recommendations, likely relate better toÌýspecific target audiences, andÌýwon’t break theÌý²ú²¹²Ô°ì—w³ó²¹³Ù aÌýgreat deal!

µþ²âÌýteaming with micro-influencers, you’ll beÌýtapping into aÌýniche audience with greater impact andÌýengagement potential. Look forÌýcontent creators onÌýTikTok, Instagram, orÌýYouTube with aÌýdecent following, between one andÌýfifty thousand followers. Consumers often use these kinds ofÌýsocial media forÌýproduct research.

You can also collaborate with review platforms like Influenster that connect brands andÌýinfluencers. Using Influenster, you can generate more influencer reviews forÌýyour brand inÌýexchange forÌýsending them free product samples.

For step-by-step instructions onÌýhow toÌýcollaborate with influencers toÌýgrow brand loyalty, listen toÌýour podcast with Taylor Lagace, co-CEO ofÌýKynship, anÌýinfluencer marketing agency. You’ll learn why theÌý“pay forÌýpost” method ofÌýinfluencer partnership does not work. Plus, you’ll get theÌýhow-to forÌýaÌýbetter approach.

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Display How Many Shoppers are Viewing Your Product toÌýShow its Popularity

AÌýproduct view counter isÌýaÌýhandy social proof tool that keeps track ofÌýhow many people are checking out your products inÌýreal-time. Not only that, but itÌýshows how many views aÌýparticular product has got over aÌýspecific ±è±ð°ù¾±´Ç»å—w³ó±ð³Ù³ó±ð°ù it’s aÌýday, aÌýweek, aÌýmonth, orÌýeven all-time.

The “Product View” counter helps bring attention toÌýproducts. ItÌýencourages customers toÌýdive inÌýandÌýexplore all theÌýgreat offerings your online store has toÌýoffer while feeling aÌýsense ofÌýurgency.

Enhance theÌýDemand with Purchase Counter

Looking forÌýaÌýway toÌýpush potential buyers towards making aÌýpurchase? Try aÌýpurchase counter. The tool showcases theÌýreal-time count ofÌýsales forÌýaÌýspecific product. ItÌýtaps into theÌýpowerful psychological effect ofÌýsocial proof: theÌýmore aÌýproduct has been purchased, theÌýmore attractive itÌýbecomes toÌýothers.

IfÌýyou run aÌýsale, this tool isÌýjust what you need. Don’t underestimate theÌýimpact ofÌýthis seemingly simple ²Ô³Ü³¾²ú±ð°ù—i³Ù might beÌýtheÌýthing that seals theÌýdeal forÌýyour next order.

Keep inÌýmind these best practices when using theÌýpurchase counter:

• Consider displaying customer reviews orÌýproduct ratings alongside theÌýpurchase counter. This can further encourage potential buyers.
• forÌýitems that sell out. Not only this shows that your product isÌýinÌýdemand, but itÌýwill also provide aÌýpathway forÌýpeople toÌýbuy more ofÌýit.

Create aÌýSense ofÌýScarcity byÌýShowing How Many Items are Left inÌýStock

AÌýstock counter will capture aÌýcustomer’s interest andÌýdrive them towards making aÌýpurchase, which isÌýtheÌýwhole point! This tool serves asÌýaÌýform ofÌýsocial proof that motivates browsers toÌýbecome buyers. µþ²âÌýdisplaying theÌýnumber ofÌýitems left inÌýstock (e.g., “Only 5Ìýleft inÌýstock”), itÌýcreates aÌýsense ofÌýurgency that nudges visitors towards aÌýpurchase.

AÌýstock counter isÌýaÌýmust forÌýaÌý²õ²¹±ô±ð—e²õ±è±ð³¦¾±²¹±ô±ô²â ifÌýyou run aÌýflash sale (for aÌýday orÌýtwo). It’s hard toÌýresist buying aÌýproduct when you see it’s almost sold out.

