The complete guide to the most powerful conversion tool in marketing. Learn what social proof is, why it works, and how to use it on your website.
Social proof is the psychological phenomenon where people look to others' actions and opinions to determine their own behavior.
When you check restaurant reviews before booking, look at star ratings before buying, or choose the crowded café over the empty one — you're being influenced by social proof.
The term was coined by psychologist Robert Cialdini in his 1984 book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. He identified social proof as one of the six principles of persuasion.
Social proof is any evidence that other people have used, approved, or benefited from your product or service. It includes reviews, testimonials, case studies, user counts, endorsements, and more.
93% of consumers say online reviews impact their purchasing decisions. 88% of consumers trust user reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Social proof works because of three core psychological principles:
When we're unsure what to do, we look at what others are doing. If 500 people bought this product, it's probably good. This is especially powerful when we lack expertise.
We want to fit in. If everyone is using a certain tool, we feel pressure to use it too. Nobody wants to be the odd one out.
The more people do something, the more others want to join. This creates a snowball effect — success breeds more success.
New product, unfamiliar brand, high price
Testimonials from people "like me"
"10,000 customers" beats "10 customers"
"Increased revenue by 34%" beats "Great product!"
Reviews from last week matter more than 2 years ago
Each type works differently — and the best strategies combine several.
The most common and most powerful form. Direct quotes from real customers about their experience.
72% of consumers trust customer reviews more than brand descriptions. Products with 5+ reviews see conversion increases of up to 270%.
Showing how many people use your product or service.
Large numbers create a "bandwagon effect." If thousands of others trust this, it must be safe.
When industry experts, publications, or authorities recommend your product.
We trust experts because they have knowledge we don't. Their endorsement transfers credibility.
Evidence of your brand's presence and popularity on social platforms.
Social media feels authentic and unfiltered. A spontaneous tweet about your product carries more weight than a polished ad.
Highlighting the popularity or trending status of your product.
If something is popular, it must be good. Popularity creates urgency — you don't want to miss out on what everyone else has.
Testimonials and case studies from people in similar situations to the prospect.
We're most influenced by people similar to ourselves. A testimonial from someone in my industry, with my challenges, is 10x more convincing than a generic quote.
Real-world examples from companies getting social proof right.
Slack
Shows "Trusted by companies like Airbnb, NASA, Uber" with logos
Stripe
Displays enterprise customer logos prominently
Basecamp
"Over 75,000 companies have switched to Basecamp" — specific number + action verb
Notion
User count + specific use cases from different industries
Amazon
Star ratings, review counts, "Best Seller" badges
Booking.com
"12 people looking at this hotel right now" + "Last booked 3 hours ago"
Restaurants
Google Reviews embedded on website
Consultants & Agencies
Client testimonials with names, photos, and results ("Increased client revenue by 200%")
Product Hunt
Launch day comments and upvotes displayed on site
Twitter Testimonials
Screenshots or embedded tweets from real users
Dedicated page with all customer testimonials in one place
"4.8 stars from 150 reviews" near CTA buttons
Place proof near decisions — next to pricing, CTAs, signup forms
Use specific numbers — "34% increase" beats "significant improvement"
Show faces and names — real people are more trustworthy than anonymous
Keep it recent — 85% of consumers don't trust reviews older than 3 months
Mix formats — combine star ratings, text reviews, and video testimonials
Five steps to start using social proof effectively on your website.
Where to find testimonials you probably already have:
Pro tip: Most businesses have 10x more positive mentions than they realize. Tools like Shoutjar's Auto-Discovery can find mentions you've missed across social media and review platforms.
Match the type of social proof to the page:
| Page | Best Social Proof Type |
|---|---|
| Homepage | Customer logos, aggregate ratings, headline testimonials |
| Pricing page | ROI-focused testimonials, user counts |
| Product pages | Star ratings, detailed reviews |
| Landing pages | Specific result testimonials, video |
| About page | Company story + customer quotes |
| Checkout/signup | Trust badges, recent activity |
High-impact placement for maximum conversions:
Above the fold on homepage — first thing visitors see
Next to CTA buttons — reinforce decision at moment of action
On pricing pages near plan selection — reduces purchase anxiety
In email campaigns — testimonials increase CTR by 25%
On checkout pages — reduces cart abandonment
Social proof works everywhere, not just your website:
Pro tip: Shoutjar's Amplify feature turns any review into Twitter posts, LinkedIn posts, and share-worthy quote images — one testimonial becomes multiple pieces of content.
The data that proves social proof works.
93%
of consumers say reviews impact purchase decisions
88%
trust user reviews as much as personal recommendations
92%
hesitate to buy when no reviews are available
40%
won't buy products with zero reviews
270%
conversion increase with 5+ reviews displayed
67%
e-commerce conversion rate growth with visible reviews
80%
conversion increase from video testimonials
12.5%
conversion rate with social proof vs 11.4% without
10
average number of reviews consumers read before deciding
72%
trust reviews more than brand descriptions
85%
don't trust reviews older than 3 months
57%
only use businesses with 4+ stars
62%
revenue increase per customer with consistent social proof
31%
more spent at businesses with positive reviews
25%
higher email CTR when campaigns include reviews
Common pitfalls that undermine your social proof strategy.
Consumers can spot fakes. Products with a perfect 5.0 rating are LESS trusted than those with 4.2-4.5 stars. Authenticity beats perfection.
Some negative reviews actually INCREASE trust. They show your reviews are genuine. A mix of 4-5 star reviews is more convincing than all 5 stars.
"Great product!" tells visitors nothing. Specific results are 10x more powerful: "Increased our signup rate by 23% in the first month."
Reviews from 2 years ago feel stale. Keep your social proof current — 85% of consumers don't trust reviews older than 3 months.
A testimonial from an enterprise company won't convince a solo founder. Match your proof to your target audience.
If your testimonials are at the bottom of the page, most visitors never see them. Place your strongest proof above the fold or near key decision points.
The biggest mistake. 92% of consumers hesitate to buy when no reviews are available. Even a few testimonials are better than none.
Tailored strategies for different business models.
Pricing page, homepage hero, feature pages
Import G2 reviews directly to your site with testimonial widgets
Product reviews, star ratings, UGC photos, purchase popups
Product pages, cart page, checkout
Combine product reviews with brand testimonials for maximum impact
Google Reviews, client testimonials with names, case study results
Homepage, service pages, contact page
Video testimonials from happy clients are 80% more effective than text
Twitter mentions, Product Hunt comments, early user feedback
Landing page, pricing, near CTA
Use a Wall of Love to collect all proof in one place
Client results, before/after metrics, client logos
Portfolio, services page, proposals
Include testimonials in cold outreach emails for higher response rates
Shoutjar helps you find, collect, and display testimonials — automatically. Import from G2, Trustpilot, Google, and social media.
Get Started FreeReal-world examples from top companies you can steal.
9 tools for collecting and displaying customer testimonials.
7 proven methods + templates that get responses.