How to Add Social Proof to Ecommerce

If you want to improve conversion rates in your online store, adding social proof ecommerce can do wonders.

In this guide, we’re here to help with just that by covering the following:

• What is social proof?
• How does social proof work in an ecommerce store?
• Different types of social proof and how to use them (with some tools).

As customers significantly depend on digital platforms for their shopping needs, the importance of social proof ecommerce shouldn’t be overstated.

From testimonials and customer reviews to satisfied customer popups and case studies. There are different types of social proof that ecommerce businesses can leverage to build customer trust and loyalty.

📈 Regardless of how incredible your ecommerce marketing team is at advertising your products. The fundamental truth is that nowadays, 75% of customers will do their analysis before buying anything online.

So, if you’re struggling to earn your customers’ trust and are anxious about low conversion rates, social proof could be the ticket to building sales.

First, let’s take a look at what social proof is, and some examples of what this includes.

What is social proof?

Social proof is where people copy the actions of others in an attempt to mimic correct behavior in a situation. It’s a psychological phenomenon that has a big impact on ecommerce and in-person sales.

It’s based on the idea that if a lot of people are doing something or believe in it, then it must be right or good.

It also works as a type of FOMO (fear of missing out). Where if you don’t do what others are doing, you might miss out on something good.

This happens in many areas of our lives. such as shopping, choosing a restaurant, or deciding what movie to watch, especially when we’re uncertain about what to do.

Online reviews, social media likes, and celebrity endorsements are all forms of social proof that can influence our decisions.

Examples in everyday life:

• Crowded places: If a café is busy, we might think it has great coffee or snacks.
• Word-of-mouth: If a friend, family member, or passer-by says something is good or they enjoyed it, we’re more likely to be convinced ourselves.
• TV shows: Laugh tracks in shows can make us think something is funnier.
• Fashion choices: Wearing a brand because our favorite celebrity does.
• Online reviews: Choosing a café because it has lots of positive reviews.

But for an ecommerce store, social proof has its own set of examples and methods. We’ll look at those next.its

Examples of social proof ecommerce

Social proof is a key factor in the world of online shopping. It influences customers by showing them what others think about a product or service.

When people shop online, they can’t touch or try products before buying. So, they rely heavily on the experiences and opinions of others to help make their decisions. This is where social proof comes in, offering potential buyers the reassurance they need.

Types of social proof ecommerce:

• Customer reviews: Feedback from customers who have already bought a product. It’s helpful because it provides real opinions and experiences.
• Ratings: Overall scores given to products. High ratings can encourage people to buy.
• Testimonials: Positive stories and endorsements from satisfied customers. They build trust in a product or brand.
• User-generated content: Photos, videos, or posts from users featuring a product. It shows real-life usage and satisfaction.
• Social media mentions: When people talk about a product on social media. It increases visibility and credibility.
• Influencer endorsements: When a well-known person recommends a product. Their followers are likely to trust their judgment.
• Best seller lists: Highlighting the most popular items. It suggests that many people are happy with their purchase.
• and more.

These work because they tap into the human tendency to look to others for guidance. When we see that others had a positive experience with a product, we’re more likely to feel confident about making the same choice.

But these are just some examples, we’ll talk about more a little later. So now we know what social proof ecommerce is and the benefits of using it. Let’s look at how to add it to your ecommerce store.

Different types of social proof and how to use them

There are different forms of social proof. Understanding how to utilize each type can enhance your ecommerce business’ credibility and trustworthiness.

We’ll talk about 5 practical types of social proof that you can add to your ecommerce store in this section. Starting with testimonials and reviews.

Social proof type #1: Testimonials and customer reviews

Customer reviews and testimonials are two powerful forms of social proof in ecommerce, both aimed at building trust and encouraging potential buyers to make a purchase.

Testimonials

Testimonials are positive statements made by satisfied customers, often highlighting their personal experiences with a product or service.

These are real people but they’re a form of expert social proof, often coming from someone who has some kind of clout in your industry.

