There’s a direct correlation between the rise in social media and the buying habits of millennials. Nearly half of this demographic say that social media influences their purchase decisions. Why is this? One word—trust. Marketers are finding that millennial buyers are starting to trust their peers more than actors in a TV commercial or the celebrities who get paid millions to endorse a product.
This trend is now opening up an entirely new world for marketers to spread the word about their brands and products. It’s clearly laid out in the statistic that says 70% of all Americans look at product reviews before making a purchase. After all, who would you rather hear from, a company spokesperson telling us how great a product is, or an actual customer who bought that product? That’s why it’s crucial to make customer testimonials a part of your marketing strategy.
However, like any other aspect of digital marketing, there is a subtle art to selecting which testimonials will be featured on your website, but there are also different types you can showcase. Here are some examples of unique testimonials that marketers can learn from in order to promote brand awareness and loyalty.
Quotes
Quotes are the standard testimonials businesses big and small use to promote their products and services. You see them everywhere, and they’ve been used as far back as the early 20th century. A business pulls a quote from a satisfied customer and strategically places it on an advertisement. It’s a simple method, but advances in web design and other great tools mean you as a marketer don’t have to settle for bland, text-only quotes.
Nowadays it’s expected to include an image of the satisfied customer along with their quotes. But why stop there? If your product appeals to people in different industries in different parts of the world, showcase that. This example below example achieves that perfectly, all while including candid fun photos more fun than those seen in your typical headshot.
Or you can get fun and colorful with this unique testimonial by marketing guru Neil Patel.
Social media testimonials
As mentioned above, social media and the millennial generation are two peas in a pod. So why not utilize these platforms to speak directly to them? It’s why more and more brands are pulling testimonials from customers’ social media accounts and placing them on their website. But it helps if you select the right kind of praise. For example, this testimonial for Verrier Boutique not only includes a rave review but also a link to the product in question. The result is that Verrier effectively had their own customer create a call to action for them.
Or, if you want to see an outside-the-box example of social media testimonials, check out this one from Sainsbury’s Supermarkets, based in the UK.
By injecting a little humor they’ve turned a negative encounter into a positive engagement with the customer. Most importantly, they’ve shown to that customer (as well as potential shoppers) that there are actually real-live humans on the other end of their social media account. That type of connection goes a long way to boost brand engagement.
High-profile testimonials
Despite people preferring recommendations from peers, authority marketing certainly isn’t dead. This is seen in the popularity of influencer marketing, which focuses on high-profile individuals who wield authority over a target market. Now, that isn’t to say you need to enlist the services of a famous actor or athlete. Including testimonials from thought leaders and prominent figures within your industry is a great way to win over your potential customers. Take this example from Unbounce.
This testimonial features a heavy hitter within the industry Unbounce is advertising to (which in this case just happens to be the marketing industry). But you can bet that when other prospects see this testimonial and realize it comes from someone at Kissmetrics, they’ll likely sit up and take an interest.
Video testimonials
Like with interview testimonials, you can use the video medium to promote the authority of your brand and the effectiveness of your product. Take a look at this landing page full of testimonials by Marketo. Not only does the page feature 10 satisfied customers, but they’re all thought leaders in the tech and advertising industries. Seeing and hearing the words of so many brand ambassadors goes a long way to engendering trust among your target audience.
Interview testimonials are another creative way to impress upon your audience the authority of your brand. Seeing a real-life customer answer questions honestly makes the experience more personal for the viewer. And for ideas on how to come up with the best interview questions, see this mini guide by Mass AV.
Conclusion
By taking into account all information customers provide within a testimonial, marketers can craft sleek and highly functional testimonial landing pages. Filter your testimonials not just by industry, but by location as well—and appeal to like-minded prospects in the same area. And of course, make sure to add social proof to your testimonial landing page.
Get creative! You’re only limited by your imagination.
