Social proof is the principle by which people, when uncertain, are guided by the behaviour and experience of others. On a website it takes several forms: ratings and reviews, testimonials with a name and photo, client logos, the number of customers or completed projects, case studies with figures, awards and certifications, and media mentions. Its effectiveness varies with specificity, anonymous praise with no detail convinces almost no one, while a testimonial from a company in the same industry stating a specific result is highly convincing. Conversely, evidence that is obviously fabricated is harmful: generated reviews, logos of companies that aren't actually your clients, and inflated numbers. Place proof where doubt arises, that is, near the price and near the form, not only on a separate references subpage.
See also: Trust signals, Case study, Product reviews.
