5 forms of social proof your online store should embrace
The term ‘social proof’ was coined by psychologist Robert Cialdini in 1984, and refers to the concept that people who are uncertain what to do look to the crowd for cues.
If you are seeking to enhance your online store’s success by harnessing the power of social proof, here are example forms of it you ought to particularly consider.
Certifications and badges
Perhaps your business has recently won awards, or is accredited by a nationally respected organisation? Whatever certifications, memberships and accolades your brand has recently earned, mention the most prestigious of these in each webpage’s footer and the rest on a dedicated page.
Press coverage
Another good thing about winning awards is that local news outlets could let people know when it happens. However, there are other situations where your company could be hailed by the local press — for example, if a journalist reports having had a good experience with your store.
Your website’s ‘About’ page could be a good place for you to spotlight press pieces — such as in online magazines or on social media — where your business has garnered plaudits.
Sales figures
On the listings pages of especially popular products, you could specify how many units have been sold. No, you don’t necessarily need the exact number — a ‘sold more than’ count can more than suffice for spurring purchases from people who want to see what all the fuss is about.
Subscriber, follower, and share counts
If your online store has built up a large following on social media, there’s nothing wrong with indicating this in a prominent spot on the website. On each product page, you could also indicate how many times the page — and thus the product — has been ‘shared’ on social media.
However, if the number of subscribers, followers and shares isn’t actually that high, you should omit to mention it on the site lest you inadvertently put people off making purchases.
Contact us to benefit further from our e-commerce expertise
Of course, no matter how much social proof you load your website with, the online store could struggle to convert visitors into customers if it remains cumbersome to use.
This is why we would be delighted to help you enhance your online store through various means — including providing attractive designs for its homepage, product lists and product details.
Please contact our ecommerce experts for a deeper insight into what we offer, which also encompasses such areas of expertise as the best search engine optimisation, graphic design, and custom software development services in Gibraltar, the UK, and Spain.
Testimonials
You likely already have some of these on your online store’s homepage. However, have you thought about putting some on product pages as well?
If a customer gets in touch with you to enthuse about their experiences with a specific item they have bought from the store, you could request the customer’s permission for you to post their comments on your corporate website.
