Testament To Testimonials

We have all seen websites showcasing their testimonials either spread strategically throughout the site or all together on their own glorious page. They're there with the intent of leading us toward that high dollar purchase or convincing us of something's legitimacy. Sometimes we read them and sometimes we won't. Sometimes we believe them and sometimes we don't. Well, are they really worth all the time and effort?

The quick answer: Only if you do it right. When done correctly, testimonials can really serve you in establishing your site's credibility. Testimonials give you an opportunity to back up your claims. Believe it or not, as soon as someone visits your site you have immediately begun a relationhip with that person. Your site will be one of the determining factors in solidifying that relationhip and your testimonials can be a key component in building their trust. When done improperly, you might actually drive people away from you and what you have to offer. If your testimonials aren't believable and honest then you probably don't want them posted in the first place.

Here are a few guidelines to follow if you decide to use testimonials on your website.

1. Testimonials Should be Brief. You want your reader to get the point quickly and read the entire quote. You might have a great testimonial, but it is a page long. The odds of someone reading it in its entirety are pretty small. A good idea would be to break it up into section.

2. Don't Fake It. Your testimonials should be believable and the best way to assure yourself of that is not to make them up your self or have someone else do it for you. Honesty is always the best policy. Phony testimonials will ruin your credibility immediately. Say "adios" to your customers if you want to fake it.

3. Specifically Identify. Testimonials should be signed with a full name and a specific title. Don't use something like "Businessperson" or "Professional". People wan to see a name and area of expertise. It is also a good idea to put a link to their website. This will help establish the legitimacy of their testimonial.

4. Ask Permission. Before you publish someone's comment make sure that they are aware of what you are going to post and that you have their conent in doing so. It is easier to "sell" the idea if you agree to post a link to their website beneath the quote.

5. Address a Specific Benefit. A specific positive result has much more impact than something generic. It is better to post something to the affect of "Your product helped cut costs by 18 percent last quarter" as opposed to "Your product is great".

6. Spread Them Out. You can have a page dedicated to testimonials. It's a good idea, but you can't guarantee that a visitor will visit that page. In addition to your testimonial page why not post a testimonial or two on each page throughout your website. You can even interweave your quotes into your content. This can most likely increase the strength of your message as your visitors peruse each page.

SPECIAL TIP: Anytime you have a good experience with a website or online purchase send your own testimonial adhering to the above-mentioned guidelines. If published, you'll probably get a link to your website. Over time that can add up and increase traffic to your site.

When it comes down to it, testimonials help provide an independent and unbiased medium to promote you and your website. You have the option to use them or not. If you decide to use testimonials on your website then use them properly. Well-positioned and authentic testimonials can easily make a positive impact and strengthen your site.

Cal Hyslop has a background in business and technology with a Masters in Business Administration and is an owner of a website design firm located in Houston, Texas. The mission of his company, WebChrysalis, is to help individuals and businesses look like a million dollars online through the use of web templates and expert design.

MORE RESOURCES

Profit By Outsourcing, The Web Design India Company Sought to Sculpt The ... DigitalJournal.com (press release) The Web Design India company is also incorporating an authenticated “Wiki” on the lines of online free encyclopedia, the Wikipedia for user to post articles, have access to relevant information and keep themselves posted with the latest about the ... and more »

DC Web Design Firm Blue Water Media Launches a New Website for the Public ... PR Web (press release) A Leader in Creative Web Design, Blue Water Media Assists the Public Media Business Association in Their Mission to Establish a Comprehensive Digital Resource for the New PMBA and its Members. The Public Broadcasting Management Association underwent a ...

Indiana Web Design Company Radically Changes Approach to Web Development PR Web (press release) Effect Web Agency, an Indiana web design company, redefines their entire develop process to focus on achieving sales results for clients. Effect Web Agency says they know why websites do not work for many businesses. Steve Schmidt, President and Web ... and more »

New Digital Multi Media Program Coming to Brighton High School Patch.com By Nicole Krawcke Brighton High School Sophomore Evan Palmer works on an assignment during the first week in Web Design. Palmer said he took the class to learn how to make his own website. Brighton High School is getting a new career technical ...

HigherVisibility Named Eleventh Best Web Design Company by topseos.com for ... Press Media Wire The independent authority on Search vendors, topseos.com, has named HigherVisibility the eleventh best web design company in the online marketing industry for the month of February 2012. Their position in the rankings of top web design companies is ... and more »

EQuicknews

Web Design Tips EQuicknews Launching а website іs bоth exciting аnd potentially rewarding. A wеll planned site can have а positive effect оn уour business, wіth online sales bucking thе trend in an othеrwisе downbeat economy. Creating a website can аlѕо bе a daunting task, ... and more »

Industry Today (press release)

Calgary Web Design Firm Offers Exclusive Content Management System Industry Today (press release) Understanding the increasing demand for this system in today's business world iDesignit.ca a Calgary Web Design Company, is offering innovative solutions to small businesses in Calgary, Alberta and surrounding areas. iDesignit.ca specializes in ...

