[GTM glossary](/glossary.md) Customer testimonials

Marketing

# Customer testimonials

In short

Customer testimonials are statements from real customers about their experience with your product or service. They can be a short quote, a video clip, an audio recording, or a review, and are used on websites, in sales decks, and in campaigns.

They work as social proof. A buyer who cannot test your claims can still trust someone like them who has already gotten a result.

## What makes a testimonial effective

* **Specific:** A named result or before-and-after beats general praise.
* **Relevant:** It comes from a customer similar to the reader in industry, role, or size.
* **Attributed:** Name, title, and company make it believable.
* **Concise:** One clear idea per quote.

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## How to collect them

### Ask at the right moment

Right after a visible win, such as a launch, a renewal, or a strong review, the customer remembers the value.

### Make it easy

Offer a few short questions or a 15-minute call, then draft the quote and let the customer edit and approve it.

### Ask good questions

What problem pushed you to look? What changed after? What would you tell a peer in your position? The answers produce quotes with substance.

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## Where to use them

* **Landing and pricing pages:** Place a quote next to the claim it supports.
* **Sales decks and proposals:** Match a quote to the prospect's segment.
* **Outbound emails:** A one-line quote from a similar company can raise credibility.
* **Ads:** Use approved quotes and keep wording unchanged.

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## Common mistakes

* **Anonymous quotes:** Unattributed praise looks invented.
* **Vague praise:** "Great product" tells buyers nothing.
* **No permission:** Get written approval before publishing a name, logo, or edit.
* **Stale quotes:** Refresh them as the product and customer base change.

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## Testimonials vs. case studies

A testimonial is a short statement. A case study is a longer story with context, approach, and measured results. Use testimonials for breadth and case studies for depth.

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## Customer testimonials FAQs

**What are customer testimonials?**

Customer testimonials are statements from real customers about their experience and results with your product. They appear as quotes, videos, audio, or reviews, and act as social proof that reduces perceived risk for prospective buyers.

**How do you get good customer testimonials?**

Ask after a clear win, keep the request short, and use questions about the problem, the change, and the result. Draft the quote for the customer, let them edit it, and get written approval to publish their name and company.

**What is the difference between a testimonial and a case study?**

A testimonial is a short customer statement, usually a quote or clip. A case study is a longer narrative covering the customer's situation, the solution, and measured results. Testimonials add breadth, while case studies add depth and evidence.

**Do customer testimonials need permission?**

Yes. Get written approval before publishing a customer's name, title, company, logo, or any edited quote. Rules on endorsements also vary by region, so check applicable advertising guidelines. This is general information, not legal advice.

Share term

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## More related phrases

* [Software review sites](/glossary/software-review-sites.md)
* [Brag book](/glossary/brag-book.md)
* [User-generated content](/glossary/user-generated-content.md)

## Similar phrases

* [Social proof](/glossary/social-proof.md)  
Social proof is evidence that other people or companies trust and use your product, such as reviews, logos, and case studies, which reduces buyer doubt.
* [Case study](/glossary/case-study.md)  
A case study is a customer story that shows the problem a buyer faced, what they did, and the measurable result, used as proof in marketing and sales.
* [Customer advocacy](/glossary/customer-advocacy.md)  
Customer advocacy is the practice of turning happy customers into active promoters through reviews, referrals, references, and public stories that help win new buyers.
* [Content marketing](/glossary/content-marketing.md)  
Content marketing is the practice of creating and sharing useful content, such as articles, guides, and videos, to attract, educate, and convert a defined audience.
* [Customer success](/glossary/customer-success.md)  
Customer success is a proactive business function that helps customers reach their goals with your product, driving retention, renewals, and expansion.