Building trust with potential customers is a must to ensure success for your business.
But it can feel like a huge challenge!
Studies show 87% of businesses think consumers have a high level of trust in their businesses. In reality, only 30% of consumers say they do!
In this situation, social proof is like a trust builder for the businesses. You can show your business's real experiences and credibility and turn your potential customers into actual buyers.
So, what are the social proof examples that help you to enhance trust and increase conversion? Let’s get to know 10 powerful ones to grow your business. Keep reading!
What Is Social Proof? A Quick Overview!
Social proof is actually a psychological and social concept that people tend to follow in their decision-making.
It influences how they act depending on the expectations and social norms. If we put it all simply, people trust what the other recommends or approves!
In layman's terms…
And now in the context of marketing, social proofs shows how popular the brand is or how much trusted they are among the customers. It reassures the potential customers, showing that others have already chosen your brand and they benefited.
So, when it is done right away, you can take it as a shortcut way to earn trust and enhance sales of your brand or business!
Why Social Proof Matters For Businesses?
Now, let’s try to tackle the question of why social proof is so important to enhance trust in your business. It will help you to understand just how well the social proofs work.
Let’s know why social proof matters for businesses:
1. Social Proof Improves The Confidence Of The Customers
When the customers see others engaging with your brand and buying your products, it enhances their trust.
That’s especially true for the new buyers. They feel more confident in their decision by going through the testimonials, reviews, and ratings on the business website.
Moreover, surprisingly enough, about 83% of Americans say they decide to purchase a product or service just by a recommendation from their friend and family.
Your potential customers get to know they are not the first ones to try your product or service. Ultimately, it makes them feel safer in their purchasing decision.
2. Customers Care More About The Social Proof
That’s true branded content is essential to build the identity of the brand. But it is also a fact that your customers often trust more the experience of the other buyers than your marketing messages.
Bazaarvoice’s 2023 report on Shopper Experience shows that 78% of customers report feeling more confident in their purchasing decision just by seeing the user-generated content.
3. Social Proof Directly Leads To More Sales
And finally, the most notable benefit of social proof is that it helps your business to win more sales and enhance revenues.
Businesses are likely to see a 67% higher eCommerce conversion rate with customer reviews on their website comparing those websites that don’t use it.
So, that’s obvious, how important it is to make the social proofs a priority for your business marketing strategy!
10 Powerful Social Proof Examples To Boost Trust In Your Business
When you want to use the power of social proof effectively, you need to understand the ways. They can help you to increase customer confidence and enhance the conversions of your business that you are looking for.
So, what are the social proof examples proven too powerful to enhance trust and credibility for any business? Let’s check out the most crucial 10 examples below.
1. Online Reviews And Ratings
You know customer reviews are the most common and most effective social proofs to enhance the trust of any business.
Research shows that about 89% of users go through online reviews before making a purchase. That’s not all! Customers for about 93% have made buying decision just based on the online reviews. That means positive customer reviews are the main point to increase trust and sales for your business.
Moreover, getting reviews for your business is not a very hard task. Just ask your happy customers to share their experience on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Capterra.
77% of users are likely to leave a review for your business if they are asked! You can also ask for the reviews via text messages. It can also work out well.
Pro tip: Never focus on your business reviews on one site only. Most of the customers go through the 2 or 3 sites to check reviews before purchasing. So, you should encourage your customers to leave their feedback on more than one platform.
Example: EzyCourse
EzyCourse has done a great job of showing the customer review rating on their site. They have successfully shown the reviews and ratings also in different platforms like Trustpilot, Capterra, Appsumo, and G2. It helps to build trust and credibility among potential customers with a huge number of positive reviews.
2. Customer Testimonials
It totally makes sense, we trust the recommendation from our friends and family. However, it is also quite surprising that 70% of users trust recommendations even from people they don’t know.
Humans tend to trust others and that is why customer testimonials are a powerful social proof. This social proof gives your potential customers a reason to stay around with your business.
You will notice, if you search, that most of the successful companies show customer testimonials prominently on their websites. It helps them to build trust among potential customers.
Example: Zendesk
Zendesk can be a good example of this social proof. When you just scroll down halfway to their landing page, you can see three historicals from their happy clients.
