Purpose
Provides social proof patterns that build trust and increase conversions. Critical for lead generation sites to establish credibility through testimonials, reviews, trust badges, statistics, and client logos.
Core Rules
- Specific over vague — "2,347 moves" not "thousands of moves"
- Named over anonymous — "Sarah M., Clifton" not "Happy Customer"
- Recent over old — Show dates, keep testimonials fresh
- Verified over claimed — Google reviews > self-reported
- Strategic placement — Trust before conversion points
- Real numbers only — All stats must be verifiable
- Name and location — Full attribution builds credibility
- Address objections — Testimonials answer common concerns
- Visual proof — Photos, badges, logos over text claims
- Schema markup — Structured data for rich snippets
Placement Strategy
| Location | What to Show |
|---|---|
| Hero | Google rating badge, review count |
| After hero | Client logos or trust badges |
| Before form | 1-2 short testimonials |
| Mid-page | Stats section |
| After features | Full testimonial carousel |
| Footer | Trust badges |
Component Types
Testimonials
- Testimonial Card (rating, quote, name, location, date)
- Video Testimonial (video facade with attribution)
Trust Signals
- Google Review Badge (rating, count, link)
- Trust Badges Row (industry accreditations)
- Client Logos (recognizable brands)
Statistics
- Stats Section (4-column grid with big numbers)
Schema
- AggregateRating markup for SEO
References
Components:
- Testimonial Components — Card and video testimonial patterns
- Trust Badge Components — Google reviews, badges, client logos
- Stats Section — Statistics display component
- Schema Markup — Structured data for reviews
Guidelines:
- Testimonial Guidelines — What makes effective testimonials
Forbidden
- ❌ Fake testimonials
- ❌ Stock photos for testimonial avatars
- ❌ Unverifiable claims
- ❌ Reviews without source
- ❌ Outdated stats
- ❌ Trust badges you don't have
Definition of Done
- Google review badge in hero
- Stats section with real numbers
- 3+ testimonials with names/locations
- Trust badges if applicable
- Review schema markup
- All claims verifiable
- Testimonials recent (<12 months)