How To Create Testimonials That Sell

What is a testimonial? A testimonial is a written or spoken statement from a satisfied customer attesting to the value, quality, or success of a product or service. The word comes from 'attesting,' which means to provide clear evidence of the experience in question.

Imagine you’re looking to make a purchase. You check out all the big brands for a product that ticks all the boxes but come across a small brand, a company you’ve never heard of. You’re intrigued, but questions begin to race.

Can you trust this company? Are they planning to scam you? Is the product or service the quality you need and expect?

You need answers, but you can’t ask the company. They’ll tell you what they want you to hear, so you read the testimonials. Dozens of stories from past customers and clients detailing their favorable experiences with the company.

Everything was fine. The product worked. It was money well spent. With your reservations relieved, you’re ready to purchase.

This is how customers shop these days, and your company is in the same boat.

Your business is competing with more companies than ever, both big and small. Without customer stories to settle the nerves of potential customers, you’re losing sales left, right, and center. In a modern world of clickbait and targeted ads, it’s more important than ever before to start using testimonials correctly. Long story short;

Testimonials sell

To put it bluntly, testimonials mean more dollars in your pocket. Don't believe it? Many case studies show how they converted more traffic and leads by just adding one or more testimonials to their website. Check out these examples:

+83.8%

Numerologist added testimonials to its checkout and skyrocketed the conversion rate.

+50%

Hotel Institute Montreux increased its signups by simply adding one testimonial.

+25%

ThriveThemes increased its CVR by just adding a testimonial section to its landing page.

+34%

WikiJob added testimonials to their landing page and instantly increased their purchases.

+58.29%

Express Watches increased its sales by adding product reviews to the product pages.

+24.31%

LKRSM has seen an increase in signups by using a testimonial quote as a headline.

+€50,000

Springtest increased its recurring revenue by adding testimonials to the sidebar.

+69%

ComScore added testimonials and customer logos to their website and increased leads.

What’s more, customer acquisition costs are skyrocketing. From organic search traffic to paid ads, when the pandemic hit, everyone rushed to the same marketing channels – including the big fishes with way larger marketing budgets. This meant acquiring leads became harder and harder, as many of us experienced first-hand.

Effective testimonials improve conversion rates, making every dollar invested more efficient than these traditional acquisition methods. Why? Because…

Testimonials trigger action

We all have evolutionary behaviors that make us want to fit in with other human beings. Behavioral scientists call this psychological phenomenon social proof, and it's based on various cognitive biases that all humans have.

Biases exist to help us think and reason quickly. They’re shortcuts, enabling us to process enormous amounts of information in milliseconds. However, they can cause mistakes when making decisions. Psychological mistakes make testimonials so effective because customers put their faith in the masses, who, in our default opinion, can't be wrong. Let's break down the biases further.

Conformity Bias

A conformity bias is a person's tendency to behave like those around them rather than using their judgment. Simply put, it's when we change our behavior to be more like others and give in to group pressure. It's also known as herd mentality.

Researchers explain this behavior for two reasons: When we're unsure about a response, we look to others who are more knowledgeable and let them guide our behavior (informational influence).

However, people also tend to conform to the group when they try to avoid punishments, even if it simply means not looking like a fool (normative influence). (Deutsch & Gerard, 1955)

Takeaway: People want to go along with the crowd. That behavior alone is one of the key reasons testimonials are such a potent marketing tool.

Bandwagon Effect

As more people adopt a behavior or belief, the more likely others will also "jump on the bandwagon." The bandwagon effect is a conformity bias based upon the majority's norms and perspectives. (Schmitt-Beck, 2015)

When it seems that everyone else is doing it, people feel immense pressure to fit in, which explains why the bandwagon effect forms so quickly. (Levitan & Verhulst, 2015)

Takeaway: The more people adopt a trend, the easier it is to leave the impression that it's the correct thing to do.

Suggestibility Bias

Suggestibility is how we humans respond to suggestions and how easily they can influence our behavior and memories.

People are more receptive to suggestibility when things are not going according to plan and strong emotions are involved. (Hooper, Chouw & Brown, 2016)

Takeaway: Testimonials are perfect for proving that a product is worth a try. If a testimonial addresses our current pain point, it's more likely to influence our purchase decision.

Authority Bias

The authority bias describes people's tendency to have irrational trust in the opinions and judgment of experts or a trusted source, regardless of the actual content.

In the most famous study on authority bias, participants were told to apply electric shocks to another person. Most of them did so because they felt pressured by the authoritative person leading the experiment, even when they felt it was the wrong thing to do. (Miligram, 1963)

Takeaway: Testimonials can be more powerful if they come from an industry expert or a public figure.