Moreover, that's so smart of Zendesk that it uses pictures of the customers with theirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred to those which has only text!
3. Influencer Endorsements
We are living in the digital age, and social media has just become the bread and butter to make a brand or business success.
And here, among the new marketing trends, social media influencer marketing has become an important one. According to 89% of marketers, influencer marketing is the most effective.
No wonder influencers can make a great difference to your brand. Their influence can help to introduce your business to new people and enhance your reach.
People are more likely to follow the influencers because they like to see what they are using and what tips they are sharing. Influencer marketing is more personal.
It can be a big win for you if you can get your business shared by an influencer. However, it is highly unlikely that you will be able to have your favorite celebrity endorse your brand. But that also has a solution!
You know there are mainly two types of influencers.
Micro-influencers and
Macro influencers
A micro-influencer may have fewer followers. Still, they often have more loyal audiences and higher engagement rates. Moreover, they tend to have more niches. That means that their promotion can feel more genuine.
It can better target your brand than the influencers with a huge follower base but more generic followers. Research says micro-influencers have convinced 45% of their followers to try their recommended product or service. Isn’t it amazing?
Example: Joybird and Chrissa Sparkles
Joybird collaborated with the content creator Chrissa Sparkles for their Barbie Dreamhouse furniture collection promotion. Chrissa created the content at the Joybird’s showroom.
A notable thing is that Chrissa is the perfect choice for the collaboration because she has the same qualities as a Barbie. People can feel more authentic and organic as Chrissa's style perfectly matches the value of the brand.
The result? A great success!
4. User Generated Content
You can say user-generated content is like the customer reviews with extra power. Just think about it. Will you trust a product or service that has five-star ratings on Amazon or the one your friend can’t stop praising on social media?
Of course, both option sounds good but you will feel more trusted with the service or product your friend recommends, right?
That’s because user-generated content, like in real social media posts, feels more authentic. The logic behind it is simple: people are not likely to share something if they don’t truly love it!
So, you should encourage your customers to USG with incentives like giving them discounts or offers to repost their images on social media.
Here are some user-generated content ideas that you can try out for your business.
Styled photos
Encourage your customers to share visually appealing photos of your service or products. For example, if you are a restaurant owner, you can repost the beautifully styled food shots of your customers on Instagram. It will make your brand look more real and enhance trust.
Action shots
You can also show how your product works out in everyday life. For example, tech companies. You can highlight the photos of the users and how they are solving their real-life problems with your software. It will allow you to show the practical value of your service or products to your potential customers.
Unboxing videos
It is a great idea for selling products. You can share the unboxing experience of your customers to highlight your product quality.
It will likely create excitement and curiosity for your potential customers. Moreover, this type of USG is on trend now!
Example: GoPro
GoPro is a great example of using user-generated content as social proof. They encourage the customers to share videos and photos taken by their cameras. These types of content enhance the capabilities of the GoPro products and also increase trust among potential users.
5. Case Studies And Success Stories
Another effective social proof example to enhance trust in your business is to show case studies and success stories. They offer a detailed look at the real-life story of someone who has already used your products and loved them.
Case studies and success stories can immediately connect your potential customers with your products and services. It will also show them what benefit they can bring by interacting with your brand.
So, you can also try out this social proof idea to enhance the trust of your business. In this way, choose the customer who has the best experience to represent the value proposition of your brand.
Interview the customers and gather the detailed information. You can present the stories in written and video form. Keep in mind to clearly show the outline of the problem, solution, and results from the customer's insights and quotes.
Example: EzyCourse
EzyCourse effectively shows how its platform has helped real customers by sharing success stories. When you scroll down through their website, you can see how the EzyCourse has made it easier for schools and teachers to manage courses.
These stories build trust and show others how EzyCourse is a great platform to ensure success in educational management.
6. Video Testimonials
Video is becoming the most popular way to share information these days and a very important tool for your marketing strategy.
No wonder, it works just as perfectly as social proof! When a customer has a great experience with your business, you can ask them to share their positive experience in a video.
You can use these video testimonials on your website or social media. It is a powerful social proof because it lets your potential customer hear directly from the real person who recommends your business.
There is one more great benefit of video testimonials for your business. Effective video marketing increases the dwell time on your business website. Even the 87% of marketers say so!
