Boosting Your Sales with Social Proof Strategies

Imagine you’re hungry and looking for a place to eat. You start to consider the options. There’s the new restaurant that food critics have been raving about. There’s also the spot down the street that always has a line out the door. Maybe you could try the place that friends have been recommending. Or you could always do a quick Google search to find top-rated eats nearby. This is social proof in action.

We’re naturally drawn to what is new, popular, and being talked about. This makes social proof a powerful marketing tool that can build brand awareness, increase credibility, and most importantly, boost sales. In this article, we’ll cover what social proof is and provide examples of how brands have used it as part of their overall marketing strategy.

What is Social Proof Marketing?

Social proof is the concept of following the crowd—if everyone is doing it, we should too. Social proof marketing leverages this idea by using the experiences of others to influence customers—if everyone thinks it’s great, then it must be great. It’s becoming increasingly prevalent, especially online.

Customers can now be influenced far beyond their immediate social circle, and this influence comes in several different forms. It’s in blogs featuring must-buy products, likes and shares showing what trends are now in, and product reviews giving an honest look into the customer experience.

It’s also pretty powerful. One study found that 87% of buying decisions begin with research conducted online before the purchase is made.

Below we’ll cover the different types of social proof, with examples of how other brands have used it as part of their marketing strategy.

Customer Reviews

With 97% of consumers saying online reviews impact their purchasing decisions, customer reviews are arguably one of the most powerful forms of social proof. Customer reviews can be featured on your homepage and in advertisements. Including reviews on specific product pages adds to the overall customer experience and can help encourage customers who are hesitant to buy.

Additionally, use third-party review sites like Google, Yelp, and TrustPilot. These sites often appear in the top search engine results, so this can help build brand awareness and add more credibility to your brand.

For example, the beauty brand Glossier uses customer reviews throughout the buying process. In advertisements, they use ratings and reviews from customers as part of the ad copy. With verbiage such as “5-Star” and quotes from submitted customer reviews, they even sometimes use these customer reviews quotes in subject lines for email marketing. On their website, they have a specific menu category for top-rated products from customers. The brand also features customer reviews on each product page, providing an authentic testament to their quality.

Testimonials

Much like reviews, testimonials are another way to use the customer’s voice for social proof. However, testimonials differ as they are more of an endorsement rather than feedback. They are typically gathered and curated by the brand itself—such as working with loyal customers who will say something positive.

Use customer testimonials on your homepage and in marketing campaigns. Add the customer’s photo and logo alongside their testimonial. It’s best to feature more well-known, recognizable brands if possible.

For example, the skincare brand Drunk Elephant has focused its marketing on the overall customer experience, emphasizing their quality and customer satisfaction. To convey this, Drunk Elephant’s website features customer testimonials with videos. Video testimonials can be especially effective because you get to hear the customer experience in the customer’s own words. It makes testimonials more authentic and, as a result, more trusted by other customers.

Case Studies

Case studies are a great way to show your product or service in action. Being more in-depth and formal, case studies provide real-life examples of how others have used your product or service and benefited from it. From this, customers can see ways they can benefit too. Case studies are particularly useful for B2B brands, as they give a deeper analysis of applicable solutions and potential ROI.

For example, Mailchimp features case studies from a wide range of customers, including new startups to big-name brands like TED, Vimeo, and Fader. The case studies section is titled “Customer Stories,” and covers how each of these brands used their software, including interviews with the brands themselves and key growth figures.

Customer Base

Another way to use social proof through customers is by featuring any popular brands that use your product or service. This can be done by adding a section to your homepage with your customer’s logos. For this strategy to be effective, be sure to feature brands that your customers are likely to recognize.

For example, the email marketing software company Mailgun features its customer base prominently on its homepage, even before many users need to scroll through. This makes sense, as their customer base includes household names like Lyft, Shopify, and GitHub. This section of their page includes text saying “Trusted by some of the world’s most popular brands” with logos of the brands included just below.

