Before making an online purchase, most people tend to look at the reviews first. As they can’t touch the product that they’re looking to buy and are not entirely familiar with the business, they are taking a risk by making the purchase. However, having good testimonials from others that have made the same purchase is a great way for customers to ensure themselves that the risk they’re taking is not too big, and then they can also get a good idea of what to expect from the product and the business in general.

Testimonials are a very handy marketing tool that, when used effectively, can easily boost the marketing efforts of a business. Because, there’s a big difference between a business promoting its products or services, sharing all the ways that their products are different or better from the rest of the competitors, and someone else that’s been using the same product or service talking positively – or negatively about the same thing.

Additionally, when there’s a big number of people that positively talk about a service, a product, or just a business in general, other consumers will start trusting that service, product or business a lot more, and then, be more inclined to make a purchase of their own.
Benefits of Testimonials and Reviews
There are several key benefits when a business decides to use positive reviews. One of them is that consumers are far more likely to emotionally connect with a review that they can relate with. Another is the fact that storytelling in testimonials come naturally – in fact, that’s practically what testimonials are about.

Reviews are shared by real people, who are telling their own stories about how a certain product or service helped them solve a problem, so customers can easily relate to those stories. Additionally, storytelling can impact the human brain by making it easier for readers to remember the story, and the product itself.

Furthermore, showing testimonials of a business’s products or services is a great way to build brand awareness. Because of the aforementioned benefits, whenever a reader comes across a review of a product, even if they don’t convert to a consumer, they are still going to remember the story, as well as the brand. Then, over time, when they see more people talking about the same brand, it will lead to an improvement in the brand’s image.
How to Use Reviews and Testimonials

While there isn’t one single best way that a business can use the testimonials or reviews within the marketing strategy, there are several ways that you can make them work. One of them is by placing them on the website’s landing page, as a way to build trust with consumers and giving potential buyers a reason to convert.

Another way is to add a testimonial page to the website, as a way to impress any website visitors. These pages can answer a lot of consumer questions and are a great way to build trust with them. Reviews can also be used within the email marketing strategy, as a way to boost sales, or, on social media, to engage with the audience.

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Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.