It means when people spend more time on your website, they will learn more about your genuine products and services which can increase trust. This trust will lead to higher conversion rates.
Example: EzyCourse
Ezycourse effectively uses video testimonials as social proof, showing happy customer experiences. These videos show user talking about how this platform helped them in their courses.
EzyCourse posts these video testimonials on their website and social media to show their potential customers that others have great experiences. It makes the user feel more confident about the platform and choose it over its competitors.
7. Social Proof Widgets
As you see, social proof is more likely a psychological phenomenon. People tend to be heavily influenced by the actions and opinions of others. Here social proof widgets target to replicate this behavior with the real-time display of user activity and feedback for website and marketing campaigns.
You can also consider using the social proof widgets for your e-commerce site. It can help you to build trust, and enhance the reach of your brand. The goal of this social proof is to trigger the ‘Fear Of Missing Out’ on persuading and turning into customers.
Imagine about it.
Someone is visiting your website and seeing others are signing up, making purchases, and leaving great reviews. They are likely to think, ‘Am I missing out? All those people are doing it, maybe I should too.’
It is a crazily powerful trigger rooted in our natural tendency to follow the crowd. So, you see, if you are not using the power of social proof widgets, maybe you are missing out on your potential customers!
Here is a quick overview of the social media widgets you can consider.
Live visitor count
Testimonial or review widgets
Real-time signup notifications
YouTube subscriber count
Sales popup notifications
Example: Amazon
Amazon uses a social proof widget in the form of the ‘Customers Who Bought This Also Bought’ feature. It shows the items that are mostly purchased and also items the customers a visitor is looking at.
Ultimately, the widget shows the popularity of the item and encourages more sales. Amazon says that its recommendation engine is responsible for 35% of its revenues.
8. Expert Endorsement And Media Mentions
Endorsement from industry experts and reputable media is a great way to add credibility to your product.
When a business expert or media mentions your business, it helps to enhance trust. That is especially beneficial for the products or services requiring a high level of trust. For instance, health products and financial services.
According to Edelman's Trust Barometer, about 63% of customers trust industry experts and journalists from credible sources.
Moreover, media mentions offer third-party validation. It helps to establish your brand as trusted and dependable in the eyes of your potential customers. You can even use tactics in this regard like limited-time promotions.
These types of actions create a sense of urgency for your potential customers. It will encourage the customers to make an immediate purchase.
You will need to provide insights or you have to work together on the content that relates to your business to get the expert endorsement.
Example: Slack
Slack has gained benefits from media mentions in The New York Times and Forbes. It enhances the authority of the company and trust. This type of endorsement attracts new users and also increases the value to its existing customers.
9. Awards And Credentials
Awards and credentials are a great way to show that others trust your brand. They send the signals to your potential customers that the experts have recognized your business.
You can display any type of awards and credentials on your website or social media. These are like the ‘official’ forms of social proof and are able to build trust among your customers quickly. The reason? Awards and credentials work to prove the legitimacy of your business.
Let’s say you are searching platform to build an online course and see a badge ‘#1-course builder for educators in 2024’. It will ultimately seed a sense of trust in the platform.
These types of proofs show the business meets the standard and is best among the competitors. So, of course, your customers are more likely to choose your business trusted by the leaders, not the unknown one. Awards and credentials make the decision of the users much easier.
Try to include your awards and credentials in these places.
On top of your homepage
On your landing page
On the footer of your website
A separate awards page
Example: EzyCourse
EzyCourse has done an excellent job of using the awards and certification as social proof. You can notice an addition of social proof as you scroll down through their landing page.
This strategy highlights the authority and reputation of the platform. Ultimately, it can make the potential customers feel more confident and choose them over others.
10. Social Media Followings And Engagement
It’s no wonder or deny that social media platforms have become the most effective and best platform for brand endorsement. When more people like and follow your page, your brand’s popularity surges!
Moreover, a high level of user engagement like comments, shares, and retweets signifies widespread interest and enhances the overall brand awareness.
That’s why you should aim to increase your following and engagement to utilize social media in favor of enhancing trust. Share regular and high-quality content that matches your target audience and encourages their interactions.
You can also try out some strategies that can work out for you. Like contests, giveaways, or user-generated content campaigns. It’ll encourage participation.
