Where do you feel you get your best recommendations? Probably from your friends and family. Why is that, exactly? What makes people’s opinions so valuable to us?
It’s because we trust and relate to them.
For this reason — and many more — testimonial advertising is extremely important for your marketing strategy. When you share positive customer comments about your business, you make people more likely to trust your product or service.
This is because we can look at other normal, everyday individuals and put ourselves in their shoes, giving us a better understanding of how we’d also experience a brand. Or, when facing an influencer promotion, we can picture using the same product as that person, making it feel much more glamorous.
Ultimately, testimonial advertising works. Let’s go over why it’s so successful and examples you can use as inspiration for your own marketing efforts.
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What Is a Testimonial?
First, some definitions might be useful. Testimonial advertising takes user-generated content that features customer reviews, photos and videos and promotes a brand. They’re used in many channels, including blogs, billboards, websites, email and social media. Featured individuals can be either regular customers who love your company or industry experts who endorse your product’s credibility or quality.
Speaking of which, celebrity endorsements share some similarities to testimonials but aren’t synonymous. They involve a well-known person, like an actress, athlete or popular influencer, promoting a product, service or brand. Here are the key differences between these two types of marketing:
- Appeal: Celebrity endorsements leverage the person’s fame and reach while testimonials rely on authenticity and relatability.
- Connection to product: Celebrities often won’t have personal experience with the product whereas testimonials are based on direct experience.
- Target audience: When using a celebrity endorsement, you’re targeting aspirational buyers who are influenced by the chic lifestyle. On the other hand, testimonials target buyers looking for credible experience.
- Cost: Endorsements are normally expensive, involving contracts or partnerships rather than testimonials which generally cost nothing but the customer’s time to write it.
The Importance of Customer Testimonials
The value of social proof can’t be overstated. Not only does it showcase real, positive experiences from existing customers, but it also boosts brand recognition by highlighting your company as a top choice for people just like the reader.
Here are some reasons why you should consider adding this type of advertising to your ongoing efforts:
Builds Trust and Credibility
When a potential customer sees others vouching for your product or service, it provides a sense of reassurance that they’re making a smart decision. A genuine customer testimonial serves as a powerful recommendation, showcasing that your offerings deliver on promises and meet expectations.
Highlights Customer Satisfaction
Nothing speaks louder than a happy customer. Testimonials that highlight success stories and exceptional outcomes reinforce your company’s dedication to delivering quality. They act as proof points, letting others know to expect the same level of satisfaction. In fact, BrightLocal found that nearly 50% of consumers trust customer reviews as much as recommendations from friends or family.
Overcomes Scepticism
It’s natural for people to approach new brands with caution. Customer testimonials help break down barriers of doubt by addressing common concerns or hesitations. Hearing directly from someone who has already taken the leap encourages others to follow suit, reducing the fear of buyer’s remorse.
Creates Emotional Connection
In marketing, emotions are everything. Yes, people make decisions with their heads — but their hearts are also a key consideration. When you tug on their heartstrings and share intentional stories of existing customers, you can push people to become loyal patrons — especially if they see themselves and their own experiences aligning with that customer.
Types of Testimonials
When we say testimonial, it may conjure images of customer quotes posted on a website. While this is one use case, there are countless other types of testimonials you can use. Here are just a few:
Text Testimonials
A text testimonial — or customer review — is direct feedback or comments from your customers. Generally, they’re written about a specific product or service, but they can also be directed toward a brand as a whole.
Oftentimes, written reviews are collected through websites like Google Business Profile, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Better Business Bureau or your own website (if there’s a place to submit feedback). You can display these reviews on an e-commerce site to showcase the great things people say about your business.
User-Generated Content Testimonials
User-generated content (UGC) testimonials come in the form of photos or videos uploaded to either supplement or add to their written review. This gives people more visual insight into others’ thoughts and experiences of a particular product. And it’s pretty impactful. According to Bazaar Voice, conversion rates increased by an average of 161% when shoppers saw or interacted with USG on their path to purchase.