LeanPort Software Named Second Best Android Development Company by ... Press Media Wire The independent authority on web design and development, bestwebdesignagencies.com, has named LeanPort Software the second best Android development company for the month of February 2012. The list of the best Android development companies contains ... and more »

Web development company in Indiana wants to increase businesses' sales The Creative Department Many small businesses struggle with search engine optimization and making their websites easily navigated, and an Elkhart, Indiana, web design company wants to help them. In a recent statement, Effect Web Agency outlined some of the main problems that ...

PR Web (press release)

Algonquin Studios Shares Thought Leadership Reports on Web Design, SEO ... PR Web (press release) These are people who have started successful businesses, built enterprise-level software systems, and work hard to actively keep abreast of changes and advancements in technology, software development, web design, and online marketing,” says ... and more »

People Locator find anyone in the USA

RELATED WEB SITE DESIGN ARTICLES: Let Your Website Make You $$$ While You Sleep! and All That Other B.S.! Well, you've got your product, started your home business, and even have your website up on the internet. Only one problem, where is that money you were supposed to be making? Nothing! No one is knocking down your door to buy your product! Well, here is the real world answer. Why Long Web Pages are Better than Short Ones Many Internet sites that try to sell you something have very long pages. Why is that do you think? Well, it appears that long, scrolling, web pages lead to more sales than short pages. Appropriate Key Words Choice What do the key words represent?Key words - these are the words that the users enter in a given search engine to find services or products you offer. It is extremely important to know what key words they will use. Free Website Design Tips In this article I will give a few tips of where to find a low cost web design company and also about the best ways of producing a quality website. How many people or companies are advertising their services for website design? The answer is a great deal. Event Planning Must Include An Event Website As part of your event planning you should seriously conider registering a special event domain. That should in fact be the first step for your planning of any event. Why Choose A Professional Web Designer? It seems that almost every Tom Dick and Harry do web design in one form or another. Everyone seems to know a friends' brother's son who can build websites for real cheap. How To Choose A Website Designer Now that you have decided that it is time to create a website for your business there are many question you must answer. One of the most important question is "Who should create my website?"I like to use the analogy of playing music; in as little as a few hours, some people can strum a few chords on the guitar and play a song. Website Design: Secrets Of Professional Website Designers Revealed What colors do you have at your website? Can they make a difference in the number of sales that you generate? Can the use of the right colors in your website design actually increase your sales? The answer is yes! So pay attention to these website design secrets. When people see certain colors they can change their emotion or they can symbolize things related to the colors. Learn the Truth about Your Web Design Company by Its Portfolio When you start building your online business and search for a web design company that will implement all your needs for the web site you must understand that it is a very serious step because you are entrusting your business along with its reputation and future.That's why it's very important to make the right choice. Reach Out To Billion Have you heard of 'Babel Fish'?It's a service provided by Alta Vista search engine people to translate every page you put 'Babel Fish' code, and up comes a a new language.Your page may be written in English, but people across Spain and Latin America can translate your web page into Spanish. Welcoming Your Website Visitors Imagine you're going on a blind date. You've heard wonderful things about this person, and in your heart of hearts you're thinking -- hoping -- this might just be "the one. Web Design for Dictators No question about it, web design is an art. Finding the right blend of style and usability is a delicate balance that few, if any, fully master. Designing Beautiful Artist Websites - 12 Tips To Showcase Your Art 1. Who needs an artists website?Not everyone! If you are currently exhibiting in multiple high-end galleries and making a handsome income, a website may not be for you. Creating a Favicon Once, I attempted to create a favicon (the little graphic in the URL address box) for this Web site, but never did finish the work until now. I used a free program that allowed me to copy and paste an image to create an icon, but I believe it has spyware so I won't share its name. Why Use a Web Design Template? What is a Website Template?Many smart and savvy businesses are choosing to use a website template, and avoiding employing a professional designer. Why? Well, there are clear benefits: saving on cost, saving on time, and ensuring quality. How to Make a Website (Minus the Headaches) There is nothing wrong with making your own website if you are looking to save some money. Be prepared however, for your finished product to resemble an after school project; cutesy, homemade touches and all. Creating Your First Website? Your Option Creating your own website is great fun! But how is it done? Well, there are five main option, read this carefully and choose which one you think is best for you!Use software you already have:You may not know this, but you can actually use Microsoft Word to create webpages! This is great, since you can save yourself the cost of buying expensive new software. Just create your document as you would do normally, and then just select "Save As" from the File menu. Tapping Into The Visual Stimulus Of Your Web Site Visitors "Oh, my eyes, my eyes! What an eye sore. Quick, click away! Click away!"Suddenly I wake up in a cold sweat. Revising Your Site - What Happened To My Search Engine Placement? As of September, Smartads went through what so many have done before. I changed the entire site. Fast Web Design For The Skint Webmaster About two years ago, I had a go at commercial web site design. I put a medium-sized ad in a London classified ad paper.