41% of B2B businesses reach out to customers at least weekly to build social proof<\/h2>\r\n
Building social proof can take a significant time investment, as our survey’s results have shown. 41% of B2B businesses reach out to customers at least weekly to gather social proof:<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n
- 15% reach out to their customers weekly\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- 22% reach out to their customers multiple times per week<\/li>\r\n
- 4% reach out daily<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Meanwhile, 9% of marketers reach out to their customers every two weeks, 24%\u00a0 reach out\u00a0 monthly, and 11% reach out quarterly.<\/p>\r\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/how-often-reach-out-build-social-proof.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
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What are the best ways to use your time when building B2B social proof? We asked the 194 B2B marketers about the social proof strategies they use, and which strategies have driven the highest ROI.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
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73% of B2B businesses leverage testimonials as social proof<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
We gathered more details about how the 194 B2B experts to learn about which types of social proof they use, and how they leverage it to increase their sales.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
We found that 73% of B2B businesses use testimonials (displayed on their marketing channels), making them the most used way to build social proof.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Positive reviews on external sites come in second, based on how often they’re used to build B2B social proof, with 70% of businesses using them. 56% use media mentions, making them the third-most used way to build B2B social proof.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
44% of businesses use direct recommendations from customers, and 41% use case studies.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
38% use others\u2019 shares of their content, 37% collect endorsements by experts in the field, and 33% use recommendations from affiliates\/partners as a way to build social proof.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
And finally, 29% build B2B social proof using referrals (incentivized via referral programs), while 24% display earned certifications and awards.<\/p>\r\n
![\"b2b](\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/b2b-social-proof-methods.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\r\nBut are the most used ways to generate B2B social proof also the best<\/em> strategies, given the results they drive for businesses? We’ll find out below.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 11 types of B2B social proof for growing your business\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n
We asked our experts to name the single best social proof strategy for generating leads and sales, based on the real ROI their businesses achieved from each strategy.<\/p>\r\n
Based on this data, let’s dive into the details of each type of social proof, how B2B businesses leverage it to generate leads and sales, and how they\u2019ve overcome the challenges of leveraging each type.<\/p>\r\n
Feel free to skip right to the type of social proof you’re most interested in:<\/p>\r\n
<\/i>1. Testimonials<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
<\/i>2. Positive reviews\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
3. Case studies<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
<\/i>4. Media mentions<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
<\/i>5. Direct recommendations from customers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
<\/i>6. Endorsements from experts in the field<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
<\/i>7. Clients\u2019 company logos (logo endorsement)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
<\/i>8. Recommendations from affiliates\/partners<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
<\/i>9. Community<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
<\/i>10. Shares of your content<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n
<\/i>11. Referrals, via a referral program<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
1. Testimonials<\/h2>\r\n
Based on our data, testimonials are both the most-used social proof strategy, and the most effective, for B2B businesses.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
24% of B2B marketers say testimonials from customers (displayed on their own marketing channels) are the most effective strategy to build social proof, based on the ROI they return.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
![\"b2b](\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/b2b-social-proof-most-effective-ways.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cUsing customer testimonials on your channels can be an incredibly effective way to establish credibility and build trust with potential customers,\u201d observes Adwords Nerds\u2019 <\/a>Daniel Barrett.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe more you can show that others have had good experiences with your business, the more likely it is that other people will want to work with you as well<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The majority of the experts agree. In fact, our research further confirms:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
4.18 is the rating marketers give to the effectiveness of testimonials as social proof.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
It\u2019s natural to be doubtful about the results testimonials may bring, but trust the experts \u2013 they bring significant ROI.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As Adwords Nerds\u2019 Daniel Barrett shares, \u201cWhen we first started using customer testimonials on our website, we were skeptical about whether they would generate any leads for us. However, after just one month of having them on our site, we saw a significant increase in leads from organic search engine results. In fact, we\u2019ve been able to double our lead volume since then!\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
James Parsons from Content Powered<\/a> has witnessed similar results. \u201cI notice a lower bounce rate, higher traffic, and conversion for web pages that employ customer testimonials as social proof. <\/strong>B2B businesses can take advantage of such a tactic to boost brand demand and realize sales and marketing goals sooner.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