Halo Effect

The halo effect describes how we feel and think about others based on their impression in one area and how that influences our feelings in another.

Physical appearance is often a significant part of the halo effect. People who are considered attractive tend to be perceived as more intelligent, likable, and trustworthy. (Batres & Shiramizu, 2022)

Takeaway: Partner with successful and influential people and brands to establish positive impressions about your product or service.

Anchoring Bias

The anchoring bias causes us to focus too heavily on the first piece of information when making decisions. We use the initial value as a reference point for when newer information is available.

This cognitive bias is one of the most potent in psychology. One explanation for its existence is our tendency to remember things that we learn first better. (Stewart et al., 2004)

Takeaway: The anchoring bias enables you to prime prospects with testimonials to be more receptive to sales and marketing efforts.

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Snowball effect of testimonials

Let's highlight one specific bias; the bandwagon effect. The momentum of the bandwagon effect can snowball social proof into social pressure, making word-of-mouth an incredible force that gets gears moving. Once the avalanche has started, widespread expectations can force businesses to adopt changes.

For example, have you noticed the rise of website live chats? They’ve become the norm, so much so that 52% of customers are more likely to stay loyal if a company offers that option. Such a movement begins with social proof, such as testimonials.

How to create effective testimonials

Any testimonial is better than nothing, but now that we understand the underlying psychology of what distinguishes exceptional testimonials from the rest, you can create the best content possible. Before we can do this, let's start with a not-so-good testimonial for reference;

"MyAccount is a very useful website and easy to use. It's a great software platform that helps us manage our business accounts, and I'm happy with how it makes our daily work easier. When I tried MyAccounts the first time, it changed everything. I like the features, and the price is suitable for my budget. It's really awesome, and it's exactly what I needed.

MyAccounts's integrations are awesome. All the integrations save time and put everything into one place, which is the best thing ever, and they have just bought out payroll tools which I am still learning, but I'm starting to get used to, and I really like it. Basically, this software is fantastic and helps my business to grow.

If you're looking for good accounting software, then MyAccounts may be the application you've been looking for."

This is a terrible testimonial. It’s so long and all over the place. It’s full of meaningless superlatives and, most importantly, doesn’t tell a story. It doesn’t emotionally connect you to the customer, and it doesn’t give us the human connection that other customers look for in a testimonial. It can certainly be improved, so let’s get into it.

Expert tip: Don't make up testimonials. Fake testimonials are illegal and can destroy your reputation and trustworthiness – precisely the opposite of what you were trying to achieve.

1. Great testimonials have a focus

"MyAccounts's integrations are awesome."

Testimonials become bloated when you try to cram as many valuable messages as possible. Instead, it's far better to focus on one or two particular benefits and make them the stars of the show. In this case, focusing on 3rd-party integrations gives potential leads something clear to resonate with.

2. Great testimonials speak results

"MyAccounts enables us to integrate the software we already use, saving the team a ton of time."

Effective testimonials don't just tell how great a product or service is. Instead, they share a positive experience in the most relatable way. Remember, results speak louder than anything else, so encourage customers to showcase this in their testimonials.

Expert tip: When asking for testimonials, use precise and closed-ended questions to encourage details and become more authentic.

3. Great testimonials capture challenges

"Since we started using MyAccounts, we no longer have to rely on spreadsheets and manually keeping everything up-to-date. Now, MyAccounts enables us to integrate the software we already use, saving the team a ton of time."

Customers don't actually care about your product or service at all. What they really want is to eliminate their obstacles and reach their goals. Therefore, great testimonials don't just tell the end result. They target doubts and pain points and show what your product does to relieve the pain.

4. Great testimonials are specific

"Since we started using MyAccounts, we no longer have to rely on spreadsheets and manually keeping our finances in sync. Now, MyAccounts integrates into PayPal, eTax, and qCRM, automating all transactions and saving the team a ton of time."

Whereas the 'focus' of a testimonial highlights one or two product aspects, being specific means talking about those aspects in detail. In this case, we talk about what precise integrations of the application are specifically helpful to this customer.

5. Great testimonials include numbers

"Since we started using MyAccounts, we no longer have to rely on spreadsheets and manually keeping finances in sync. Now, MyAccounts integrates into PayPal, eTax, and qCRM, automating all transactions and saving the team 16 hours per month."

Numbers draw attention and are your marketing weapon. Let's say your B2B service managed to help someone increase the website conversion rate by 128%; that's an incredible testimonial right there. Use exact numbers instead of rounded ones to be perceived as even more believable.

6. Great testimonials are frontloaded

"The team is saving 16 hours per month. Since we started using MyAccounts, we no longer have to rely on spreadsheets and manually keeping finances in sync. Now, MyAccounts integrates into PayPal, eTax, and qCRM, automating all transactions."

