Testimonial: a written declaration certifying to a person’s character, conduct, or qualifications, or to the value, excellence, etc., of a thing; a letter or written statement of recommendation. Dictionary.com
Testimonials are one of the best ways to attract potential customers and one of the easiest ways to put fresh content onto a website for search engine optimization. We recommend to all of our clients that they have a ‘Testimonials’ page on their website. They are also an excellent source of feedback for your business.
Testimonials work because people want confirmation that the product/service they are about to buy or the restaurant they are checking out or the resort they are thinking of flying to is the right choice. This is known as social proof which is “also known as informational social influence, a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior for a given situation”. Wikipedia
By having your existing customers give you a testimonial that you put on your website, you can influence potential customers to buy your service or product. There are several different types of testimonials, so you have to decide which one works best for your business and website.
The easiest is the customer quote given from their experience. Always ask for a quote! If your customer says they don’t have the time or don’t write well or whatever excuse they might give you without coming right out and saying “no”, then ask them if they wouldn’t mind if you wrote it for them. They can approve and agree to let you use it before you publish it. Adding a picture of the customer makes it even better content for the search engines!
Social media is another excellent way of getting a testimonial out to potential customers. Ask your customer to post on Facebook and link back to your website or post on any of the other channels that they normally use when they want to share a good experience or product.
Video is the new wave of website content for search engine optimization. Putting a video testimonial on your website not only keeps you up to date with website trends, but it has a visual impact on your potential customers that would, hopefully, bring you sales!
Businesses will also use blog posts, interview articles and peer reviews as other forms of testimonials. Whichever one or more you decide works best for your business – ask for it and post frequently!