For BigMailer.io<\/a> too, testimonials have delivered significant results. Lilia Tovbin writes, \u201cWe have dramatically improved our trust rating by displaying customer reviews and testimonials on our website and other channels.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThrough the testimonials coming from online retailers and small business owners, we have gained traction in our industry. As a result, we have earned multiple trust badges for the past year, increasing our credibility and helping us find more potential clients who want to work with us.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In fact, as Social Vantage\u2019s<\/a> Dan Barrett notes \u201cTestimonials have yielded great results for us: we\u2019ve increased our sales by an average of 15% YoY after implementing this strategy!\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Essentially, testimonials show other people trust you. Instead of you saying how your customers\u2019 experience was, your customers share their own words to talk about their experience with your business.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
To this end, Barrett shares, \u201cWe use these testimonials because we know that people are more likely to buy from a company if they see real, honest feedback from other customers. For example, if you\u2019re trying to decide between two similar products, you might be more likely to purchase one if several people have said they love it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe also know that when you see someone else\u2019s opinion about something, your own opinion is more likely to change in the same direction\u2013so we make sure that we always display positive feedback on our website and social media pages.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
\r\nPro tip<\/strong>: Always share the testimonial giver\u2019s title and name to establish further credibility.<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
Zoltan Bettenbuk from Scraper API<\/a> talks about it. \u201cIn my experience, the best advice I can give on B2B social proof is to include the testimonial of a client, their title, and their company. I have a few from SquareTrade and YCombinator, which are on the homepage of our website. Their words show the human element of a company, which builds rapport, knowing that other colleagues in the field trust our brand.<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\u201cTheir title builds confidence and familiarity, as it shows similarities between a potential client and the person who gave the testimonial<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\u201cIn a way, it matches a potential client with our current clients. Their company makes the testimonial verifiable because a potential client can research the company and reach out to the testimonial giver.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
So, how do you start gathering testimonials? You can try anything from:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Surveying customers to learn about their experience with your product or service<\/li>\r\n
- Asking customers\/clients to review you on Google, a leading industry review site or a social network like LinkedIn or Instagram, then reaching back out to the most satisfied reviewers for a more detailed testimonial<\/li>\r\n
- Asking customers for reviews, then asking for your best reviewers\u2019 permission to feature their name and review on a testimonial page<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Virto Commerce\u2019s<\/a> Dmitriy Bobriakov also notes, \u201cOne of the best ways to build social proof for your business is to generate positive reviews and testimonials from your clients. This can be done in a number of ways, such as through surveys, feedback forms, or even just by asking clients to write a quick review on sites like Google, Facebook, or Yelp.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf you have a good product and provide great customer service, then your clients will be more than happy to sing your praises.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
21% say social media is the most effective place to display B2B social proof\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As you gather testimonials, though, make sure you share them everywhere your audience is \u2013 not just on your website. Even though 44% of experts say websites are the most effective channel for communicating social proof, other channels are also helpful.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
For example:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- 21% say social is the most effective channel for sharing social proof<\/li>\r\n
- 11% vote for the effectiveness of sharing social proof on others\u2019 websites\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- 8% commend the effectiveness of sharing social proof on others\u2019 social media\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- 6% each think sharing social proof via word of mouth and your content channels are effective<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"communicating](\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/communicating-b2b-social-proof.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAt Virtudesk<\/a>, for example, Sara Chern shares, \u201cWhen our clients provide their testimonials, we post and share them on our social media profiles especially on Instagram and Tiktok, since most of our audience is active on these platforms.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe also use customer testimonials on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram,\u201d echoes Daniel Barrett of Adwords Nerds.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThese platforms are great for sharing stories about how customers have benefited from working with us. We\u2019ve found that this strategy helps us connect with potential buyers by showing them how their lives could be changed through using our products or services.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
And finally, it\u2019s also a good idea to add this form of social proof to your blog content. James Parsons from Content Powered recommends this: \u201cI usually advise my clients to incorporate one to two verified B2B client testimonials in the body of their blog articles. This content marketing strategy provides potential clients a good idea of what your brand is like in the minds of like-minded people.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Challenges with getting testimonials<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Some of the leading challenges you can encounter here are:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Not having the time to encourage testimonials from customers\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Depending on your team size, you might struggle with making the time to ask clients for testimonials.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Dan Barrett of Social Vantage shares how they’ve dealt with this obstacle. \u201cThe biggest challenge I\u2019ve faced in building social proof is finding the time to do it. It\u2019s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of work involved and forget about it, but if you can get into a regular habit of posting social proof-backed content regularly, it can really drive your growth.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cOne way I’ve overcome this challenge is by setting aside a specific time every day for posting. In the morning when I wake up, or in the evening when I\u2019m winding down \u2013 whatever works for you! You can even set up a recurring reminder on your phone to make sure you\u2019re getting it done and staying on track with your social proof strategy.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
