What is social proof?
In simple words, social proof refers to the influence of other people’s actions on our behavior. Say, when a large number of people are doing something, we assume that it must be the right. Why? Because we’re more inclined to do something when we see that others have done it before or that it has been performed already so as to conclude its better results.
The use of social proof in the eCommerce market can have different variations to it, from customer testimonials and celebrity endorsements to influencers talking about your brand but not all of us afford that or are willing to do it. But, we should.
Why use social proof in eCommerce?
Now tell me something, wouldn’t you prefer to get yourself a product that has been recommended by so many other people since its good or would you just go along with something that has no reviews at all? But, what’s the reason behind this? It’s simple, you, me or anyone else for that matter would rather choose a product that id more in demand since we know that a lot of other people have already used it and hence there we have an assurance that it somehow will be good. Even if not, that’s how the marketing business works and is all about how the brands promote their products/businesses.
Social proof is also a convenient shortcut for shoppers to decide what product to buy, having to simply look at how others behave. The more people purchasing a product, the more potential shoppers will be encouraged to buy it as well. This is why social proof is a great conversion driver it’s said.
So today, you are in for some treat for I have some really great examples of social proof pop-ups for you to explore to know how you can leverage them boost your sales and conversions without having to spend a fortune.
Types of social proof pop-ups:
1. Testimonials
Testimonials are your product reviews, quotes, or videos, customer testimonials are highly effective and the most common types of social proof. Has it’s own reasons of course:
- Customer reviews add credibility to your online store;
- They let satisfied customers promote your brand on your behalf; and
- They mimic personal recommendations from the people we know.
Social proofs in the form of customer testimonials when used as pop-ups, give a little nudge, inviting users to take action without feeling overwhelmed or pressured into buying.
Product-Based Testimonials
One way to include testimonials in your on-site campaigns is by promoting positive product feedback for other customers to see and decide.
By displaying certain product reviews in your popups like the above, you can remove possible obstacles to buying, and create social proof for that given product.
It answers possible questions in the prospects’ minds, like the following:
- Have others tried this product before?
- Did they like it?
- What does it taste like?
- Is it any good for my skin or my hair?
Make sure to set a timed trigger to provide users some space to read product descriptions, browse product photos, and so on.
Category-Based Testimonials
If you’re a business that deals in an array of products and doesn’t precisely have many reviews for a particular item, you can show a generic campaign that runs on your category pages.
Company Testimonials
If you’re not a multi-product business and simply want to build a positive brand image, you can use it as popups of your company reviews on the website’s homepage instead.
Employee Testimonials
Your employees are “Your” people and they are the best people who can testify about the legitimacy and authenticity of your products. This is because they see first-hand how your products are made and how your online store operates. Always remember, your goal is to make a healthy and happy working environment so that your employees will be your own brand ambassadors. This will help you build trust in your potential shoppers.
2. Bestsellers
Bestsellers sell well for a reason. Or, at least, we think they do. The “bestseller” stamp acts as proof of why that product is the “best”. Well, if a lot of people are buying/using an item, they must have experienced that we haven’t yet.
With customer acquisition costs continuing to rise, you can’t afford to lose a prospect that just landed on your site. Although bestsellers can be extremely convincing for anyone, they’re especially ideal for guiding first-time visitors by giving them something, to begin with.
Whilst you see a lot of online stores helping their customers navigate through new arrivals or selected items, bestsellers, on the other hand, work better than ordinary product lists since they carry a “stamp of approval” from some consumers.
Also, such social proof of bestsellers works great for getting the dazed customers back to your store(they can now read the testimonials and have an assurance). Another great way could be – by adding a product recommendation popup to your 404 pages, you can ease your visitors’ frustration and redirect them to where you actually wanted them to go in the first place rather than causing them frustration to deal with the error pages. It’s ideal for reducing bounce rates and increasing conversions.
3. Combine Social Proof with FOMO
Social proof isn’t the only justification for bestsellers selling more. They also work well because this type of social proof contains the element of scarcity.
Given that the stocks are limited, it also carries the risk of selling out if a product is selling well. As a result, the word “bestseller” helps users make a quicker decision by implying scarcity
Best is to interrupt the customer with an exit intent pop-up where you can warn a visitor who is willing to abandon cart that the product they’re viewing is high-in-demand and, therefore, may sell out anytime soon.
4. Leverage Sold-Out Products
For consumers, coming across a sold-out product page only brings them disappointment; For marketers, however, those pages are like a bull’s eye page! because if a product went out-of-stock, a lot of people must have purchased it. When a visitor lands on a sold-out product page, you need to manage their disappointment by either promising them a back-in-stock notification or guiding them in a new direction.
5. Numbers
It is for a fact- that number strengthens the social proof by displaying claims to support your product and it’s efficiency. For example, As seen in the TVC’s, where nine out of ten dentists recommend a toothpaste brand, we trust it and are more inclined to buy the same.
Whether you want to convince visitors to sign up for your email list or complete their purchase, you can enhance your social proof popups with the power of numbers.
6. Expertise
Admitted! the words of an expert have more influence on us than an ordinary consumer in every case because we believe that experts have more knowledge, simple!
One way to do it is by powerfully demonstrating this kind of social proof in order to build or show your expertise within your field.
7. Media Mentions
Media is the number one priority when we are talking about leading consumer behavior by influence, both online and offline. Getting media coverage for your brand extends your reach. At the same time, it acts as a stamp of approval as well,
Now you might force yourself to think that, for this strategy to work, you need to get featured in large, international publications or you need to be a blogger yourself or a SaaS company. The answer is NO! Needn’t require all the jazz, it works just as fine for eCommerce businesses and in local contexts, too.
8. Celebrity Endorsements
The moment people see that an online store is being promoted or that product is being used by a celebrity, it immediately adds status and reputation to the brand. Well-known celebrities often have a huge social media following so when they mention your brand, this puts you under a spotlight.
Conclusion
The idea is to intensify your social proof. Social proof works definitely like a charm and increases the probability of converting website visitors into subscribers and prospects into customers. Although you will often come across these on web copies, email marketing, and paid ads, marketers still underuse social proof in their on-site messages.
By using one of the strategies above, I guarantee you can instantly magnify your popups with social proof and drive more sales to your online store.
