Use Testimonials on Your Website

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Use Testimonials on Your Website

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On this blog we’ve talked about the most important pages on your website before. The “Contact Us” page or the “Press Room“. Another important page is the “Testimonials” page.

Why is it important to use testimonials on your website ?

Because people nowadays shop online before they buy and because people read and trust other people’s opinions ! Let me ask you this: how do you book your summer vacation ? Do you go to your local travel agency or do you book it online ? Probably online, right ? And do you also read the Tripadvisor reviews for your chosen hotel ? (and wonder if these people have nothing else to do than submit 2000 character reviews of their last holiday But, it the hotel has a really bad review, you probably stay away from it, correct ? So if you read these testimonials (or in this case we call them reviews) then other people do to. And the same goes for your potential clients. If they consider buying from you, I bet you any money that they will read your testimonials before contacting you.

So what makes a good testimonial?

Testimonials should be specific “Sarah is great” won’t work! Only display testimonials which address specific benefits or results of your product or service. They are much more meaningful and powerful than your generic compliment.

Testimonials should be personal Use the full name and website of the person who has written the testimonial (always ask permission first). This comes over as more real, than anonymous reviews. If the person feels comfortable in adding a photo, that’s even better.

Testimonials should be short and to the point Any more than 5 lines of text, and I guarantee that your testimonials won’t be read!

Where should you display the testimonials on your site?

You can create a “Testimonial Page” where you display as many testimonials as you like. But, you can also use your testimonials on other places of your site, like the side bar. For example on your “Services” page, use one that praises your services. On the “Events” page, use one that talks about the great results of your last workshop.

Using testimonials as a marketing strategy comes very close to “word of mouth marketing”, which is the most powerful marketing out there. So start giving your website the credibility it deserves by displaying your testimonials !

Do you use testimonials on your website ? Have they proven to be effective ? Share your experience in the comments below.

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2 Comments

Patricia
22 April 2012

Good article, Sarah. I agree with you 100%. I’m often surprised myself when I visit sites for certain services and see no testimonials. When a satisfied customer sends kudos in an email or raves about your performance during a call, there is nothing wrong with saying right then and there, “Wow, I really appreciate your feedback. Would you mind leaving a testimonial on my website?” That’s different from directly soliciting if a client hasn’t already demonstrated satisfaction with your work.

However, I greatly disagree with your suggestion to limit them to 5 lines. Just last week a customer left me an exuberant, wordy and long testimonial (http://www.nixonvs.com/client-testimonials/) and I wouldn’t dream of editing it. If your customers go into full-blown rants about how great you are, that’s terrific!

reply
- ssantacroce
  23 April 2012
  
  Hi Patricia,
  thanks for your feedback. I guess it depends where you place your testimonials on your site. If you place the full pager on your testimonial page, I guess that’s fine, some people will read the whole thing. But I wouldn’t use that anywhere else on the site…
  
  reply