\r\nPro tip<\/strong>: Schedule emails to clients requesting their testimonials. From there, gather all the testimonials in one document. Use it to batch create and schedule all your social content featuring client testimonials.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Not having enough testimonials<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Other than this, Sera Chern of Virtudesk highlights the struggle of not having enough testimonials. \u201cThis could really mess up your social proof process because it\u2019s important to stay consistent and post your client testimonials regularly.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Encouraging customers to <\/strong>actually<\/em><\/strong> give you testimonials<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Lower Street\u2019s<\/a> Harry Morton talks about yet another challenge. \u201cThe biggest challenge was getting our customers to follow through in leaving their feedback. Most customers often forget about it, so catching them at the right time is key.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What helped Morton\u2019s team? \u201cWe were able to turn the situation around by following up with them or incentivizing them in some way, shape, or form. Aside from this, making the entire process seamless, user-friendly and quick really seemed to help.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Convincing prospects your testimonials are authentic<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
And, finally, there\u2019s a chance your prospects don\u2019t trust your testimonials.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThough we have specific and detailed reviews from satisfied customers, some prospects still find them sketchy,\u201d Lilla Tovbin of BigMailer.io points out. \u201cHowever, I understand why they are skeptical about those because anyone could just simply fabricate reviews and add them to their website.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In this case though, mixing direct testimonials with feedback originally shared on third-party review sites is helpful.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThis is where feedback from other reliable channels comes into the picture,\u201d in Tovbin\u2019s words.\u00a0 \u201cReviews from platforms such as Capterra, GetApp, and Crozdesk, are a great help to entice potential customers, eliminate their doubts, and convince them to give us a shot.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
2. Positive reviews<\/h2>\r\n
21% of B2B marketers say positive reviews on external sites are the most effective way to build social proof, based on the results they returned. <\/strong>This means reviews are highly effective, second only to testimonials in the ROI they’ve driven.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cGathering reviews at external SaaS Marketplaces (like Capterra, G2, etc.) is a critical success factor in building social proof on the global market,\u201d shares \u00a0Primetric\u2019s<\/a> Arkadiusz Terpilowski.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Shane McEvoy from Flycast Media<\/a> agrees, \u201cHaving positive reviews on highly respected external sites carries more weight than when they are placed on your own site. This enables us to link to them from our proposal decks and in emails to customers. Client feedback has been much more positive, and we\u2019ve experienced a higher conversion rate, using this method.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
It\u2019s no wonder experts rate the effectiveness of positive reviews a 4.28 out of 5, the highest for driving B2B leads.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What\u2019s also notable here is that positive reviews are the second-most used form of B2B social proof as 70% of our contributors use them<\/strong> (only testimonials are used more often).\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Essentially, searching for reviews when deciding on which business to work with is a critical step in a buyer\u2019s journey.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As Jacob Gaito from SimpleTexting<\/a> puts it. \u201cWhen looking for a new software tool, it\u2019s only natural for people to look around online to see what people are saying. They tend to end up on review websites that allow them to easily research and compare their options. Filling these review sites with positive customer reviews builds credibility through a large quantity of high ratings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cOn top of that, these review sites typically have badges and awards for high performers in a given category. These badges can then be leveraged on other channels (company website, social, ads, email, etc.) to further build credibility.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The experts that we talked to also nod at the effectiveness of these trust badges. 3.27 is the effectiveness rating marketers give to displaying earned awards and certifications for driving high-quality B2B leads<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As you collect reviews, though, \u201cyou must remember three significant factors: timing, satisfaction, and an effective review collection channel,\u201d says Primetric\u2019s Arkadiusz Terpilowski.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn the case of Primetric, we\u2019ve built the framework for that and, in just three months, [we] received 17 awards from G2 for the best B2B SaaS in 6 different categories. It increased the conversion rate on our sign-up form and improved the CTR from Capterra\/G2 to our website. Cost per lead has also decreased.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
