With so much of our lives happening in the digital sphere, online reputation is crucial for any business. But if you’re just starting out, building that reputation can be really challenging. Sure, you can make a solid website and create a gorgeous grid, but there’s another tactic that can help along the way: testimonials.
Just how powerful are they? Consider this: 88% of consumers rely on reviews or testimonials when making online purchasing decisions. And since that statistic speaks for itself, here are five other ways testimonials can help grow your business.
Provide social proof
Social proof is a powerful thing to have on your side. So, what is it, exactly? It’s a psychological effect that happens when people follow others’ actions because they view that behavior as good or correct. Well, the same effect can be sparked through testimonials! If potential customers see that others have experienced success with your business or products, they’re more likely to follow suit. This is especially true if those testimonials come from people who have a strong following or influence themselves.
Don’t worry though. If you don’t have a famous influencer leaving you a review, people will still buy. They just want to know that multiple people have purchased from you, and that you deliver on your promise.
Build trust + credibility
Part of crafting your online business is to convince others of the value you provide. While potential customers could take your word for it, they’re much more likely to act if they take someone else’s word for it. Of course, the more testimonials you have — the better. That’s because 72% of people say positive reviews and testimonials actually increase their trust in a business. You definitely don’t want to miss out on that kind of opportunity.
Increase conversions
Testimonials and reviews are great across all of your online platforms, but they can be particularly useful on your sales pages. That’s when interested buyers are towards the bottom of the sales funnel and just need a final nudge to cross the line into sweet, sweet conversion. And a few testimonials could be just the thing that makes up their mind, as they can increase conversions by an average of 34%!
Grow your audience
Testimonials also offer a ton of inspiration for content — from social media posts for #TestimonialTuesday to blogs about customer transformations. There are tons of ways to showcase your testimonials outside of your service, product page, or website in general. The more you share those testimonials, the more people will see them (and come digging to learn more about your offer).
Connect to potential customers with their own words
There’s one last thing that testimonials help with: Letting your ideal customers or clients see themselves being transformed or really benefiting from your offer. While you are the expert who provides the service or product, clients/customers read and listen to reviews to see if someone just like them had a great experience. Testimonials can connect emotionally and personally to potential buyers in a way that sales copy or product descriptions alone cannot.
Looking for other ways to grow your business? Join Styled Stock Society!
Testimonials can do wonders to grow your business along with the right tools and resources. With your Styled Stock Society membership, you can access over 8,000 stock images, 2,000+ Canva templates, and so much more! Psst! Tons of our templates include amazing designs to feature your testimonials across your social platforms — #winwin. Join Styled Stock Society today!