Here’s why they’re effective:

• They give that personal touch: They provide a personal story or experience, making the product more relatable.
• They’re great for trust building: Coming from real customers, testimonials help build credibility for a brand or product.
• They highlight the benefits of your products: They can spotlight specific benefits or solve problems that potential buyers might relate to.

Businesses often curate these testimonials to show the best of the best. They’re usually exceptionally positive and showcase the best aspects of their product or service. Testimonials can be edited for clarity or brevity, and they’re usually presented in a way that fits the company’s branding and marketing goals.

Businesses often feature testimonials on their websites, product pages, or marketing materials to showcase the value and satisfaction their customers have gained.

Customer reviews

Customer reviews are written or recorded feedback from customers about their experiences with a product or service.

They’re typically more diverse and less controlled than testimonials. They can range from very positive to very negative and include detailed feedback about the customer’s experience.

📈 Industry experts say that ecommerce conversion rates grow by 67% when website visitors are shown customer reviews.

Reviews are often posted directly by customers on third-party platforms or on the company’s own website, and businesses have less control over what is said.

This makes reviews a more raw and unfiltered source of social proof compared to the polished and selective nature of testimonials.

They play a crucial role in ecommerce for several reasons:

• They deliver a wide range of opinions: Reviews give a broad spectrum of opinions, offering potential buyers a more well-rounded look at the product.
• They contain star ratings: Many reviews include star ratings, which provide a quick visual representation of the product’s quality.
• They’re there for authentic opinions: Reviews can offer honest and detailed insights about the product, including its pros and cons. Meaning you’ll have positive reviews and negative reviews all in one.
• They influence purchase decisions: Reading about the experiences of others can significantly influence a customer’s decision to buy or not buy.

So now we’ve explored these valuable sources of social proof, let’s see how we can add them to your ecommerce website.

How to use testimonials and customer reviews in your ecommerce store

Adding both of these to your ecommerce store can and should be done in different ways. We’ll explore a few of those in this section.

Add customer testimonials in your checkout process

Your checkout page is essential when it comes to sales. Depending on the quality of the experience, it could be the difference between a completed sale and an abandoned checkout.

So, if we can do anything to make this experience more convincing, we should.

If you have a WordPress website, adding testimonials to the checkout process is made easy with the plugin Flux Checkout for WooCommerce.

This plugin transforms the default WooCommerce checkout into one that’s quick, modern, and designed to increase conversion rates.

Flux Checkout comes with something called Elements, which allows you to add any kind of content to the checkout at any stage. This means you can easily add testimonials to any stage of the checkout in just a few clicks.

The best part? You can make this conditional. So if a customer has a specific product in their cart, you can have a specific testimonial or review show and nothing else.

Add reviews to your entire ecommerce store

But what about reviews? These can be added to your product pages sure, and this is made easy if you’re using WooCommerce. But where else?

Reviews are a valuable source of unedited and genuine customer experiences and opinions. They’re perfect social proof to be adding to your homepage, landing pages, and more.

If you use multiple platforms for your reviews, say Trustpilot, your WooCommerce store, Google, Yelp, and more, there’s one way to collate them all and display them neatly. With WP Business Reviews.

With this plugin, you can bring together all of your ecommerce store’s reviews and display them however you like on your ecommerce store.

It’s a valuable tool that updates itself so you don’t have to keep ontop of the reviews you display.

Social proof type #2: New customer/satisfied customer popups

New client or satisfied customer popups are notifications on an ecommerce site that inform new website visitors about the latest purchases.

These popups typically show messages like “John from New York just bought X item” or “Jane just signed up for our newsletter.”

By displaying real-time interactions with different clients, these popups create a sense of movement with the number of people buying from your store.

Here’s why they’re a beneficial form of social proof marketing:

• They create a sense of urgency: New client or satisfied customer popups create a sense of urgency by featuring recent purchases or sign-ups. When visitors see that others are engaging with your website and buying your products, they might feel attracted to make a move.
• They improve conversion rates: These popups can help increase conversion rates by showcasing to visitors that others are buying the products they’re interested in. They can also be used to encourage online shoppers to do other things, like sign up to a newsletter or social media platform.