At Instrumentl<\/a>, Will Yang shares that they made a strategic effort to grow reviews on G2. \u201cWe made a conscious effort to drive more G2 reviews last year, going from 12 reviews to about 50. Once that happened, we started hearing more inbound folks sharing how they found us when researching for grant prospecting tools.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe then built a process where every time we have a positive customer interaction, we\u2019ll ask if they\u2019d be so kind as to leave thoughts on their experience with us,\u201d continues Yang. \u201cWe\u2019ve used a tool called Testimonial.to to make this easy for the customer, and it auto-imports new G2 reviews for us.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Marketgoo\u2019s<\/a> Larissa Murillo shares that they\u2019ve also automated their process. \u201cWe automated testimonials for our site through Intercom (using this method published by Baremetrics<\/a>), and then reached out individually to those who had left a testimonial.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThat way, we were already contacting a self-selected group that was willing to go on the record. We then invited them to leave a review on an external site like G2 or Capterra. We do get leads from these sites, but the true value has been in our visibility and the first impression potential users or partners get when searching for reviews of our software.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As for the team at Outback Team Building & Training<\/a>, Datis Mohsenipour says they use NPS surveys to gather reviews.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe automatically send an NPS survey to our customers after they\u2019ve completed an event. Whenever someone gives us a 9 or 10 rating, an automated email gets sent out asking them if they\u2019d be willing to give us a review on Google, Facebook, or Yelp.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cTo help increase our chances of getting the review posted on a third party site, we:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Include a copy of their feedback within the body of the email, so that they can easily copy and paste it to the review site(s)<\/li>\r\n
- Provide instructions on how they can submit their reviews\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- Link directly to the review sites.\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Lastly, take a page from The Kaplan Group<\/a>, which uses an external review site to build their B2B social proof.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Dean Kaplan elaborates, \u201cWe set up a profile on The Better Business Bureau (BBB), an established and well-respected external review site. BBB is well-optimized for SEO, so it appears on the first page of the search results if someone is searching for reviews of our company.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cTo encourage reviews on BBB, our customers are sent an automatic email at the conclusion of our work for them. The email requests that they leave a review on BBB and provides a link to our BBB profile page. The majority of our customers have been happy to leave a review and currently, we have 42 customer reviews on BBB with an average score of 4.9\/5.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cOur customer surveys indicate that 81% of our customers read our online reviews before doing business with us, and 67% of our customers have read our BBB reviews. We estimate that having online reviews on BBB and other sites has given us a 21% uplift in sales.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Challenges with gathering customer reviews<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Some of the leading challenges of collecting this type of social proof are:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Identifying customers to ask for reviews from<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
To begin with, Jacob Gaito of SimpleTexting opines, \u201cThe biggest challenge is identifying the customers to reach out to. But by combining a combination of NPS surveys and automation, we\u2019re able to identify and reach out to delighted customers asking for them to leave us a review on external websites such as G2 or Facebook. This has created a review-producing engine that runs itself.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Encouraging customers to review you<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Shane McEvoy of FlyCast Media also observes, \u201cGenerally the biggest challenge in building social proof is getting clients to make the effort to go to external industry sites, log in, and then write a testimonial. Some of these sites are a little complex and take a bit of effort to understand.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Squadhelp\u2019s<\/a> Grant Polachek talks about the same struggle. \u201cGathering social proof is a communication challenge. You need to connect with the right customer at the right time with the right message.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
How do you beat this challenge? Write a clear, easy-to-understand email requesting a review<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Here\u2019s Polachek\u2019s approach: \u201cWe use direct product usage signals to find our best customers, then email them with a simple and clear message inviting them to give us a review, just at the time that their project is closing. At that point, they are most likely to be excited about the results we\u2019ve helped them achieve.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
And Harshit Mahawar shares that Mailmodo<\/a> has the following 3-step review request process:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- \u201cSoliciting reviews after a specific number of days after purchase so that there\u2019s adequate time to try out the product (e.g., a week after purchase).<\/li>\r\n
- Highlighting the intent or \u2018why\u2019 we\u2019re seeking a review to encourage customers to share their experiences.<\/li>\r\n
- Creating a smooth process for customers to fill out reviews. E.g., an interactive feedback form<\/a> in email, notifications, etc.)\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n
Pro tip:<\/strong> Follow up with customers who don\u2019t review your business on the first request you make. Chances are your client intends to review you, but forgot about it or got busy. In that case, all they need is a small nudge that your follow-up email will give them.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Datis Mohsenipour of Outback Team Building & Training also notes you can give material incentives to encourage reviews (assuming a review site allows this in their policy; check carefully before using this strategy). \u201cWe haven\u2019t tested this yet, but we are currently in the process of implementing a video testimonial flow. If someone gives us a 9 or 10 rating, we\u2019ll automatically send an incentivized video testimonial request. Upon submitting their video testimonial, we\u2019ll automatically reward them with a $25 gift card of their choice.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Personalized messages help as well. Motivosity\u2019s<\/a> Logan Mallory points out that they \u201csend customers personalized messages letting them know how much a review means to us as a growing company.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve found that this approach works best because it taps into emotion and provides the customer with a compelling reason to leave a review,\u201d Mallory says. \u201cWhen we switched to using this approach, we found that the reviews customers were leaving were more in-depth and provided stronger examples of why they liked our product.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Updating social proof pages<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
