A positive customer testimonial is one of the most influential assets in your marketing toolkit. Over half of recently polled consumers said they trust a previous buyer’s experience more than their friends’ opinions.
The best thing about customer testimonials is how versatile they are. They can be a quick quote, a multi-paragraph endorsement, or a video complete with B-roll and a soundtrack. And each one is useful in different places.
We want to attract as many customers in as many ways as possible. So, we’ve rounded up a dozen highly effective testimonial examples of several types to see what makes them work. Plus, we’re showing you ways to get more stellar testimonials and how to design and use them for maximum effect.
Contents
- 12 customer testimonial examples by type
- How do customer testimonials help your business?
- How to get more stellar customer testimonials
- How to create customer testimonials for maximum effect
- How to use your customer testimonials to find new customers
- Customer testimonial FAQs
12 testimonial examples by type
There are many types of customer testimonials, and they tend to fit in certain situations. For example, a video testimonial is great for a landing page. However, a physical flyer or marketing email would be a better place to provide a simple quote.
We’ve gathered a couple of examples for each of the five most common types of testimonials to help you get started.
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Quote testimonial examples
A quote testimonial is a simple text tribute to how amazing your solution is. It may include a headshot of the reviewer or even a picture of the product.
True Classic Tees
True Class is a men’s casual fashion brand that sets itself apart on fit, comfort, and convenience. The brand has a paid program called the Insider Club, which offers perks like free shipping and discounts.
It takes a little convincing to get people to cough up a yearly fee to join a T-shirt club. But these quote testimonials do some of that conversion-heavy lifting.
What’s great about these testimonials is that they specifically address the biggest point of friction among would-be club members: the cost payback. Each one clearly states that the payback is fast and well worth it.
Dream Team United
Dream Team United is a full-service real estate office that helps its clients at every stage of the home-buying or selling journey. Real estate transactions are some of the biggest financial decisions most people make, so agents and brokers have to build a lot of trust before a new client chooses them.
This business has testimonials all over its website. But there’s also a convenient page that lists them all.
I really like how Dream Team United puts the key point of each testimonial in huge, unskippable font. When you have lots of praise plastered all over your pages, this is a great way to help visitors find the testimonials that’ll be of most interest.
Case study testimonial examples
Case studies are longer and more in-depth than a quote testimonial. They often have a story arc covering the problem, solution, and result. While they’re more of an investment to read, their storytelling aspects can be very persuasive.
Allan Rouben
Allan Rouben is a lawyer based in Toronto. He covers a wide range of cases, such as employment law and insurance cases. For many of Allen’s clients, there is a very personal story behind why they need his services.
A case study is the perfect type of testimonial for professional service marketing. It gives plenty of space to showcase the client’s needs and explain how the team met them.
Even though the case studies on his site are text-heavy, you’re automatically drawn in by the story. You want to know what happened next. Each one offers the satisfaction of the client getting what they deserve, which will help convince readers that Allen Rouben is the right person to have on their side.
Helt Design
Helt Design is an architecture and interior design firm with experience in commercial, residential, and industrial spaces, and more. They often tackle tricky projects that include many code restrictions and unusual design elements.
Case studies help Helt Design get into the details of their high-profile projects. People looking for similar services will see how the firm has handled obstacles they may be facing.
When your product is visual, your case study needs to follow suit. So, along with the story of a satisfied client, Helt’s team includes plenty of visuals to highlight their work. In some instances, the case studies even include before, after, and in-progress photos to better detail their process.
Video testimonial examples
Video testimonials work a lot like case studies, but they have the benefit of connecting viewers directly with the buyer who is giving feedback. These videos can be elaborate, with high-production value and additional elements, or they can simply be a well-lit speaker talking into a smartphone.
Max I. Walker
Max I. Walker provides rental uniforms, floor mats, towels, and more for a variety of businesses like restaurants. There are undoubtedly plenty of options for this type of service, so this brand differentiates itself with its personal touch.
Services like these could easily be commoditized. Video testimonials showcase the faces and stories of people who benefit from Max I. Walker’s focus on supporting their customers.
This is one of the best versions of a video testimonial I’ve seen. The video is bookended by the customers’ praise. In the middle, the brand explains how its process is specifically advantageous to the restaurant industry. That makes this testimonial perfectly locked in to support the brand’s target audience.
Road Runner Sports
Road Runner Sports is a retail store specializing in shoes, apparel, and gear for runners. Starting in a San Diego garage in the early 1980s, the store now operates locations in several U.S. states and has a thriving online business.
The thing about runners is that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to help all of them. The brand uses video testimonials to show that they understand different types of runners and their unique needs.
This testimonial example features a father who wants to be active with his kids but is dealing with back pain. He explains how the Road Runner Sports team helped him find a fit and shoe style to alleviate his problem. That narrow focus on one type of customer and one specific challenge makes this video particularly persuasive.
Social media testimonial examples
Like the name suggests, social media testimonials are feedback from happy customers explicitly produced for social media marketing. They can be video, text, images, or a combination. Whatever form they take, they’re extremely good at catching the attention of passive scrollers.
