<p>I'm wondering to what extent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_proof">Social Proof</a> helps the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_rate">Conversion Rate</a> of websites and marketing.</p>

<p>Specifically I'm wondering what effect Social Proof would have on Conversion Rate for a sample task in an online context. Lots of marketing material espouses it's effectiveness but I would like <em>academic research</em> on the matter. </p>

<p>There's some basic research I've found that shows yes, people do things their friends do (such as some of the studies referenced in the Wikipedia article) but this is not specific to new methods of Social PRoof.</p>

<p>What quantitative research has been done in regards to <strong>social proof effects website conversion</strong> with modern Social Proof techniques like Facebook likes and Amazon customer reviews?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-23T13:19:40.637Z
@Taal ah, that's interesting to know at least. And I'm unsurprised you can't share; marketers are bad at sharing, heh.
Zelda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-25T14:26:05.870Z
I have found [This Paper](http://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2011/79/) already but their scope seems excessively broad; even expert reviews are considered "social media", I'm more interested in social proof of one's *peers*, Amazon reviews of a movie, not Ebert's review. Expert opinions have different and complicated effects.
Zelda
<social-psychology><consumer-psychology>
What is the effect of Social Proof on Conversion Rate?
Zelda
# What is the effect of Social Proof on Conversion Rate?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-01-25)

I'm wondering to what extent [Social Proof](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_proof) helps the [Conversion Rate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_rate) of websites and marketing.

Specifically I'm wondering what effect Social Proof would have on Conversion Rate for a sample task in an online context. Lots of marketing material espouses it's effectiveness but I would like *academic research* on the matter.

There's some basic research I've found that shows yes, people do things their friends do (such as some of the studies referenced in the Wikipedia article) but this is not specific to new methods of Social PRoof.

What quantitative research has been done in regards to **social proof effects website conversion** with modern Social Proof techniques like Facebook likes and Amazon customer reviews?

**Tags:** social-psychology, consumer-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I have found [This Paper](http://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2011/79/) already but their scope seems excessively broad; even expert reviews are considered "social media", I'm more interested in social proof of one's *peers*, Amazon reviews of a movie, not Ebert's review. Expert opinions have different and complicated effects.  
> **username_0**: @Taal ah, that's interesting to know at least. And I'm unsurprised you can't share; marketers are bad at sharing, heh.  

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## 0 answers

