Social Proofing has the potential to act as an influential marketing tactic to help customers make a purchase or complete an action based on what other users have been doing.
For example; social proofing allows you to show messaging to customers to help reassure current users that other customers have also been reviewing or purchasing the same product (aka great minds think alike). This then helps to encourage/reconfirm to customers that your brand and product or service has some like-ability and trustworthiness.
So now you know a little more about what Social Proofing; here are the initial steps to get started:
If building social proofing by yourself, you will need at least the following:
Design and messaging
Design and Styling: Consider what this will look like on your site and where should it be placed.
Messaging example: within the last 24 hours x amount of people also viewed this product | Within the last 2 hours X amount of people purchased this product.
Unique Visitor ID
You may already have unique customer identifiers that you can use, or you could assign random cookies to each customer.
Database
You will need to be able to save and retrieve the collected data from a database
Typical data that would need to be saved would be: Product sku / ID | Unique customer Identifier | Database Unique I
If building social proofing via a Managed test (Paid for track):
Design and messaging
Design and Styling: We would help and recommend what this should look like on your site and where should it be placed.
Messaging example: within the last 24 hours x amount of people also viewed this product | Within the last 2 hours X amount of people purchased this product.
Database:
We set up the data collection for you (we build a mini database) that will save and retrieve the relevant social proofing content. For example; A unique identifier – we typical assign a random cookie.
Here is an example of a simple database that would need to be used.
Unique User Identifier | SKU/Product ID | Auto Generated ID (from the database) |
12346 | SKU 890 | 001 |
12347 | SKU890 | 002 |
12348 | SKU890 | 003 |
12349 | SKU890 | 004 |
We then count how many times the product has been uniquely viewed per user, which then appears and makes up the social proof count.
Where to add the content within the Webtrends Optimize platform:
When building a social proof test this can be done within the Webtrends Optimize platform either by using the Visual Editor (VE / Wiziwig tool) or using the Advanced Editor. Whether you opt to use the Visual Editor or the Advanced Editor both will have to be code-based.
When using the Visual Editor:
Single Target test will have the code-based script added at the post-render level:
Simply click ‘+ new test’ ‘web page’ and select ‘Target’, next select ‘Visual Editor’ and then the ‘Visual Editor’ button on the bottom right.
You will then be asked to enter your test page URL choosing either a new or existing URL, wait till the globe turns green and then press ‘continue’ on the bottom right.
You will then have to enter a project target name example: Test 1 Social proofing
Next, click on the ‘1 Variation (Control) dropdown and press the ‘+’ this will then start your variation.
Click ‘Javascript’
Within the dropdown ‘Post-Rendering +’
then click save.
Multiple Target test will have the code-based script added to the JS script within each target/ rule.If you are adding more than one target you will need to:
Add a variation (as Single Target test above)
Click ‘Javascript’ (as Single Target test above)
Enter your script within the pop-up
and save.This will have to be done for each target/rule.
AB / ABn tests will need to have the code-based script added to the JS script within each variation created:
Simply click ‘+ new test’ ‘web page’ and select ‘ABn’, next select ‘Visual Editor’ and then the ‘Visual Editor’ button on the bottom right. Then follow the instructions as per Single Target test.
When using the Advanced Editor:
If you are using the OBF library then add your code-based script to the OBF post-render.
You need to make sure that you tick this box 
on the first screen:
Then on the ‘Scripts’ section add your code to the post-render section on the right-hand-side 
If you are not using the OBF library then you will need to add your code-based script to the Variations JS script section for each level.