This is another struggle, and to overcome it, Will Yang of Instrumentl recommends using Testimonial.to. \u201cTestimonial.to has been awesome. It\u2019s an embeddable widget that allows us to keep refreshing with our latest customer stories,\u201d Yang says.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Bonus: 2 tips to increase your reviews<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
To top it all, you can solve all these challenges and increase the number of reviews you get by providing exceptional product satisfaction and excellent customer service.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThese are always key factors for building customer satisfaction,\u201d Arkadiusz Terpilowski of Primetrics suggests. \u201cOnce you find the perfect balance between those two, building social proof is a piece of cake.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cTo achieve that, our customer support started reaching out personally to all identified Product Champions to gather feedback and understand what could be done better. Based on that, we have created new use case profiles and features that could help our users achieve them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve also improved our product communication, including with:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Feature releases with a comprehensive description and video explainers<\/li>\r\n
- Beta version with new features that haven\u2019t been published for the most engaged users, so they can give feedback even before releasing them on the production stage<\/li>\r\n
- Public roadmap<\/li>\r\n
- Monthly product newsletter\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Lastly, to continue getting more positive reviews<\/a>, take Jon Torres<\/a>\u2019 advice. \u201cRespond to reviews quickly to have a higher response rate.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As a means to this end, Torres recommends: \u201cTreat online reviews like customer service tickets that need to be resolved quickly.<\/strong> Though social mentions and reviews, whether positive or negative, are significantly influential in building a social proof, you\u2019ll also want to have a higher response rate. Most of the leading B2B brands respond impressively faster than the average ones.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cResponding even to negative reviews gives your brand a transparent reputation. You can use a good online reputation management tool to see any negative review quickly and resolve it as soon as you can.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
3. Case studies<\/h2>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
41% of B2B marketers leverage case studies as social proof, to narrate how other businesses achieved a given set of results thanks to their company\u2019s product or service.<\/p>\r\n
And 16% of B2B marketers\u00a0 tell us that case studies deliver the best results, compared to other social proof strategies. <\/strong>This means that case studies are the third-most effective way of generating social proof, behind testimonials and reviews.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
The key to their effectiveness? The narrative angle. Thanks to it, case studies help readers visualize what success would look like for them with your business.<\/p>\r\n
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It\u2019s why Allie Decker from Omniscient Digital<\/a> defines case studies as \u201ctestimonials on steroids.\u201d \u201cWhen done right,” Decker continues, ” case studies communicate your customer\u2019s positive sentiments as well as share data that illustrates the impact of your product or service. Case studies also leverage storytelling to give context to your customer\u2019s testimony and engage the emotional part of a prospect\u2019s decision-making process.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
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Thanks to this, case studies help generate leads who are more primed to make a purchase. When we asked 194 experts about how effective case studies are for generating high-quality leads, we learned that they rate case studies a 3.52 out of 5.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
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One other thing that case studies do: they \u201cshow the practical use of the product [which] effectively helps businesses understand the problem it solves,\u201d says Sean O’Dell of Spacelift<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\u201cCase studies are an excellent mix of statistics, problem-solving and creative storytelling. Multiple Spacelift departments use them to their advantage and move the needle.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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No wonder, lots of businesses alongside Spacelift are taking advantage of case studies for getting more customers.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
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Take it from Home Service Direct\u2019s<\/a> Adam Olson who shares, \u201cWe found out case studies are the best strategy for building our business\u2019 social proof. Visitors of our website are potential clients who want to know more about us and the services we offer. They want to know what they can expect and if we can deliver results. Case studies are a great way to answer that!<\/p>\r\n
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\u201cWhile positive online reviews can also provide this benefit, case studies are more in-depth, more encompassing, and tell a real, complete story that prospects can relate to. And when one can relate to something, it gives them a chance to visualize themselves in the same situation\u2013in this case, the success story in your case study.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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To add, case studies also help your SEO. Olson writes, \u201cCase studies also help boost our website\u2019s SEO. They draw people to our site, who then will read our case studies and engage with our content.<\/p>\r\n
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\u201cFurther, case studies provide credible evidence to prove the value of our services. Such evidence isn\u2019t just verbal or written claims, but it is backed by data and numbers.\u201d Talk about using both emotion and logic to make a convincing case for your business.<\/p>\r\n
