What is Social Proof & How Do You Get It?

According to Wikipedia, “Social proof, also known as informational social influence, is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others reflect correct behavior for a given situation.” For example, if you are unsure of which fork to choose at a fancy restaurant, the ‘social proof’ thing to do is to simply need to wait, observe, and then choose the one that everyone else chose. (Always work from the outside of your place setting inward.)

Obtaining social proof works in situations where what would normally be appropriate behavior seems incongruent with the surroundings and atmosphere, like making the choice to eat pizza with a fork and knife instead of with your hands when you see that is what everyone else is doing. The behavior is based on the assumption that those who have had experience in a specific circumstance possess more knowledge about the situation.

In the online world of e-commerce, social proof is provided by three things: Ratings, Reviews, and Testimonials.

Ratings are usually displayed by 5 stars or checkmarks. A customer who has had a ‘Five Star’ experience has been extremely satisfied with the product or service they received. When visitors come to a website and see that others have had positive experiences, they are more likely to purchase that product or service.  Ratings are better than reviews in that they give a quick snapshot of the overall experience.

Reviews are short statements that explain what a customer experienced from doing business with an online company. As first time visitors to a website, consumers can read these reviews to find out what people thought about the business. Reviews are better than ratings in that they explain why they were happy, not just that they were happy.

Testimonials are even better than ratings and reviews in that they are written for the sole purpose of motivating a potential customer into making the buying decision.

Wikipedia calls social proof a form of “herd behavior.” Business owners wanting to increase their sales need to take advantage of this phenomenon by acquiring rating and review software, like that provided by Shopper Approved and by providing exceptional products and services.