Anna’s Apothecary
Anna’s Apothecary is a purveyor of fine tinctures, elixirs, teas, and other concoctions designed to boost your health. The shop keeps an active presence on social media, which allows its team ample opportunities to discuss these diverse products.
Customers are bound to have a level of skepticism whenever you’re selling something related to their physical health. A social media testimonial can quickly ease some of that concern.
Remember when I said a video testimonial doesn’t need to be a high-production affair? That’s very true for testimonials destined for social media. This example from Anna’s Apothecary is a simple video showing two customers sharing their love for the store. That level of authenticity makes this testimonial that much better at building trust.
Cleaning Pro
The Cleaning Pro tagline is “Leave the cleaning to the pro.” They offer deep cleaning services for commercial and residential properties, including prepping homes for their owners’ first or last day.
Home services businesses like cleaners have to enter people’s homes to do their job. That requires a level of trust that’s hard to build with people who aren’t familiar with the business yet. Cleaning Pro posts client testimonials to show potential clients that they are a trusted provider.
What’s cool about this testimonial example is that it includes two complementary businesses. That means when the real estate agent shares it, Cleaning Pro will get free access to a new audience.
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User-generated testimonial examples
It’s easy to forget that user-generated content is a form of customer testimonial. It’s a positive commentary from product users provided to the brand (even if it’s often shared on a large-scale communication channel like social media).
One of the benefits of UGC as a form of testimonial is that you can ask for it on a broad scale using a hashtag or a giveaway on social media.
Wilderdog
Wilderdog sells harnesses, leashes, water bowls, and assorted gear for adventurous pups. Dog owners are very particular about what they put on their pets, so testimonials are a must-have for brands that sell to them.
Wilderdog’s products are used in some beautiful outdoor places, making UGC a natural fit.
Besides the stunning visuals, there’s an implicit suggestion here about the trust this product user has in Wilderdog’s harnesses. When you’re hiking in such potentially precarious places, you definitely want something that gives you control of your pup.
Mangled Studios
Mangled Studios is a local art school that holds lessons for adult and child painters of all levels.
While many more experienced artists may seek out Mangled Studios, some potential students who have never painted might feel intimidated. Encouraging new painters to share their experiences through UGC is a great way to make these classes more accessible.
Testimonials like this can fit into several categories. This one, for example, is a quote that’s posted on social media. But since it was generated by the user and shared to her own account, it’s also UGC. And that means it’ll reach this student’s network and encourage people who were on the fence to try out a class or two.
Influencer testimonial
Influencer marketing has become a huge industry because it works. When you find the right partner in the right niche, they bring a ready-made, engaged audience who trusts what they say.
The key here is to make sure the influencer testimonials are authentic. While influencers are great at also producing straight-up ads, in this case, you want them to give an honest review to build credibility.
Clasica Trailers
Clasica Trailers recently launched a lightweight, design-focused travel trailer and needed to get the word out.
One way it tackled this was by inviting a camping YouTuber to take the trailer out for a spin and give his honest feedback.
The brand tapped into a large audience who got to see the new trailer through the eyes of someone they turn to for answers.
Eufy Robot Vacuum
Influencer testimonials are a very cost-effective form of marketing because you can often get your product reviewed just by giving an influencer access to it.
Eufy Robot Vacuums achieved this by lending out one of its systems to Sarah McAllister, aka gocleangco. Sarah produces short videos featuring all sorts of cleaning hacks and product reviews, so it was a perfect pairing.
Your budget and product may dictate how you set up the influencer deal. If you sell consumer products, you may give them a sample back. For higher-ticket items, it could be a loaner system. Or if you are a service-based business, you could invite a local influencer to tag along on a job.
How do testimonials help your business?
The great thing about testimonials is that they work across the entire buyer journey, from exposing a common problem to confirming the right solution. Here are three ways that this happens:
- Expands your reach for discovery: When you post and promote testimonials on social media, you can reach new audiences who may never even realize there’s a solution to one of their common problems. Using the right hashtags or even well-targeted paid social ads accelerates this discovery.
- Gives you exposure with high-intent buyers: Your customer testimonials can give your SEO a huge boost by showing algorithms that your business is credible and by including keywords that help your rankings. When someone starts searching for a solution, you’ll show up.
- Builds credibility in the consideration phase: When a buyer gets to the final consideration phase, your testimonials will help build the case that your product or service is the right choice. Few other strategies build that much trust so fast.
4 ways to get more stellar customer testimonials
To take advantage of all of the benefits, you’ll need a steady flow of customer testimonials. Here’s how to keep them coming.
Ask at the right time
Timing is a big factor in getting the most and best testimonials. Ask too soon, and the customer hasn’t seen results yet. Ask too late, and the excitement has faded.
The sweet spot is right after a positive moment. Try asking for a testimonial right after your service is done, when they’ve unboxed their new product, or when the customer said something nice about their results. Build a habit of recognizing that moment and acting on it while the feeling is fresh.
Make it easy
Any friction in the testimonial process could derail it. Find ways to make it super easy for people to participate. That may mean offering a fill-in-the-blank testimonial form.
