Social proof - what is it and why is it so important?

Those involved in e-commerce and marketing know what social proof is. If you don't, it's worth expanding your knowledge. Behind this term is a common psychological phenomenon that is extremely powerful in driving sales and can be used effectively online. All you need to do is show customers that others are already happy with their purchases.

Social proof - what is it?

Social proof in Polish is defined as social proof of rightness. It is a phenomenon according to which, when a person does not know which choice will be the best and right one (which may have different origins depending on the accompanying factors), he will make it according to what the majority of the group has decided.

The principle of equity is applied in practice when the most frequently repeated behaviour is considered to be the right one. A behaviour becomes accepted as exemplary when, on a larger scale, it is observed that others act in exactly this way.

This is often a completely unconscious mechanism. People can follow this principle, for example when choosing a restaurant or when shopping. In the first case, seeing a long queue in front of a particular establishment on a regular basis creates the conviction that the food there is good, which can influence the subsequent choice of that outlet.

When it comes to buying clothes, following trends can be a result of people you have met before who have worn specific items of clothing and looked good. For this reason, when making a decision, such clothes will be the first choice.

According to research on social proof, human behaviour is never autonomous and is strongly influenced by the people around them, especially those with whom they identify in some way. There may be many reasons for this phenomenon - most likely people, as social beings, seek acceptance and need to belong to a group. The easiest way to achieve this is by becoming like the majority.

The importance of social proof in online marketing

Following what we see around us is a very common phenomenon, also in business and especially in e-commerce. When making a purchase of some kind, one often looks for opinions about them.

Experiences and recommendations from celebrities, experts, relatives, but also complete strangers are considered reliable. It is often the case that, unable to decide on a particular model or product from one company, opinions are sought from others before making a purchase.

Marketing departments are also aware of this and use it to attract consumers. Descriptions such as "9 out of 10 satisfied customers", "99% of testers noticed a difference after the first use" next to a product may be true, but placing it in a prominent position makes customers immediately see what feedback others have.

Social proof is defined as one of the influence techniques formulated by Robert Cialdini. These are methods commonly used in marketing to increase sales, expand the customer base or build a brand's popularity and position in the market.

What can be done to ensure that following the crowd has the desired effect for the business? One of the best examples is the construction of a website. When a customer is analysing, for example, offers for further products, social proof can be woven into what they are browsing at the moment.

Placing a panel with the number of people satisfied with the service, right next to the customer's feedback and the emerging information that others are also reviewing the offer in question or the purchasing statistics for the last 24 hours are small things that make a huge difference. These seemingly insignificant indicators make a brand new customer feel more confident in their choices and therefore more likely to make them and purchase the product in question.

Social proof in advertising works in a peripheral way - it is not about giving the customer all the information that will convince them to buy, but about creating a context that makes them believe they will be happy with their decision.

Social proof versus benefit language - what to bear in mind?

Social proof is not the only sales technique on the market. In addition, it is strongly linked to another - the language of benefits. It consists of presenting the customer with a vision in addition to the advantages of the product and telling him what he will gain by owning the item.

The salesman acts as a dream salesman, telling you about the camera's parameters while giving you the feeling that with this equipment, weather and lack of light will not be an obstacle to always taking the best photo. As the name suggests, the idea is to talk about benefits, not features.

Social proof marketing spreads a similar vision - if someone has chosen an item and is satisfied, the next person will be satisfied too. It is a certain vision that is followed with the hope that it will have a similar effect to other satisfied customers.

At such moments, one does not think about the fact that only 9 out of 10 consumers would choose the product again, and it may turn out that, just this time, one will be the only recipient dissatisfied with the purchase.

Use of social proof in an online shop

The use of social proof in your own online shop can contribute to increasing customer numbers and sales without significant changes to your product or marketing budget. The design of the website will be key. What will make it inspire more trust and interest? It can include:

• product reviews;
• ratings given by customers;
• awards and certificates obtained by the product;
• photographs of products at the client's premises;
• information on current site traffic;
• statistics on the number of people who have bought the product, how many units remain, etc..;
• testimonials from well-known people, celebrities, influencers, experts.

The quality of service, related, for example, to the wide choice of payment methods available or the speed of delivery to the customer, can also serve as social proof. Thanks to InPost's offer for small and medium-sized enterprises, the retailer does not have to worry about what happens to his or her products once they are on their way to a new owner.

What's more, InPost guarantees delivery of more than 95% of parcels to the address indicated the very next day. The offer works on a subscription basis and is divided according to the number of parcels sent per month.

Impact of social proof on conversions

The theory of social proof in the e-commerce industry is such an effective rule of thumb for influencing because of how much it translates into conversions of, among other things, visitors to customers' websites. This happens through several components of social proof:

• It helps to build trust; someone else has used the service and been satisfied, and this reduces the fears of potential customers before making a purchase;
• Referrals from celebrities and regular customers lend credibility to the brand's position in the market;
• Knowing that someone is already using the product and is satisfied generates a sense of lack in the potential customer; thus, they will decide to buy more quickly to fulfil the created need.

The reviews, comments, ratings and opinions left under the product or on the brand page act as indicators for undecided people. The higher the number of indicators, the greater the belief that the offer is of high value and popular.