Here’s Why You Need a Testimonials Page on Your Website
You know that your business is out there doing great work. And your satisfied customers know it too. So shouldn’t your potential customers know what your satisfied customers already know? In other words, don’t you deserve to have a few glowing testimonials on your website telling people about how positive an experience it is to work with your business?
That might sound a little overly positive, but it’s the truth — businesses that do good work should be letting the world know what people are saying about them. It’s not about patting yourself on the back. It’s a marketing tactic that lets people know your brand is legit.
Making The Most Of Your Testimonials
In fact, testimonials might be the best form of marketing you can tap into. Think about yourself as a consumer for a second. When you’re making buying decisions, do you tend to trust what a business tells you about themselves or what other customers say about them? Exactly! Consumers trust testimonials because they see them as honest, reliable, and unbiased. The more testimonials a business has, the more likely customers will be to pay attention.
That’s why more and more businesses are creating testimonial sections on their websites. When visitors land on their site and are browsing the different pages, they’ll see About Us, Pricing, Contact Info — and of course, Testimonials. When those visitors click, they’ll be able to read all the great things your customers say.
There are other benefits to having a testimonial page on your website as well besides helping you convert leads into customers. When you ask a pleased customer to provide a testimonial, you are telling them that you care about their experience and their satisfaction is a priority for you.
Your Customers Love Being Featured
People also tend to appreciate when their positive feedback is valued, so they will feel good about having their own little spotlight on your website. In this way, you are converting those customers into what are known as brand advocates — people who are loyal to your brand and feel comfortable talking you up whenever they get the chance. Think of it like word-of-mouth advertising but on a much bigger scale. It’s a great way to establish loyalty and grow a following.
It’s important to remember that testimonials don’t always come straight to you organically. While plenty of people are happy with the job you do, they might not take the initiative to write you a testimonial unless you ask it of them. And you shouldn’t be afraid to ask — most people will be happy and willing to help you out. When they provide their testimonial, encourage them to focus on specific details about their experience, as these will be more convincing than generic words of praise.
For example, let’s say you run a wedding photography business. A testimonial that says, “Our pictures turned out great and the photography team was really friendly” won’t be as effective as one that says, “Every picture captures the way I felt, the photographers took care to catch all my bridesmaids at their best angles, and everyone on the team was so sweet to our little ring bearer and flower girl.” It’s not about fancy language — it’s about focusing on the details that matter.
Capturing Testimonials
There are several ways you can capture testimonials, and it all depends on what’s most convenient for you as a business and what your customers are willing to do. In some cases, having them provide text via email will be sufficient. In other situations, you might ask them to record a video that you can then include on your website. You might even be able to talk them into doing an interview where you as the business owner have a conversation with them on video about what they liked so much. Remember that visuals are always much more effective than simple text, so even if you can’t get a video, a photo of your customer enjoying your product or service would be great too. Get creative in the way you present your testimonials visually on your website.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to high-profile customers if you have them. While it might not seem exactly fair, the influence of big names carries a little more weight than just the average person. If your business served a celebrity or politician, see whether you can convince that person to give you a shoutout. You can also compile positive reviews that people share about you on social media — screenshot the comments and post them directly to your website.
Finally, don’t forget that it’s not unusual to include an “In the Media” section in addition to your testimonials. Keep tabs on all reviews published about you in your local newspaper or on local blogs and provide links to those websites for your customers to read.