What is a testimonial? Meaning, templates and tips to help you write one.

Summary/Overview

Whether you run a bakery or a marketing agency, what people think of your brand matters. A testimonial is a creative way to share a statement made by a customer who was happy with their experience.

A testimonial helps to back up the claims you make about your company and assures potential customers on the quality and value of the product or service they will receive. Providing this proof of success can help build trust and encourage potential customers to make the leap and choose to purchase with your small business.

This Adobe Express guide will explain what exactly a testimonial is, why testimonials are important, and provide tips for writing one.

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What is a testimonial?

A testimonial is an important tool that a company can use to show potential customers how valuable their products or services are. The meaning of testimonial is a brief statement from a satisfied customer that describes their experience with your company.

Different from a case study or success story, a testimonial is the written form of a ‘thumbs up’ from past customers. Essentially, your customer felt happy and was willing to share their experience with your brand. It’s social proof that your company is worth supporting.

You can showcase customer testimonials on your website or on social media as compelling reasons to buy from your business.

Free testimonial templates to help your business.

What are the benefits of a customer testimonial?

A testimonial can go a long way to demonstrate why a customer should trust your brand. It’s essentially an advertisement to encourage future customers to buy from you.

Here are some of the main advantages of a testimonial:

Build your business’s personality.

A testimonial is a great way for satisfied customers to speak about your brand. An array of positive testimonials highlights that you’re hard-working and worth investing in.

Tell a great story.

When customers share a personal anecdote about your company, other potential shoppers may feel inspired to make similar purchases. It’s a great chance to highlight how your business solves problems.

Connect deeper with your audience.

Similarly, testimonial examples on your website can help foster a better connection with your audience and build your reputation and trustworthiness.

Provide social proof.

Testimonials demonstrate to potential customers how past customers have found your products and services, so they may feel more comfortable taking the plunge with your business.

Gain valuable feedback.

Testimonials are also a good opportunity to gather feedback on how your customers feel about your products and services. This information can help you improve your offerings.

The different types of testimonials.

There are a number of different types of testimonials, depending on what they’re used for. From customer and client testimonials to social media and influencer endorsements, take a look at these testimonial examples:

Customer testimonials.

A customer testimonial is a statement provided after a customer has tried your product or service. If satisfied, they may be happy to provide an overview of their experience with your company. It could be in a written format that you can then use on your website or in marketing materials. These reviews may also appear on marketplaces or review sites, like Amazon or Yelp.

Client testimonials.

A client testimonial is an account of how your client found working with your business. It may include a story of the problem they were facing and how your company fixed it. Net Promoter Score (NPS) could be used to gauge client satisfaction and identify potential clients to ask for a testimonial from.

Video testimonials.

A video testimonial is the same premise, but in video format. This is more dynamic and engaging – and some may even find it more authentic than a written testimonial. The personal touch can resonate with viewers and help increase your credibility. Create eye-catching videos with a blend of customer quotes.

Influencer testimonials.

You may seek testimonials from social media influencers to endorse your business’s products and services. Influencers can be a powerful marketing tool in boosting your credibility and increasing your brand exposure to their followers. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be utilised to share testimonials to a wider audience.

Case study testimonials.

A case study testimonial is a longer-form blog or article that goes into more detail on how your company worked with a customer. You could either request that they write the blog post for you or provide a testimonial that you could transform into an article.

It could describe the customer’s problem, why they chose your business, their journey with you, and the benefits they found from choosing your product or service.

Interview testimonials.

Interview testimonials are similar to case studies. They take a deeper look into the customer’s experience with a question-and-answer format, encouraging the customer to provide information about particular parts of their experience – from customer service to aftercare. An interview could work in a video or written format.

Editable testimonial examples.

Where to include your testimonials.

The testimonial is there to spread the word about your good work. The more people who read the testimonial, the better. So, you may consider using a variety of avenues, including:

• Website product or about pages. Including testimonials on your product pages could give them the nudge they need to commit to the sale. You could also mix in the testimonials on your ‘about you’ page to help resonate with your audience.
• Website homepage Add testimonials to your homepage to build trust from the moment a potential customer clicks onto your site.
• Social media channels. Promoting happy customers on social media can do wonders for your marketing. Utilising these online platforms allows you to connect with a wider audience.
• Flyer or poster. Add testimonials to flyers advertising your products and services to help encourage sales.
• Email marketing. You could even include customer testimonials to your email marketing campaigns in welcome emails or product announcements.

Top tips for writing a testimonial.

It’s important that your testimonial is eye-catching and engaging, to capture the attention of potential customers. Here are some tips to consider for your testimonials:

• Be memorable for the right reasons. Great experiences are more likely to create strong brand-customer relationships and inspire customers to provide a testimonial.
• Seek out your connections. Reach out to past customers with who you’ve developed a relationship. These customers may be more interested in helping your business.
• Ask the right questions. Plan your questions ahead of time to help guide the conversation. Consider asking about the problem they were facing before finding your product or service, and what prompted them to reach out to your business.
• Keep it concise. Depending on the use of the testimonial, it can help to keep it scannable. This way, potential customers can quickly extract the most relevant information to them.
• Be visually engaging. Try to embed infographics or images into the testimonial to add life into the story you’re telling. Video can also be a powerful way to format a client or customer testimonial.

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Useful things to know.

How do I write a testimonial?

To write a testimonial, start by outlining your situation. Identify the problem you were facing and what drew you to the business in the first place. Then explain your experience with the company, including what impressed you and the benefits it provided. You can use templates from Adobe Express to help get you started.

How long should a testimonial be?

The length of a testimonial depends on whether it’s a video, case study, or article format. A long form testimonial can go into more detail and really paint a picture of the experience. But generally, testimonials should be concise, so potential customers or clients can easily extract the most important information.

What is a testimonial image?

A testimonial image is a visual piece of customer endorsement, that can be used in marketing materials. It combines the testimonial with an image of the person making it. The fusion of visual and text is powerful for building trust and authenticity, providing social proof of the value of the product or service.

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