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Matt Jackson<\/a> also leverages case studies for his SEO service business. \u201cIn my view, case studies are the most transparent form of social proof and show clearly the legitimacy of your work. I update case studies every six months on my site. This demonstrates to clients how effective my strategies are and the results I get.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
77% of marketers share social proof (like case studies) on social media<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
Don\u2019t limit yourself to sharing case studies, and other types of social proof, on your business website alone. Repurpose them for different social media platforms as well. Instead of simply sharing a link to the case study, though, take a creative approach to get more eyeballs to your B2B social proof.<\/p>\r\n
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At Mailmodo, for instance, Harshit Mahawar shares, \u201cWe turn case studies into bite-sized graphics and social posts and share them across all channels. During such a campaign, our traffic and sign-up numbers see a spike.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
\r\nInterestingly, 77% of marketers communicate their social proof on social media.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
This is second only to sharing social proof on their website, which 86% of the marketers do.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n
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![\"different](\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/different-ways-to-communicate-b2b-social-proof.png\" "\\"\\"")
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Other channels where marketers share social proof include:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n
- 64% add social proof to the content they create<\/li>\r\n
- 42% communicate their social proof via word of mouth or referrals\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- 36% share social proof via emails such as their newsletter\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- 27% share social proof on others\u2019 website such as media websites\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- 18% share social proof on others\u2019 social media\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- 15% share social proof via others\u2019 content\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Using case studies for both sales and marketing<\/h3>\r\n
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You also don\u2019t have to use case studies for marketing alone. You can use them for generating sales, too.<\/p>\r\n
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Harshit Mahawar of Mailmodo explains, \u201cCase studies help sales when our salespeople include these stories in their chats with potential customers to showcase the real-life benefits that Mailmodo has created for their peers.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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Spacelift is also particular about making sure various teams leverage case studies. Sean O’Dell points out:<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n
- \u201cThe sales team uses case studies to show the prospects the value of the product during demos and calls.\u201d<\/li>\r\n
- \u201cThe marketing team uses it to promote the product on external channels and websites.\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
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What\u2019s more, O’Dell shares they\u2019re very strategic about the CTA button\u2019s positioning in reference to the case studies. \u201cThe case study carousel is just above the Call to Action button \u2013 to magnify the social proof \u2013 making it easier for prospects to trust us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
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Challenges with creating case studies<\/h3>\r\n
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Leading challenges with creating case studies as your B2B social proof are:<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n
- Getting customers on board and ready to share their story<\/li>\r\n
- Lack of a process for creating case study content<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n
To begin with, \u201cthe biggest challenge is to solicit reviews from customers,\u201d Harshit Mahawar of Mailmodo observes.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
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Amanda Thomas from Konstruct Digital<\/a> even admits, \u201cOur initial biggest challenge was assuming that case studies and testimonials\u00a0 would come naturally.\u201d But they\u2019ve since realized: \u201cYou have to ask and it must be built into your business process.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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And as John Porrini of GetLeadForms<\/a> echoes,\u00a0 \u201cI think one of the biggest challenges is getting others to take action and be willing to give a case study using their name or company name. I\u2019ve had success overcoming this by giving away a gift card or a discount for the service.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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\u00a0Intergrowth\u2019s<\/a> Pat Ahern shares another challenge that\u2019s common when creating case studies. \u201cOur biggest challenge has been getting buy-in from clients to feature their sites in our case studies.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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So what\u2019s a possible solution to these challenges? Have a solid process for creating case studies.<\/p>\r\n
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At Intergrowth, Ahern tells us that the team takes these steps: \u201cWe review the results of the businesses that we partner with and write an in-depth breakdown of the strategy that we employed to help 1-2 of those businesses scale exponentially over the past year.<\/p>\r\n
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\u201cWe break down their status prior to working together, the opportunities that we uncovered in our analysis, and the implementation plan that we used to help them reach this new tier of growth.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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In all this process though, Ahern notes it\u2019s essential you give clients editorial control. This way, it gets easier to get their buy-in to feature their story:<\/p>\r\n
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\u201cOne of the most effective tactics that we\u2019ve uncovered is to give clients full editorial control over the final draft of the article or offer to anonymize the client\u2019s name to respect their company\u2019s privacy.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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You also need to get the sales team on board in the production process. This is a lesson that Richard Barker says they learned at Clarion Security Systems<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n
