Consumer reviews, testimonials and case studies have always been one of the most effective forms of advertising. They back up the claims you yourself are making about your products or services. They give potential clients real world examples of your products and services in action. They increase credibility and trust. They build relationships, inspire emotions and humanize your brand. They are an important advertising tool and should be a part of your website.
What is a Testimonial
A testimonial is a sort of an endorsement from a customer. It’s a story or statement about your product or service and how it benefited them. It can be about someone’s overall experience with your brand or how it provided value or solved a specific problem. To be effective, it needs to be unique, authentic and relatable.
Why Use Testimonials
Today’s consumers are smart and savvy. They know a sales gimmick when they see one and are often weary of sensationalized claims, but they trust other consumers. Which is what makes testimonials, online reviews and case studies such an important marketing strategy. Testimonials, case studies and reviews can be used to increasing conversions by:
- Building trust and credibility by providing proof and backing up your own claims
- Demonstrating how your product or service solves a specific problem
- Explaining the benefits of your products or services in way as the owner you can’t
- Creating emotional connections with consumers that help to humanize your brand
- Give potential consumers buying confidence
But those aren’t the only reason to use testimonials and reviews. Asking for testimonials and reviews can give you insight into your own business. You can see what people like about your product or service, how they use it and even where you are losing customers. You can then make smart, informed decisions about what changes you should make to your own company by listening to the people who have used your product or service.
How To Incorporate Testimonials into Your Website
There are a number of different ways to use testimonials on your website. Some people prefer a dedicated page for testimonials others like to sprinkle them throughout the entire site. There’s really no wrong way to use testimonials, it’s all just a matter of your preference and what you find most effective for reaching your prospective consumers. Here are a few ideas on where to place testimonials on your website to get you started.
Homepage Placement
Your homepage is often the first impression new consumers will have of your business. If you have some rave reviews, you may want to make the most of them and give them prominent placement right on your homepage.
Product or Service Page
As potential consumers are diving into the meat and potatoes of your site, you may want to reinforce the benefits with a well-placed testimonial. Put general reviews on your product or service page, or speckly them throughout the site matching reviews for specific products or services to their dedicated page for maximum impact.
Testimonials Page
Another option, especially if you have a lot of satisfied customers bragging about your business, is to create a page just for testimonials. Here they’ll get center stage and will make it easy for anyone who wants to do their research to find.
In a Case Study or Blog Post
These testimonials take a little more work but are generally worth it. By using a blog post or creating a case study, you really get to expand on the basic testimonial and create a story around their experience. You can dive into the challenges they faced and how your product or service was the solution. These create high-quality testimonials loaded with specifics that may not apply to every consumer, but they provide a level of credible and authenticity that’s hard to top.
Other Ways to Use Testimonials & Reviews
You don’t have to use testimonials and reviews on your own website. You can share them on your social media accounts, utilize them in email marketing campaigns or seek them for customer review sites like Google Reviews or Yelp. Placing them off your website often makes them even more believable, and it provides you with an excellent opportunity for engaging with your consumers by responding to the reviews – both positive and negative.
Incorporate Testimonials into Your Website
Because reviews and testimonials have the power to influence consumer trust and are often the first thing potential consumers seek out when researching a new business, a business with no reviews can be alarming. If you would like help incorporating testimonials, reviews or case studies into your existing or new website, reach out to Matt Gerber Designs today. We’ll put our years of testimonial-backed experience to work for you, seamlessly integrating positive testimonials and reviews into the look and feel of your website to increase your credibility and put potential new consumers at ease.
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