Practical Tips to Make Your Testimonials Shine: Formatting, Placement, and Updates

Testimonials are more than just words; they are social proof that can significantly influence a visitor’s decision. They provide real-world experiences, instilling confidence and reliability in your services

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Testimonials: this is social proof, can go a long way. If you have reviews and testimonials, use them on your service pages for sure! You can have one page that shows all of your testimonials if you would like but adding them to each service page in addition to or instead of one page puts the testimonials in context and you have a better chance of them being viewed when they are“integrated” with a page.

There are a few ways you can add testimonials to your service pages. You can put one or two testimonials on each page that is static meaning you type the testimonial in on the page and these ones always appear where you put it. Okay, like this one here. You could use a feed that pulls in your reviews from an online source such as Google reviews, and these will change depending on new testimonials you receive.

Now, I want to mention that testimonials and reviews can be text, but they also can be video. When you add a video testimonial, pull out a few words from the video and place it next to the testimonial. Write a brief description so that people know what they’ll be watching if they commit to clicking on the play button.

Let’s go over this a little more in detail

The Impact of Testimonials on Your Website

Testimonials are more than just kind words from satisfied clients; they’re a potent tool in the world of web design. Testimonials can make a substantial difference in how your audience perceives your services.

>> If you have testimonials, use them. If you don’t have any testimonials, go get some. <<

Why Testimonials Matter on Your Website

Testimonials serve as powerful social proof. If you’ve got reviews and testimonials, incorporating them into your website pages is a great choice.

Integrating them into each page can provide valuable context to what the visitor is reading, and this also increases the likelihood of them being noticed.

As you explore our website, you will see we have testimonials sprinkled around, including our Past Speaking Events page and our  About page as well as others. We have a variety of compelling testimonials on the page, from text to video testimonials, that provide an inside look at our services from real clients’ perspectives.

Testimonials Build Trust

Testimonials act as a trust-building mechanism. When potential customers see positive feedback from others who have used your services, it instills confidence. It’s akin to getting a recommendation from a friend, and in the online world, where face-to-face interactions are limited, this trust is crucial.

For example, when a potential client is browsing through your web design services and comes across a testimonial that says, ‘Our website traffic increased by 30% after partnering with XYZ Design Studio,’ it instantly establishes credibility and fosters trust.

Testimonials Humanize Your Brand

Testimonials add a human touch to your brand. They showcase the real people behind your services and provide a glimpse into the positive experiences others have had. This human element helps potential clients connect with your brand on a personal level.

In the context of a tutoring service, a testimonial like, “My child struggled with math until we found ABC Tutors. Now, they not only understand but enjoy math!” humanizes the service and resonates with parents seeking similar support.

Testimonials address Specific Concerns

Testimonials often address specific concerns or questions potential customers might have. They serve as a platform for current clients to share how your services solved their problems or met their needs, thereby easing uncertainties for new prospects.

For a financial consulting firm, a testimonial stating, “The team at Financial Experts helped me navigate complex tax issues with ease,” directly addresses a common concern people have when seeking financial advice.

Integrating Testimonials into Service Pages

Instead of confining testimonials to a single page, consider scattering them strategically across your service pages. This ensures that potential clients encounter these affirmations in the context of the specific services you offer, increasing their relevance and impact.

Service-Specific Validation

Instead of having a generic testimonials page, place relevant testimonials on each service page. If you offer a range of services, having service-specific testimonials provides targeted validation, making the testimonials more persuasive.

On a fitness coaching service page, a testimonial like, “Thanks to FitLife Coaching, I lost 20 pounds and gained so much energy,” directly supports the claims made on that specific service page. If you provide home remodeling, you might place a testimonial from a client who had a kitchen remodeled by your firm on the Kitchen Remodeling page, and a testimonial from a client who had a bathroom remodeled by your firm on the Bathroom Remodeling page.

Place the testimonials contextually for more impact.