Effective testimonials have the most impactful part at the beginning. However, this doesn't mean the hook has to be the positive result. The most catching part can be the skepticism or the pain points. Draw your customers in, let them see what's going on, so much so they can't look away!

7. Great testimonials trigger emotions

"We are saving 16 hours each month – that's incredible. Since we started using MyAccounts, we no longer have to rely on endless spreadsheets and manually keeping finances in sync. Now, MyAccounts integrates into PayPal, eTax, and qCRM, which adds a whole new level of automation."

It makes so much difference using descriptions that appear more personal and evoke particular emotions, making it more relatable and authentic. Testimonials should not sound like academic writings.

Expert tip: If a testimonial is insanely positive, readers may perceive it as fake. Avoid superlatives and focus instead on phrases that add more punch through specificity.

8. Great testimonials are short and sweet

"We are saving 16 hours each month – that's incredible. MyAccounts adds a whole new level of automation with PayPal, eTax, and qCRM integrations, eliminating our endless spreadsheets and manual bookkeeping."

Strong testimonials are straight to the point and don't waste time with fluff. Depending on the final design and placement, testimonials should have a text length of between 15 and 50 words so it's concise but still has enough detail to make an impact.

Expert tip: If you already have longer testimonials, highlight key moments by using bold formatting or another text color to draw attention to the most potent parts of the testimonial. Other options are to use text snippets as headlines or on their own.

9. Great testimonials include the person's name

See how much more credible that is with the person's name? Using a name on a testimonial can boost the levels of trust in a company because it’s a subtle yet effective way to humanize the review. The testimonial content becomes less about the product and more about the experience of another person that we can relate with.

And if you can't use a name because you don't want to doxx that person, use initials only. It's not ideal, but it's certainly better than nothing. Also, make sure you get permission to use their name, as this is a legal requirement.

10. Great testimonials include a byline

See how the byline gives even more credibility? When we see someone's occupation or title, we automatically assign a level of expertise to that person. The more credible the person is, the more credible their testimonial.

If you're a B2C, use demographic details relevant to your offer, and if you're a B2B, include the company name. Seeing a company name will always trigger authority bias, especially if the company is well-known or industry-leading.

Expert tip: A workaround if the customer does not want to include their personal information: attribute a high position (e.g., "CEO of a Fortune 500 software company", "Michael, Federal government executive"). This decreases the impact and authenticity, but it's often the only way to get testimonials from large organizations.

11. Great testimonials have extra details

Now you've seen one million followers; suddenly, Maria has much more credibility and authority to give such a testimonial. If this software is right for her, then it will surely be good enough for me. This is a powerful way to trigger authority bias to generate sales.

12. Great testimonials have pictures

If your customer has a recognizable face, such as an industry leader or celebrity, adding a photo is a great way to bring real authority to your testimonials. Faces make testimonials far more credible, as we’re hardwired to respond better to faces. It's scientifically proven that we respond better to faces as it activates the mirror neurons in our brains, which helps us perceive emotions in others, which leads nicely to the next point.

Expert tip: If you're working with companies, still try to get your contact's face if they share it. If not, then use the company logo where you can. It's not ideal, but it's better than nothing.

13. Great testimonials have smiling pictures

Always ensure you can include a smiling photo where possible. While research shows that smiling photos don’t increase credibility, they help us connect with the person and see the products in a positive light due to our mirror neurons increasing perceived similarities.

Expert tip: Smiling faces draw attention, so make sure you're positioning the photos as clearly and as large as possible to attract your reader’s attention. Once there, they'll scan your testimonials and be drawn in further.

14. Great testimonials are visually appealing

First impressions are everything, and science shows that you have around 50 milliseconds to make a good impression when someone visits your web page.

This means your effective testimonials must be well-designed and flow with the rest of your content. Poor design that feels out of place and forced can corrupt your customer’s experience going through your website and may even throw them off entirely.

15. Great testimonials use video

To take your testimonials to the next level, use video. Video is the most personal and most engaging form of content there is. It’s authentic and feels real to viewers since they can see and hear the person sharing their message, and really conveys the emotions and voice behind what they’re saying. A video testimonial is the closest thing you can get to a personal recommendation, so use it to your advantage.

16. Great testimonials are placed smartly

Where you place your testimonial content matters. Dedicated testimonial pages don’t work since they’re usually nothing more than a massive wall of text that gets ignored. Moreover, the marketing intent behind such a page is too apparent.

Instead, it’s best to place them on friction points where customers pause to think. This could be on product pages, above Buy Now buttons, on landing pages, or next to email sign-up forms. We'll talk about this more in our next guide, so be sure to bookmark this page to stay in the loop.

How to create testimonials that sell