How to use new customer/satisfied customer popups in your ecommerce store

Adding popups for new and happy customers to your online store is a great way to catch visitors’ attention and increase sales. However, finding the right tool for these popups is important.

Here are a couple of tools you could use to get this done.

NotificationX

NotificationX in a WordPress plugin that focuses on increasing conversions through social proof.

Here are some of its features:

• Broad range of notifications: It allows you to display alerts for sales, comments, reviews, and more, showcasing real-time customer activity.
• Design flexibility: You have the ability to customize the look of your notifications to match your site’s design.
• Integration friendly: Works well with popular tools and platforms like WooCommerce, making it versatile for ecommerce sites.

By using NotificationX, you can effectively engage visitors by highlighting the actions of other users, from purchases to reviews, enhancing the sense of urgency and trust.

WC Live Sale Notifications

WC Live Sale Notifications is another WordPress plugin tailored for WooCommerce stores.

It offers specific features to boost engagement:

• Sale notifications: Displays recent sales notifications to site visitors, creating a buzz and encouraging purchases.
• Customization options: Lets you control how and where your notifications appear, as well as their content.
• Boosts credibility: By showing real-time purchases, it helps validate your products’ popularity and quality.

This plugin is particularly useful for showing off the live activity on your site, from sales to new customer sign-ups, adding a dynamic element to your store that can motivate undecided shoppers.

Social proof type #3: Case studies

Case studies are deep dives into specific times when a product or service helped solve a problem. They go beyond just saying something worked well. Instead, they share the full story.

They tell you what the situation was, what goals someone had, how they tried to reach those goals, and what obstacles they ran into.

This way, you get a clear view of how a solution really made a difference in a real-world situation. It’s like getting a behind-the-scenes look at how things got better with a particular product or service.

How to use case studies in your ecommerce store?

Adding case studies to your online store is a smart move. It shows shoppers the real value of what you’re selling. Make sure these case studies are easy for visitors to find right when they’re checking out your site.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Create a dedicated location: Think about setting up a specific section or even a whole page just for case studies. This way, people interested can go through different stories of how your products or services have helped others.
• Make it look good: Use eye-catching designs, photos, and even videos to make these case studies more engaging. You want people to enjoy looking at them and get pulled into the stories.

Don’t just stop there. Sprinkle case studies throughout your site, like on the pages where you talk about your products and on the main landing pages.

This shows off exactly how your stuff can solve problems. For example, if you’re selling software for small businesses, share stories about other small businesses that have succeeded thanks to your product. This makes it super clear to your visitors how they could benefit too.

Social proof type #4: Frequently bought together/customers also bought/best-selling products

This kind of social proof is all about showing customers other items that are often bought together, what other shoppers also bought, or what’s currently topping the sales charts.

It’s a handy trick used in online stores to suggest related or popular products to shoppers based on what they’re looking at or what they’ve bought before.

You’ll usually see these suggestions on the pages for individual products or when you’re about to check out. This not only gives customers more options to consider but also makes their shopping experience better by helping them find everything they might need or like.

Here are the benefits of using it:

• More sales from additional products: Showing items that are often bought together or by other customers can lead to more sales. This is because it lets shoppers see other things that go well with what they’re buying, improving their shopping experience.
• Better shopping experience: When stores suggest products based on what you’ve looked at or bought before, it makes shopping smoother and faster. It means shoppers spend less time searching for what they need.
• Boost in sales: Highlighting top-selling products or things that others often buy together can encourage shoppers to buy more. Seeing what’s popular can make people feel like they’re missing out if they don’t grab those items too, which can lead to more items in the cart.
• Improved product discovery: These suggestions can also introduce shoppers to products they hadn’t thought of buying. This way, stores can show customers a wider range of items that match their interests and needs.

How to use frequently bought together/customers also bought/best-selling products in your ecommerce store

Adding options like ‘Customers Also Bought,’ ‘Frequently Bought Together,’ and other cross-selling techniques to your online store can make shopping more enjoyable for your customers and increase your sales.

