Building an online store must take into account not only technical parameters related to UX. Psychological aspects are also insanely important, the knowledge of which will allow you to present products to customers in a way that is convincing and effective. Ideas for hooking and gaining the customer’s attention are many, today I’m covering the topic of convincing the customer to buy right in your store. I will suggest how to do it, using social proof. Social proof in e-commerce is a powerful tool worth mastering.
Social proof, or what?
Social proof, or social proof, is one of the most effective psychological tools used in sales. It assumes that customers make purchases influenced by the opinions and behavior of other users of a product or service. The effectiveness of social proof is undeniable. Nowadays, with the prosperity of many social channels and feedback platforms, social proof can be a sales driver or a nail in the coffin of business.
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Elements that build social proof of online stores
As main factors influencing social proof in e-commers The following are given: customer reviews, seals or badges of trust, testimonials, user-generated materials – customers (e.g. photos and videos published on social media), case studies, media mentions, figures showing sales achievements and more, social media activity and interactions with customers or already users of products. We could probably list for a long time, especially since we currently have a plethora of channels for the circulation of information and opinions. All the more reason for me to believe that every activity and industry will find a space for itself and a way to provide unique social proof. Here are suggestions for using social proof building blocks that you can use in your online store to gain higher conversions there.
On the home page:
- general customer reviews about the store or reviews with product specifics and a link to the product itself
- general store ratings from reliable review sites (such as Opineo)
- certificates, badges of trust and awards won by the store
- logos of well-known brands that are on sale
- logos of websites, social networks, blogs that expose a particular brand or product
- user-generated photos, such as from Instagram
Examples in practice:
On the product page:
- logos of websites, social networks, blogs that expose a particular brand or product
- customer reviews exposed with review title, customer photos, star rating, verified buyer
- customer reviews visually stand out from the rest of the content
- photos of users using the product
- filtering user ratings, e.g., by the number of stars
- video testimonials
- number of observers on social networks
- The number of customers who bought this product over some period of time (month, year, etc.).
Examples in practice:
Social proof in e-commerce – summary
I don’t think anyone needs proof anymore that social proof has tremendous power. Every entrepreneur, especially those in e-commerce, should seriously consider how to harness this power. It’s up to you whether it will contribute to customers and conversions, or the opposite. If necessary – get professional help in optimizing e-commerce conversions.
