Anyone can say anything on the internet, especially if it’s in the interest of promoting themselves. Thousands upon thousands of lies are told on the internet daily. It’s no stretch to say that a few high-profile politicians play fast and loose with the truth with their daily Twitter dispatches (naming no names…oh, you know who we’re talking about!) The point is, not many people trust what you say about yourself on the internet. So who do they trust? Other people. If there’s enough of them. Or if they’re famous. Testimonials provide the social proof that potential clients need to vet services online. And your business is gonna need ’em. So here’s a rundown of three key tips that show you how to optimise testimonials to attract new clients.
Are Testimonials Important?
Yes. Very. According to the stats, 92% of customers read reviews and testimonials when considering purchasing a service from the internet. If you think about it, customer testimonials have been a part of business since it first began. People always rely on the opinions of others before making their choice; think of all the critic quotes you’ve seen emblazoned across movie posters. Good customers relationships, for both new and returning customers, are the cornerstones of good business. The returns on this investment are multifold.
Do Testimonials Help Attract New Clients?
Good ones do. Bad ones – uh, not so much. Look, you’re going to get some bad reviews if you’re a successful business. Miscommunications happen, and though you may try your damnedest to rectify it, a couple of unhappy customers are unfortunately inevitable. The goal is to display an overwhelming amount of positive reviews to totally tip the scales in your brand’s favour. Once you get a few good reviews in the bag, you can amplify them out across your social channels and newsletters. This will encourage potential customers to take you seriously, putting you a cut above the rest of the competition.
Unlike some of today’s politicians, we can’t rely on fake news and fibs to make people believe that what we do is better than the rest – we need to learn how to optimise testimonials to attract new clients.
How To Optimise Testimonials
So how can you actually go about converting these reviews into new clients?
1 – Spread The Word
Get the testimonials out there and working for you. You want as many people as possible to see them; they’re no use to you if you simply hoard them away in some dark ‘Testimonial’ corner of your site. Adorn your social media with them, tagging and thanking the reviewer as you do. The further they travel, the better your business looks.
2 – Put Them On Your Homepage
Make them the first thing people see when they click onto your site. Some customers might have found your site without a referral and know nothing of your professional reputation. As soon as they get into the site, smack them round the chops with your five-star adorations (not literally – we cannot stress this enough).
3 – Utilise The Free SEO
Search Engine Optimisation is the name of the game when it comes to online business. 99% of people use a search engine as their window to the internet. The higher you’re ranked on those charts, the more eyes (and clicks) you get. Testimonials are rammed with natural keywords, and some even have very specific phrases and questions that your potential customers might be searching. Take full advantage and encourage them wherever you can!
If you’d like to learn more about optimising your site copy and SEO so that you attract more readers, clients and customers then get in touch or check out our Website Content & SEO Audit service in the link below!
