7 Proven Ways to Drive Sales with Social Proof in Your Online Store

Social proof helps customers understand how other people have experienced a

product–this fosters trust in a brand. Make sure you provide authentic feedback and recommendations so that potential customers feel confident in their decision to choose your product or service.Keep reading to learn actionable ways to integrate social proof into your business and enhance your marketing game.

What is Social Proof in Ecommerce?

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people rely on others to guide their decisions and actions. Individuals assume that the choices made by the majority or authorities are correct.

Social proof in an online store consists of multiple factors, including ratings, reviews, likes, and endorsements from other customers, celebrities, and experts. Social proof also includes statistics on customer interactions, such as counters that show views, sales, remaining stock, discounts, and recent purchases. Let’s go through some ways to do just that.

Collect and Publish Your Customers’ Reviews

Customer reviews are an effective way to build trust and attract new customers to your store. They offer an authentic look at the experiences of others with your products or services, showcasing your brand’s reliability and quality.

Publishing reviews isn’t just about sharing feedback. This is a great way to interact with your customers and respond to their questions and comments. This helps foster stronger relationships with your customers.

Kissed By A Bee replies to customer feedback in the online store

With Ecwid by Lightspeed, you can collect customer feedback automatically through marketing emails. Learn more about automated marketing emails. Learn more about automated marketing emails.

Harness the Power of Social Media

Shoppers often use social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to search for products or gifts. Your product needs to be seen. Encourage customers to use a brand hashtag to post their images or videos of your product on social media. For example, a camera store, Paper Shoot, asks their customers to use #takenbypapershoot when sharing pictures taken by their camera on Instagram.

Run a social media

contest or giveaway with a brand hashtag

. The participation of many people in your contest not only creates hype but is also social proof, strengthening your brand’s credibility.

• Offer customers an incentive like a discount or a free product sample for sharing a detailed review on social media. An active social media account with a large audience is also social proof. Post content that is relevant to your audience, answer customer questions, and post pictures and reviews. These buttons allow your customers to share the product on social media. In Ecwid, such buttons are added to product pages by default.
• Share buttons on a product pageSend Your Product to Micro-Influencers
• for a ReviewIf you’re not collaborating with

micro-influencers

for product reviews, you’re missing out on a whole lot of potential. It may seem that partnering with celebrities is the best option. But let’s be real here: they can be expensive to work with and may not even have an audience that resonates with your product.

As for

micro-influencers, they have a loyal following that trusts their recommendations, likely relate better to specific target audiences, and won’t break the bank–what

a great deal!By teaming with micro-influencers,

you’ll be tapping into a niche audience with greater impact and engagement potential. You can find content creators with an audience of between 15,000 and 50,000 followers on TikTok or Instagram. You can also work with platforms that connect influencers and brands, such as Influenster. A product review by e.l.f. Cosmetics through InfluensterFor step-by-step instructions on how to collaborate with influencers to grow brand loyalty, listen to our podcast with Taylor Lagace, co-CEO

of Kynship, an influencer marketing agency. Learn why influencer partnerships that pay for posts do not work. Plus, you’ll get the how-to for a better approach.

Display How Many Shoppers are Viewing Your Product to Show its Popularity

A product view counter is a handy social proof tool that keeps track of how many people are checking out your products in

real-time. Not only that, but it shows how many views a particular product has got over a specific period–whether it’s a day, a week, a month, or even all-time.The Product View counter helps bring attention to products. It encourages customers to dive in and explore all the great offerings your online store has to offer while feeling a sense of urgency.The Rooster Crow Marketplace shows how many store visitors are viewing the item at the moment

Enhance the Demand with Purchase Counter

Looking for a way to push potential buyers towards making a purchase? Purchase counters can be a great way to encourage potential buyers to make a purchase. The tool showcases the real-time count of sales for a specific product. This tool will be useful if you are running a promotion. Don’t underestimate the impact of this seemingly simple number–it might be the thing that seals the deal for your next order.Keep in mind these best practices when using the purchase counter:

Consider displaying

customer reviews or product ratings

alongside the purchase counter. This can further encourage potential buyers.

Set up pre-orders for items that sell out. This store displays how many people purchased this product within the past 24 hours.

Create an impression of scarcity by showing the remaining stock.An inventory counter can capture the attention of a potential customer and encourage them to make a purchase. This tool is a way to motivate browsers into becoming buyers. By displaying the number of items left in stock (e.g., Only 5 left in stock), it creates a sense of urgency that nudges visitors towards a purchase.A stock counter is a must for a

sale–especially

• if you run a flash sale (for a day or two). It’s hard to resist buying a product when you see it’s almost sold out.For best results, try the following tips:Display the stock counter
• when the product quantity is low, typically less than 10-20

units.

When running a sale,

combine the stock counter with discounts

to maximize customer motivation to make a purchase.This store uses a stock counter and discounts during a saleShow Which Products are Purchased in Real Time

You can harness social proof by showing the products shoppers are buying right now. Displaying messages about recent purchases by customers is one way to harness social proof. It provides a subtle but powerful message that your online store is trustworthy,

• high-quality, and popular.Tap into the psychology of social proof and build your brand’s reputation, inspiring purchase after purchase. Recently bought product messages are really effective when you want your newer products to get more attention.For best results, follow this advice when showing these kinds of messages in your store:Test the message on
• different pages of your online store: storefront, category pages, product pages, search page, and checkout.Ensure your products have

attractive product images and clear product names

.

This store displays the recently bought product message in the bottom left cornerSocial Proof Your StoreIf you run an Ecwid store, you can test various social proof notifications with the Social Proof app. It allows you to set up purchase, product view, stock counters, discount messages for products, and Recently bought

pop-ups.

Once you set them up, you can see which social proof notifications work the best through the analytics section in the app.

• When displaying social proof in your store in the form of various popups (like stock, product view, or purchase counter), keep in mind these recommendations:Though popups should stand out on a product page, don’t make them obtrusive
• . They should be consistent with your store design, noticeable but not in-your-face.Avoid overwhelming users with too frequent

pop-ups

and social proof messages. Stick to the

one page, one popup rule to avoid spamming your shoppers.Keep notifications updated

to provide customers with relevant information. You don’t want to show the Only 2 products left in stock message for months.

• And don’t forget–social proof isn’t just about showcasing positive feedback. Negative feedback or reviews can provide valuable insight. You can use them to show your commitment to customer service. By addressing any concerns or issues head-on,
• you can show potential customers that you care about customers’ experiences. Wrap UpSocial Proof is an effective way to increase trust and credibility among your customers. However, it’s not a one-and-done trick. Social proof must be integrated into your marketing strategy to maximize its potential. This means making it a priority to collect customer feedback and user-generated
• content on a regular basis.By doing this, you not only have the chance to showcase your products in the best possible light, but you also give your existing customers a chance to share their experiences with others. It will help you retain your existing customers and attract new ones. Everyone is looking for a reliable, trustworthy

brand–make it obvious that you are one.