While making a purchase online, buyers tend to check the ratings and reviews of existing customers for a product or a brand before buying, which is called social proof. eCommerce businesses try hard to get reviews and ratings from their existing customer base to attract new customers and increase conversions and revenue.
Social proof is one of the most impactful tactics that eCommerce business owners use to attract new customers by establishing a sense of trust from the reviews and ratings of existing customers. So, it is a no-brainer that the eCommerce industry is overgrowing, intensifying the competition.
Your competitors also use the same digital marketing strategies, targeting almost the exact keywords and offering no room for price comparison. In such situations, you must establish that you are better than your competitors, which is when the need to include social proof in your online marketing strategies comes into the picture.
Here, we will learn how you can leverage social proof to enhance your eCommerce sales.
Let’s begin.
Ways To Leverage Social Proof to Boost eCommerce Sales
Here are a few ways to achieve your desired results with the help of social proof.
Include Social Proof on Your Product Pages
eCommerce sites are full of product pages, and including social proof on each one is the key to persuading potential customers to buy that particular product.
Top London SEO agencies recommend adding social proofs on the product pages to increase customer trust and sales.
Here are a few ways to include social proof on your product pages.
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- Display product rating stars
- Show testimonials, product reviews, and comments from your existing customers.
- Include user-generated content for each product on the eCommerce site
- Display the number of people who have already bought the same product
- Highlight expert reviews recommended by stylists or product awards, if any.
Highlight Social Proof on The Checkout Page
Strategically including the social proof elements throughout your checkout process helps the customers validate their buying decision. It also boosts the confidence of the shoppers in your products and the brand. Additionally, they have built trust in the legitimacy of the business that they will honor the purchase decision and keep their sensitive personal information safe and secure.
Try including logos of your payment partners (PayPal, American Express, MasterCard, Visa, etc.) on the payment page, as it helps build credibility and legitimacy of the transaction.
It’s strategically ideal for placing other social roof elements like awards or certification badges on the checkout page to keep the brand and product trust intact.
Use Social Proof Elements in Your Paid Marketing Campaigns
Including social proof elements in your paid marketing campaigns increases the efficiency and click-through rate of the campaigns. It allows your advertisements to stand out and instantly grab users’ attention. Leveraging social proof in ad copies can persuade potential customers to believe your products are effective and serve the purpose. It results in higher conversion rates.
Strategically using testimonials or product reviews in your ad copies helps you address and resolve any doubts or troubles.
Here are a few ways to include the social proof elements in your ad copies.
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- Rating reviews and stars
- Testimonials from customers
- Number of people who purchased the product
- Celebrity endorsements
- Recommended by stylists
If you are planning to run an ad campaign on Google Adwords, you must fulfill specific requirements to be eligible to display a rating star in your ad copies.
Leverage Social Proof in Your Email Marketing Campaigns
Email marketing campaigns are the ideal opportunity to include your social proof elements to help potential buyers move ahead in their buying journey and make a purchase. One of the excellent ways is to have social proof in the automated emails you send for abandoned carts, which can convert into sales.
Leverage Social Proof On Your Social Media Profiles
Nowadays, buyers prefer to gain knowledge or information about specific products or brands on social media. Therefore, you must include social proof elements on your social media profiles. For instance, a high follower count on your Instagram handle helps build credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of your potential customers.
The comment section of your posts can also work as an excellent social proof as many customers post their experience with a particular product or brand in the comments section. Seeing positive experiences from satisfied customers can create a positive sentiment towards your eCommerce business.
What Are The Various Types of Social Proofs For Your e-commerce Sites?
Here are a few brilliant social proof elements that will help you build credibility and trust for your brand and products in the eyes of your potential buyers.
- Reviews and rating stars on the website
- Testimonials from the customers
- Proof of demand
- External review sites
- Social media discussions
- Influencer endorsements
Conclusion
The nature of buyers across the platforms has not changed, and social proof is the key to cracking the code of buyers’ behavior, compelling them to slide down in the buyer’s journey. Social proof is an element that positively influences your customers and ultimately increases sales. Your primary focus should be on influencing potential customers to buy your products by establishing a brand image & credibility and product legitimacy with the help of social proof.
