People tend to follow others, especially when they don't know what the correct behavior to follow is in a given situation. For example, when you are at a bank and you see people waiting in line, you will do the same because it is the correct behavior to follow in that situation. The next week, you visit a different bank, but this time, people are not standing in line. In this case, you would not ask them to stand in line, but instead you would approach them.
This human behavior is explained through social demonstration, which shows that people follow certain acceptable behaviors for certain situations. Humans are imitators. About 95% of people are imitators and only 5% can be called initiators. This shows how powerful and influential the actions of other people are in persuading someone to take action.
In marketing, social proof is widely used to generate sales. Research has kenya phone number list shown that over 92% of customers trust recommendations from friends more than advertising. Another study has found that customer testimonials increase sales page conversion rates by 34% and that 97% of customers say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions.
Social proof is one of the best ways to increase conversion rate, sales, revenue, and brand trust. There are various types of social proof used by businesses including customer testimonials, celebrity endorsement, reviews on third-party websites, social media shares, and many more.
Here you can find the best examples of social proof on the internet, to inspire you and be able to persuade your audience more effectively.
1. Video Testimonials
Video testimonials from customers, celebrities, experts, and influencers are some of the best social proof methods for your business. Videos are authentic, mainstream, and inspire trust. Video testimonials are very common and are used by all kinds of brands. Here are some inspiring examples of social proof in the form of video testimonials:
HootSuite
The Herschel team has shared this HootSuite testimonial video, which is a perfect example of social proof from an expert. Herschel followers and other small brands who want to know how to use social proof for their growth will be inspired by this testimonial and will likely end up using the same tools.
Not only did they talk about HootSuite, but the testimonial also shows the Herschel team using it in a practical way and how it has helped them in their growth.
Felder Group
Felder Group is a leading manufacturer of woodworking machines. This testimonial showcases their machinery, its uses, and benefits. The testimonial effectively targets a specific audience. The customer shared their entire story, how the machine helped them, and discussed the major benefits the machine has to offer.
Note that video testimonials are professionally recorded. These types of testimonials boost brand awareness and are engaging. You can create these types of amazing testimonials using Trustmary's video testimonial collector. Read more about the topic here .
2. Phrases
Quotes or text testimonials are the most popular types of testimonials among marketers, mainly because of their simplicity. It's hard to convince a satisfied customer to head to a recording studio to record a video testimonial for your business. Sharing a simple text is more direct. Your customers can send them via email or by using a tool like Trustmary 's text testimonial tool, which allows you to quickly and easily collect testimonials for your business.
Here are the most inspiring examples of social proof in the form of text testimonials:
Zoho
social proof example
Zoho has created a customer testimonials page where it showcases testimonials, both in text and video form. These are highly detailed testimonials (more like case studies) that are available for download in PDF format. The testimonials not only quote the customer but also share their complete story and background.
Bizzabo
social proof example
Bizzabo features customer testimonials on a dedicated page. The testimonials are collected from Twitter and presented exactly as seen. The customer ID is also shared, which makes these testimonials verifiable. It is a perfect approach to share customer quotes. Make these verifiable by sharing the customer's photo, a link to their social media, their name, company, designation, and other details.
3. Customer Reviews
These are reviews or ratings typically posted on third-party review websites such as Yelp, Google Maps, Trustpilot, and others. If you want to receive these types of ratings, you must list your product on these sites. For example, if you want to have Trustpilot reviews, you must register your product with them to start receiving them.
Once you start receiving reviews, you should share them with your customers via email, social media, your website, and other channels. Here are the best examples of customer reviews:
Payoneer
Payoneer has integrated its Trustpilot rating into the footer of the emails it sends to its customers. This rating shows how popular Payoneer is among its customers. It's a perfect way to share ratings and reviews with your potential customers via email.
Hyve
social proof example hyve
Hyve shares Trustpilot reviews from its customers on its LinkedIn account. This is another perfect example of social proof for how to use customer testimonials and reviews to persuade your potential buyers to take action. It is a simple, yet effective technique of sharing customer reviews from different review sites with your audience. Simply share reviews on all your social media channels.
