If you’re searching for social proof examples to learn from and boost your sales conversions, you’re in the right place. As a business owner, your main goal is to create products that meet your customers' needs.
But what happens when you have a great product but you’re not making enough sales?
What you can do is turn to social proof to convert your warm leads into loyal and long-term customers.
So, how can you use social proof to your advantage?
I have rounded up 11 social proof examples you can use for inspiration.
But first, let’s start by understanding what exactly social proof is and how it can help you.
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where one person’s decision is based on another person's opinion.
Not surprisingly, research shows that 9 out of 10 customers read online reviews before purchasing a product.
Why?
If someone else had a great experience with your products or services, prospective customers would conclude that they would also have a similar experience.
So, how can your business benefit from social proof?
By showing potential clients that their peers love your product, you can:
Before we start our list of social proof examples, I want to clarify something important for you: social proof doesn’t just come from online review sites.
It can also come from:
Now, let’s take a look at the examples under each category.
Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) uses the psychological fact that customers don’t like missing out on a good opportunity.
Here are some social proof examples where brands use FOMO alerts to boost conversions.
Image via Forever 21
Forever 21 offers customers an amazing deal of 25% off everything for only 22 hours.
The countdown timer creates FOMO since many customers fear missing out on the chance to buy their favorite items at a discounted rate.
This encourages them to hurry up and shop before the time runs out.
Image via Booking.com
Our second social proof example is how Booking.com creates a sense of scarcity by mentioning how many rooms are available for booking.
In the image above, the website shows that only 2 rooms are remaining that are within a customer’s budget. This tells a customer that if they don’t hurry and book one of the 2 rooms, they’ll miss out.
This motivates them to take action instead of second-guessing their decision.
You can also use FOMO alerts as social proof for your business. Start by investing in a social proof tool like Fomo. This is a software solution that you can install on your website to send notifications to your site visitors.
Pro Tip: Encourage your customers to make faster buying decisions by using limited-time offers to create a sense of urgency.
Your customer testimonials influence a prospect’s final decision more than anything you could say. Here are some social proof examples of brands using customer testimonials to their advantage.
Image via MeUndies
The underwear brand MeUndies uses client testimonials and user-generated content on its homepage.
These testimonials convince website visitors of the brand’s credibility and encourage them to buy its products.
As if that’s not enough.
It offers loyal customers a free product in exchange for their honest reviews. These reviews are labeled with a special badge to distinguish them from the rest of the customers. This is a great strategy to boost customer retention.
Image via Krave Beauty
Another great social proof example is how Krave Beauty shows its customers’ pictures before and after using the brand’s products.
These pictures are displayed on the website with in-depth reviews from customers.
It proves to website visitors and potential customers that the brand’s products are effective and they can trust the brand.
Image via Real Estate Skills
Real Estate Skills uses video testimonials as social proof for its business.
The testimonials act like promo videos from happy customers who enrolled in the company’s program and closed a real estate deal.
In these short videos, the customers share their experiences, their biggest wins, and a company review.
It provides necessary social proof to website visitors of how effective the programs are. It also shows them that if they sign up, they, too, could flip houses.
Research shows that 81% of people consider buying a product after seeing a personal recommendation from an influencer. Let’s look at social proof examples that prove that partnering with influencers to create social media content is great for business.
Image via Instagram
The jewelry brand Indie and Harper often partners with Instagram influencers to promote its product collections.
It recently partnered with macro influencer Brielle O’Neill to endorse its products.
Through the partnership, Indie and Harper shared an Instagram post of Brielle wearing its bracelet and necklace. This exposed the brand to Brielle’s 140k social media followers.
Image via Instagram
Here’s an example of Louis Vuitton using celebrity endorsement as social proof to promote a bag in its collection.
Through the collaboration, the brand was able to reach Lebron’s over 150 million followers.
If you want to partner with social media influencers, start by using influencer marketing tools to find digital creators in your industry.
Then, you can negotiate terms and pay the influencer to endorse your brand to provide social proof to prospective customers.
Here are some social proof examples of how different brands use expert recommendations to boost sales.
Image via Facebook
Colgate partners with industry experts like dentists to endorse its toothpaste.
In the image above, the brand partnered with a cosmetic and family dentist who recommends the brand.
Image via Fitbit
Smartwatch company Fitbit has an expert program that current users can enroll in to answer customers’ questions.
In return, the experts earn special badges and Google perks.
The brand also displays what tech experts say about its products on its website. This increases the brand’s credibility and drives more sales conversions.
In business, there’s nothing like showing off and certifications and awards can help you do that. Here are some examples of how brands use these as social proof.
Image via Smile Brilliant
Smile Brilliant displays its Google Trusted Store verification on its homepage. This certificate from Google is given to businesses that offer customers a great shopping experience.
It acts as both a social proof strategy and a stamp of approval for the brand. It helps prospective customers trust the brand and buy from it without hesitation.
Image via Nature Made
Nature Made, a popular gummy and vitamin brand, shows its USP verification on its social media posters to market its gummies.
The verification proves to current and potential clients that the products are of high quality, without the brand needing to say it outright.
Q1. What Is the impact of social proof on businesses?
A. Social proof can help you increase your conversion rate and boost sales. By showing potential customers that other people love your product, you can boost your brand’s credibility. This makes it easier for them to trust and buy from your company.
Q2. How do you use social proof effectively?
A. Start by showcasing your customer testimonials on your landing pages or website’s homepage. Then, use a social proof software solution to create FOMO and display notifications when people purchase your product. Lastly, consider working with influencers to recommend your products to your target audience.
Q3. Which businesses benefit from social proof?
A. Any business can benefit from social proof. For example, health brands can use expert recommendations and certifications as social proof. On the other hand, beauty brands can focus on client testimonials and influencer recommendations.
Q4. Are there any rules I should follow when using social proof?
A. Yes, the first rule is don’t try and trick your potential customers by editing your customers' testimonials. Also, get customers’ consent before using their real names and displaying their pictures on your website. Lastly, ensure that the social proof you use is relevant to your product.
Q5. How do I know if my social proof is working?
A. To ensure your social proof is working, track performance metrics. For example, if you’re working with an influencer, give them a special code to use when they’re advertising your product. Then, check the number of sales made using the code.
Learn from these 11 social proof examples and build trust and credibility for your business. Replicating these examples will help you convert potential customers into paying clients and, eventually, loyal customers.
Also, check out this Fomo Review and learn about the social proof software that you can use to create FOMO alerts for your website.
Need further help using these social proof examples to your advantage? Leave comments and we’ll get back to you.
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