The value of testimonials and how to implement them on your site
We buy from people we like – and based on recommendations from others! The value of testimonials cannot be overstated. We love ratings, rankings and the endorsement from others to help guide us to buying decisions. We’re going to show you the value of testimonials and how to implement them on your web site.
- First, how do you go about getting a testimonial?
- What platform should you gather them in? Email? Phone call? Facebook? Yelp? Google? All of them?
- How should you use them on your site? We’ll explore different ways – and different technology to display them
How do you get a testimonial?
Ask your customers!
If you have a direct personal relationship with them, send them an email or ask them in person/via phone (note, some clients may like the relative “distance” of email but struggle with the words, so you might prompt them with “what did you like best about working with us?” or “tell us your favorite thing about the project we did for you.”
If you do not have a direct personal relationship with them, you can use a survey research tool, a poll or send them a review link (such as Yelp, Google or Facebook)
Be specific in your ask “we’d love to share your experience with other customers” or “please review us! It would mean the world to us to have your endorsement of our business.”
What platform should you gather testimonials in?
All of them.
Not kidding! Each client has their own preference. Take them however they’ll give them – email, on your website, on Yelp or Google or Facebook.
Providing multiple ways to review a business gives clients a comfortable place to pick the interface they like the best. For some businesses, Yelp or Trip Advisor aren’t appropriate, but everyone can have a Google, Facebook and website review system.
Google reviews
Yelp reviews
TripAdvisor
Your own website (using a plugin or built in features)
How should you use testimonials on your website?
If you’re having them submit them ON your website, use a slider, or spread them across the content pages of your site by picking and choosing which ones to include on what page (make it relevant to the content on the pages)
If they’re submitting them on other systems (Google, Facebook, etc.) You can embed some of these on your site, or you can simply let the users on those platforms see those reviews as they’re connecting with you via search or social.
Using testimonials on your site is a great way to get that “trusted business” connection going. Clients of all types can use it, from service providers like travel agents, to ecommerce stores.
You can ALSO use them: In your email communications to clients, on your social media channels as graphics and images, in digital advertising and in your content (blog posts and videos). Create a Canva template for testimonials and copy them to it, save, and upload to your social channels AND your website.
Your customers love you. Most will rave about you. Using testimonials on your website is a great way to show others how your current customers love the service and products you offer. Ask and share testimonials – it’s highly successful for creating trust before purchase.
Testimonial plugins we like:
WordPress, only on your site (direct submission):
Easy Testimonials, Testimonial Pro and Testimonial Slider are all quality plugins that work well, have good support. Your customers can submit them through these plugins. For display of testimonials you already have, you can use these, or many themes have a “testimonials” content type that they’ve configured (but there are no submission options from your site. If you get most of them from talking with clients or emailing them, this is a good option.)
How to embed Facebook reviews on WordPress: We like this one: https://wordpress.org/plugins/fb-reviews-widget/ (we USE this one!)
Embed Google reviews on your WordPress website: Try this one: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-reviews-plugin-for-google/