One more important thing in this regard.
You should respond quickly to the comments and join discussions to create a strong sense of community. Research says that to almost 51% of people, memorable brands on social media are those who just do one simple thing: Quick Respond!
Example: Starbucks
You can take Starbucks as an example. Starbucks has enhanced visibility and trust with a huge follower base. Moreover, it also helps to drive the engagement of the brand. Their regular posts match their target audience and they effectively engage the users with interactive campaigns like contests and seasonal promotions.
Beware Of Negative Social Proof!
You have already seen the power of social proof in enhancing trust in your business and the proven examples. Now it’s time to flag out the dangers of negative social proofs.
Below are some examples of negative social proofs you should know about too.
1. Not Showing Enough Social Proof
You will potentially run into the risk of a negative impact on your brand with too few or not enough social proofs. You know social proof works out when your potential customers feel like they are following the majority.
So, try to publicize enough reviews. Moreover, you should hold off on those social proofs that have mixed feedback as long as you have enough others to work on.
2. Showing Too Much Social Proof
Just as showing too little, showing too much social proof can also negatively impact your business sales.
The reason is simple!
No one will surely like to feel bombarded with too much content. You may put off your potential customers with more than enough social proof. So, a balance is a must to get the best results!
3. Social Proofs That Do Not Match Your Business
If the social proofs for your business feel unauthentic or do not match your brand, it can even backfire. You’ve to be especially careful in this matter in influencer marketing.
You should choose influencers whom your potential customers trust with. The influencers who endorse the new product every day may bring less sales and ROI to your business.
4. Using Negative Phrases
It’s one of the classic mistakes in social proof- using negative phrases. For example, if a review says, ‘The product or service isn’t as bad as I expected.’
It may sound unimpressive and your potential customers may feel doubtful about your service. That’s why only focus on positive and impressive feedback.
Measuring The Impact Of Social Proof On Brands Trusts And Sales
Let’s say you have successfully used the social proofs for your business and flagged out all the potential dangers. Now it’s essential to see its impact on your business and improvement.
i) So, first have clear goals and track the number that shows how the social proof is working. It can be the reviews of the customers, ratings, testimonials, or shares on social media.
Define these metrics and track them. Ultimately, analyze those metrics and look for ways for improvement.
ii) You should focus on both the quality and quantity of the feedback. Positive reviews, detailed experiences, and influencer endorsement will carry more weight to enhance trust and reliability.
iii) Pay attention to the engagement metrics. Check how often your customers are seeing your testimonials and click on USG.
It will help you to understand how well the social proof is working.
iv) And finally, also check the conversion rates before and after using the social proof strategies. If you see your sales are increasing, that means your social proof strategy is helping to build trust.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
Here are the quick answers to some queries that are mostly asked by people about social proof to enhance trust in their business. So, read to know more.
Which of the following is the best example of social proof online?
Customer reviews- it is the best example of social proof example online. It is the bread and butter of your business. That’s because it allows the unaware customers to know about your business through the feedback of the others who have interacted with your business.
How can I use customer testimonials effectively?
You should first focus on authenticity and choose the customer testimonials that match your target audience. Moreover, those testimonials should highlight the specific benefits and clearly the results your customers have achieved.
Which types of social proof work best for small businesses?
Customer reviews and customer testimonials can work best for small businesses. They build trust and credibility for your small business by showing genuine experience. Thus it assists your potential customers to feel more confident about your service.
How can I collect user-generated content for my brand?
You can ask for feedback from your users to collect user-generated content for your brand. Moreover, a unique hashtag and a contest on social media can also work out for you in this regard.
How do I showcase awards and certifications to build trust?
You can display awards and certifications of your business on your homepage or throughout your website. It will show the visitors your customers have a positive experience with your business and will build trust.
Final Words: Building Trust Through Social Proofs!
Well, after all that detailed discussion, no doubt left how powerful a tool social proof is in building trust and credibility. All you just need to show real experiences via customer reviews, testimonials, and so on.
You can create a sense of reliability and confidence using any form of the social proof mentioned above. People trust others, and you have to take full advantage of it with positive feedback. So, include social proof in your marketing strategy and enjoy more sales and success!
