What Testimonials You Should Post to Build Credibility

“Nothing draws a crowd quite like a crowd.” – P. T. Barnum

Your customers will always be more persuasive than you. Effective testimonials can do the heavy lifting for your marketing, but not every testimonial is created equal. While all feedback is appreciated, a great testimonial is special because it feels honest and personal. It is specific, relatable, and motivational.

While some companies, like Alibaba and Amazon, don’t get to be choosy about which customer reviews get posted and which do not, we suggest that you should cherry-pick your best testimonials based on a few fundamental points. Don’t let your reviews be randomly ranked.

Why Testimonials Build Credibility Faster Than Marketing Copy

A business can say “we’re the best” all day long, but customers trust other customers more. That is why reviews work. They provide social proof, reduce skepticism, and help people imagine themselves getting the same result.

When a visitor is close to buying, they usually have silent doubts:

• Is this legit?
• Will it work for someone like me?
• What happens if something goes wrong?
• Is the company helpful after the sale?

The right reviews answer those questions without sounding like sales copy. They feel real because they are real.

Start With the Foundation: Handle Negative Reviews First

Before you highlight your best reviews, you need to make sure your review profile looks honest. That means dealing with negative feedback correctly.

First of all, you should handle your negative reviews. We don’t advise silencing these, but it’s smart to feature reviews that are specific and as personal as possible, putting them first and leaving weak ones behind.

If your best testimonials are excellent but your negative reviews are ignored, the trust effect collapses. Your visitors will think: “If they don’t respond to problems, what will happen to me?”

What Makes a Testimonial Powerful

A powerful testimonial does not just say “great service.” It creates belief. It shows a real situation and a real outcome.

1) Specific details beat vague praise

Short praise sounds generic and forgettable. Specific praise feels authentic and believable.

Nice review, but everyone has seen that comment a thousand times. If a customer is interested enough to read reviews, they want real information. They want to understand what changed.

2) Story + emotion increases persuasion

The best reviews contain a story: a before-and-after narrative. They explain why the customer searched, what they tried before, what problem they faced, and how your product or service helped.

See this from
TheStoryofTelling.com:

"I was fortunate to recently work with Bernadette on a storytelling project. Her blog posts resonated with me greatly and I hoped she could help my team with storytelling tools and techniques.
What I received was far more. Not only did I get useful tools to help tell stories throughout our process; but her philosophy helped me see the larger impact I could have within my company.
Bernadette took the marketing and business “speak" we so often used and transformed it into my department’s raison d’être. She helped open my eyes to the habitual thinking that was dragging us into the same feedback loop,
and understand why we had difficulty finding new solutions. Her teachings, instruction and leadership helped me to see with new eyes....to put my feet in the consumer’s shoes, and finally to create impact through storytelling.
Lastly, Bernadette is a joy to work with - passionate, fun, and relatable."

— Antonio Zea, Director of Innovation Adidas

A testimonial like this has the edge you need. It explains the why and how. It conveys feeling. It follows a problem-solution structure. It is persuasive because it sounds like a real experience, not a slogan.

3) Numbers and stats create instant credibility

Use reviews that contain numbers, timeframes, or measurable results. When people see “63%” or “29%,” they are more inclined to believe the claim.

Avoid rounded numbers when possible. Precision feels more honest. For example:

• “We increased leads by 27% in 6 weeks.”
• “Setup took 18 minutes, and we saw results the same day.”
• “Refund requests dropped from 14 per month to 4.”

Add Proof: Photos, Faces, Roles, and Locations

One of the best ways to increase credibility is to add photos to the reviews. People are visual, and it creates more trust. A strong quote from a random customer can feel exaggerated, but when visitors see photos, that doubt drops dramatically.

The best case is when you can add the customer’s face to the testimonial. Faces are proven to be eye-catching in marketing. When someone sees a human face, it triggers empathy and attention. To legally use a customer’s photos, you always need consent up front.

See one example by Kissmetrics.

They include the face, name, role, and company. Another option is adding the customer’s location, which makes testimonials feel more real and helps target your audience.

Types of Reviews You Should Post to Build Credibility

If you only show one style of testimonial, you miss opportunities. The strongest testimonial pages include a mix, each designed to remove a different buying objection.

1) Objection-handling reviews

These testimonials address doubts like price, learning curve, support, or switching from a competitor.

• “I thought it would be hard to set up, but it was simple.”
• “Support replied in 12 minutes and fixed it.”
• “Worth the cost because it replaced two tools.”

2) Before-and-after testimonials

These show a clear transformation. They are extremely persuasive because they make results feel predictable.

• “Before: no leads. After: consistent calls every week.”
• “Before: low trust. After: customers started mentioning reviews.”
• “Before: high refunds. After: far fewer complaints.”

3) Use-case reviews

These help prospects understand whether your product/service fits their situation. They are perfect for targeting specific industries.

• “As a local service business, we needed calls, not clicks.”
• “As an eCommerce store, we needed trust on product pages.”
• “As a small team, we needed something simple and reliable.”

4) Short quote testimonials (when they are specific)

Short testimonials work best on landing pages and near CTA buttons. The key is that they must still be specific.

5) Long-form story reviews

These work best on dedicated pages, case studies, and high-ticket services. They build emotional belief.

Where to Place Testimonials for Maximum Credibility

Great reviews lose power if they are hidden. Put them where people are making decisions.

• Homepage: top credibility proof near your main CTA.
• Pricing page: reviews that justify value and reduce price objections.
• Checkout page: short proof quotes to reduce last-minute doubts.
• Product pages: product-specific reviews with photos and real usage details.
• Service pages: location or industry reviews for immediate relevance.

How to Collect Better Reviews (Without Being Pushy)

The best way to get strong testimonials is to ask better questions. Instead of “Can you leave a review?” try asking:

• What problem were you trying to solve?
• Why did you choose us over alternatives?
• What result did you notice first?
• What surprised you the most?
• What would you tell someone considering us?

Recommended Internal Links to Add (Relevant and Natural)

If you want to strengthen topical authority and SEO, these internal articles fit naturally inside this post:

• importance of customer reviews for trust
• how reviews support SEO visibility
• how to get more reviews from customers
• review management for local SEO
• conversion factors that increase customer actions

Final Thoughts

On the whole, you should pick the best customer reviews to beat your competition. Use faces and details (with permission), prefer longer testimonials with engaging stories, and don’t be afraid to use testimonials with precise numbers and real outcomes. If your testimonial feels personal, specific, and proof-based, it will build credibility fast.

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