We have all seen websites showcasing their testimonials either spread strategically throughout the site or all together on their own glorious page. They're there with the intent of leading us toward that high dollar purchase or convincing us of something's legitimacy. Sometimes we read them and sometimes we won't. Sometimes we believe them and sometimes we don't. Well, are they really worth all the time and effort?
The quick answer: Only if you do it right. When done correctly, testimonials can really serve you in establishing your site's credibility. Testimonials give you an opportunity to back up your claims. Believe it or not, as soon as someone visits your site you have immediately begun a relationship with that person. Your site will be one of the determining factors in solidifying that relationship and your testimonials can be a key component in building their trust. When done improperly, you might actually drive people away from you and what you have to offer. If your testimonials aren't believable and honest then you probably don't want them posted in the first place.
Here are a few guidelines to follow if you decide to use testimonials on your website.
1. Testimonials Should be Brief. You want your reader to get the point quickly and read the entire quote. You might have a great testimonial, but it is a page long. The odds of someone reading it in its entirety are pretty small. A good idea would be to break it up into sections.
2. Don't Fake It. Your testimonials should be believable and the best way to assure yourself of that is not to make them up your self or have someone else do it for you. Honesty is always the best policy. Phony testimonials will ruin your credibility immediately. Say "adios" to your customers if you want to fake it.
3. Specifically Identify. Testimonials should be signed with a full name and a specific title. Don't use something like "Businessperson" or "Professional". People wan to see a name and area of expertise. It is also a good idea to put a link to their website. This will help establish the legitimacy of their testimonial.
4. Ask Permission. Before you publish someone's comment make sure that they are aware of what you are going to post and that you have their consent in doing so. It is easier to "sell" the idea if you agree to post a link to their website beneath the quote.
5. Address a Specific Benefit. A specific positive result has much more impact than something generic. It is better to post something to the affect of "Your product helped cut costs by 18 percent last quarter" as opposed to "Your product is great".
6. Spread Them Out. You can have a page dedicated to testimonials. It's a good idea, but you can't guarantee that a visitor will visit that page. In addition to your testimonial page why not post a testimonial or two on each page throughout your website. You can even interweave your quotes into your content. This can most likely increase the strength of your message as your visitors peruse each page.
SPECIAL TIP: Anytime you have a good experience with a website or online purchase send your own testimonial adhering to the above-mentioned guidelines. If published, you'll probably get a link to your website. Over time that can add up and increase traffic to your site.
When it comes down to it, testimonials help provide an independent and unbiased medium to promote you and your website. You have the option to use them or not. If you decide to use testimonials on your website then use them properly. Well-positioned and authentic testimonials can easily make a positive impact and strengthen your site.
Cal Hyslop has a background in business and technology with a Masters in Business Administration and is an owner of a website design firm located in Houston, Texas. The mission of his company, WebChrysalis, is to help individuals and businesses look like a million dollars online through the use of web templates and expert design.
limo prices to midway Crystal Lake west of Randal .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareTo create your own great banner, you only need five... Read More
The object of search engines is to give their visitors... Read More
The icons in an application are the soul of the... Read More
If your are a new web designer, you may face... Read More
Every now and then, I receive a link exchange request... Read More
With the advent of the Internet a whole new vista... Read More
If you have a web site to which people pay... Read More
You have created your custom error page so now all... Read More
Before deciding on which web design company to choose, you... Read More
Square buttons, round buttons, flashy buttons ? will they match... Read More
What's happening to good web site design? Somehow we creative... Read More
I get the occasional web design lead from my website.... Read More
Drop Capitals are frequently used in many newspapers, books and... Read More
I have written before about long sales copy on the... Read More
Physical therapists have unique web presence needs. An effective site... Read More
Gone are the days when you had to rely on... Read More
You may not believe it, but people still judge things... Read More
How many of the visitors to your web site take... Read More
I can't figure out people who have products or information... Read More
The first immutable law of effective navigation: It's gotta be... Read More
One product, one long web page: this kind of web... Read More
Before I discovered the concept of Web site templates, I... Read More
Clutter: Too much noise, too much text, and too little... Read More
Studies done by Jakob Nielson the man touted as the,... Read More
What dollar amount does your web site contribute to this... Read More
taxi o'hare Auburn ..So how do you know when your graphic designer costs... Read More
Audio can provide an added dimension to your site. It... Read More
These days, it seems that everyone has a website. Unfortunately,... Read More
The object of search engines is to give their visitors... Read More
I've seen articles (and websites) that suggest you can buy... Read More
They may look cutting edge, but if you want a... Read More
There are several very good reasons why you should consider... Read More
1. Use .gifs rather than .jpgs. GIFs are smaller in... Read More
In this article we will be looking at why you... Read More
We've all seen them. Poorly designed web sites that make... Read More
Wether you design your business brochures, flyers, web page, or... Read More
Designing your website can be a difficult task especially if... Read More
You're almost set. The content of your website, e-book, or... Read More
Unarguably, the most important part of your website is content.... Read More
Your business website tells a lot about your company. A... Read More
Home-based businesses need a strong web presence to combat the... Read More
One of the most popular methods of traffic generation is... Read More
So your web site's online and you've got high rankings... Read More
Here's the single most important part of your website: YOUR... Read More
Even if you're not an accomplished webmaster you can still... Read More
Want to know what the worst thing to say on... Read More
So you want to build a website here I will... Read More
The first step to starting any Internet business is conducting... Read More
Traffic to a site can be a blessing or a... Read More
A "404 Error" happens when the web server you are... Read More
Web Design |