Media Mentions

Draw attention to where your brand is being mentioned and by whom. This contributes to credibility and trustworthiness. This can include media mentions (i.e., “As Featured in Time Magazine”), key endorsements (i.e., “Used by Top Professionals…”), certifications (i.e., “Fair Trade Certified”), and awards (i.e., “Online Retailer of the Year”).

For example, ice cream brand Halo Top highlights its award-winning status on its homepage, as well as having a whole section dedicated to the praise they have received from top publications. Between the list of awards and quotes from sites like Bon Appétit and GQ, customers are able to know this is a delicious, high-quality product without even trying it first.

Social Media

One of the best channels for social proof is social media. With the ease and accessibility to post and share, social media offers several different types of social proof. This can include high follower and subscriber counts, engaged audiences that like, share, and comment, brand mentions and shoutouts from customers, customer reviews and star ratings, and tagged photos and posts.

In addition to this list, social media is a great way to leverage user-generated content (UGC)—any content that is created and shared organically by users. This can be posts, images, tweets, videos, live streams, etc.

For example, the outdoor apparel brand Patagonia uses social media to showcase UGC. They encourage customers to share their experiences with Patagonia gear by using specific hashtags. This strategy has resulted in thousands of posts on platforms like Instagram, showcasing real customers using and loving their products.

Customer Features & Spotlights

Social proof through user-generated content is not limited to just social media. Featuring user-generated content on your website is another way to build trust and influence customers’ buying decisions. In fact, 79% of online shoppers said that user-generated content, like customer photos, influences their buying decision more than professional photos.

Generally speaking, this social proof strategy is reserved for e-commerce brands with products that can be captured in images.

For example, the home decor brand West Elm has a dedicated section for customer spotlights. Customers can upload content directly to the site or use social media with the brand’s hashtag. The content is then shared as inspiration for other shoppers, with the items from the images listed below for purchase.

Customer Referrals

92% of consumers trust suggestions from friends and family more than traditional advertising. That said, customer referrals are very valuable. It shows that people loved your product or service so much, they wanted to share it with others.

Customer referrals work for almost any business type—whether it be e-commerce products, SaaS subscriptions, membership programs, etc. Using tools like ReferralCandy, you can easily start your own referral marketing programs to incentivize customers to share your brand.

For example, the meal kit delivery service Blue Apron has made it very easy for customers to refer their friends and family to sign up. Blue Apron emails customers their own referral link to share and also includes it within their account dashboard for easy access.

Certifications and Awards

Earning certifications and industry awards can serve as powerful social proof for your brand. Displaying these accolades prominently on your website and marketing materials tells potential customers that your brand meets high standards and is recognized for its excellence.

For instance, the organic skincare brand Dr. Bronner’s showcases its numerous certifications, such as USDA Organic, Fair Trade, and Leaping Bunny, on its website. Additionally, they highlight industry awards they’ve won, helping to build trust and validate the quality of their products.

Influencer Collaborations

Collaborating with influencers can be an effective way to leverage social proof. Influencers have dedicated followings that trust their recommendations, making them ideal partners for promoting your products or services.

For example, the luggage brand Away partners with travel influencers to showcase their products in real-world settings. Influencers share their experiences with Away luggage on social media, providing authentic testimonials that resonate with their followers.

Community Engagement

Building a strong community around your brand can create a sense of belonging and loyalty among your customers. Engage with your audience through online forums, social media groups, and events to foster connections and encourage word-of-mouth marketing.

For instance, the fitness brand Peloton has built a dedicated community of users who share their workout experiences and support each other through social media groups and live classes. This sense of community enhances the brand’s credibility and encourages new customers to join.

Conclusion

In today’s digital age, social proof is an essential tool for advertisers looking to sell their products effectively. By leveraging customer reviews, testimonials, case studies, media mentions, social media, and more, businesses can build trust, credibility, and ultimately drive sales.

By understanding and utilizing these various forms of social proof, you can create a powerful marketing strategy that resonates with your target audience and encourages them to choose your brand over competitors.

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