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Social Proof Drives 41% Revenue Lift for Cruise Aggregator

Three metric cards showing TrustPilot widget impacts: Conversion Rate increased from 0.82% to 1.11% (+35.4%), Revenue grew from baseline to +41.2%, and Transactions increased from 203 to 266 (+31.2%).
The Client

Leading North American Cruise Travel Agency

Executive Summary
A leading cruise booking site with strong reviews wasn't converting their excellent reputation into sales. By adding TrustPilot reviews to their itinerary pages, they saw conversion rates jump 35.4% and revenue increase 41.2%

Highlights

Our clients reputation wasn't translating into bookings. By strategically A/B testing trust widgets on their booking pages, we created a seamless integration that enhanced rather than interrupted the booking flow.

Key achievements:

  • Transactions increased by 31.2% (from 203 to 266 bookings)
  • Conversion rate improved from 0.82% to 1.11% (35.4% increase)
  • Revenue grew by 41.2%

💡 The Challenge

A CRO audit of the cruise itinerary pages revealed a clear missed opportunity - while the company had excellent TrustPilot ratings, these weren't visible to customers during the booking process. For travel purchases where customers are spending thousands on vacation packages, seeing positive reviews from other travelers can be a crucial factor in their decision-making.

⚡ Our Solution

We kept it simple: Strategic placement of a TrustPilot widget on cruise itinerary pages. Here's exactly what we implemented:

  • Prominent TrustPilot badge showing real-time company ratings
  • Responsive design for both desktop and mobile
  • Careful placement to maintain existing user flow
  • Click tracking to measure engagement
Control: No social proof elements are visible to help build trust with potential customers considering their cruise purchase.
Variation: Added TrustPilot widget displaying current rating and reviews, providing immediate social proof and trust signals to visitors viewing the cruise itinerary details.

🎯 The Results

The impact of adding TrustPilot reviews to the booking pages was immediate and significant. The test drove a 35.4% increase in conversion rate (from 0.82% to 1.11%) and a 41.2% lift in revenue. Transaction volume grew by 31.2%, from 203 to 266 bookings. All metrics achieved statistical significance at 99% confidence.

TrustPilot Widget Impact on Key Metrics

Metric Control Variation Lift
Users 24,756 23,964 -
Transactions 203 266 31.2%
Conversion Rate 0.82% 1.11% 35.4%
Revenue Lift - - 41.2%
Detailed Test Results - 30 Day Testing Period

While these results appear unusually high - higher than we typically see from trust signal implementations - we know definitively that displaying trust signals improves booking performance. The dramatic improvements we saw during our 30-day test window will likely settle at more modest levels over a longer period. While we could run the test longer to get more realistic long-term estimates, that would mean delaying the rollout of a proven winner. In our experience, the opportunity cost of waiting usually outweighs the benefit of more precise numbers.

Why It Worked

Social proof is one of the most fundamental principles in conversion optimization. When customers are considering a significant purchase like a cruise vacation, they naturally look for evidence that they're making the right decision. Our test showed that displaying TrustPilot reviews directly on booking pages bridges a critical trust gap - customers can see positive experiences from other travelers right at the moment they're deciding whether to book.

  • The TrustPilot widget provided immediate credibility since it shows verified customer ratings rather than curated testimonials
  • Reviews had an even stronger impact on higher-value bookings, suggesting that social proof becomes more critical as the purchase price increases

Let's Talk 💬

Are you leaving money on the table by not properly showcasing your trust signals? Let's analyze your conversion funnel and find out where strategic social proof could drive massive gains for your business.

Appendix: Detailed Test Parameters and Statistical Analysis

Test Parameters:

Parameter Details
Device targeting All devices (desktop and mobile)
Browser targeting All major browsers
User segments All visitors to itinerary pages
Page scope All cruise itinerary pages

Statistical Analysis:

Metric Value
Confidence level 99%
Statistical significance Achieved
Sample size 48,720 total users
Test duration 30 days
Control/Variation split Even split
Field Notes
"In CRO, outside of site speed (which is the only thing that always improves conversion rate), social proof is the second most reliable tactic to move the needle. The results here demonstrate this nicely - show people that others trust you, right when they're making a big purchase decision, and they're more likely to follow through."
Devon Cox President, ConversionTeam
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