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Barker comments, \u201cTo create effective case studies, I needed sales involved to ascertain what the client’s pain points were, I needed the project team to let me know how the project went, and I then needed to liaise with the customer to get their feedback. Putting in a simple process has helped automate everything so that I can ask for everything when certain project milestones have been completed. With the whole team on board, writing case studies is easy.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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And, finally, it\u2019s important you prioritize your case study production and distribution processes. This one\u2019s a hat tip to Amanda Thomas of Konstruct Digital, who opines, \u201cSocial proof doesn\u2019t usually just happen. It has to be engineered.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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At Konstruct Digital, for example, Thomas’ team has \u201cbuilt-in checkpoints to our engagement process where various social proof campaigns are initiatives. These are personable, high-touch processes that are treated on par with our service delivery. Too often, obtaining social proof can be the last priority in a list of to-dos. For us, it’s priority one.<\/p>\r\n
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\u201cAnother method that can guarantee success is by committing to and outsourcing social proof development. For example, companies like Case Study Buddy specialize in this. They\u2019ll do end-to-end customer interviews, case studies, and reusable asset generation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
4. Media mentions<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Another notable form of social proof is media mentions. From growing your brand awareness to encouraging sales, these help with it all.<\/p>\r\n
As cited above, 56% of B2B businesses leverage media mentions, making them the third-most used way to build B2B social proof.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Media mentions also deliver on the ROI front. Marketers rate media mentions a 3.80 out of 5\u00a0for high-quality <\/strong>lead generation<\/strong><\/a>. And 7% of marketers say media mentions deliver the highest ROI for their B2B business, when compared to other forms of social proof.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
At Nahamani.org<\/a>, for instance, Nahamani Yisrael shares they\u2019ve been able to reach a broader audience with media mentions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cWorking collaboratively with media partners I am able to reach a broader audience,\u201d says Yisrael. \u201cThis added exposure gives me access to their readers, viewers, and advertisers. Additionally, any past media mentions are shared on my website, where potential clients can confirm that I am able to help them communicate their brand’s value to its target audience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Colin Toh of Headphonesty<\/a> adds to this. \u201cMedia mentions are a great way to build social proof because they show that your brand is a trusted source of information.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhen a company leader is quoted, it raises the brand profile, as well as builds trust with prospective customers<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In fact, Zenzero<\/a>\u2019s Adam Crossling goes on to say that media mentions are their \u201cbest strategy for building social proof as a B2B.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf you consistently provide the best products and services to your customers and keep your social media channels up to date, word spreads around.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cPeople start mentioning you on their social media profiles in a positive light, which boosts your credibility by leaps and bounds and helps you build robust social proof. After all, what could be a better sign of reliability than other people mentioning you on their profiles?<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Note that \u201cMedia mentions don’t have to be directly related to the product or service you’re offering, but it is a bonus when that\u2019s the case. For customers, simply seeing your company name featured in major media helps to build credibility,\u201d Toh shares.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
For example, contributing your insights in an expert roundup is a great form of media mentions that grows your authority. A media publication sharing your business\u2019s example \u00ad\u2013 say your marketing strategy \u2013 is another type of media mention.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Challenges with building media mentions<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Common challenges here include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Getting the media to notice you and mention you<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In Headphonesty\u2019s Colin Toh\u2019s words, \u201cIt’s a catch-22 in the beginning \u2013 you need the social proof to help grow, but it\u2019s hard to get because you don’t have much social proof yet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe key was simply being persistent \u2013 posting and sharing a lot of useful and informative content on our own site so that when we pitched other sites they could see that we were a reputable source.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Being consistent in earning and building these mentions<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Besides consistently sharing valuable content, you can also overcome this challenge in the following ways:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Contribute to HARO queries.<\/strong> Set daily or weekly time for this and share your experiences on relevant queries.<\/li>\r\n
- Follow the hashtag #JournoRequest on Twitter<\/strong> to contribute to journalists\u2019 media requests.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
5. Direct recommendations from customers<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