You could also just be ready to capture a quick video or picture while they’re in your shop.
It only takes a few seconds, and it’s a very low lift for your customers.
Use automated requests
You don’t have to do all the heavy manual lifting when looking for new testimonials. You can automate some of the process.
For example, try setting up a testimonial text request to trigger after someone makes a purchase or after your tech says the job is complete.
Follow up once
There’s a lot of value in following up with people during the sales process. It’s also true when looking for more customer testimonials. Sometimes people mean to offer their kind words and just get distracted.
That said, you don’t want to sour a great relationship with an overbearing follow-up process. Set a time for one follow-up if you didn’t get the testimonial right away. Try timing it with a checkup on results so it’s not just a one-sided conversation.
How to create customer testimonials for maximum impact
There’s a lot of growth gold in your customers’ success stories. Once you’ve gathered it, make sure it’s converting the most new customers possible with these tips.
Identify the customer early
Relevance is incredibly important in customer testimonials. People want to know that your product works for people like them. So set the stage right away by introducing the main character—your successful customer—right away.
You can be very tactical here. If your goal is to expand your customer base with young parents, then highlight the fact that a young parent provided the testimonial (and share it in marketing channels where young parents spend time).
Think before and after to tell a relatable story
Great storytelling is based on change. You don’t just need to know where someone ended up; it’s the improvement that matters.
However you tell your customer’s story, always highlight where they started. Maybe it was searching for an HVAC company that didn’t charge double after hours. Or maybe it was back pain that made simple tasks nearly impossible, which is what this chiropractor customer testimonial leads with.
Your ideal potential customers will identify with the before and be excited to reach the after (wth your help).
Highlight specific results
Specificity is critical when you’re building trust. Whenever possible, include quantifiable results in your testimonials to ground and make them feel more concrete.
You may not have specific numbers to use. It’s hard to quantify the results of a newly screened-in porch. But you can share how long it took to build.
Address common friction points
If you listen to a hundred sales calls from your business, it’s likely you’ll hear a handful of objects repeated over and over.
Your testimonials are a perfect place to address them. Say many of your prospects are concerned about getting personalized service. Or they aren’t sure they’ll get a payback from their investment. Ask your testimonial subjects to answer those specific questions and highlight them to ease future customers’ concerns.
How to use your customer testimonials to find new customers
As you build up a library of motivating customer testimonials, you’ll want to put them to good use. There’s almost no limit to the way you can do it. These ideas will get you started.
Create an easily accessible library
Ideally, your testimonials will be useful for marketers, salespeople, website builders, and anyone who needs to build trust with your customers.
You’ll want to make sure everyone has easy access to them so they get used as much as possible. That could mean creating a well-labeled series of folders. Or placing them in a task management platform like Asana. Even just creating links to documents in a spreadsheet will help.
Feature them prominently on your website
If you do nothing else with your customer testimonials, make sure they’re front and center across all the sales pages on your website. That includes the front page, product pages, and more.
Make testimonials part of your ads and promotions
We mentioned that one of the benefits of testimonials is that they can introduce your brand and solutions to a new audience. Featuring testimonials in paid ads is the perfect way to achieve that.
Not only does it give your testimonial a broader reach, but it’s also a way to target who sees it. That combination of relevance and interested viewers will lift your overall conversions.
Post on social media
Besides paid ads, you can also get your testimonials in front of your social media followers through organic posts. This is a very low-lift, low-cost way to get more use out of them.
Influencer or other video testimonials work well here, since video performs so well on social media. But just adding testimonial quotes in your caption is useful.
Customer testimonial FAQs
Here are a few more important points to consider about customer testimonials.
What is a customer testimonial?
A customer testimonial is a statement from a real customer describing their experience with a product or service. It’s usually in their own words and focused on specific results or outcomes. Unlike general marketing copy, testimonials carry weight because they come from someone with nothing to gain from saying something nice.
What’s the difference between a customer testimonial and a review?
A review is typically unprompted feedback left on a third-party platform like Google or Yelp, while a testimonial is feedback you actively collect and use in your own marketing materials. Reviews live where the platform puts them, while testimonials live where you put them.
What’s the difference between a customer testimonial and an endorsement?
An endorsement usually comes from a public figure or recognized authority and often involves compensation, while a testimonial comes from an everyday customer sharing a genuine experience. Influencers can provide testimonials, but they should be based on their real experience and not from a script you provide.
How can I incentivize customers to provide testimonials?
You can offer a discount, entry into a giveaway, or a small gift in exchange for honest feedback. Just be transparent about it, since most review platforms prohibit incentivized reviews posted directly on their sites. A better long-term play is simply making the ask feel personal and low-effort, which tends to get more responses than any reward ever will.
Get inspired by these customer testimonial examples
Customer testimonials are an important component of building trust through social proof. They can take a little work to get since you’re asking customers to share their feedback directly with you. But you have a lot of control over what’s shared and how it’s used.
Take some inspiration from these testimonial examples. See how they’re produced in different ways and on which channels they’re used. Then, try a few versions for yourself to see which resonates best with your audience.
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