Converting website visitors into satisfied customers
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on e-commerce is clear: the number of online purchases by Dutch consumers increased in 2020 by more than 27%. The digital arena, full of both product and service providers as well as website visitors, is more vibrant than ever. How can you convince website visitors to buy from you? World-renowned 'godfather of persuasion', Robert Cialdini has (still) the answer.
Social proof
In 'Influence', Cialdini describes six powerful 'persuasion principles' to convince a website visitor to make a purchase: reciprocity, commitment and consistency, liking, scarcity and authority (see my previous article about applications of this authority principle). Later, Cialdini added the seventh principle of 'unity'. Which of these principles is the most powerful in the world of e-commerce? According to Cialdini himself, there is only one: social proof.
Social proof: the phenomenon of copying the behavior of (a large group of) others, because that seems like the right option in uncertain or unknown situations. People are social beings and like to be guided by examples from others. This makes using social proof on your website an excellent way to convince consumers to buy from you. Social proof is also particularly effective when comparable products from other providers are available. The choice for a particular provider cannot then simply be made based on differences in the offering or taste.
How Simpel.nl makes the difference in the SIM-only market
Take, for example, a SIM-only subscription in the telecom market. A SIM-only subscription has a certain amount of data and a certain number of calling minutes and text messages. Apart from existing price differences, there are few varying specifications per product and provider. Yet mobile provider Simpel.nl manages to make the difference in this market, partly by focusing on social proof and related features. This article shows you three ways Simpel.nl does this.
Simpel.nl shows the most persuasive power
In March 2021, WUA conducted an online customer experience study within the SIM-only market in the Netherlands. Four hundred consumers evaluated 4 websites, based on free orientation, when they searched online for a SIM-only subscription via desktop and smartphone. Simpel.nl emerged as the winner. The provider was not only the consumers' preference, it was also clearest to consumers why they should take out a SIM-only subscription with Simpel.nl. (score for desktop and smartphone combined: 66/100).
So what can you learn from Simpel.nl's lead in the SIM-only study, when we look at how social proof influenced persuasive power?
1. Show website visitors clear customer reviews and demonstrate that you are trustworthy
Website visitors love customer reviews. They are a powerful form of social proof. They are a direct indication of the quality of a company and/or the offered product and are given by the unbiased consumers themselves. Customer reviews have a stronger effect on trust in a provider when they:
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Are directly visible. The sooner a consumer becomes aware of customer reviews, the sooner they will be used in the search for a suitable provider.
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Are present in large numbers. A score based on 1,523 reviews naturally carries more weight than one based on 12 reviews.
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Are verifiable. Website visitors must be able to find out which individual reviews contribute to the collective assessment.
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Are credible. In the eyes of consumers, customer reviews are more credible when a real number is used (instead of a nice round number like '100'). Other factors also contribute to the credibility of a review, such as a name, date and other basic information.
Simpel.nl places great emphasis on positive customer reviews from the beginning of the customer journey. A large block is reserved on the homepage for the high Trustpilot rating, so that the score of 4.7 out of 5 is immediately seen as soon as a website visitor lands. This score is particularly convincing due to the high number of reviews (58,599 at the time of this article) as well as an underlined click-through option to individual reviews to verify the assessments.
As the cherry on top, Simpel.nl emphasizes the most recent review, with name, date and review text. One respondent from the WUA study summarized the approach nicely: "I think it's good that the Trustpilot reviews are directly visible, it shows their confidence that the reviews are good."
All in all, Simpel.nl lets the striking, verifiable and credible customer reviews do all the convincing.
2. Link the desired visitor behavior to that of previous website visitors
Besides large numbers of (reliable) customer reviews about the provider, social proof can be effectively used to make the main promotion on a web page more attractive. In other words: literally show the number of people who have already performed an important action (for example clicking on CTAs like "order", "register" or "request"). A large number of predecessors can remove any doubt the consumer has about performing the same action.
Simpel.nl makes use of this by linking the main CTAs during the customer journey to social proof: "Join more than 1 million customers," for example. On the homepage, this statement motivates clicking on the "View all subscriptions" button, while visitors to the subscription page see that more than 1 million customers have also clicked on the "Order" button before them. The choice previously made by a large number of visitors is the "social proof" for choosing a SIM-only subscription with Simpel.nl.
3. Proudly show your (public) awards
Besides using "absolute" forms of social proof, such as the number of customer reviews and the link between CTAs and the number of customers, "relative" customer signals also contribute to persuasive power. (Public) awards tell consumers a lot about the quality of that specific provider, as well as comparing that quality with other providers in the same or other markets. This puts even more emphasis on the relative leading position. Combined with awards from an independent authority, awards create a convincing argument for choosing you as a product provider.
Simpel.nl is open about this: the Consumentenbond label with the text "Best in Test, Nov 2020" is shown directly on the homepage. This positive quality signal, recently issued by a well-known organization in a position of authority, increases the conviction that simpel.nl is the right choice. In addition, there is plenty of space on the homepage for awards won in other domains. This shows that Simpel.nl recognizes the importance of public awards, which again confirms the very positive opinion of the consumers themselves. Another reason to choose Simpel.nl.
Conclusion: Let previous customers convince your website visitors
In the volatile world of e-commerce, it is crucial that you convince website visitors from the very first second to buy from you instead of from the competitor. Social proof is a powerful, convincing instrument for this and can be implemented in many different ways. The fact that many other website visitors have chosen you and are thrilled about it can give the consumer exactly the right dose of confidence to also choose you.
In the telecom market, Simpel.nl fully commits to social proof when selling their SIM-only subscriptions. They make customer reviews as credible and convincing as possible, link important CTAs to the behavior of previous visitors, and pay a lot of attention to awards given by both the public and authorities like the Consumentenbond. Showing social proof is an extremely powerful element in converting visitors into customers.
