Social Proof in Customer Onboarding - Where It Helps and How to Use It

Most writing on social proof explains the psychology and lists the types. What it rarely says is which type belongs at which step of onboarding. The rule this post uses: match the proof to the doubt the customer has at that moment. A wall of logos answers "is this legitimate?" at signup; it does nothing for "will this work for a team like mine?" at the plan picker.

By understanding where social proof helps and where it doesn't, you can build an onboarding strategy that earns trust instead of asking for it. To measure the effect once it's live, see 4 metrics and KPIs to measure customer onboarding.

What is social proof in customer onboarding?

Social proof is the psychological principle that people follow the actions of others when they're unsure what to do. Seeing that others have already made a decision makes them more confident making it too.

In marketing, social proof shows potential customers that others have already tried and liked your product. In customer onboarding, it takes the same forms, customer testimonials, case studies, user-generated content, social media mentions and expert endorsements, but at a different moment: after the customer has shown interest and before they've committed.

Why use social proof in customer onboarding?

Social proof in customer onboarding builds trust at the moments customers are deciding whether to continue. It does four jobs:

• Builds trust and credibility. When people see others had a good experience with your product, they're more comfortable going ahead, which matters most for businesses that are new or little known in their industry. For more on the wider picture, see the key factors in building user trust.
• Increases conversions. People who see others have already bought and been happy are more likely to follow, which is why social proof appears on so many landing pages.
• Improves the experience. Reviews and ratings give customers useful context about a product's quality, so they decide with more confidence and tend to stay more satisfied.
• Overcomes objections. If someone worries about quality or reliability, reviews, testimonials and customer photos or videos can settle that worry before it stops them.

Where should social proof go in onboarding?

Social proof belongs at the steps where customers hesitate, and the type should match the question they're asking there. This table maps common onboarding steps to the doubt behind them:

To find these steps in your own product, review your product and website analytics for where customers abandon onboarding. Long forms and plan choices are the usual suspects, because they can feel overwhelming.

What does social proof in onboarding look like in practice?

The four examples below come from screenshots taken in 2022 and 2023, so the pages may have changed since.

Hotjar, a website analytics tool, used social proof on its sign-up page in the form of customer logos and the line "Join over 900,000 sites who trust Hotjar to improve user experiences and conversion rates". Its homepage at the time showed a precise count, "Hotjar is trusted by 1,148,546 websites in 180+ countries", above a row of logos, plus "56,549 users signed up last month" and risk-reducers such as "No credit card required".

The signup claim was still true, but its rounded "over 900,000" sat about 250,000 below the homepage count. That's the gap a hard-coded number opens as a product grows.

HubSpot, a marketing, sales and service platform, used numbers rather than logos on the page captured here: 167,000+ customers, 475K+ certified professionals, 1,340+ integrations and 150+ user groups. Numbers about the community answer a different doubt from logos: not "who uses this?" but "will I get help if I'm stuck?".

monday.com put customer logos and "Join over 125,000 teams that manage their work better" beside its signup form in 2022, at the very first step; the screens are in our customer onboarding walkthrough. And Figma included social proof inside its four-step initial onboarding modal, next to personalisation and an upgrade offer, so the proof arrived after signup rather than before it.

How do you add social proof to your onboarding?

Add social proof in three steps: find where customers drop out, choose the proof that answers their doubt there, then test it.

1. Find the points where customers drop out

Start with the steps where customers abandon onboarding, typically long forms and plan choices. Your product and website analytics show where they are. Social proof placed there supports your value proposition and reassures customers they're making the right decision; placed anywhere else, it's decoration.

2. Choose the proof that supports your value proposition

Each type of social proof has its own strength. Pick the one that answers the doubt at the step you found:

• Customer testimonials are among the most common forms, because they show real results. Choose ones that highlight the benefits your value proposition promises.
• Influencer endorsements reach new audiences, particularly in industries like fashion and beauty.
• Expert recommendations build credibility. If a reputable publication or a known industry expert has endorsed your product, show it during onboarding.
• Social media proof, such as followers, likes and shares, shows popularity. Match the platform to the audience: for a younger audience, Instagram engagement may say more than LinkedIn activity.

3. Add it and test it

Once you know where and what, add the social proof and A/B test it: different types, and different formats such as videos, infographics or customer quotes. Keep the version that moves completion at that step, and revisit it regularly so it stays relevant.

What are the risks of relying on social proof?

Social proof can cost trust as easily as it builds it. Watch for five risks:

• Stale numbers. A hard-coded count ages as the product grows or shrinks, as Hotjar's two figures showed. Pull counts live, or date them.
• Irrelevant proof. A wall of enterprise logos can make a small team wonder whether the product is for them. Show proof from customers like the one in front of you, which is easier if you ask their company size or goal early.
• Claims you can't back up. Inflated numbers, invented testimonials or certifications you don't hold damage trust badly when they're found out. Only show what you can prove.
• Proof that gets in the way. A testimonial modal between the customer and their first task adds a step. Put proof beside the action, not in front of it.
• Proof as a substitute for value. Social proof can persuade people to try your product, but only the product keeps them. If customers leave after onboarding, fix the onboarding; the steps in the new customer onboarding process are a good place to start.