The Importance of Testimonials on Your New Website and How to Use Them to Get Leads

Testimonials are a common feature on many modern websites. If you are getting a new website developed, your website designer in Auckland will probably ask you for information on testimonials. Why are testimonials so important, though? Also, how can you optimise testimonials so they help generate leads for your business?

A lot of this comes down to trust.

Trust is an important factor when a potential customer is deciding whether to make a purchase from you. In addition, potential customers want to know you have delivered in the past.

Crucially, this doesn’t just apply when you get to the stage of talking directly to customers. Building trust and proving past success are important to the generation of leads too. 

One of the ways you can build this trust and demonstrate past success is through testimonials. In the world of website design and online marketing, this is known as providing social proof.

Testimonials validate the things you say in relation to your capabilities and show you have experience in your specific field.

How to Optimise Testimonials to Generate Leads from Your Website

As with most website elements, there are good examples of testimonials and bad examples. Here are eight tips that will help you optimise the testimonials you include on your site. The goal is to ensure your testimonials help generate leads.

1. Approach Your Best Customers for Testimonials

The customers that use your products/services the most are likely to be those that are getting the most benefit from your business. They are also likely to be the most positive. These are usually the best people to give you a testimonial.

2. Attribute to a Person

Always attribute the testimonial to a person, ideally including their full name. This may not always be possible if your customers are consumers but use full names when you can. Avoid attributing to a company without naming an individual.

3. Make Sure the People Giving You Testimonials Are Relatable

It’s important your potential customers can relate to the people giving you testimonials. Potential customers should see your testimonials as peers who have similar priorities, challenges, measures of success, standards, etc.

4. Use Well-Known Individuals or Companies

If possible, use companies or individuals that your potential customers may be familiar with. This adds credibility.

5. Add Company Names, Positions, and Links

You will add further authenticity to your testimonials by including company names, positions, links to websites, and other information that helps to validate the testimonial as real and genuine.

6. Make Sure Testimonials Are Specific

Testimonials that are specific and highlight real results are much better than those that are vague.

7. Don’t Edit Them Too Much

Testimonials need to sound natural, so don’t over-edit them. They will be more authentic if they sound natural rather than overly polished.

8. Use Video Testimonials

Finally, consider using video testimonials instead of the text variety. A video testimonial has even more weight as well as enhanced credibility and authenticity.

Adding Testimonials to Your Website

It’s worthwhile devoting time to getting good testimonials that you can send to your website developer in Auckland. It’s also helpful if you update your testimonials periodically to keep them fresh and current. Most importantly, having them on your website will be beneficial.