You have probably heard of social proof hundreds of times, but do you know exactly what it is, how it works and how it can help you build your brand? It is a question that confuses a lot of new business and startups, well even established and big businesses. You have developed an awesome website and you have a great product with stellar packaging. But new customers these days are looking for one more thing before they make the commitment and spend their money on you. And that thing which they are searching for is what other people are thinking about you and your product.

It is no secret that most brands and retailers like Amazon or Newegg are consistently pushing their reviews for products on their site. People want to see that others have good experience with that product. This is what we call social proof. The idea that customers are heavily influenced by the actions and decisions of others around them. Luckily, technology has helped us once again by bringing a tool that can help with social proof or simply called social proof tools. A social proof tool can help you build your brand’s credibility much easier.
Why is a social proof tool so important for a business?
A lot of small business website is not using the power of testimonials on their site and that is a missed vital opportunity for them. One of the things all new businesses should do is gather social proof that they can place on their website. Here are some of the reasons why a social proof tool is are important for a website:

- Testimonials/reviews add credibility for the services and products that you are offering on your website
- People tend to have complete trust in online reviews when making purchases.
- Social proof earns you better SEO for your website
- When you collect opinions from your client base, you show that you care about your customer’s experience with your brand, which will ultimately strengthen the relationship you have with them.
If you want a social proof tool that can help you do all the work for you then check out trustactivity.com
What types of testimonials should I collect for my website?
There are a lot of ways you can gather reviews or testimonials and a variety of ways you can add and display them on your site. Here are some ways you can get the social proof needed for your site:
- Send surveys to your new clients
After a customer receives their product, give them some time so they can try it out and reach back out to them later to provide you with some feedback. To encourage more purchases and responses, you can offer a coup or a gift card.
- Encourage them to post on social media about your products
You can use hashtags through email to encourage your new clients to start posting on social media about your brand or the products and services you offer.
- Send out free products to influencers
Sending out these free products to people with a large number of followers will cost you almost nothing, while the return of customers may be huge.