When you browse a company website or check out a new product online, there is a good chance that you will see some customer testimonials. You might be wondering, why do advertisers use them? What are the benefits of sharing feedback from real customers on social media and other landing pages?

Testimonials are a great way to build trust and establish your brand as a reputable source in the industry. Keep reading to learn more about what testimonials are, the various ways you can set them up, and why they are so valuable to advertisers. 

What are Testimonials?

Let’s start with the basics: what is a testimonial?

A testimonial refers to a spoken or written statement that recommends a company, product, or service. These statements are made by regular customers who were asked or chose to share their experiences after purchasing an item or interacting with the brand.

Testimonials come in many forms and can range from the product review you see on an Amazon listing to a full-blown informational video that includes interviews and other footage of real customers using products. 

Generally, businesses ask satisfied customers to provide a review or testimonial – and the responses are given freely. There are instances where a company can pay an influencer or celebrity to share a testimonial, in which case it would be an endorsement deal. 

What Types of Testimonials Are There?

There are many ways to share customer testimonials. For example, you can share written reviews on social media, videos on your website, and more. Here are some of the most common forms of testimonials:

Written Testimonial

Written testimonials are by far the most common. All the reviews you see on a company Facebook page, the star ratings attached to an Amazon product, and even the quotes on the back of novels are types of written testimonials. 

Whether it is a tweet about your brand or a comment on a company page, these testimonials involve customers sharing positive statements or images of them using your products. These tend to happen organically as customers can often complete them with the click of a button. 

Video Testimonial

While video testimonials can be a bit harder to come by since they require more effort from the customer, they can be one of the most effective options. You can’t fake an authentic video review, so sharing these types of testimonials can significantly improve your credibility and your brand’s reputation. 

Some businesses will string together customer interviews and other video clips to create a longer testimonial that can play on your website or be shown on another video platform. Video testimonials can also incorporate images and quotes from reviews and other written feedback. Try out Milk Video to help you create customer testimonials.

Why Do Advertisers Think They Are Valuable?

So, why do advertisers think that testimonials are so valuable?

For starters, testimonials provide social proof that a product works, a brand is reputable, and that service is worth paying for. This can be a powerful tool to drive sales and boost conversions, as they may convince someone that is on the fence about buying to make a purchase. 

Think about it this way – potential customers are more likely to trust another user’s testimonial than an ad from the company. It adds a human element to marketing campaigns and landing pages and eliminates the feeling of an impersonal corporate ad.  

Another reason advertisers love testimonials is that they are a very cost-effective way to market a product. It doesn’t cost you anything to share a positive review from a customer that enjoyed their experience and wants to support your brand. In other words, it’s free!

Even if brands incentivize users to share a testimonial with a coupon code or future discount, it is still much more cost-effective than other forms of advertising.

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