For best results, try theÌýfollowing tips:

• Display theÌýstock counter when theÌýproduct quantity isÌýlow, typically less than 10-20Ìýunits.
• When running aÌýsale, combine theÌýstock counter with discounts toÌýmaximize customer motivation toÌýmake aÌýpurchase.

Show Which Products are Purchased inÌýReal Time

You can harness social proof byÌýshowing theÌýproducts shoppers are buying right now. This method involves displaying messages about theÌýlatest purchases made byÌýother customers. ItÌýprovides aÌýsubtle but powerful message that your online store isÌýtrustworthy, high-quality, andÌýpopular.

Tap into theÌýpsychology ofÌýsocial proof andÌýbuild your brand’s reputation, inspiring purchase after purchase. Recently bought product messages are really effective when you want your newer products toÌýget more attention.

For best results, follow this advice when showing these kinds ofÌýmessages inÌýyour store:

• Test theÌýmessage onÌýdifferent pages ofÌýyour online store: storefront, category pages, product pages, search page, andÌýcheckout.
• Ensure your products have attractive product images andÌýclear product names.

Social Proof Your Store

IfÌýyou run anÌý51ÊÓƵ store, you can test various social proof notifications with theÌýSocial Proof app. ItÌýallows you toÌýset upÌýpurchase, product view, stock counters, discount messages forÌýproducts, andÌý“Recently bought” pop-ups. Once you set them up, you can see which social proof notifications work theÌýbest through theÌýanalytics section inÌýtheÌýapp.

When displaying social proof inÌýyour store inÌýtheÌýform ofÌývarious popups (like stock, product view, orÌýpurchase counter), keep inÌýmind these recommendations:

• Though popups should stand out onÌýaÌýproduct page, don’t make them obtrusive. They should beÌýconsistent with your store design, noticeable but not in-your-face.
• Avoid overwhelming users with too frequent pop-ups andÌýsocial proof messages. Stick toÌýtheÌý“one page, one popup” rule toÌýavoid spamming your shoppers.
• Keep notifications updated toÌýprovide customers with relevant information. You don’t want toÌýshow theÌý“Only 2Ìýproducts left inÌýstock” message forÌýmonths.

And don’t ´Ú´Ç°ù²µ±ð³Ù—s´Ç³¦¾±²¹±ô proof isn’t just about showcasing positive feedback. Negative reviews orÌýfeedback can also offer valuable insights. They provide anÌýopportunity toÌýdemonstrate your commitment toÌýcustomer satisfaction. µþ²âÌýaddressing anyÌýconcerns orÌýissues head-on, you can show potential customers that you care about customers’ experiences. Show that you are willing toÌýgoÌýabove andÌýbeyond toÌýmake things right.

Wrap Up

Social proof isÌýaÌýpowerful way toÌýbuild trust andÌýcredibility with your customers. However, it’s not aÌýone-and-done trick. ToÌýtruly harness its full potential, you need toÌýintegrate social proof into your overall marketing strategy. This means making itÌýaÌýpriority toÌýcollect customer feedback andÌýuser-generated content onÌýaÌýregular basis.

µþ²âÌýdoing this, you not only have theÌýchance toÌýshowcase your products inÌýtheÌýbest possible light, but you also give your existing customers aÌýchance toÌýshare their experiences with others. This retains those valuable customers while attracting new ones. Everyone isÌýlooking forÌýaÌýreliable, trustworthy ²ú°ù²¹²Ô»å—m²¹°ì±ð itÌýobvious that you are one.

Ìý

• 4ÌýWays toÌýUse Social Proof onÌýYour Online Store
• 4ÌýTypes ofÌýProduct Comments You Should Never Ignore
• Drive Sales byÌýAdding Product Reviews onÌýYour Website inÌýaÌýClick
• How toÌýCollect Customer Feedback andÌýUse ItÌýtoÌýBuild Trust
• The Best Rating, Testimonials andÌýReview Tools forÌýEcommerce
• The Best Ways toÌýGet Quality Product Reviews
• How ToÌýGet Your Product OnÌýThe Product Review Blog
• Why Customer Testimonials Are Your Ecommerce Superpower