Even though we like to think of ourselves as free thinkers, we are social creatures, and social factors are behind most of our decisions. This applies in all areas of our lives, but nowhere is it more obvious than shopping, where social proof drives purchases. People can find products by themselves, but, before buying it, they usually ask for a second opinion: friends or family, if they’ve tried it or, if not, people on the Internet.

According to a Nilsen study, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends, and 70% trust recommendations from strangers on the Internet, which goes to show just how much social proof matters in advertising. What’s more, 85% of people trust online reviews as much as friends and family. If you have an online business, you probably already know that testimonials and reviews are important, so you probably have a rating system on product pages and a testimonials section on your homepage. But then again, so does everyone else. These standard ways of displaying social proof are so common that people no longer find them as compelling, which is why you have to think outside the box and consider new ways of generating leads and boosting brand trust.

 Video testimonials

Video content is on the rise; we consume more video content than ever before, whether it comes in the form of YouTube videos or Insta stories, mostly because it’s short, to the point, useful, and entertaining. However, video content has another extra advantage: it’s more credible. Some online consumers are afraid that text reviews can be faked, so they need a little extra to be fully convinced. Video testimonials can show even the most skeptical people that your business is the real deal and that they can trust you. Ask satisfied customers if they would agree to sit down for a video interview or film a video themselves describing their experience with your products or services, then post it on your website or social media. If more people agree, you can also create a montage. Coming from them, the endorsement is all the more trustworthy and can boost lead conversion.

 Include testimonials in your email marketing campaigns

Email marketing is often treated as an afterthought compared to other digital marketing solutions such as SEO, PPC, or social media. However, email marketing still works and can be a major lead generation tool, if used right. So why not include relevant testimonials in your emails to make them more compelling and drive clicks to your website? One or two short testimonials are usually enough, and it shouldn’t take up too much space on the screen. For an added effect, use the social proof element in the subject line. For example, a subject line like “Our top-rated product is now on sale! Order while stocks last!” can be more effective than simply “[Product] is now on sale” because it also plays on scarcity.

Create attractive testimonial graphics for key products and post them on social media

Do you simply copy and paste the text of the testimonial when posting it on social media? You might be missing out. Take the same text, but make it stand out by incorporating creative graphics. For example, you can add a pretty background color, choose a creative font, and include attention-grabbing graphics. You can also bold key words in the testimonials to make them stand out.

Another great lead-generation tip is to include a great testimonial when promoting a key product on social media. Pure Hemp Farms is an excellent example of how to use testimonials to your advantage. Apart from detailed product descriptions, each page includes customer reviews describing how much the product helped them relax and ease anxiety, and this can sometimes be more compelling than the official description. When following this strategy, make sure the color and style of the graphics are consistent with your brand identity.

Extra tip: You can also include testimonials and reviews in your social media ads. 

Write a client’s success story.

So, your brand offers awesome services. All the content on your website backs up your claims, and you’ve invested in professional copywriting services to describe your key benefits. This is a great strategy, but sometimes, people want to know precisely how your products can help them. One of the best ways of doing that is to share the success story of a satisfied client.

 This success story will obviously include a testimonial (which can be in text or video form, your choice), but this type of content should be long-form, and you should be generous with the details. Describe what needs your client had, what challenges they were facing before they contacted you, how you worked together to achieve a fantastic result, and, most importantly, how your services helped them. Be very specific and provide as much proof as possible. For example, if your product is an acne treatment, make sure you add before and after photos. If you offer B2B solutions, give clear data on how much your client’s sales and profit have increased since they started working with you.

Place testimonials next to CTAs on your landing pages.

There’s no such thing as an effective landing page without a testimonial. There’s also no such thing as an effective landing page without strategically placed CTAs (calls to action). But why not put them next to each other? The idea is simple: after reading a well-chosen review, website visitors will feel an impulse to buy your product. But, if the CTA button is several scrolls down, they might not end up ordering it, and that hurts your bottom line. However, if they see a call to action immediately after reading the testimonial, the chances of conversion are higher.

Make big name customer logos stand out on your website.

If your company is fortunate enough to have worked with big name brands, then theirs are the first testimonials to show because they carry more weight. You can also add a photo of that brand’s representative with their name and title for extra credibility. On the homepage, you can include a slider with the logos of the big-name brands you’ve worked with, but make sure they don’t clash with your website design or overcrowd the page.