Have you ever thought that purchasing items marked as the “most popular” was a safe bet? If you wish to buy a product you are unfamiliar with, do you consult your friends and family for advice? If yes, then please understand that these behaviours have a psychological explanation known as social proof.
What is a Social Proof?
An expedient to making the right choice is a social proof. As an illustration, consider the following: Imagine yourself strolling the streets while reviewing your lunch options. Suddenly, you notice a restaurant with a huge line of customers waiting outside and think, “I guess that’s a decent pick since so many people are waiting for it. It must taste great!”
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people imitate others’ behaviour to feel confident about a particular decision they are about to make. They give themselves reassurances that what they are doing is the best as others have done the same.
Why Use Social Proof in B2B Tech Marketing?
B2B buyers are more analytical than B2C consumers, and the B2B purchasing journey is typically more complicated. Although individual B2B purchasers don’t want to make a mistake on behalf of their organization of hundreds or even thousands of people, B2B decisions do require a lot of critical assessment because they affect entire enterprises.
Buyers in both the B2C and B2B sectors rely on social proof as a safety net to avoid making bad choices. B2B marketers can use social proof to streamline the decision-making process and relieve their fears by showcasing the decisions made by the most people.
But how can we incorporate social proof into B2B websites where potential customers might notice it? The following six methods will help your B2B customers feel confident about their buying choices.
- Ratings
Displaying ratings on your B2B website is one method to integrate social proof. This is a well-known tactic you can employ to assure your customers that they are not making the wrong choice.
Additionally, B2B buyers frequently rely on online reviews in the same way that B2C buyers do when seeking advice from their friends, family, and Google.
- Testimonials
Due to the abundance of options available to B2B buyers, choosing one is becoming increasingly difficult. When there are too many options, you can make prospective customers more confident in their choice by offering feedback from past clients on your product or service. This is because testimonials offer social proof about your product or service being useful to others.
- Case Studies
Case studies outline the issues you address and how you interact with your present clients or consumers.
Case studies are frequently grouped together on a B2B website so customers can learn first-hand how organizations with similar needs are utilizing your product or service. The degree to which a decision maker and the group share characteristics determines social proof. Therefore, it is advisable to group case studies by industry to highlight clients who are like one another and take full advantage of the psychology of social proof.
- Social Media Links
Another way to use social proof is through social media links. According to Forbes, 83% of medium and large sized companies’ B2B executives make choices using social media.
New Shoppers can have access to your social media channels and learn more about your relationship with existing customers by simply adding social media links to your website. By viewing your relationships with past clients through these social links, potential customers might trust your product or service even more.
- Certifications and Awards
While other methods mentioned above offer social proof from actual consumers, awards and certificates are a great way to offer social proof from a reputable and well-established source.
Awards and medals, which are given by outside parties, can be very persuasive evidence for B2B customers. As a result, they give potential buyers the assurance to make the right call. It’s better if a B2B business has received more awards as it helps in strengthening their brand image.
- Company logos and number of users
Useful strategies to incorporate social proof into your B2B website include showing the number of active users and the logos of companies working with you.
By showing this, you are giving a social proof to visitors that your brand is a trustworthy and valued brand.
Moreover, one of the easiest ways to obtain social proof is through real-time user counts, which is a clear proof that other companies are already utilizing your product.
These elements can encourage potential buyers to form opinions when they are unsure about their choices.
The Bottom Line:
People get assurance when they are in unclear situations thanks to this psychological phenomenon known as “social proof.” To be sure they are making the right choice, people tend to follow the majority.
You can use the tools indicated above to integrate social proof into your B2B website, where customers frequently conduct their due diligence before making a purchase. With the help of these methods, you can shorten your buyer’s journey and relieve their stress related to making a purchase.