Imagine you’re about to buy a new gadget online, but you’re hesitant. Then, bam! A social proof popup appears saying, “37 people have this in their cart right now!” Suddenly, that gadget seems a whole lot more appealing.
Having spent nearly a decade in marketing, I have seen firsthand the trust that social proof delivers to a deal. But how effective is it in driving sales?
In this blog, we’ll unlock the power of social proof and explore how popups can be a game-changer for increasing website sales. Plus, you’ll discover simple steps to create popups that truly deliver results. Let’s get started.
What Is Social Proof in Marketing?
Social proof in marketing is the concept that people are influenced by the actions, preferences, or opinions of others, especially when making decisions. When we see others trying or endorsing a product, we tend to trust it more. This can be shown through customer reviews, celebrity endorsements, or social media followers.
For example, if a restaurant has many positive online reviews, it’s more likely that people will want to dine there, believing it’s good because others think so.
Social proof helps build trust and credibility by making new customers feel confident about their choices.
What Are the Types of Social Proof?
Here are some of the main types of social proof:
1. Expert Social Proof
This comes from recognized authorities or experts in a particular field. When a professional, thought leader or influencer endorses a product or service, people trust it more because they assume the expert knows best.
Example: A dermatologist recommends a specific skincare brand.
2. Celebrity Social Proof
Involves endorsements from celebrities or well-known personalities. This type of social proof leverages the popularity and influence of celebrities to sway the decisions of their fans or followers.
Example: A celebrity being featured in an ad campaign for a new clothing line.
3. User Social Proof
This occurs when regular users of a product or service provide testimonials, reviews, ratings, or share their experiences. It’s one of the most authentic forms of social proof because it reflects real-world experiences.
Example: Positive customer reviews on Amazon or Google.
4. Wisdom of the Crowd
People are influenced by what a large group of others is doing. The assumption is that if many people are doing something, it must be the right thing.
Example: “Best-selling” or “most popular” labels on products.
5. Wisdom of Friends
This type of social proof comes from recommendations by people you know personally, like friends or family members. It’s highly trusted because it comes from sources with no perceived ulterior motive.
Example: A friend recommending a restaurant or a movie.
6. Certification or Badges
When a product or service receives a certification or approval from a trusted third party, it provides a sense of legitimacy and trust.
Example: “FDA Approved” or a “Certified Organic” label.
7. Influencer Social Proof
Different from celebrity proof, influencer social proof comes from individuals who have built an audience around their expertise or unique point of view in a specific niche. They may not be famous worldwide, but they influence their followers significantly.
Example: A fitness influencer promoting a specific brand of protein powder.
How to Create Social Proof Popups
You need a superior popup tool like Picreel to create a social proof popup. This tool makes it easy with its built-in popup templates and smart targeting options.
Here’s how you can do it in a few simple steps:
Step 1: Log in to your Picreel account.
Step 2: Navigate to the “Campaigns” section and click “New Campaign” at the top right corner. You can choose the templates option from the drop-down menu or start from scratch.
Step 3: In the templates menu, select the popup template that you want to customize for social proof.
Tip: Go to the “Goal” Section and look for “Lead Capture” templates. They will probably offer the best templates for delivering your social proofs.
Step 4: After choosing the template, personalize the design based on your preferences. You can change the layout and design, include different elements, and customize the input fields to get an eye-catching popup.
Step 5: Set up your targeting and trigger options to control when and where the social proof popup will be displayed.
Step 6: Click “Save” to launch and activate your social proof popup.
Ta-da! You have created a social-proof popup. You can use this social proof on websites to increase engagement and conversions.
What Are the Benefits of Social Proof Popups in Marketing?
Social proof popups can be highly beneficial in enhancing your marketing efforts in the following ways:
1. Boosts Trust and Credibility
By showcasing real-time customer actions like purchases, reviews, or signups, social proof popups validate the quality of your product or service. Seeing others make similar choices builds trust and reassures potential customers that they are making a safe, informed decision.
Example: A popup showing recent sales can reassure hesitant buyers.
2. Increases Conversion Rates
Social proof popups create urgency and influence decision-making by showing others are engaging with your product. This triggers the fear of missing out (FOMO), prompting potential customers to act quickly.
Example: A notification that “5 people just bought this” encourages immediate purchases.
