Individuals are highly influenced by the pressure and norms exerted by groups. As an idea or belief increases in popularity, people are more likely to adopt it; when seemingly everyone is doing something, there is an incredible pressure to conform.[1] Individuals' impressions of public opinion or preference can originate from several sources. (Wikipedia)
Some individual reasons behind the bandwagon effect include:
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Efficiency — allowing for decisions to be made quickly.
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Normative social influence (belonging) — People have the tendency to conform with others out of a desire to fit in with the crowd and gain approval from others.
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Informational social influence — People tend to conform with others out of a desire to be right, under the assumption that others may know something or may understand the situation better.[9]
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Fear of missing out — People who are anxious of 'missing out' of things that others are doing may be susceptible to the bandwagon effect.[9]
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Being on the 'winning side' — The desire to support a "winner" (or avoid supporting a "loser") can be what makes some susceptible to the bandwagon effect. (Wikipedia)
Monkey see monkey do. As humans, and informed consumers, we hate to admit that some of our purchases come from simply emulating those that we admire or to whom we relate. Unfortunately, data shows that this is more common than most care to admit. But there’s a better way, and more clear way, to describe this phenomenon
One of the greatest marketers of all time, Seth Godin, writes “People like us, do things like this.” This approach perfectly sums up how best to market your product. Cyclists like us, buy Giant bicycles. Vegans like us, buy nutrition bars with limited vegan ingredients.
Here are some great ways to leverage social proof on your Shopify store to increase conversion rates.
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Expert/ Celebrity Endorsement
Expert and celebrity endorsements have been used for decades to increase conversion rates of both goods and services. Calling out these endorsements directly on homepages and product pages can be a great way to convince customers to buy. These endorsements can come naturally or can be pursued with intent (paid). A great way to stay on top of when your brand is mentioned is to create a google alert. These alerts can let you know when your brand is mentioned so you can leverage it on your Shopify store.
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Written Customer Reviews
Not all endorsements need to be from someone famous. Real reviews from real people are valuable as well. “As a working mother of three boys, this saves me so much time in the morning.” Reviews can be relatable to certain individuals, increasing their likelihood of conversion.- “People like us do things like this.”
Tip - Try and diversify the top 3-10 reviews on your product page or landing page. This increases the opportunity for relatability across multiple segments.
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Video Customer Reviews
In this world, there’s nothing better than video reviews. Video reviews can be more engaging and some believe, even more memorable. Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text (insivia). But it’s not just remembering, it also comes down to how long a user will stay on the page. The average user spends 88% more time on a website with video than a website without one. (Marketing Profs).
Tips- Struggling to get video reviews? Run a special giveaway via email and social - offer a great discount or free product/services for video reviews.
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As Seen On (Good Morning America, Today Show, Forbes..etc)
Although a bit overused, this can be a great way to increase your legitimacy, especially for SaaS companies, service, or B2B companies. It is worth mentioning that this has become so popular since some of these major publications are much easier to get on, especially their websites, reducing the true legitimacy of the endorsement.
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Available at these Retailers
A great but simple way to increase your social proof to new customers is to show that you are available at certain retailers. Is your product available at Trader Joe’s? You may have diehard Trader Joe’s fan’s visiting your site! Available at Costco? Linda loves getting those discounts!
(I have heard countless arguments against this practice for many reasons, including losing out on e-commerce sales because users would rather shop at their favorite store. From experience, this seems to not be the case. These types of sections on a website typically reinforce online purchasing rather than the opposite.)
Tips - Add a second section on a carousel that shows “available for same day delivery” for example, Amazon, Uber Eats, GoPuff..etc.
All of these forms of social proof are proven ways to increase conversion rates on your Shopify store. Power these concepts up by creating specific landing pages for specific products and audiences. Use these landing pages with specific email or advertising campaigns.
Now go and grow.
J
Recommended Apps:
Loox is the best way to collect and display video reviews for your products and service on your Shopify site. It’s easy to install and get started.
Judge.me is another quick and easy way to get started with reviews on your Shopify store.
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