How To Use Testimonials To Write Your Website Copy

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DIYing Your Brand Messaging Just Got A Whole Lot Easier

I have to confess something.

I didn’t care about the latest Top Gun movie at first. 

But between positive reviews and a few of my friends RAVING about it, I decided to check it out (the Miles Teller dancing clip didn’t influence my decision at all…).

Without that word of mouth, I wouldn’t have set aside an evening and bought a ticket to see it. 

Other people’s excitement and enjoyment are what sparked my interest in the movie and ultimately made me invest.

This is exactly what inspiring and weighty testimonials do for your website.

Strategically placed testimonials create a sense of trust and legitimacy in your services. But they’re also an opportunity to gather ideas about your brand’s positioning, benefits, and messaging to write your website copy. 

 

WHAT ARE TESTIMONIALS?

Testimonials are written or spoken statements from previous clients about your work and their experience with you. They’re usually gathered via email exchanges, text messages, video recordings, feedback surveys, or Google reviews. 

Be sure to get permission from your clients before using their testimonials in your marketing or messaging.

 

HOW DO YOU COLLECT TESTIMONIALS?

Gathering testimonials is straightforward, but we often forget to do it or feel awkward asking past clients for their thoughts. 

The easiest way to request a testimonial is to send a final wrap-up email when you finish a project. In it, thank your clients for their time, express how much you enjoyed working together, and then ask if they’d be willing to offer feedback or write a testimonial about their experience with you. 

There are a few different ways for your past clients to give a testimonial.

1. Direct your clients to your Google Business or Facebook Account to leave a review. 

2. Use screenshots of texts, comments, or emails you’ve exchanged over the course of your project. 

3. Create a brief questionnaire to send your clients.

If you decide to ask your clients to write feedback, you should guide them through the testimonial process by offering suggestions or asking questions. That way your clients have direction on what to say and you get to gather the information you need. 

Questions to ask your clients while collecting testimonials could include:

• What were you struggling with before we worked together?

• What was your favourite part of the experience?

• What are you feeling now that we’ve finished working together?

• What results have you experienced after working together?

• Why did you decide to choose me to work with?

Now that you’ve collected testimonials, how should you use them in your website copy?

 

USE TESTIMONIALS AS SOCIAL PROOF

The most common way to use testimonials is to sprinkle them throughout your website as social proof to build trust with your target audience. 

By scattering testimonials strategically throughout your pages you’re proving to potential clients (especially for amiable and expressive buyer personas) that others have experienced the transformation and results you’re promising. 

Including testimonials in your sales pages and services pages is especially helpful when they’re tied to a specific, relevant point in your sales copy. 

For example, Tortuga Creative Studio offers a Brand Field Guide and Brand Map services to set outdoor businesses up with a comprehensive brand strategy. 

When writing their sales page copy, I highlighted the Brand Map’s value by pairing its description with a testimonial from a previous client who talked about how the services completely transformed her understanding of her business.

By linking your testimonials to relevant parts of your website copy, you reinforce the messages you’re sending your audience.

 

USE TESTIMONIALS TO FOCUS YOUR POSITIONING

Beyond their use as social proof, testimonials offer an inside look at your business from your client’s perspective. 

If you’ve ever struggled to answer the question ‘what makes my business different than others?’ or ‘how do I stand out in my industry?’ then just ask your clients. After all, they chose to work with you over others.

Do your clients love the personalized video training that accompanies your services? Then highlight that feature on your service page.

Did your groovy 70’s inspired branding capture their attention? Then play with it even more in your marketing plan. 

Does your Discovery Call feel more like a virtual coffee chat than a sales call? Position yourself as a new friend catching up with clients over a cappuccino. 

Creating a distinctive approach that resonates with your clients begins with understanding why your business and brand appeal to them, which you can discover through testimonials. 

 

USE TESTIMONIALS TO WRITE YOUR WEBSITE COPY

Testimonials don’t just showcase your services, establish trust with clients, and help you better understand what sets you apart from the competition, but they also provide indispensable messaging suggestions.

Flip through your testimonials.

Are there any common words or phrases your previous clients use to describe you? What about how they felt before or after working with you? How did they describe the pain points or obstacles they initially had?

Writing your own website copy is no picnic. (Psst, need help DIYing your website copy? You might want to check out my freebie then!)

Oftentimes, we’re too close to our business to understand what messaging makes sense and truly resonates. You might use bland words repeatedly or describe situations that don’t accurately reflect the thoughts and feelings of your clients.

But pulling from your clients’ experiences and descriptions solves those problems and helps you write website copy that’s specific, memorable, and relatable.  

Getting a clear sense of your clients’ experiences from their testimonials is only a small part of website copywriting. Then there’s brand strategy, SEO research, and creative copywriting…not to mention the entire review and editing process.

If taking on your own website copy isn’t your cup of tea, don’t worry.

That’s exactly why I’m here! Check out my done-for-you website copy packages to find the right one for you.