Communicating the value of your own business is critical for any marketing strategy. But in a world filled with outsized claims and “fake news”, customers are more wary of brands than ever. This might sound like bleak news for your brand. But it’s actually an opportunity to start using a majorly effective marketing tactic: testimonials. Here are four reasons why testimonials are a great way to boost your brand.

1. To Establish Trust

Did you know that nine out of 10 people trust what a customer says about a business more than what that business says about itself? As a result, customers are likely to spend 31% more toward a company with high-quality testimonials. The numbers don’t lie: Testimonials are a real boon to your brand’s credibility. 

Nowadays, this effect is known as “social proof,” which is critical for drawing prospects to your business. Potential customers will respond to sincerity and authenticity. By the same token, they tend to be wary when brands sing their own praises too openly. But if praise comes from a third party with no incentive to represent the brand in a positive way, it’s that much more meaningful. 

2. To Explain How You Can Solve Your Customers’ Problems (and what sets your brand apart)

It’s key for any brand to showcase how it addresses its customers’ needs—and testimonials are the most immediate, high-impact way to do that. If customers hear from a specific person about how a brand has helped solve a recurring challenge, they are more likely to respond to what your brand offers. If your testimonial can articulate a unique differentiator for your brand over others, even better.

To pique customer interest even further, try using a video testimonial to illustrate a customer journey. Visuals are a powerful tool: One survey found that 69% of people say they’d prefer to learn about a product or service by watching a short video, compared to just 18% for text-based articles.

3. To Drive Revenue

Testimonials have been proven to boost digital performance metrics—especially click-through rate and conversion rate. Even a simple five-star rating can be enough to move the needle: one study found that five-star ratings boosted search CTR by 28%. From a CR standpoint, customers who interact with a review are 58% more likely to convert. Plus, featuring 50 or more reviews has been shown to boost CR by 4.6%. Greater CR implies fewer customer objections and greater confidence in your product or service—meaning more revenue for your business.

4. To Revamp Your SEO

In order to be successful, customers aren’t the only people you’ll need to please. You’ll have to prove your credibility to Google’s search engine as well, by using search engine optimization tactics such as weaving relevant keywords into your copy.

When it comes to improving your SEO performance, testimonials are your best friend. They’re usually jam-packed with relevant keywords for your brand—especially long-tail (i.e. more specific) keywords that would be tricky to incorporate on your website otherwise. As a result, they tend to increase clicks and improve your ranking on the Google search results page.