Widget Ideas for Marketers: Boost Conversions with Social Proof

Widget Definition: What Are We Talking About?

There are lots and lots of widgets in different contexts: mobile widgets, software widgets, web widgets, UI widgets, even beer can widgets 👀

Check out this definition by Collins Dictionary: “You can refer to any small device as a widget when you do not know exactly what it is or how it works.”

So, it seems that we have to define what we actually mean when we talk about widgets in this blog.

In this blog, we are going to talk about widgets on your website.

Here are three definitions that are more useful for us:

• Merriam-Webster: a small software application that is designed to provide a specific piece of information (such as news, weather, or traffic updates) or a specific function (such as taking notes or controlling another application) on demand.

• Collins: A widget is a small computer program that you can use on a personal computer or mobile phone.

• Cambridge: a piece of software that is used on a page of a website to give the user changing information of a particular type in a small area of the computer screen.

Any clarity yet?

To put it in layman’s terms, a widget is something that brings extra value to your website. It is brought “from outside” to your website with a piece of embed code.

The widget can simply showcase information, or it can have functionality like something to click on or text boxes to write on.

I will present some examples along the way, so keep reading!

Widget Designs That Help Your Business

What can widgets do for your business?

You probably won’t benefit from a clock app or a weather app on your website as a business owner. That is not bringing extra value to your customers and leads.

Things that do help you are e.g. testimonial widgets and different lead generation widgets.

It could be a difficult job to program and develop things like that on your own, which is why widgets and plugins are extremely useful.

In the best-case scenario, these widgets can increase your conversion rates significantly.

Think about that – new leads, more customers, boost sales! And all that with little to no effort from your side.

Different Types of Website Widgets

Some small business owners might feel a little overwhelmed by the various widgets available. Fear not, below’s a list of options you can pick and choose free widgets from.

• Google Reviews
• Facebook Reviews
• Tripadvisor Reviews
• G2 Reviews
• Capterra Reviews
• Yelp Reviews
• Lead Generation Widgets
• Lead Generation Forms
• Lead Generation Pop-ups
• Social Proof Pop-ups
• Testimonial Widgets

These are just some of the most popular widgets. But there are countless more.

Specific Widgets for CRM and CMS Platforms

Looking for a review widget that is compatible with your customer relationship management or content management system?

We’ve got you! There is a solution for all website owners.

• Pipedrive reviews widget
• HubSpot integrations
• WordPress widgets
• And further +20 CMS platforms

Keep in mind that the best website widgets work both with mobile devices and desktops. In short, they need to be mobile friendly and responsive.

One place where you can find a plethora of widgets for lead generation and social proof is Trustmary.

Let’s review what Trustmary can offer you.

Lead Generation Widgets: Capture Potential Customers

These lead generation widgets help you capture leads and collect potential customers’ contact information. 

They work because they are a proactive way to reach out to the potential leads on your website, instead of them having to search for a way to contact you.

Additionally, you can include social proof on these widgets, which makes them even more effective.

1#: Forms

Making it easy for visitors to contact and interact with you is key. If there is no easy way to get to talk to you, they will look for another solution.

The traditional lead generation forms are a solid option when you want to get in touch with potential customers.

Customize the text to fit your “ask” and start collecting potential leads’ contact information.

2#: Chatbots

Chatbots help you not only capture leads, but also qualify them. If you script the right questions, you can instantly spot the most qualified leads.

Chatbots also answer the needs of today’s website visitors: They increase conversationality, offer personalized experiences, and are available 24/7.

Try chatting with a chatbot below:

How could you use a chatbot to benefit both you and your potential customer?

Plan a sequence that takes into account what the visitor might be looking for, and offer them answers to their questions. At the same time, you can figure out if the prospect seems like someone who would eventually do business with you.

For example, if you are exclusively looking for customers who live in a certain area, you could include a question “Do you have a need for our services in [the specific area]?” and include the response options yes and no.

If the visitor responds with a no, maybe it helps you both determine that you are not the best fit for collaboration.

Read more chat lead generation tips and get to know the best chatbot for WordPress.

3#: Other Lead Gen Widgets

In addition to forms and chatbot, Trustmary includes other types of lead gen widgets.

Such as this hybrid between a form and an interactive sequence like a chatbot.

This lead generation widget consists of two parts. First, your potential lead sees the CTA. After they click on it, they are moved to a form where they’ll fill in their contact information.