3. Enhances Social Validation
Displaying social proof on websites makes your brand appear popular and well-regarded. This psychological reassurance helps potential buyers feel validated in their interests.
Example: Seeing a review popup that says “Sarah just left a 5-star review” assures new visitors of your product’s quality.
4. Drives Engagement and Curiosity
Popups with real-time activity spark curiosity about what others are doing or buying. This increases the likelihood that visitors will click through and explore your offers.
Example: A “20 people viewed this item in the last hour” popup invites users to investigate the product further.
5. Reduces Hesitation and Cart Abandonment
Social proof popups help reduce hesitation and encourage checkout completion by providing real-time proof that others are completing purchases. This alleviates buyer doubts and decreases the chances of cart abandonment.
Example: “Alex from New York just purchased this item” reduces the fear of making the wrong choice.
6. Improves Brand Perception and Popularity
Displaying frequent social activity can create a sense of community and make your brand appear more popular and relevant. This improves how customers perceive your business and products.
Example: “John just signed up for the webinar” shows that your content is valuable and in demand.
7. Encourages User Interaction and Sharing
Popups that highlight social proof can encourage users to interact with your content, make purchases, and even share their experiences. Seeing others engage positively fosters a desire to participate.
Example: After seeing others signing up for a service, visitors may feel compelled to do the same and even share it.
8. Creates a Sense of Urgency
When social proof popups show limited product availability or high demand, it can drive urgency. Potential buyers may act quickly to avoid missing out on a product or service.
Example: A popup stating “Only 3 left in stock!” prompts faster decision-making.
9. Fosters Trust in New or Less Known Brands
For newer businesses or those without widespread recognition, social proof popups help bridge the trust gap by showing others are buying from or engaging with the brand.
Example: “10 people bought this in the last 24 hours” adds credibility to an unknown store.
10. Personalizes the Shopping Experience
Social proof popups can personalize the experience and further build connections and trust with visitors by using location or user-specific data.
Example: “Jessica from Chicago just purchased” feels relatable to others in similar areas.
8 Social Proof Popup Examples That Improve Conversion Rate
Here are some examples of social proof popups from some renowned brands:
Blenders Eyewear
They often feature popups showing real-time purchases, which create urgency and show visitors that their products are in demand. This method, also called “fear of missing out” (FOMO), encourages users to act quickly, seeing others make similar purchases.
(Image Source: Yopto)
Drunk Elephant
This beauty brand incorporates customer reviews and expert testimonials in its popups, showcasing positive feedback and trusted endorsements to build credibility.
Brooklinen
Their social proof popups highlight satisfied customer reviews and ratings, with an emphasis on transparency by allowing both positive and negative feedback. This balanced approach builds trust in the brand.
(Image Source: Shopify)
Glossier
Glossier effectively uses user-generated content (UGC) in popups, such as customers posting photos wearing their products on social media. This makes the shopping experience more relatable and trustworthy for new customers.
(Image Source: EConsultancy)
Gymshark
Gymshark leverages influencer marketing by showing popups of well-known fitness influencers and athletes endorsing their apparel. This gives them direct access to the followers of these influencers and creates a sense of trust and authenticity.
Pura Vida
They utilize popups that show how many people have recently purchased a product or how many are currently viewing the same product. This real-time data boosts social proof and creates a sense of urgency.
(Image Source: ConvertFlow)
Allbirds
Allbirds emphasizes sustainability and displays social proof by showing customer testimonials and how their eco-friendly products resonate with the community. This appeals to environmentally-conscious shoppers.
(Image Source: Shopify)
Bombas
Bombas uses a combination of popups featuring customer reviews and highlighting their charitable model—where for every item purchased, one is donated. This blend of social proof and corporate responsibility strengthens the appeal to conscious consumers.
(Image Source: TheGood)
Maximize Brand Credibility & Returns With Social Proof Popups
As we conclude, we have a clear idea that enhancing your brand credibility and boosting returns is easy when you leverage social proof popups. These popups create a sense of trust and encourage customers to engage with your brand.
By showcasing real-time activity and feedback from others, they validate the credibility of your products and services, leading to higher conversions.
You can always use a good popup tool like Picreel, which supports customizable templates, advanced targeting options, and real-time analytics. It also has features like geo-targeting and A/B testing that enable you to create compelling social proof popups.
No doubt, it helps you build trust and drive customer engagement.
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