As a website owner, you are convinced that your product or service is the best! But how do you convince the visitor of this? The answer lies in the six principles of "Online Persuasion". These principles are based on psychological research on persuasion. (R.B. Cialdini 2001).

In this blog, we tell you about the next 2 principles, Social proof and Authority.

1. Improving your website with "Social proof"

People are herd animals. When we do not know what to do, for example, we look at the crowd and assume that if they have made a choice, that choice is probably the best one.
 

If everyone is doing it, it must be good

For example, we are impressed when a person or company has many followers on Twitter or many "likes" on Facebook. "If everyone is doing it, it must be good." Also, when for example a number of friends "like" a LinkedIn post, in many cases you automatically assume that you will like it too.
 

Use ratings, comments or reviews

On the website, you can use this principle by, for example, showing quotes from customers. "Social experience" is often used on booking websites for hotels and vacations: Grade 9.5 "it is fantastic here"!  Ratings are used here, visitors can give a rating with a number or with stars (this often happens with rating systems). Another way is to allow comments or a review to be given on your organization, an employee, a product or a service.

2. Respect for "Authority"

You probably know the commercials in which, for example, a dentist recommends a certain brand of toothpaste. People tend to do what an authority says. This is applied with some regularity within Social Media by communicating with members as a brand from an expert role. People have respect for an authority.
 

Show that you are an expert!

You also have specific knowledge about the product or service you sell. Show this on your website, show that you know your stuff! Customers associate experts with extensive knowledge, experience and quality. And so they like to do business with experts.