Social Proof is defined as something that propels an individual who is uncertain about making a decision to give them a psychological push in order to help or make that decision. Social proof is telling the individual that the decision they are going to make is already being taken by other individuals and that has turned out to be a great decision for them.
Social proof was extensively used in the offline business. If you want to increase your customer base, you may ask your existing customer to refer your product or service to a friend or an acquaintance and to also let them know how the existing customer is benefiting because they are using your products or services.
Let us understand a few reasons why social proof works in E Commerce.
Uncertainty is the enemy of ordering
Have you ever visited a website that you found is carrying the product that you have been looking for. Everything looks good and you are fairly convinced that the product that they have on the site will meet your needs. However, there is always a nagging doubt if the product will actually perform as it is shown on the page. You scroll down and then you see that other people have added reviews for it. Now, you can be confident that other users have navigated the same uncertainty, yet they have gone ahead and taken the risk of trying things out.
And that has worked for them. Thus, you move past the psychological barrier of being uncertainty. You can now order, happily knowing that the product has been tested and approved by others.
Celebrity endorsement works
If a popular celebrity endorses a particular product, a lot of fans following them become eager to buy what they are advertising. For example, if a strong sport star promotes a healthy protein drink, fans who are aspirational to reach their levels of fitness, would like to try and buy the protein drink. The advertisement instantly catapults the product to top of their mind.
If you can, consider using a celebrity based on your budget to promote your product. You can put the images or videos of the celebrity endorsement on your website. That way, the user that has come looking for a solution gets instant rewards in his or her brain upon purchasing that product.
Conformation helps with social proof
Every product comes with a level of aspiration. If a large number of people in a social or local setting use a particular product then the pressure on a person who does not use the product increases significantly.
A prime example is rise of new songs. On social media, a song gains some popularity, and it is moved up the chart. Soon because of word of mouth or social media algorithm, the song is moved to the top of the list. Everyone starts talking about it. A person who hasn’t followed the herd, now needs to listen to the song, leading to further increase in popularity.
In E Commerce parlance, if you can use existing trends to your advantage, you may ride on popularity wave. Sales of concert T Shirt of the artist sells like hot cakes, when you create them based on who is more popular or who is going to perform near your users.
Detailed testimonials matter more
A person who buys a product and then writes a detailed testimonial of what works and what doesn’t is a far valuable asset than the one who just leaves a rating (which is also good, but it doesn’t have the same impact). These people actually make effort to craft a review and add images or videos of them using the product.
A person who writes detailed review may not always leave positive reviews, but it still helps to improve your product. A well-crafted reply to a detailed reviews leaves a visitor with a good impression about your business.
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