For instance, a customer might post a photo of them using your product on Instagram or share a video demonstrating its benefits on TikTok. This type of testimonial ad is particularly impactful because it’s authentic and relatable, making it highly shareable on social media.
Video Testimonials
Video testimonials are a dynamic and engaging way to showcase customer satisfaction. These feature customers speaking directly to the camera, sharing their experiences and explaining why they love your brand.
Video testimonials work well because they combine visual and auditory elements, making them more persuasive and memorable than text-based testimonials. You can feature these customer testimonial videos on your website, social media channels or even in content marketing campaigns to capture attention and build trust.
Influencer Testimonials
Influencer testimonials leverage the reach and credibility of individuals who have a strong online following. They often come in the form of sponsored posts, stories or videos where the influencer highlights your product or service and explains how it benefits them — and could benefit your target audience.
By partnering with influencers who resonate with your customers, you can use these testimonials to drive brand awareness and confidence through the roof. When done intentionally and authentically, they can be a powerful addition to your testimonial ad strategy.
5 Testimonial Advertising Examples
Want to see testimonials in action? Some of the brands we love excel at incorporating this type of content in their marketing strategy. Take a look at a few testimonial advertising examples:
1. WeWork: Highlighting Customer Happiness on Instagram
Type: User-generated content
Why it works: It’s one thing for a company to regularly post high-quality images on Instagram. It’s another thing entirely to have tons of beautiful images taken by customers to pull from. WeWork is a well-known coworking space provider that’s great at sharing testimonials from customers. One instance of this is a post with a picture taken by one of its customers using a coworking space in Warsaw.
2. Noom: Showcasing Written Ads Front and Center
Type: Written testimonial
Why it works: A great place for written testimonials? Google Ads. Noom knows this and placed a customer review right where everyone can see it, showing off that current customers feel they have the time to implement its solution into daily life with ease. What better way to get people’s attention than to show them what real customers are saying.
3. Shopify: Video Reel of Customer Success
Type: Video testimonial
Why it works: Case studies show hard-hitting facts and data-driven numbers, which is helpful for people making final purchasing decisions. Mix it with video and you have an unstoppable duo. The video case study ad focused on hearing what the client wanted and how Shopify delivered, hitting on key points like their scalability and performance.
4. Square: Using its Resources
Type: Written testimonial
Why it works: Square could tell customers about its new feature, but they let a customer do it instead. Since they have so many written reviews — although not all positive — they took a great one and made it into an image for social media. This is one of Square’s go-to approaches: grabbing customer reviews from its website or social media and embedding them in a post.
5. EyeBuyDirect: Getting Eyes on its Products
Type: Influencer testimonial
Why it works: EyeBuyDirect is an eyeglass company that partnered with influencer Natalie Zacek to promote its products. She used a trendy video format to show off her favorite pairs and shared the company’s “buy one, get one for a % off” deal. It works because her followers on Instagram and TikTok will see her wearing the frames, making them curious about the brand — even if they’ve never heard of it before.
How To Encourage Customer Testimonials
You can’t create compelling testimonial ads without feedback from your customers. To encourage positive reviews and user-generated content, try the following best practices:
- Ask at the right time: Request feedback when people are happiest — after a purchase, a successful interaction or upon achieving a milestone with your brand.
- Don’t be afraid to ask: Ultimately, you can’t shy away from actually asking your customers to share their experiences. They’re more likely to do so if they know it’s important to you!
- Simplify the process: Make it easy for customers to leave reviews by providing direct links to your review platforms or sending follow-up emails with clear instructions.
- Offer incentives: Sweeten the offer by providing discounts, loyalty points or other small rewards for taking the time to share their thoughts.
Take Your Brand’s Credibility to the Next Level
Testimonial advertising is more than just a content marketing tactic — it’s a trust-building powerhouse. By showcasing authentic experiences from satisfied customers, you can enhance your brand’s credibility while fostering stronger emotional connections with your audience.
Whether you opt for written reviews, engaging videos, influencer partnerships or all types of recommendations, testimonials give your potential customers a compelling reason to choose your business.
