Social proof is a powerful tool and can be the deciding factor in whether people choose to buy from you or not. But what kind of social proof should you use on your website homepage?
In this article, I’ll discuss the different types of social proof you can use listed below and go into a little detail about each. There are no hard and fast rules about what works best on the website homepage as that will be dependent on the type of business in question and the needs of their audience and what they can relate to best.
The key ingredient in using social proof is to demonstrate the value of, the result of, or the outcome of a service or product by watching or reading an account of someone who has already experienced it for themselves as they share it with others.
Here are some examples of the types of social proof to consider using for your client’s in your web projects:
– Testimonials and client stories
– User reviews
– Case studies
– Press mentions and articles
– Product awards and badges of affirmation for your brand or products
– Social media
What’s the Right Kind of Social Proof on the Website Homepage?
Let’s take a look at each of these in more detail.
1. Testimonials and client stories
Effective testimonials and client stories that mention tangible outcomes, results or positive changes; the difference your service has made to a client and the transformation they have gone through, are the most powerful type of social proof you can have on a website homepage.
A good testimonial should be believable, honest and specific. It should also be from the perspective of someone who has used your product or service in a way that is relevant to your audience. Testimonials provide a way for someone who has tried your product or service to vouch for you and what you offer. If they’ve had success with it, there is an increased chance that others will as well.
Client stories give a fly-on-the-wall insight into how a business or service has made a real difference in a client’s life. A client’s story is a hands-on, relatable way to demonstrably show the positive outcomes a client has experienced.
Stories will build a buyer’s confidence and makes the buying process a lot less scary.
2. User reviews
User reviews give website visitors the opportunity to know what other customers think of a business’s products, or services without having to put in any effort themselves to work out how it could be helpful for them.
This is especially helpful on a site where there are many different options for them from which they can choose; however, it’s important not to overwhelm their senses with so much information that they become confused.
This can be in the form of more ‘how to’ type of content or a demonstration showcasing the use of a service and are particularly helpful for explaining how a product works.
3. Case Studies
Case studies are a great way to show potential buyers how your product or service can be applied in different ways. Case Studies give the buyer insight into what they could do with their purchase and why it works so well for others who have used it before them.
Case studies are an opportunity to educate potential buyers on the finer points of a company’s products and services. They offer a detailed look into how someone was able to use a product or service with success, as well as tips for others who may want similar results.
A case study can help potential buyer’s get ‘under the hood’ of what a business offers and see how it can apply the solution to their own circumstances. This is an opportunity to educate by illustrating not only why someone had success using these solutions but also offering tips for others who may wish to do so as well.
4. Press mentions and articles
Press mentions and articles are golden opportunities for social proofing your website homepage.
One of the most important criteria potential buyers use when considering a purchase is what other people have to say about it.
If your business has been included in the press or articles then include reference to these mentions on the website homepage for prospective buyers to be aware of them.
However, take good care to not have external links to take visitors away from the homepage too soon, you want a web visitor to stay on the homepage as long as possible.
5. Product awards and badges of affirmation for your brand
Badges of affirmation for your brand are a great way to give potential buyers the reassurance that they need before making their purchase.
It’s a fine balance, however, between how many awards and badges you should include. My advice is that less is definitely more, keep the balance right between offering brand affirmation and coming across as being boastful.
6. Using social media as social proof
Social proof has its place on the homepage of your website, depending on your target audience.
If a prospect is interested in the service a business offers, then make sure you offer clear signposting for them to visit your social media channels to find out more about the business, how it interacts in the social space.
However, a word of caution, avoid using a social media feed on the homepage because the main purpose of the homepage is to take a web visitor a step closer to be becoming a prospect or entering into your sales funnel rather than taking them away from the homepage too quickly and over to social.
Directing visitors to social channels by having social icons in the footer of a homepage is a great way to get the balance right.
This way you encourage a web visitor to stay on the homepage but at the same time offer signposting for prospects to undertake their due diligence of the business and see how the business interacts online.
Let’s Sum Up the Right Kind of Social Proof to Use on the Homepage
Here’s a quick overview of the main points I’ve covered in this article:
- Social proof is a must on the homepage as it gives web visitors confidence that the business is credible and builds ‘know, like and trust’.
- Social proof can also add context and a level of understanding as to what the business does and who it helps.
- The key is to get the balance right between using social proof to enhance a web visitor’s understanding of the business, keeping it relevant to the needs of the prospect, and making sure the website is addressing the needs of the audience rather than turning it into a place for a business to boast about themselves.
- Use the right types of social proof which are relevant to the type of audience the business aims to help. For example, user reviews may be best suited to a product-based business and case studies for a service-based business.
- The purpose of the homepage is to get a visitor to take action so don’t point them away from the homepage too soon by signposting to social media to retrieve vital information. A good place to locate the social media links is in the footer at the bottom of the homepage.
If you’re a web agency and would like to help your clients and create the best homepage for their project, then you might like to grab my free download, The 8 Homepage Fundamentals, to give you an overview of ‘the what’ and ‘the why’ for creating the best homepage for your clients.
