Humans follow crowd behaviour, and 70% of people will trust a review from someone they’ve never even met. What does this tell us? It tells us that people are easily coerced into doing something if enough ‘others’ have already signed up.T his is why adding social proof on your landing page is so important.
Showing visitors that you have a loyal following will increase the chances of leads turning into new customers, as people tend to trust what the majority believes in. Social proof is the online version of word-of-mouth and is an easy, effective way to pull in a crowd.
The landing page is where you spruce up your feathers and make your business look attractive. You offer something in return for the visitor’s information, remembering that the ball is in their court. It’s the tipping point – do they jump on board or do they walk away? Having tacit ‘positive peer pressure’ from social proof will gently push them towards you.
5 Different Types of Social Proof
There are five main types of social proof you can use to maximise the effectiveness of your landing pages.
Testimonials
Positive comments from happy customers will always boost your business’ reputation. Do you check Zomato before dining out or Trip Advisor before booking a hotel? However casual the reviewer’s comments may be, they can heavily influence our opinions and decisions. That is why displaying testimonials on your landing page is a clever strategy.
Humans are storytellers, so let your visitors engage in a personal account of your customers’ positive experiences. Statistics can be impressive, but people tend to trust personal stories more as they can connect on an emotional level. Adding a first name, city and date can also make it more relatable.
If your business is just kicking off the ground, it doesn’t hurt to get your friends and family to write testimonials. Have an easily accessible feedback form on your site so you can collect more testimonials, or send out an email with a link. People are more likely to take the time to leave feedback if you offer something in return, so let them know you’ll be donating $5 to a charity for every feedback received, or they’ll receive a 10% discount code.
Counters
We mentioned that people find personal connections more persuasive than numbers, but that doesn’t mean numbers don’t count for anything. If your business has a large following, use the figure as social proof on your landing page. Showing how many people are already using your product or service can get that herd mentality stirring.
Photos and Videos
‘Pics or it didn’t happen’ – anyone remember that line from school? However persuasive your written content may be, having visual social proof is the ultimate way to optimize your landing page. Decorating your page with a single video or photo of your existing customers can draw visitors in.
Reviews From Other Sites
Collect positive reviews from other websites, as they appear objective. It also shows that your business is recognized by other well-known business’, increasing your social status. Honestly, using social proof is just like taking your cool friend to a party.
Customer Logos
Show who your business represents and who you are in association with. Customer logos act in the same way social influencers work. When people recognize a brand they’ll see your business in that same boat, so only pick the best ones!
For more on landing page optimisation, get in touch with the Pure SEO crew today!