Social proof comes from the world of psychology. In simple terms, social proof relates to how humans tend to look at other people and copy their norms and behaviours. If someone isn’t certain on how they should behave or act in a new situation, they will copy those around them.  

For example, you may copy the way other people dance when you first step foot on a dancefloor as an awkward teenager. Or you may glance around to see what knife and fork your fellow diners are using upon your first visit to a fancy restaurant with multiple knives and forks on the table.  

Social proof can even be carried out to the extreme. If someone is in need of help but those around them don’t offer it, then you may also not offer to help that person – otherwise called the bystander effect. But it’s also prevalent in business and the selling of products and services.

How social proof relates to selling products or services

Let’s imagine you want to buy a new dining room table. You’ve been searching your options online and have found three tables that you really like. Table A has more than 100 online reviews with a 4.9-star rating. Table B has 50 online reviews with a 2.5-star rating, while Table C hasn’t received any online reviews to date.  

Which one would you buy?  

Even if you have a slight preference for Table C, you’re statistically more likely to purchase Table A because it has been purchased by at least 500 satisfied customers. This is social proof in action in the eCommerce space. We also try to copy other people when considering the products and services we wish to purchase and this can be utilised as a seller or service provider through social proofing your website and wider online presence.  

Ways to provide social proof on your website

You can’t guarantee all your products and services will have more positive reviews than your competitors’. But you can social proof your website in other ways to encourage leads to get in touch or make a purchase.  

Some of the best ways to social proof a website are:

•    Republish reviews on your website
•    Create a video interviewing your clients about their experience
•    Create links and feeds to your social media accounts
•    Highlight your experience and expertise on staff pages
•    Tell people about how many clients you help
•    Publish case studies that prospective clients can read about

WEBPRO can enhance existing client websites with improved social proofing to encourage more website conversions. Learn more by getting in touch!  

How else can social proof grow your business?

Another important area to social proof your business is on your Business Profile page via Google My Business. This is the Business Profile that appears on Google results when people search online for services nearby. These profiles even have a space for reviews with an overall review rating, making them important for any business that wants to win at social proofing.  

You can’t force people to leave positive reviews but you can encourage people to do so and also respond to any negative ways in a professional manner. Sometimes it’s the way you respond to negative reviews that makes people get in touch.  

WEBPRO’s social proofing services

WEBPRO provides an array of services to help existing clients attract more leads and grow their businesses. We can specifically assist with social proofing your website in an ethical way that supercharges prospective sales. Contact our team to discuss your website and online options, today!  

Recap: Social proof is a psychological understanding that humans typically copy other humans, especially their behaviours. This can be seen to play out in marketing and the buying of goods and services. Consumers often seek out the products and services that others have also chosen, often determined by the volume of positive reviews. There are ways to align your website with social proofing to encourage more website conversions, such as publishing reviews, creating case study pages, promoting client stories through video and much more.  

WEBPRO Knows

More than 99% of online consumers will read reviews before making a purchase which reinforces the social proofing concept in marketing.