Introduction
For B2B brands where the buying cycle is longer and involves multiple decision-makers, social proof is a powerful tool to build confidence, increase conversions, and establish authority.
According to Forbes, statistics show that 92% of business-to-business (B2B) buyers are more likely to purchase after reading a trusted review, and displaying five product reviews can increase conversion rates by 270% compared to having no product reviews.
But how do you effectively use social proof on your website, your web content and within your B2B brand strategy?
In this blog post, we’ll break down the concept of social proof, how it works, and how you can leverage it to strengthen your brand and boost customer trust.
What Does Social Proof Mean?
Imagine if you had to research to buy every single product. Research to buy a spoon, research to buy a car, research to buy a match stick, research to buy a piece of slippers.
That would be too rigorous, right?
That’s where the concept of social proof comes in.
Social proof is the psychological phenomenon where people look to others’ actions and experiences to determine their own purchase choices.
Social proof can take many forms, including:
- Customer testimonials
- Case studies
- Industry awards and recognitions
- Influencer or expert endorsements
- Reviews and ratings
- User-generated content
But the real question is how do these work?
How Does Social Proof Work?
As shared by OptinMonster from Hubspot, for 50% of all consumers, their very next step after reading a positive review about a company is to visit their website, which is one step closer to the checkout, or even getting them on your email list.
Social proof such as testimonials, case studies and influencer endorsements work by reducing uncertainty thus reinforcing decision-making through external validation.
They reassure your potential customers that your brand is trustworthy because others—especially their peers or industry leaders—have validated your product or service.
Here’s how it influences potential buyers:
- Builds Trust: When prospects see others benefiting from your product, it increases their confidence in your brand.
- Creates FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): If others are using and praising your service, potential buyers feel compelled to act before they miss out.
- Simplifies Decision-Making: Positive feedback from existing customers removes their doubts and accelerates the purchasing process.
- Leverages Herd Mentality: People naturally follow the choices of the majority, making them more likely to engage with a brand that has high visibility and endorsements.
Social Proof Vs. The Bandwagon Effect
To the untrained eye, social proof and the bandwagon effect are the same thing and are often used interchangeably, however, they’re not the same.
Social proof is about leveraging genuine evidence of others’ positive experiences to build trust.
The bandwagon effect, on the other hand, is a cognitive bias where people do something simply because others are doing it, regardless of its actual value.
If what you have is a B2B brand, it’s crucial to focus on authentic social proof rather than relying on the bandwagon effect.
Authenticity builds long-term trust, while the bandwagon effect can lead to short-lived gains and potential backlash if the product or service doesn’t deliver.
3 Ways To Create Social Proof Content For B2B Websites- That I’ve Used
Unfortunately, people have been known to buy reviews and fake social proof to mislead users and clients alike, which in a nutshell means as a brand, you must work on making your social proof content feel more authentic and relatable than the rest.
These are some strategies I’ve used while working on web content strategies for a few clients as a freelance marketer.
1. Use 3rd Party Review Websites
In 2021/2022, while researching social proof for a web design agency client, I came across third-party review platforms like Clutch, G2, and Trustpilot.
These websites/platforms offer independent reviews that prospective customers trust when evaluating a vendor.
- Clutch – I created a profile on Clutch as a leading B2B review platform where businesses can showcase verified customer testimonials and rankings based on client satisfaction.
- G2 – Popular among software and SaaS brands, G2 provides peer-to-peer reviews that help potential buyers make informed decisions.
- Trustpilot – A widely used review site that allows companies to collect and showcase ratings from satisfied customers.
How to Utilize These Platforms Effectively:
- Encourage satisfied customers to leave detailed, honest reviews.
- Display these customer feedbacks on your web testimonial sections, and the client’s case study page on your website.
- Display high ratings and positive testimonials on your website.
- Use badges from these platforms (e.g., “Top Rated on G2”) as credibility boosters.
- Respond to reviews, addressing concerns and showing customer appreciation.
2. Create Engaging Video Testimonials
While written testimonials are great, I quickly found out that recording short video testimonials with real customers sharing their success stories works even better
According to WiserMonify, video testimonials can increase website traffic by 157%
These videos can be embedded on case study pages, portfolio pages or repurposed to be shared on the brand’s socials such as LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.
I initiated the use of the riverside.fm platform to record live calls/sessions between sales teams, project managers and clients, and wrote several question scripts for the session as the riverside app allows the video content to be repurposed to portrait mode for short video platforms such as IG reels, YouTube Shorts and Tiktok.
3. Showcase Big-Name Clients & Partnerships
In the world of YouTube content creation, Mr Beast is a known name worldwide, and I worked with a client who partnered with Mr Beast in their entry into China.
Displaying such information in blog content, and email content was a line opener for other deals with more creators in the creator economy.
Logos of well-known clients on your homepage, displaying partnerships, and publishing joint case studies and success stories with industry leaders all contribute to social proof and an increase in positive brand perception.
6 More Ways To Create Social Proof Content For Your B2B Brand
4. Showcase & Repurpose User-Generated Content (UGC)
According to a survey by Stackla, “79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions.”
Showcase client posts, video testimonials, or mentions of your product on LinkedIn and other platforms.
You may also embed social media shoutouts on your website, instead of simply reporting these posts from notable figures, brands or clients.
5. Trust Badges & Industry Recognitions
Display logos of notable clients, partners, and awards to build credibility.
