There are many ways to upgrade your business’ website to attract more potential consumers, however, adding testimonials from satisfied customers can be a very effective feature. Testimonials are feedback from customers praising your business and its products that can bring more credibility to your business’ website.
In many cases, customers trust the word of other customers. More than 70 percent of Americans say they read product reviews before making a purchase and that nearly 63 percent of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from your site if it includes product ratings and reviews. Testimonials are much like ratings and reviews, but more personable, which is what your website could use — a personal touch. Here are three kinds of testimonials you should consider for your site:
Readable Testimonials
These testimonials are designed for visitors to your website to read and see what other customers say about your products. Reach out to your best and most loyal customers and ask if they will be a part of a testimonial. Readable testimonials should be a bit more lengthy than your regular product reviews. These should include content about your product and your business, as well as the good relationship your business has with that customer. It’s important to avoid dead-end, yes or no questions, and to keep each testimonial about the same length.
Hire a photographer to take appropriate photos that are similar in display (similar backgrounds and lighting) and to be sure they are taken in high-resolution format. Ensure the fonts for headers and content on your page are uniform and not too flashy. If you gather and create enough readable testimonials, you could make your testimonial page your main page, which can be featured as an example of how important your customers are to you.
Video Testimonials
Video testimonials can bring a more professional look to your website and really capture a viewer’s attention. As much as 90 percent of online shoppers on websites of major retailers say videos are helpful when making shopping decisions. That’s a significant number to ignore. LifeLock combines both readable and video testimonial features on its website, posting videos on the right side of the page along with the customers’ quotes on the left. Included is the customer’s first name, the first letter of his/her second name and how long he or she has been a member (or customer) of the company.
It’s important to hire a professional videographer to record your customers’ testimonials. Cutting corners to cut down on costs to set up testimonials could easily come through in the finished product if you don’t do it right. Again, be sure to ask thought-provoking questions and have similar background and lighting with each testimonial. You want your customer to look as good as they’re making your business look so be sure to work with the videographer in the editing process, eliminating any “ums” and “uhs” or potentially embarrassing moments, like an unintentional sneeze or coughing hack.
Case Studies
A case study can be an interview with one customer. It can be either readable content or a video. A case study shows how a particular problem was solved or a lifestyle has been enriched for the customer by your business. Showcasing whatever results your customer talks about in a case study can not only increase interest in your business from site visitors, but if you do it well enough, it can generate even more hits through sites like YouTube and be shared through your business’ social media platforms as well as your customers.’
A case study explains how your expertise, your business solves problems, reaches goals and connects to your real-world customers. It can go into the statistics, science and processes of how your business improves customers’ lives, one way or another. It can include graphics and charts supporting those facts/theories and include a video of your customer to give it that compelling, personal touch to website visitors. To pull off a good case study, you will need IT help, a good videographer and photographer and a committee of your best employees to brainstorm ideas on what to include in the case study. The amount of time and money you put into your website testimonials will pay off if you do it correctly.
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This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising, graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering, Now what do we do?” We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
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8 Comments:
By Maurizio Piacenza 09 Dec 2014
Never used testimonials, but I should, I know…
I think it would be really useful if there were a way to include LinkedIn recommendations in our websites.
By Shirley Segev 09 Dec 2014
Hi Will, I totally agree. When we planned Midot’s new web site (Launched on April 2014), it was very important for me to include testimonials from customers, and “mini” case studies as well. I welcome you to look at: http://www.midot.com/testimonials-success-stories/ and http://www.midot.com/case-study-2/.
It was quite an effort to gather all these testimonials, and we had to ask the sales teams to cooperate, nagging them, asking them to nag their contact persons at the customers… but it’s worth it!
What I would like to ask you and others, is for ideas and suggestions on ways to address a customers for testimonials, as it is not simple at all. Thanks in advance.
By Gary Webb, MCIM. UK based marketing consultant 10 Dec 2014
Testimonials carry far more credibility with customers than any video, case study or news item which may tell a story but lacks authentication.
The use of independent review sites such as Feefo or Trust Pilot can also be an excellent way of gaining customer confidence in a product or service.
By Emilia Dzambo 10 Dec 2014
Testimonials are very good thing for every bussines website. Lot of people read them and trust them…our sales increase when we put testimonials on our product sites
By Peter Struikman 14 Dec 2014
Usefull article, direct advise on how to use testimonials. I am currently looking at improving our site, and bring it up-to-date we do more and other things then it says now. But I found it hard to get people with name and company to write a reference. Video testimonial is not (yet) liked. But maybe we in the Netherlands are still a bit scary of that. But I agree taht a video message is the most convincing and attention drawing way.
By Roxanne Lewington 05 Jan 2015
I have been looking into Feefo and Trust Pilot for our website (any recommendations?), so far we have had testimonials on our website for several years, testimonials we manually add so don’t have the weight of having an identified individual behind them. We have recently upgraded our site design and are incorporating more testimonials throughout the site (www.mackenziesmith.co.uk) to bring them more to the forefront.
I have been advised, as well as adding credibility by having personally identifiable reviews these independent review sites are also google partners which helps your G+ business listing, and your website, rank better. Shirley, as you have faced, we have spent a lot of time drumming into sales staff that they need to ask for testimonials, more recently to get their clients to put their reviews on our Google+ or facebook pages but it’s an uphill struggle, not everyone has a google ID or a facebook profile whereas anyone will be able to put their views on via a review site and they will help us capture and communicate with those customers to get reviews in a proven way. Video, that’s the next hurdle….
OK so I’m about to trial Trust Pilot, reassuring to see them featuring on some TV ads and more and more websites for + credibility!
By Will Sherwood 05 Jan 2015
Hello Roxanne… I personally don’t have any experience with either Feefo or Trust Pilot and would be interested to hear how your trial run goes. Let us know?
By Allie Philpin 05 Jan 2015
Good tips – testimonials and case studies is something I always recommend to my clients.