Unlocking Trust: 4 Essential Elements Your Website Must Have to Harness the Power of Social Proof
You may not be old enough to remember watching Rage on a Saturday morning or when businesses relied on marketing channels like print and radio ads. The prominence of both these marketing strategies has dwindled over time, with businesses taking advantage of new online marketing avenues to reach a larger audience.
A website may feel like a large investment compared to social media. However, having a 24/7 limitless audience on a platform you control is your best marketing asset.
Back in the day, small to medium businesses had limited advertising options. It was usually only the big end of town that could afford prominent media ads. As a small business, you could run a small ad in the Yellow Pages, alongside all your competitors. Too bad if your business name didn’t start with “A” or “123”! These directory ads were around $1,000 dollars each year and for only a few lines of single-colour text. Thankfully, those days are behind us. While the initial cost of having a website professionally built can feel high to many small businesses, it’s an investment that pays off (and often, quite quickly). Unlike the old Yellow Pages ads, a website is evergreen, interactive, and contains unlimited information, as well as business and marketing tools like SEO and Google Analytics.
While businesses must keep up with the times, the fundamental principles of sales and marketing remain the same. The foundations of successfully selling are built on one cornerstone concept: trust.
People buy from businesses and individuals they feel are trustworthy. Lululemon would never hire a salesperson who isn’t passionate about health and fitness because their customers would subconsciously deem them inauthentic and untrustworthy.
When I’m doing a business website audit (you can book yours here), I almost always end up flagging the fact that the business would benefit from showcasing more social proof.
Social proof is the quickest way to begin building trust with the reader and, therefore, plant the seed that they should buy from you.
Here are four things your website needs to prepare the reader to buy:
User-generated content (or UGC)
As seen/featured in
Awards, professional memberships, achievements, etc.
A solid portfolio
1) User-generated content (or UGC)
Having or not having the right UGC can significantly increase your conversion rate. Human beings are all wary of parting with their money and are fully aware that businesses cannot possibly be objective when it comes to their own products or services. So how, then, do we (business owners) convince the audience we are as legit as we say we are?
We get other people to tell them for us.
UGC comes in many forms, and it’s important to have as many as possible on your website. The main ones are written testimonials/reviews, and images/videos.
Amazon is a fabulous example of how UGC can grow a business. Their business model focuses largely on their users leaving verified reviews, and Amazon shoppers often rely on these to decide to purchase (or not!). As consumers, we’re always looking for objective evidence that the product/service will solve our problems and do what it’s claiming it will. I’m sure you’ve had the experience of considering a product or service, only to find negative reviews and immediately change your mind.
Written testimonials and reviews
A quality written testimonial/review can be the one thing that gets someone over that sales line. It’s important to try and encourage your reviewers to be detailed in their comments. Have them address any specific concerns your demographic might have about buying from you. If your products/services sell at a premium, have reviews that specifically mention how you or your products are worth every dollar (and why). Likewise, if you’re selling clothing to busy mums, have testimonials that reference the durability and comfort of your garments. You can steer the direction of your UGC by having specific questions for the reviewer to answer. Questions like ‘Do you feel you got your money’s worth?’ or ‘Why do you think this dress is great for busy mums?’ will give you the specific content you need.
Proof for the social proof…
I’m sure we’ve all read a glowing review before and wondered if the business owner just wrote it themselves under a fake name. I recommend my web design clients display the reviewer’s photo, full name and either city or company name to “back up” their testimonial. Each additional piece of information adds credibility to the written testimonial. Shopify eCommerce businesses can use apps like Yotpo to show verified customer reviews.
Screenshots can also pack a punch. A screenshot of a text or email exchange between you and a happy client proves that the review is legitimate. Not only is it obvious that it’s come from a real person, but it was probably also unsolicited. If someone went out of their way to tell you how great you/your products are, you need to share that as much as possible. Don’t be tempted to add your branding or logo, as this can make it appear edited and therefore a bit suspicious. Don’t forget to remove/cover up any personal or identifying details and then share the image exactly as it is.
Screenshots of positive client feedback for Feel Good Creative
Images and videos
Images and videos are perhaps even more trustworthy as they’re harder (and let’s face it, more effort) to ‘fake’.
Providing images and videos from your specific demographic will connect with the reader and build that all-important trust. A woman in her prime (you know, over 40) is more likely to trust a review about your luminising, anti-ageing cream if it’s coming from another woman of the same age and background.
A before and after photo after using your products or service shows evidence of the transformation from problem to solution. It’s inherently more legit than a written testimonial. While yes, pictures can be edited, most people are less likely to jump to that conclusion.
Engaging testimonial videos that address specific points are marketing gold. Having multiple videos from different people only proves your validity and integrity.
If a picture paints a thousand words then a video paints… a million words.
2) As seen/featured in
Once again, this is all about providing objective evidence that your business is trustworthy. An eye-catching carousel of well-known logos means you can rely on the hard work of other businesses to prove you’re as good as you say you are.
This is the logo bar we created for Jenn Johnston Ceramics website. It’s a curated collection of prominent businesses she’s collaborated with and media that she has been featured in. While Jenn could have listed more, she’s focused on the cream of the crop for maximum credibility and to demonstrate premium brand positioning and exclusivity.
This is a podcast feature carousel we created for HK Productions. It’s a casual brag showcasing the podcasts that Helen has been a guest on. By providing social proof that other people value her podcast production expertise, it’s implied that you should too!
Here are some more examples of boosting your street cred by association. An artist might have their artwork featured in a design magazine or licenced by a fashion label for clothing print. A nutritionist who has made guest appearances on podcasts has had their expertise validated externally.
If you haven’t been featured in anything as of yet, now is the time to reach out and start making that happen. Don’t forget, if you don’t ask, you don’t receive. 😎
3) Awards, professional memberships, achievements, etc.
I’m constantly baffled by the number of businesses that don’t provide this information front and centre of their website. Awards won in trustworthy competitions instantly impress your reader.
If you’re a highly-trained and qualified professional offering services, this is perhaps even more important.
An accountant registered with the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand is objectively proving that they are qualified and operate with professional standards. They are inherently trusted to comply with all Australian rules and regulations.
This is the logo bar marqee we created for The Integrated CFO website to visually highlight their professional membership and accreditations.
Likewise, a photographer who has won an award for their work is immediately given more credibility and it’s assumed that “they must know what they’re doing” if they’ve received industry recognition.
This information needs to be in a prominent place on your website. These organisations have recognisable logos and badges that their members or award recipients can utilise as needed.
4) A solid portfolio
As they say, the proof is in the pudding.
Someone looking for the perfect wedding cake will likely make a beeline for your gallery of specialist cakes. A business owner looking for a branding photographer will look at your portfolio as evidence of the style and quality of images you can consistently deliver.
Make sure your portfolio is clear, professional, and demonstrates the work you are most proud of and want more of.
A portfolio demonstrates that you know what you’re doing because you’ve done it before. Want to see my web design portfolio?
Conclusion
Having these four indicators of social proof on your website can significantly improve your conversion rate. To learn the insider secrets on making this happen, make sure you’re on the VIP list.
Do you have enough social proof on your website?
Jess xx
