Recommendations and affirmations are an integral part of everything, be it life-changing decisions or buying an outfit. If you were asked, how many products have you bought because they had impressive reviews and outstanding ratings, what would you say? Almost everything, right? This is exactly where social proof comes into the picture and takes businesses a step closer to their conversion goals.
The current customers are so well equipped with knowledge and resources that they no longer visit websites and simply buy stuff. Instead, they research, compare, learn from others’ experiences and then make a buying decision. This is precisely where social proof gives the businesses its due leverage and empowers them to boost their conversions.
The best way to close the gap between business goals and sales is to stitch it together with trust. More than what the business or brand says about itself, customers trust what people like them have to say. This includes feedback, experiences, and recommendations. If you really want to boost your conversions, let people give social proof for your business.
Let’s dig deeper to understand this unique strategy and take a look at the 4 ways to use social proof to boost website conversions on social media:
#1. Showcase your customers on social media
With 1.6 billion users connected with businesses via Facebook and over a billion users each on WhatsApp, Instagram, WeChat and Messenger, there’s no way you would be willing to miss out on displaying your client list on social media platforms. Revealing your customers on social media allows your customers to trust your business and brings them two steps closer to conversion. The message is conveyed loud and clear to the customers that your business offerings are credible enough to be trusted by the big names. Nextiva’s tweet is the best example of showcasing your customers along with their feedback.
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#2. Highlight the testimonials in your content strategy
Bringing organic customer testimonials to the limelight can fetch more potential customers than expected. When businesses add testimonials in their content strategy, they create a platform for their customers to interact, educate, trust, and relate to the offerings of the business. Testimonials act as a sure shot social proof to give the potential buyers confidence and the necessary boost to buy the products. It’s certainly a huge bonus to help you build a brand presence that spells authority and authenticity.
A tip – Testimonials that are longer can be placed on the products or services page. You can use excerpts from the testimonials on the homepage and landing pages. Social proof can also be included in case studies and blog posts.
#3. Showcase customer testimonials and product reviews
It takes a lot to be the first one, but it gets more comfortable when you know others have done it before you. As majority of the customers count on the reviews for their final buying decision, which is definitely the reason why you shouldn’t be missing out on gathering the desired testimonials and reviews to showcase them on your website and social media pages. You can place them in the form of 2-3 liners, star ratings, video testimonials, text, and images. These social proofs give the customers much-needed affirmations that they are trusting the right kind of brand/company. This also adds to the user-generated content and enhances the brand quality.
For example, Nextiva, a VOIP service provider for small businesses has an entire page devoted to reviews curated from websites where their users have shared their testimonials.
#4. Media mentions
Any media acknowledgments, press releases, recognitions should not go unnoticed by your customers. When your business is featured on a credible publication, it gives you a chance to build a narrative around it, connect with your customers, thank them, and make them feel valued. Not to forget, this also helps you establish with a better authority that your business is a notch ahead of the rest.
Customers are always more inclined towards a name that is well-recognized than someone who has no existence beyond their own webpage. You can also use media mentions as a part of your social media and email marketing strategy to build brand value. The perfect blend of catchy graphics and captions help Wrike, a project management tool get the attention of the customers to its achievements and recognition:
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To boost conversions via social proof, it is essential to understand the placement and prioritization of the content. Reviews perform better when placed directly under the product, popular media coverage serves its purpose on the first fold and excerpts from the case studies hit the spot better on the landing page.
Besides having your social proof data and strategies in place, it is equally essential to be well prepared for the situations when negative feedback and complaints hit the first show. Keep trying a combination of different social proofs and analyze when your business gets the maximum boost to increase your conversions. Success is all about being well-versed with the dynamic nature of the business and being prepared for all situations.
Priyanka Desai is the CEO and founder of iScribblers, a content marketing agency for digital marketing, SaaS and technology companies.
Conversions stock photo by Olivier Le Moal/Shutterstock