These recommendations are also known as word-of-mouth marketing, generated from satisfied customers. \u00a08% of the B2B marketers in our survey credit word-of-mouth recommendations from customers as delivering the most significant ROI, while 7% think referrals via referral programs produce the best results.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe great thing about word-of-mouth recommendations is that they are always genuine. They come from real customer experience with real results, so they are always credible and rarely come across as sensationalized or exaggerated,\u201d <\/strong>outlines Marcus Clarke from Searchant<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn the business world, everybody knows somebody,\u201d adds Clarke. \u201cBusinesses are connected to two or more other businesses who may be in need of your services. This is what makes this social proof strategy effective in B2B.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The potential results that customer referrals<\/a> drive? Clarke writes, \u201cIn our case, 50% of our client base come from word-of-mouth referrals. We\u2019re expecting this number to increase because of the snowball effect.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
No wonder, 4.22 is the rating experts give to the effectiveness of direct recommendations from customers as a lead-generating form of B2B social proof.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Challenges with building word-of-mouth social proof<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Two big challenges here are:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The patience it takes to build this type of social proof<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Clarke recalls, \u201cBuilding social proof was a really big challenge starting up. As far as people and potential clients were concerned, I was just some SEO guy, and my company was just some SEO company like hundreds of others.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cBut for the people who knew me, they knew that I was good at what I do. So we started locally with the backing of people who knew intimately what I could bring to the table and how SEO could greatly benefit businesses.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cFortunately, the results spoke for themselves. And it became a cycle of results-referral-new customers until our social proof grew to what it is today.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Encouraging clients to refer you to others<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe biggest challenge that we have faced when asking clients for referrals would be a lack of incentives,\u201d Erin Neumann from Soxy<\/a> says.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cConsumers don\u2019t just simply use a product and recommend them to friends and family members. They want to know what is in it for them. This lack of motivation hinders our ability to stay dominant in the marketplace.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Strategically asking and incentivizing customers \u2013 via a B2B referral program<\/a> \u2013 helps, though. \u201cWe overcame this challenge by providing customers with incentives when referring someone to our brand,\u201d shares Neumann.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe benefits are discount coupons that can be redeemed on our website. Such individuals are eligible for increased discounts with every member they refer to our brand. It helps create a strong customer base.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
We\u2019ll cover more of the benefits of referral programs later on in this roundup.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
6. Endorsements from experts in the field<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cExpert endorsements solidify our claims of providing excellent value to our customers,\u201d points out Charles Cridland of YourParkingSpace<\/a>. \u201cIt is a sign of approval from one of the most trusted individuals in the industry.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
For the OSP International<\/a> team too, expert endorsements are the best type of B2B social proof. Cornelius Fichtner explains, \u201cI have a tremendous amount of content created in collaboration with experts in my field and adjacent ones. In the content, the experts endorse me as a specialist \u2013 and endorse my core product. This kind of endorsement is worth a lot in B2B industries like IT learning and development, and it’s been a massive driver of leads and business for me these past few years.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Expert endorsements are an effective business driver for service-based businesses, too. Be it an endorsement on a podcast or a webinar, or an expert mentioning you on social media, the shoutout carries a lot of value.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In fact: 4.19 is the rating that marketers give to the effectiveness of endorsements by industry experts.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
So what are some ways to generate this B2B social proof? Here are three ideas:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Network with the industry leaders in your field.<\/strong> For example, join the same Twitter chats as they do. This is a great way to get on their radar and showcase your expertise to them as you answer the chat questions.<\/li>\r\n
- Run a thought leadership newsletter<\/strong> \u2013 one that isn\u2019t based on curating content alone. Instead, share your experiences. For example, things that you learned from an A\/B test that you conduct. This will help you attract experts as subscribers. In turn, they\u2019ll eventually talk about you (provided your insights are outstanding).<\/li>\r\n
- Participate in public speaking<\/strong>. You can even start your own podcast. The plan here is similar to the ideas above: build relationships with experts and impress them with your insights. As you build your authority, more and more experts will talk about you, trust your insights, and help spread the word about you.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Another idea is to leverage influencer marketing<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
At Virtudesk, for example, Sera Chern shares, \u201cWorking with B2B influencers and entrepreneurs can draw more attention to your business and social media channels. This type of collaboration drives the influencer’s audience to be more likely to follow you on social media and engage with your brand,\u201d Chern adds.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Paige Arnof-Fenn says they also use this strategy at Mavens & Moguls<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Run a thought leadership newsletter<\/strong> \u2013 one that isn\u2019t based on curating content alone. Instead, share your experiences. For example, things that you learned from an A\/B test that you conduct. This will help you attract experts as subscribers. In turn, they\u2019ll eventually talk about you (provided your insights are outstanding).<\/li>\r\n
- Follow the hashtag #JournoRequest on Twitter<\/strong> to contribute to journalists\u2019 media requests.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Contribute to HARO queries.<\/strong> Set daily or weekly time for this and share your experiences on relevant queries.<\/li>\r\n