Social proof on your website helps visitors make a decision as to whether or not they'll do business with you. That's because people trust other people just like them. It's like jumping on the bandwagon; if they see that others are already purchasing and using your products or services, then they'll want to as well.

As a marketing strategy, it ranks high on the importance scale. That's because social proof can:

• convey trust and authority
• grow credibility
• boost your SEO rankings

Website World have a great article on 7 Ways to Encourage Website Reviews which you should take a read of. In terms of asking for social proof, you could try:

• sending out a survey to new clients or customers - ask them for their thoughts on their purchase. Encourage replies by offering a future discount for completed surveys.
• encourage posting on social media - create a hashtag your customers can use when discussing your products. These help you track what is said about your brand online.
• give free products to influencers - if they have a large audience which you consider as part of your audience type, ask them to review one of your products.
• ask in person - if you  are giving away samples at an event, ask for immediate feedback on them!

Make sure that you thank every reviewer for sharing their thoughts, and in the case of negative reviews, explain what you have put into place to avoid a repeat of their problem in the future. Take a read of Website World's article Best Ways to Manage Negative Reviews Online for more details on how to do this.