Build audience trust with authentic messaging
If I told you this is the greatest blog ever written, you probably wouldn’t believe me. I’m biased. You probably won’t even want to read it. But if your friend says, “I just read the greatest blog ever written…” you might just believe them, or at least be more inclined to find out for yourself.
It’s the same with your brand. Even if you really do have the best product or service on the market, your audience isn’t just going to take your word for it. You need to build trust. You need to be authentic. You need to show proof. And testimonials are a great way to do just that. Here are three things to know about testimonial marketing before your next big campaign.
Audiences want assurance
A 2023 report from Power Reviews found that “99.75% of online shoppers read reviews at least sometimes; 91% do so always or regularly.” So it’s safe to say that audiences don’t trust brands alone when making purchasing decisions. And while you won’t be able to control what every review says (nor should you want to), by introducing testimonials into your marketing you at least get to decide what narrative your audience sees first.
And if 99.75% wasn’t a convincing enough number for you, there’s plenty more data backing testimonial marketing. Power Reviews also found that “nearly half (45%) of consumers won’t purchase a product if there are no reviews available for it.” Edelman found that “58% [of consumers] are doing more research before they buy.” And Vocal Video discovered that “72% of customers say they trust a business more if it has positive testimonials.”
Marketing with purpose
Yes, the numbers in the previous section make it look like any testimonial is going to be a home run for your brand. But, like all good marketing, you can’t just slap a testimonial campaign together and hope it works. There has to be research, planning, and thought behind everything. If you want to implement testimonials into your marketing, start like you always should — by defining the audience you’re trying to reach and the problems you’re trying to solve.
Once you have the foundational research in place, you’ll be better equipped to find the right story to share. It’s important that your testimonials match your goals. A testimonial about price point won’t convert many customers worried about customer service. It’s the same as all good marketing. Do your due diligence, create a plan, execute, reassess, and evolve.
It isn’t all or nothing
Testimonials are effective. That’s kind of the whole point of this blog. Some brands even use testimonials as the centerpiece of their campaign, like MKR’s work with Community Health Network. But that’s not the only way to implement testimonials into your brand messaging.
Testimonials can be used in support of larger campaigns. They can appear on your organic social. You can showcase them on your website. They can be featured in email campaigns. Testimonials are an incredibly flexible tool to have on your marketing toolbelt. And so long as you’re putting in the effort and working with the right people, your brand will benefit.
If you’re looking for a marketing partner who can turn research into results for your brand through tactics like these, we’re always happy to chat.