You’re almost certainly wasting your time if you have a testimonials page on your website.
That’s because only 1-2% of your website visitors will visit the page.
To put it another way, if your website’s only social proof is a testimonials page, 98-99% of your visitors will never see it.
For pretty obvious reasons, that’s a problem.
So let’s explain the solution, which comes in two parts:
The solution – Part one: Collect social proof
You can’t display social proof if you don’t have any. And in a sceptical age, where authenticity has never been more important, anonymous testimonials just don’t cut it anymore. So, we recommend collecting two types of social proof.
The first is what we call client-driven social proof, showcasing the thoughts of your clients. The three main types of client-driven social proof are:
- Testimonial videos
- Client survey results
- Online reviews (almost always Google and VouchedFor).
The second type of social proof is adviser- or firm-driven. Examples include:
- Awards
- Qualifications
- Accreditations
- Press coverage
- Glassdoor reviews.
The solution – Part two: Scatter the social proof around your website
If you put all that social proof on one page, you’re relying on people making a conscious decision to visit it. And our research shows 98-99% of people won’t.
To solve the problem, scatter both types of social proof around every page of your website, so people see it while browsing.
We can learn a lesson from Facebook, which has mastered this technique.
Your timeline includes adverts and sponsored posts, which you see while scrolling. I’d bet that if Facebook had a dedicated “Ads” page, very few people would go there! And if you’re tempted to counter that no one clicks the ads, let’s remember that Facebook made £121 billion in ad revenue last year (Source: Statista).
So, include social proof on every page of your site. For example:
- Display your client testimonial videos and reviews on your homepage
- Include the VouchedFor rating and review widget on adviser/planner pages
- Add social proof to your contact page to reinforce that people are making the right decision.
So there you have it: testimonial pages are pointless, and the solution is to display more social proof more comprehensively.
A red flag
If your website designer or marketing agency has ever recommended that your website has a testimonials page, that’s a massive red flag.
To help you make a better choice, we’ve compiled a list of 18 questions you should ask before appointing a website designer, and the answers you should look for.
Click here to read it.
Then, if you’d like to learn more about what makes a great website, you can rewatch our webinar, where we reviewed three financial planners’ sites live.
Finally, if your social proof is sparse or your website is weak, we’re here to help.
Email abi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300. We’d love to learn more and explain how we can help.