Enhancing Credibility and Context

Integrating testimonials within the content of a service page provides immediate credibility. When a potential client is reading about a particular service, having a testimonial seamlessly embedded in the text reinforces the benefits and results they can expect.

On a software development company’s service page, a testimonial saying, “Our project was delivered ahead of schedule and exceeded our expectations,” reinforces the company’s commitment to quality and efficiency.

Visual Appeal and Accessibility

Use visual elements to make testimonials stand out. Incorporate photos, if possible, to add authenticity. Additionally, ensure that testimonials are easily accessible—consider placing a strategically chosen testimonial near a call-to-action for maximum impact.

A travel agency’s vacation package page could feature a testimonial with a photo of a happy family on their trip, captioned with, “Our best vacation ever, thanks to Wanderlust Travel.”

Types of Testimonials

Static Written Testimonials for Your Website

One straightforward way to add testimonials is by placing one or two testimonials statically, meaning you copy and paste the testimonial and it does not change.  Once placed on a page, they remain fixed, always visible to visitors. This consistency ensures that potential customers are greeted with positive feedback every time they land on the page.

The drawback to this approach is that it may appear that you have made up the testimonials. There is nothing stopping someone from dreaming up a glowing testimonial and then writing it on their page with an author such as John Smith or J.S. or J.Smith or John.  Years ago, I had a friend who worked for a company and part of her responsibilities at this company were to make up testimonials for their website and brochures!!  So, static testimonials that you copy and paste to your website are good, but there could be a moment of doubt in the readers’ minds if the testimonial is real, which is warranted.

Written static testimonials can be formatted and displayed on your website in a nice row like this

Placing Dynamic Testimonials on Your Website

A more dynamic and authentic approach involves using a feed that pulls in reviews from online sources, such as Google Reviews. This not only saves you the trouble of manual updates but also ensures that your testimonials evolve with each new positive review you receive. By showcasing reviews from external sources, such as Google Reviews, your testimonials gain an added layer of authenticity because the visitor knows that you did not make them up. For someone to leave a Google Review, they need to have an account (which could also be a fake account, but less likely with each passing day!)

You can pull in online reviews places such as your Google Business Profile dynamically like this

Text vs. Video Testimonials

While text testimonials are effective, don’t underestimate the impact of video testimonials. They add a personal touch and authenticity to your website. Learn how to extract key phrases from video testimonials and pair them with a brief description, enticing users to hit that play button which helps your website when it comes to “engagement rate”. Search engines measure engagement rate and the more engagement you have on your website, the more favorable search engines view it! Videos, including testimonial videos, help increase your engagement rate when played and therefore should increase your place in the SERP (Search Engine Results Page).

In addition, videos bring a personal touch to customer endorsements. The visual and auditory elements create an immersive experience, allowing viewers to connect on a deeper level. Facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language contribute to a more authentic representation of the customer’s satisfaction, adding a human touch to the brand.

Video testimonials don’t just deliver information; they evoke emotions.

Making Your Testimonials Stand Out

Formatting Matters: Ensure that testimonials are formatted in a way that makes them easy to read. Use clear fonts and consider highlighting key phrases.

Placement is Key: Experiment with the placement of testimonials on your service pages. Strategic positioning can capture attention effectively.

Regular Updates: If you opt for dynamic testimonials, make sure your feed is regularly updated. Fresh reviews keep your content relevant and engaging.

Obtaining Testimonials

If you don’t have any testimonials yet, ASK FOR THEM!

If you are a brick-and-mortar business, you likely have frequent face-to-face interactions with customers. This gives you a great opportunity to request testimonials that can powerfully promote your brand on your website or social media. The rewards of social proof and improved conversion rates are worth it!

If you are not a brick-and-mortar business, you can still ask for testimonials by asking your customers to record a short video or you can set up a video conference and record the meeting!!

If you have a marketing team and want to take your online marketing with testimonials to the next level, be sure to look at our website design training for marketing teams. This hands-on training will equip your team with the skills to create high-converting websites that attract and engage customers.

This is the Toto way.