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Testimonials, hands down, are one of the best ways to increase your store’s conversion rate. But what’s the best way to go about displaying them? What are some common mistakes?

There’s no denying it: testimonials are powerful. People are more likely to purchase from a store that has positive reviews from previous customers. According to one study, 88% of people read online reviews before making a purchase, and 86% of them consider it “moderately important” or “very important.”

Given the importance of testimonials, it’s no surprise that many store owners want to feature them prominently on their websites. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it.

In this new blog, I’ll share some how-to display testimonials in your store, as well as some common mistakes to avoid. I will use Click Funnel’s basic VSL funnel as an example as it gives me the ability to edit so you can see what I’m doing.

Make sure you take notes and follow along so you can get the most out of this blog post!

I’m using Click Funnel’s basic VSL but you can use any builder, any theme, and any platform to do this.

Because what we teach is not limited to any one platform, but is a fundamental marketing principle that every website, and landing page should be using.

Table of Contents

1. What are testimonials and why are they important?
2. How to display testimonials in your store
3. What are the Main Pointers to Keep in Mind?
4. 3 Types of Testimonials You Should Use

But the first thing.

Where Should You Place Testimonials on Your Landing Page?

Your testimonials should be placed in strategic positions on your pages so that they’re visible and easy to read.

If you know about AIDA – Attention, Interest, Desire, Action – then you know that testimonials should go in the desire and action sections.

The desire section is where you make people want what you’re offering, and that’s the perfect place to put testimonials because they show your potential customers that people just like them have had success with your product or service.

It’s exactly before the main CTR call-to-action button, as this is what increases conversions the most.

What is the First Most Important Thing?

The first and most important thing to keep in mind when placing testimonials on your pages is the testimonial headline. It should be emotive, punchy, and to the point.

The headline is the most important part because it’s what will stop someone from scrolling and make them want to read the testimonial.

Think about it – if you see a big chunk of text, are you more likely to read it or scroll past it?

The answer is obvious.

Let’s say you sell weight-loss products.

A good headline for a testimonial could be Check 1000 of Real Reviews from People Who Benefited from Our Product

Why does this title sell?

It’s because it uses numbers – which we know people are more likely to trust – and it promises to show reviews from real people. This is important because people want to see that others have had success with your product before they’re willing to try it themselves.

Now there are some practices that you must follow in order to make sure your testimonials are effective.

1. Always Use Quotation Marks

“Quotation marks” show that the words in between them are someone else’s, which adds to the credibility of the testimonial.

If you don’t use quotation marks, people might think you made up the testimonial yourself.

Click Funnel doesn’t generate automatic quotation marks, so you will have to do it yourself. Here is what it looks like:

DO: “Your product is amazing! I lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks!”

DON’T: Your product is amazing! I lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks!

2. Keep the Testimonials in 1 to 2 paragraphs

The best testimonials are short and sweet. Long testimonials tend to lose people’s attention, so it’s important to keep them concise.

A good rule of thumb is to keep them between 1-2 paragraphs.

3. Bold some of the keywords

Make sure to bold some of the keywords in the testimonial so that they stand out. It’s human psychology that we’re more likely to remember things that are in bold. People can scan testimonials quickly and still get the gist of what they’re about.

For instance, if you want to highlight how quickly someone saw results, you could bold the words “two weeks.”

4. Use Real and Full Names

Make sure to use real and full names in your testimonials. People are much more likely to trust a testimonial if they can see the person’s full name. Let’s say you have a testimonial that says “Your product is incredible! I lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks!”

If the person’s name was visible, it would make the testimonial much more believable and trustworthy.

5. Use Visuals Such as Pictures or Gold Stars

People are visual creatures, so it’s important to use visuals in your testimonials whenever possible.

This could be a 5-start rating icon or a Trust Pilot logo. Any designer could help you with this. This is important because it adds to the credibility of the testimonial. You could use gold stars from reviews, for example.

Also, use the pictures of the people who gave the testimonials whenever possible. Images are the first thing people see when they visit a page, so make sure to use high-quality images that are relevant to the testimonial.

What I would add here is to use people’s social profiles because that adds an extra layer of trust. If you can link to the person’s Twitter or Facebook profile, that would be ideal. But that’s not always possible.

There you go! Now you know how to write, format, and display testimonials on your store! Testimonials are a great way to increase conversions and build trust with your customers. Make sure to follow the tips above to get the most out of them!