In Part 1, we looked at the importance of social proof, and why so many buyers look to the crowd to influence their decisions. Today, let’s dive into some specifics…
Look at how Basecamp uses social proof to increase their conversions:
In fact, Basecamp uses it in 3 more ways across their website:
- Logos of the companies that purchased Basecamp
- The number of total users
- The number of companies that signed up for Basecamp
Persuading consumers to believe: “with numbers like that, it must be good!”
Ray Kroc figured this out back in 1955 when he started publishing “Over 1 Million Served” on his McDonald signs… Today, he still uses the same concept with “Billions and Billions served.”
Just as we do with Predictable Profits, highlighting that since 2010, we’ve offered business growth sessions to more than 2,500 small business owners across dozens of industries.
But understand that social proof isn’t just about getting MORE people to take action. It also has a direct impact on the amount of money you can charge for your product/service.
In a funny story posted on AdEspresso’s blog a while back, world famous graffiti artist Banksy conducted an experiment in Central Park. He decided to sell his artwork (which normally retails for over $100,000) on the street for only $60 apiece.
…And rather than the artist selling the work himself, he put an anonymous elderly man in his place (of course, there was no indication that all this art was by this famous artist).
What happened?
Without any social proof whatsoever, he only sold 3 pieces of art.
Each piece sold for $60, yet had an estimated value of $250,000!!
Imagine what would have happened if there was social proof!!
The same phenomenon happens with your advertising.
According to Agorapulse, Facebook ads with some sort of social proof had 300% more conversions, 50% lower cost per click, and 50% lower cost per acquisition.
The more comments, likes, and shares, the better the results:
And that’s because social proof:
- Builds trust
- Adds credibility
- Validates the buying decision
…Which instills CONFIDENCE in you, your business, and your product/service.
That’s why we’ll test using social proof on:
- Squeeze pages/opt-in forms
- Sales pages, direct mail, video sales letters, webinars, etc.
- Order forms
And in most cases, this provides a significant boost in our results.
So, here are 10 ways you can use more social proof to increase your sales and conversions:
1. TESTIMONIALS
Collect testimonials from your users every opportunity that you can.
Video testimonials are best, followed by photos. Use full names, location, and company information wherever possible.
2. RATINGS AND REVIEWS:
Ask your buyers to write a review for you. The more reviews you receive, the better your results.
3. CASE STUDIES
Highlight why companies chose to do business with you – and the results they achieved by working with you.
4. CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS:
Whether you’re looking for a mainstream Hollywood star or a locally recognized authority, this further establishes trust and credibility. According to an article by Aileen Lee titled “Social Proof is the New Marketing,” an endorsement by Jessica Simpson helped the company BeautyMint grow to 500,000 visitors within the first day of its launch.
And nowadays, you can find many celebrity endorsements via social media influencers (like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter celebrities).
5. MEDIA LOGOS
By simply mentioning that I’ve been featured in Fox Business, Inc., Forbes, Mashable, Entrepreneur, Success, Morningstar, The Boston Globe, on the radio, podcasts, etc. – this changes people’s perception of me.
It not only makes me more credible, it also elevates my authority status and helps me justify higher prices.
Getting media logos isn’t as hard as you think. A few well-crafted press releases or valued contributions on Help A Reporter Out can put you in the spotlight.
6. NUMBER OF USERS/SUBSCRIBERS
People feel comfortable being part of a crowd. It’s safe. When Derek Halpern wanted to increase his subscribers, he took no shame in letting you know that you could join 200,000 other subscribers.
7. SOCIAL MEDIA
Just getting likes and engagement can be difficult if you don’t already have a big audience. Fortunately, Facebook allows you to boost your posts and optimize ads for engagement.
Now, the way Facebook does this changes all the time as they make their service better. So, if you’d like to learn more about optimizing your page posts for engagement go here!
8. CLIENT LOGOS
Do you work with other well known businesses or other such influencers? As long as they’re okay with it, use their logos and/or images as people you’ve worked with…
KissMetrics uses it:
And here’s how Proof does it with respected influencers:
9. 3RD PARTY VALIDATION:
Speaking of the company “Proof,” they offer 3rd party plugins to validate social proof. Like this here:
According to their website, UseProof.com, this has helped to increase conversions from 25% to several hundred percent… Something definitely worth testing.
10. USE METRICS
Hubspot wants to highlight their tribe by revealing everything – from monthly agency partners, visitors to their blog, attendees, social followers, etc. It Might seem a little overkill, but they really want to demonstrate social proof to build as much confidence as possible.
Let’s face it, consumers look to the opinion of others to help them make decisions – and it’s important (heck, downright critical) that you appear trustworthy and credible. As more and more buyers have become better informed (through research available in the palms of their hands), social proof is more important than ever.
That’s why social proof can help you build confidence and produce an almost instant bump in results… Easily and quickly.