Use certifications and security badges to reinforce trust.
6. Live Data & Statistics
Show real-time usage stats and herd-mindset-inducing records like
“500+ businesses use our solution.”
“We’re partnered with over 3000 creators worldwide”
You may also add counters for successful transactions, downloads, or client success rates.
7. Thought Leadership & Expert Endorsements
Feature guest articles, podcast interviews, or webinar collaborations with industry experts.
Highlight mentions in major industry publications.
8. Referral Programs & Customer Advocacy
Encourage existing clients to refer new businesses.
Offer incentives for referrals, such as discounts or exclusive access to features.
Your referral stats in itself can be used as social proof content, attributing your service or product as to why more people who work with you are more than happy to issue you a referral
9. Interactive Community & Engagement
Foster a LinkedIn or Slack community where clients share experiences.
Host live Q&A sessions and AMAs (Ask Me Anything) with happy customers.
When To Use Social Proof Content On Your B2B Website
Using social proof effectively on your landing page or web copy can significantly boost conversions and build trust with your audience.
Here are 5 key points where in my experience, I’ve strategically placed social proof content to maximize its impact:
1. Above the Fold (Hero Section)
While the first thing visitors should see on your B2B landing page immediately is EXACTLY what your brand does, the next thing you want to establish to make them even remotely interested in what you offer is your credibility.
Use social proof here to grab attention and build trust right away.
For Example:
Displaying logos of well-known brands you’ve worked with, adding a headline like “Trusted by 10,000+ businesses worldwide” or “Recommended by industry leaders or including a short testimonial or a star rating (e.g., “Rated 4.9/5 by 500+ customers”) would work well at this stage.
Brand-related testimonials improve the chances of visitors being interested in learning more about your brand, how you offer your services or the unique offers you currently have running
2. Near Your Call-to-Action (CTA)
Place social proof near your primary CTA (e.g., “Sign Up,” “Get Started,” or “Request a Demo”).
These are the points where they’re most likely to have their highest objections (clicking the call to action). Social proof content help you to reassure page visitors and encourage them to take action.
For Example:
You can add a testimonial like, “Join 5,000+ businesses who trust us to grow their revenue, a statistic like “90% of our clients see results within 30 days, or include a trust badge, such as “Secure checkout” or “Money-back guarantee.”
3. Product or Service Features Section
When highlighting your product or service features, reinforce them with social proof to validate your claims.
For Example,
Adding a testimonial that specifically mentions the benefit of a feature, a case study snippet such as “Company X increased efficiency by 40% using this feature, or showing before-and-after results with client permission, can increase their interest in the product.
4. Pricing or Plans Page
Pricing pages are often where visitors hesitate, or also have bigger objections. In addition to your unique offers and selling points, your social proof here will help to reduce friction and reassure them they’re making the right choice.
For Example:
Add a testimonial like, “Switching to this plan saved us $10,000 annually”, display logos of companies that use your premium plans, or a particular plan or include statistics that make them more comfortable running a trial such as, “90%, or 9 out of every 10 of our clients choose the Pro Plan for maximum ROI.”
5. Footer or Closing Section
Close to the footer is where a lot of designers like to have social-proof content.
You can end your landing page or web copy with a final dose of social proof to leave a lasting impression and encourage action.
For example:
Adding a rotating carousel of client testimonials or reviews, including a trust badge like “Award-Winning Service” or “Top-Rated by [Industry Authority], or showing a statistic like “Join 1,000+ businesses who trust us every month” would seal the deal, and might even make them more likely to participate with offers added to your footer.
How To Identify The Performance Of Social Proof Content On Your B2B Website
Simply planting social proof all over your website does not necessarily translate to increased conversion,
Tracking the effects of adding social proof content on your website is crucial to understanding its impact on user behaviour and conversions.
Here are some key metrics I monitor, along with tools that help me track them effectively:
1. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The CTR is the percentage of users who click on a specific link or CTA (e.g., “Learn More” or “Get Started”).
I try to monitor CTR on CTAs near social proof elements (e.g., testimonials or client logos) using tools like Google Analytics event tracking or Hubspot
2. Engagement with Social Proof Elements
Beyond just the content around the social proof, it’s a great idea to study how users interact with social proof elements themselves (e.g., clicking on testimonials, watching video case studies, or hovering over client logos).
High engagement rates can indicate that your social proof resonates with your audience.
Using heatmaps from Hotjar or event tracking on Google Analytics can help you monitor these interactions.
3. Lead Generation or Sign-Ups
The number of leads or sign-ups generated from forms or CTAs near social proof are also indicators of effectiveness, especially if it spikes after the addition of your social proof.
Tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel and Hubspot can help you track form submissions or sign-ups on pages with social proof.
In a nutshell, tracking your conversion rate i.e the percentage of visitors who take a desired action (e.g., signing up, making a purchase, or filling out a form), and comparing these conversion rates before and after adding social proof elements is the clear way to identify the effectiveness of your social proof content
Conclusion
It’s clear that your social proof is the cherry on top of your marketing as a B2B brand looking to increase credibility, build trust, and boost conversions.
Whether you’re doing it through your website content, customer testimonials, or industry endorsements, showcasing validation from real users and past clients can significantly influence decision-makers.
By strategically integrating social proof into your website and brand messaging, you create a compelling reason for potential clients to choose you over competitors. Start leveraging social proof today to watch your B2B brand thrive!
