Boost Your Business: Why Your Website Needs Testimonials

Five stars. Two thumbs up. A+. If you read glowing testimonials about a business that include these positive remarks, it’s fair to say that you’d be more interested in that business. In fact, a 2013 study found that 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

So why are testimonials so impactful? Humanizing your brand may be the most important thing to do when you’re trying to sell a service. It’s only natural in this day and age for consumers to have doubt when considering using any service. A typical consumer is probably thinking, “Are you really as good as you say you are? Because everyone says they’re the best.”

As consumers, we are more likely to believe what is being advertised when we can relate to the source of the information. That’s where testimonials come in. They can bridge the gap between potential clients and current clients.

In other words, testimonials provide people with a glimpse into what it’s like to use your service. Because a potential client wants to know if using your business will be the best way to achieve his or her goals, hearing from current clients who love your business is the best way to demonstrate that your service truly is worth it.  

Why businesses should include testimonials on their websites

1. Testimonials create a ‘human element’ for your service. They stand out because they come from real people that can vouch for you and your business.
2. Testimonials can overcome doubt. Have you ever been swayed to buy a product or service because you read a great review online? By reading how a product or service made a real difference in someone’s life, then a person is more convinced that it will do the same for his or her business.
3. Testimonials build trust. Positive feedback from your clients tells your prospect that they will be in good hands with your service.

What are some testimonial best practices?

1. A good testimonial will vouch for your claims. Your testimonials should back up your promises or statements with facts. For example, a digital marketing agency should aim to have a testimonial from a client on how the agency increased their organic search traffic.  
2. You want testimonials to be from someone relatable. If your service mainly works with startups, then you would want to have testimonials from other startups. That way, your prospects can identify with the testimonials.
3. A good testimonial is credible. You want to show that your testimonials are coming from real people. At the very least, each testimonial should have at least a first name of the person and if relevant, the company that they are from. If possible, photos of the person providing the testimonial add even more sincerity.
4. A testimonial can be used to endorse key products.  If there’s a specific product that your business wants to highlight, make that visible in the testimonials. 
5. Testimonials should have a comparative aspect.  One way to do this is to have testimonials that demonstrate how your business adds a special touch that competitors don’t have. Testimonials that sound generic are less impactful than ones highlighting how your business is unique. Highlight what makes you unique.

Categorizing your testimonials

If possible, you can even categorize your testimonials. Our testimonials page has a sidebar of categories ranging from the kind of business we provide digital marketing services for to the services we offer, like SEO and paid search, to more general topics like expertise and client service.

This way, if a potential e-commerce client is interested in knowing more about another e-commerce company's experience with Perfect Search, they can easily filter through the testimonials and find one directly related to what they want to learn more about. By categorizing your testimonials, your site makes it easier for potential clients to find exactly what they want.

Testimonials provide a boost to your business

Testimonials is a vital and necessary element to your business’ website. Yes, your site’s “About” page will provide a potential client or customer with what you think of your business—but people want to hear more.

In order to provide a more well-rounded description of your business and why someone should become a client, your site needs testimonials. They add value, credibility, and an essential human element that can’t be provided by anything else.

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Do you have any other testimonial tips? Have you ever been entirely convinced of a service just by reading a fantastic testimonial? Tweet us @Perfect_Search or email us at [email protected]. Don’t forget to check out our testimonials page!