I am not a fan of superhero movies.
But then, the Avengers movie happened. I didn't want to see it at first.
But seeing how there's always a long line for it outside the cinema... I stepped into the line.
And I was hooked ever since!
Let me get to the point:
As human beings, we’re always following the opinions of others.
We tend to trust what enough people say.
And have the desire to emulate the positive experiences we see others having.
This psychological phenomenon is called social proof.
As an eCommerce business, displaying social proof is a great way to...
- Build trust with your customers.
- Improve your conversion rate.
- Increase the number and value of the orders placed on your online store.
Social proof can be a pretty powerful way to drive sales... but only if you use it properly.
When you don't, it could lead to the complete opposite. You'll get negative social proof.
Getting negative social proof on your online store can have adverse effects on your eCommerce sales.
For you to succeed as an eCommerce business (especially if you run a dropshipping store), you'll need to avoid negative social proof at all costs.
I will discuss what negative social proof is and the best way to avoid it.
Read on until the end!
How Does Social Proof Work For Your eCommerce Store?
An online store, such as a dropshipping store, uses social proof for one thing...
It's to make their eCommerce store more trustworthy and encourage online shoppers to buy their products.
And you can use it in many ways. Social proof is everywhere and can appear in the form of:
- Reviews
- Testimonials
- Endorsements
- Sales counters
- Expert's opinion
- Social media posts
People usually trust this kind of feedback because they know it was posted by real people who simply want to share their experiences!
Social proof like reviews aims to share individual experiences. Positive reviews also give advice or warn about any possible issues that may arise with a specific product.
Usually, business owners gladly share these external statements, opinions, and ideas. Why?
Because they add a lot to their business’ reputation and authority. Good words create a snowball effect from happy customers to their target audience.
However, negative reviews can drive away many customers.
A recent study was performed where they tested 3 different signs in the Arizona Petrified Forest to prevent people from stealing the petrified wood.
The sign that had negative social proof actually tripled the number of thefts. So with this study, we can see that negative social proof has a serious impact on people and increases unwanted actions.
So why waste time and money on advertising when you can let your happy customers do the talking for you?
You really should be sitting back and relaxing while your customers' reviews become your best marketing materials. Let's get to...
What Are The Types Of Social Proof Used For eCommerce Businesses?
Now that you know the importance of social proof, let's go over the different types of social proof that most businesses use for their websites.
The different types of social proof are...
1. Customer reviews
2. Customer testimonials & store reviews
3. Influencer endorsements
4. User-generated content
5. Shopper counters
Customer Reviews
This type of social proof is usually seen on most eCommerce stores, such as dropshipping websites. It is the most powerful form of social proof to display on your website.
However, customer reviews are only powerful when you include favorable and unfavorable reviews.
Why include negative reviews on your product pages?
Customers know that most stores only put the best reviews on their site. Product review stats show that too many 5-star reviews come across as inauthentic.
Another social proof that can affect your customers' decision-making process is...
Customer Testimonials & Store Reviews
Aren't praises from your previous clients and customers the best?
Quotes from them about the benefits of your product can be an excellent way to convince potential buyers of that particular product.
Whether it's just a simple customer review on your business's website, a star-based rating in the footer... or an entire case study, this content creates positive feedback from genuine users.
Be sure to include real pictures of the customers, where they are from, gender, name, etc. It will add extra credibility to your social proof marketing.
Looking for popular marketing materials? One of them is...
Influencers' Endorsements
Have you ever wondered why store owners pay social media influencers to endorse their products?
If an influencer says good things about the product and promotes it, their followers will consider trying the product.
Why?
Because their "favorite influencer" did it. It's their personal recommendation!
The rise of influencer marketing allows brands of all sizes to add social proof of endorsement to their websites.
So the first thing you need to do is find an influencer in your niche. Look for one who has great things to say about your eCommerce business. You may find some of their followers become your potential customers.
Customers can leave reviews, as well as...
User-Generated Content
What sets user-generated content (UGC) like photos and videos apart from other types of social proof?
It's that it is unfiltered. Reviewers can describe all the good, bad, and ugly things about their experience with your business.
Genuine people, not the company, generate UGC. User-generated reviews are seen as more trustworthy and better impact customers’ buying decisions.
Dropshipping businesses love the next one...
Shopper Counters
How do you catch your buyer's attention?
Showing how many visitors have viewed the product can increase interest and generate that feeling of fear of missing out.
Here's what I mean.
Shoppers see things like "15 people recently bought this product" or "30 people are viewing this product". They will think to themselves, "Surely if others are buying this product, it must be good!"
So, you can apply some of these social proof techniques in your dropshipping store as well. And it will help you a lot in boosting more sales.
Now that you know the key lesson of what good social proof is...
Let's see how you can avoid and handle negative social proof.
Effective Ways To Avoid Negative Social Proof
Negative social proof is when you display things that discourage people from taking your desired action. Which, in this case, is to buy!
Having negative social proof on your online or dropshipping store can significantly affect future sales.
There are multiple ways that you can avoid negative social proof. Here are some of the most efficient ones:
1. Wait Until You Have More Traffic And Sales
No one wants to shop from a store that isn’t popular.
That’s why you should wait until you have sufficient traffic to display compelling social proof.
Don’t display social sharing buttons until your eCommerce store has a strong following that's active and regularly sharing your content.
Once you do, use social proof like shopper counters to show your website traffic.
You also need to...
2. Manage Your Reviews Properly
As we talked about before, reviews are a powerful tool for getting shoppers to trust you. These tips will help you manage your reviews so they don’t create negative social proof:
- If a customer wants to leave a negative review, they will usually do that after their negative experience occurs. Be sure that you respond to that bad review as quickly as possible before they have the chance to leave the review.
- Use a product review app that allows you to hide reviews.
Hint: Psst... Deputy has something in store for you to manage your reviews effectively! Keep on the lookout!
- Implement a setting in your product reviews app that shows reviews from similar products when there are no reviews.
- Personal replies are key to avoiding negative social proof. Make your customers feel understood, appreciated, and well looked after by responding to all reviews. Yes, even negative ones.
Incorporating reviews will also help you...
3. Choose The Right Social Proof To Display
You don’t need to display all your social proof on your store. You just have to choose the type of social proof that resonates with your shoppers.
So, carefully pick and show only the social proof that the customers want to see. For example, some industries like fashion might only display influencer content or UGC.
Of course, it is always better to have no social proof than a low-rated one. If you've already gotten a negative review, don’t display it until you have more good reviews.
Even though social proof can help your business boost sales and get more customers, negative social proof can harm your business and lose your potential customers.
And that's how you...
Leave Negative Reviews Behind!
When you put your customers first in every aspect of your eCommerce business, you will always stay ahead of your competition. As well as maintain positive social proof and attract new customers.
That's right. Social proof can work wonders for improving your conversions.
But only if you use it wisely.
Online buyers will feel a lot more comfortable buying from an eCommerce store with social proof visible on their website. They will see what others have to say about this product and whether they are satisfied with their purchase.
Also, remember that negative social proof can be as strong as a positive one.
By avoiding negative social proof, you will build trust with your potential customers and attract more of them.
And here at Debutify, we have the perfect theme for you and your online store!
With Debutify, you can attract your buyers to purchase your product.
Not only that, it is perfectly designed to fit every type of social proof that you might want to add. With over 50 Add-Ons, it's also your Profit Optimization Partner to increase conversions, AOV, and profits!
So go ahead and...
Ricky Hayes
Trisha Ballesteros