Humans are very soclal animals– we function in groups .
We depend on it and it is the opinion of others that is important to us .When we do not know what decision to make, we will look for hints in the behavior of the majority . And its the same when it comes to online shopping… How to use Social influence in an e-store?
Social influence is one of the most effective marketing techniques, also one of the most researched, for those who are interested – it is described in “Influencing People” by psychology professor Robert B. Cialdini. What its about? In a nutshell – if we feel insecure in a situation, we do not know how to act – we are inclined to consider others’ behavior as correct and copy it. Obviously, it has a huge application in marketing, also in e-commerce. For the customer of your e-shop, the opinion of the majority, the opinion of people similar to them and the opinion of authorities will be crucial before making a purchase decision. We want what others have, we trust those we respect, we look for proven and tested solutions. How to apply Social influence in your e-store marketing efforts?
* Recommendations and opinions – when we have to choose among similar products of similar price – the opinions of others will decide about the choice of the e-shop where we will buy this product. Therefore, it is necessary to expose opinions about products in your store. Of course, it is an art to collect a large number of opinions – perhaps it is worth encouraging the customer to review the purchased product? Come back to him after the purchase – ask for a review in exchange for e.g. a discount on subsequent purchases. You can display reviews next to each of the products, but you can also highlight selected ones on the e-shop homepage. Lack of possibility to comment on a purchase or a given product has a negative impact on brand perception – don’t do it! As the research says, there is no need to be afraid of bad opinions – it is definitely more beneficial to show a bad opinion among many good ones than no opinion at all.
* Numbers, lots of numbers – highlight them on your website, brag about them in social media, they give you great opportunities to build the image of your e-shop. How many people bought this product? How many are currently in your store? How many people subscribe to your newsletter? How many followers do you have on your brand’s social media channels? The numbers are impressive – there are so many here, they can’t be wrong, so I’m in a good place! It’s like eating at a restaurant with eternal queues – it must have great food! Caution – think about which of your data you are going to make public – especially for beginner e-shops collecting big numbers is quite a challenge – first work on collecting them, then – brag.
Bestseller, absolute hit – the best-selling products, your key products should be marked as bestsellers and graphically displayed on the home page. These products were bought by the most people and got the most positive feedback – your customer will surely check if he needs them…
* Influencer referrals – to the best of your ability, offer cooperation to influencers – choose those who are both popular and trusted in a given field – their opinion is invaluable when it comes to making purchasing decisions and creating a need for your customers.
Who stands behind you – show with which companies you constantly cooperate, expose the brands whose products you distribute, boast about your key customers – if such important brands and companies trust you, there is a high certainty that your company enjoys great confidence – it will certainly make a positive impression on the customer.
They write about us – if your activities have been mentioned in the media, you should brag about it wherever you can – it proves a certain position and rank of your activity, you are no longer one of many e-shops, you are an e-shop which has been noticed by the media – there must be something extraordinary about it.
Awards – if your products or services have won awards in competitions, have been noticed by independent bodies – you should also boast about this fact – it is a seal confirming the quality of your actions, very positively influencing the reception of your brand. Display on your website also quality marks or certificates, which received your products.
* Make room for your fans – take care of your social media channels – make space and attractive for people who are willing to talk good about your products, services, customer service – before making a purchase, potential customers check sm channels – read reviews, check comments – make sure that what they come across persuades them not only to buy, but to come back to you.
