Social proof pop up: The way to conversions

Do you read reviews before purchasing a product? Then you know how convincing they can be.

In fact, 72% of customers won’t take action before they have read reviews (My Testimonial Engine).

A brand that has many followers and likes on social media, as well as many positive reviews, has a huge advantage compared to businesses that lack them.

In this article, we will discuss the role of social proof and why you should use its power to your advantage. Learn how to implement social proof pop ups on your online store and grow your business in no time.

What is social proof in marketing?

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people conform to the actions of the majority, believing that this is the correct behavior.

Marketers use social proof for conversion rate optimization. In ecommerce, it has many forms, such as customer testimonials, celebrity or influencers’ endorsements, and specific website pop ups.

Why use social proof pop ups?

Consumers will usually look for reviews of the products they want to buy. However, what if they can’t find any? 15% of users don’t trust businesses without reviews (Status Labs).

Don’t wait. Convince them to purchase by displaying a social proof pop up on your website just as they are viewing a product and wondering whether to buy it.

The best thing is that you control what and when to show to customers. That way you don’t have to rely on others; instead, you promote your products or services just the way you want.

Moreover, if you show visitors the large number of people who like and follow your brand already, you can gain more followers on social media or new subscribers to your newsletter. No one would want to miss out.

Main types of social proof pop ups

These kinds of pop ups help your business appear more popular and credible, which convinces people to buy. Here are some different types of social proof pop ups that you can use on your online store.

Testimonials

You can use product reviews and ratings, quotes, videos, celebrity endorsements, experts’ opinions, influencers, media mentions and whatever else you can think of.

Customer testimonials are the most effective because they are authentic, they give your website credibility, and what’s more, they feel like personal recommendations from a friend.

Using a testimonial pop up can only work to your advantage. It isn’t overwhelming to the potential buyer but it reassures them and nudges them to act.

Moreover, you can display specific product reviews as part of your campaigns. It’s a good idea to provide the user with some time to read the product’s description on your page or browse its photos before you show them the relevant pop up.

However, if your business doesn’t have many reviews for a certain item, you can use a generic campaign for your category pages.

If you want to build a positive brand image, you can display company testimonials on your homepage.

Besides, you can use employee testimonials to testify for the great working environment you provide or the quality of the products.

All of these methods will help you build trust in your prospects.

Bestsellers

Point users to your best selling products or services. The fact that other people are buying them must mean they are good. This makes other consumers want to have them too.

The marketing strategy of displaying your bestsellers is especially effective with first-time visitors. You can’t afford to lose them so it’s a good idea to guide them to your most liked products that already have the stamp of approval from other customers.

Another great tactic is to add a bestsellers social proof popup on your 404 error pages to reduce users’ frustration and your bounce rate.

Social media and number of subscribers

Show social proof pop ups with the numbers of your followers on Facebook, Instagram and other social media. The higher the number of your followers, the more convincing it will be for others to join them or at least check out your social media profile.

It’s a good idea to make consumers follow you on your social media accounts because you can easily reach them with your marketing campaigns there.

On the other hand, if you want to convince readers to subscribe to your newsletter, simply add a social proof pop up with the number of your subscribers. This will make them think about what additional content they are missing out on that other people have access to.

Additional tips

FOMO pop ups

The fear of missing out is a powerful motivator. Create a sense of urgency with words like “This bestseller product might be gone soon” to urge consumers to act now and buy it.

Another good idea is showing a live visitor count on your page. This tactic is often used by platforms for booking hotels and flights. Showing real time visitors looking at the same offer as you creates urgency to book now before you miss out.

Sold-out

For a product to be sold out speaks well for it and acts as great social proof. However, it also brings disappointment to customers.

Make sure to take advantage of the situation, as well as reassure frustrated consumers by guiding them to a similar product. What’s more, offer them to leave their email address to receive a back-in-stock notification when the product is available. Otherwise, you might miss a sale opportunity.

Numbers

Avoid ambiguity and always use numbers in your pop ups when possible and appropriate. They strengthen the social proof and support your claim. “500k people already follow us on Instagram” sounds better and way more convincing than “So many people follow us!”

To sum up

Now you know why social proof pop ups are so important and why they always work so well. They are a must if you want to beat the competition.

But wait.

There are even more ways to increase conversions: welcome pop ups, email pop ups, cart abandonment and exit-intent ones, discount pop ups, and so on.

Use Catchfull – our brand new digital marketing tool – to easily create attractive campaigns that will help you gain subscribers, convert visitors, drive sales and grow your business. Subscribe now to get a 3-month free trial!