A great tool for doing this is the Iconic Sales Booster for WooCommerce. This WordPress plugin offers a bunch of handy features to make these additions smooth and effective.

Frequently Bought Together

This feature cleverly suggests complementary products directly on product pages. This not only makes shopping easier and more enjoyable but also increases the overall value of purchases by recommending items that go well together.

You can even add an additional discount to sweeten the deal.

Customers Also Bought

Sales Booster also allows you to showcase items that other customers have purchased after they’ve added an item to their cart.

This popup acts as a personalized shopping recommendation, guiding customers towards other products that might appeal to them.

Social proof type #5: UGC (User-generated content)

User-generated content (UGC) is anything that customers create and share online about a brand or product. This can be anything from photos and videos to reviews, testimonials, and posts on social media.

People usually make and share this kind of content on their own because they want to. It can show up in many ways, like photos of a product, videos of someone opening a package, reviews posted on social media, or even marketing campaigns that use specific hashtags.

Here are the benefits of using it:

• Authenticity and trustworthiness: UGC is considered more legitimate and reliable than branded content since it comes from real customers and users. As a result, UGC gives you credibility and influence, making it a powerful social proof type for ecommerce brands.
• Engages and builds community: Empowering user-generated content creates opportunities for commitment and collaboration with your audience. Customers who share their experiences or reviews on social media or other platforms become active members of your brand’s story.
• Demonstrates product authenticity and real-life use: UGC is created by people who have bought and used the product. Their content reflects their actual experiences, showing how the product works in everyday life, not just under ideal conditions set by the brand.
• Provides additional visual proof: Photos and videos shared by users act as visual proof. They allow potential customers to see the product being used in real situations, which can be more convincing than professionally shot images.
• Increases reach and visibility: When customers post about a product on their social media profiles, their friends, followers, and connections see these social media posts. This organic spread of content can reach a far wider target audience than the brand’s own marketing efforts might, including potential customers who might not have been reached otherwise.

How to use UGC (User-generated content) in your ecommerce store

Ecommerce stores can creatively integrate user-generated content (UGC) into their online presence and marketing strategies to boost engagement, trust, and ultimately sales.

Here are several effective ways to do so.

Add UGC to product pages

When it comes to product pages, featuring customer product reviews and ratings gives shoppers the social proof they need to feel confident in their choices.

Including customer photos and videos can be even more convincing, showing potential buyers how the product looks and works in real life, beyond professional photos.

Add UGC to website pages

Creating a section or gallery on your website dedicated to showcasing customer content like photos, videos, and stories gives visitors a glimpse into the community around your products.

Highlighting customer testimonials on your homepage or specific landing pages also shines a spotlight on positive experiences and satisfaction.

Using UGC in digital marketing campaigns

In your marketing materials, sharing user-generated content on social media can extend your reach and engagement, especially when you tag the creators.

Incorporating UGC in email campaigns adds a personal touch that can resonate with recipients, while featuring real customer images or stories in online ads can make them more relatable and effective.

Engaging with your community through hashtag campaigns encourages customers to share their own content, which not only gives you a continuous stream of UGC but also helps spread the word about your brand.

Contests and giveaways are also a fun way to increase the volume of UGC you receive, engaging your community and showing appreciation.

Get to grips with social proof ecommerce today

Incorporating ecommerce social proof into your store’s strategy is a powerful way to enhance the customer experience and boost sales.

As we’ve seen, when you use social proof, from customer reviews and testimonials to user-generated content you can significantly increase trust, credibility, and loyalty among shoppers.

For those looking to elevate their sales, integrating cross-selling with the WooCommerce plugin, Iconic Sales Booster for WooCommerce, is a smart move. This plugin offers a wealth of features and customization options, enabling you to to optimize product pages and engage customers more effectively, leading to increased revenue.

Enhancing the checkout experience is crucial for preventing cart abandonment and improving conversion rates. With Flux Checkout for WooCommerce, adding customer testimonials to your checkout process becomes effortless.

Embrace the power of social proof in your ecommerce store with Iconic’s Sales Booster and Flux Checkout plugins, and take a significant step towards optimizing your online sales strategy today.