Try it yourself (and sign up for Trustmary’s weekly newsletter):

Pop-Ups: Promote Content and Capture Leads

Pop-ups are great at capturing your website visitor’s attention. Whatever you decide to highlight with the pop-up, it will not go unnoticed.

You can use them for lead generation, highlighting reviews, promoting content or special offers, and much more!

By modifying the pop-up settings, you can decide when the pop-up is activated.

Our customers have seen great results from using exit-intent pop-ups, such as 62% more contact requests and 37% more sales.

Once again, here are some real-life examples.

Trustmary

Let’s start with our own example: We use many kinds of pop-ups, such as a newsletter signup form in our blog, guide download pop-ups on our pillar posts, and these CTA pop-ups on our landing pages.

Ruokaboksi

A meal kit delivery company Ruokaboksi has used exit pop-ups to promote a discount and feature reviews.

Kattotutka

A roofing company Kattotutka use exit pop-ups to collect contact requests from potential clients. They also highlight reviews for extra social proof.

Seidat

A Finnish SaaS company Seidat uses a different pop-up on their pricing page. The pop-up is located on the bottom of the page, and features a review as well as a CTA to get started with the tool.

Creative solutions, aren’t they?

See also our article on social proof pop-up tips for further inspiration.

Call To Action Widgets: Guide Your Visitors

Call to action -widgets help your leads take the next step on their customer journey.

Trustmary has templates for many different purposes, but all of the templates can be personalized for another use case.

Most CTA widgets can be used as in-page widgets or pop-ups. You can choose the form in the widget editor.

1#: Call-to-Action Bar

A CTA bar is a small widget that is best placed near the top of a web page.

This way your customers have easy access to fulfilling your desired call to action, like starting a free trial or booking a meeting, but the widget does not interfere with the content on the page.

2#: Call-to-Action with Video

Yes, you can feature a video on your CTA!

I would argue that a customer testimonial is the most powerful type of video you could possibly add to your CTA.

Here’s an example:

Further Marketing Widget Ideas

While Trustmary doesn’t provide the below widgets, here are some additional ideas for marketers who want to boost website conversions:

Countdown Timers: Add urgency to your promotions with countdown timers that display limited-time offers or upcoming events. This can drive quick decisions and increase conversion rates.

Live Chat Widgets: Implement live chat support to provide instant assistance to visitors. This helps address their concerns in real-time, leading to higher conversion rates.

Personalized Product Recommendations: Use widgets that suggest products based on a visitor’s browsing history and preferences. Personalization can significantly boost sales and conversions.

Progress Bars: Show progress bars during multi-step processes like form submissions or checkout. This reduces abandonment by giving users a sense of completion.

Interactive Quizzes: Engage visitors with quizzes that lead to personalized product recommendations or other results. This interactive content can keep users on your site longer and guide them toward conversions.

Embedded Videos: Use video widgets to explain products, share customer testimonials, or showcase how-to guides. Videos can be more engaging than text and can improve conversion rates.

Sticky Bars: Add sticky bars at the top or bottom of your site to highlight promotions, announcements, or CTAs that stay visible as users scroll.

Gamified Widgets: Implement gamification elements like spin-to-win wheels or scratch cards that offer prizes or discounts. This fun approach can increase user engagement and conversions.

Referral Program Widgets: Encourage visitors to refer friends with easy-to-access referral program widgets. Offering rewards for referrals can expand your customer base and increase conversions.

Conclusion

When you want to easily increase your website conversion rates, try dynamic widgets.

With Trustmary’s widgets, you can showcase social proof to prospective customers, and generate leads. Did you know that you can also collect more reviews while displaying reviews with a widget? Below is an example of how you can generate more Google reviews to boost your visibility in Google Maps and search engines in general.

Moreover, you can even test two widgets against each other and learn which one generates better results. You’re able to always maximize the potential of your website!

The widget library is also constantly updated, and we get new fully customizable templates every once in a while!

Read also

These resources help you learn more about website conversions:

• Social Proof Popup Examples That Improve Conversion Rate
• The Definitive Guide to Optimizing Conversion Rate
• 13 Biggest Conversion Rate Optimization Benefits
• WordPress Testimonial Plugin Comparison: 10 Best Plugins
• Finding The Best WordPress Google Review Plugin 2023

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