Reviews vs Testimonials: What’s the Difference?
When it comes to shaping how customers see your business, reviews and testimonials are powerful tools that can influence their purchasing decisions. But while people often use the terms interchangeably, reviews and testimonials serve different purposes, come in unique formats, and impact your business in distinct ways. Knowing these differences will help you use each one effectively to build trust and credibility with your audience.
In this guide, you’ll get a clear understanding of reviews and testimonials, see how they impact consumer decisions, and learn best practices to leverage them in your business.
Reviews and testimonials have a lot in common and can be used in different ways to help businesses and customers.
The difference between reviews and testimonials is that reviews are collected by third-party sites and testimonials are collected by businesses themselves from customers who want to share their positive experiences.
A testimonial by its nature is someone saying something good, ideally in writing, about a business, its products/services. A review can be either positive or negative. If positive, by default, it’s also a testimonial; it’s simply may or may not be placed directly on a company’s website. All testimonials are reviews, but not all reviews are testimonials.
1. Definitions: What Are Reviews and Testimonials?
Reviews
A review is an assessment from a customer based on their personal experience with your product, service, or business. Reviews are often posted on public platforms like Google, Yelp, or social media. These are direct, unfiltered evaluations and can cover both positive and negative feedback, usually including ratings. Reviews are created by customers and accessible to anyone who wants to learn more about your business.
Reviews are most often snippets of information left on third-party sites by customers about their experiences with businesses. Some popular places to leave reviews are Amazon, Google, Facebook, Instagram, Yelp, Tripadvisor, etc. In fact, there are hundreds of review sites where customers can and do talk about your business.
Customers that leave reviews on these sites can leave negative or positive reviews depending on their experiences. Anyone else on these sites can see the reviews others post. Reviews can be a determining factor for other potential customers to make a purchase.
One important thought: People can and do talk about your business. Do you know where and what they are saying?
Testimonials
Testimonials, on the other hand, are endorsements you collect from satisfied customers. These are more curated and tend to focus on positive experiences with your product or service. Testimonials are often featured on your website, in brochures, or on marketing materials to give prospective customers reassurance from real-life success stories. While reviews can vary widely in tone and content, testimonials emphasize the best parts of what you offer.
Testimonials are usually collected by companies themselves from customers. They are more likely to be positive and highlight a customer’s experience with a business. Many companies will display these in advertisements or on the business’s website as a way to “show off” others’ experiences.
Testimonials can also be requested by companies as a way to have something written that they want to use. Often a customer will write something positive about a business on social media that the company would like to have on their website. As long as the post is public, companies can take those testimonials and use them to promote their business.
You may have seen testimonials on a company’s website. An example would be a quote from a customer displayed on the front page praising the company and explaining in detail what the company’s services or products did for them.
2. Key Differences: Purpose, Presentation, and Content
Purpose
Reviews aim to give potential customers a well-rounded look at real customer experiences. Since they’re shared on third-party sites, they’re usually unbiased and provide a snapshot of the customer experience with your business.
Testimonials are designed to reinforce trust in your brand by focusing on your strengths. Because testimonials are often requested by you or your team, they act as endorsements, emphasizing the positive experiences of satisfied customers.
Presentation
Reviews are typically presented in a straightforward format, often with ratings, comments, and sometimes photos. They appear on external platforms, where customers can share their experiences freely.
Testimonials are usually polished and displayed in a way that aligns with your brand. These might appear on your website, in ads, or social media posts, highlighting the positive experiences your customers have had with your business.
Content and Tone
Reviews are usually more comprehensive, reflecting both the positive and negative aspects of the experience. They give prospective customers an honest view, which can help them weigh their options.
Testimonials are more selective, often highlighting a single positive experience or benefit of your service. The tone is more promotional, as testimonials are carefully chosen to align with your brand message.
3. Impact on Consumer Purchasing Decisions
Both reviews and testimonials have a big influence on whether someone decides to buy from you, but they impact consumer decisions differently:
How Reviews Influence Decisions
Studies show that about 93% of consumers say reviews affect their purchasing decisions. Because reviews are seen as transparent, they help undecided customers understand what to expect from your business. Positive reviews show your credibility and provide social proof, while negative reviews can give prospective customers an honest view and might prompt them to ask questions about specific concerns.
The Power of Testimonials in Building Trust
Testimonials build confidence by creating an emotional connection. When a potential customer sees others’ positive experiences with your business, they’re more likely to feel reassured in their own decision. Testimonials also convey your business’s values and highlight what makes you unique. For example, featuring a testimonial from a well-known client can strengthen your credibility and encourage trust among new customers.
4. Best Practices for Utilizing Reviews and Testimonials
How to Make the Most of Reviews
Respond to All Feedback: Acknowledge positive reviews with gratitude and address negative ones professionally. Showing that you care about customer satisfaction sends a powerful message.
Encourage Authentic Reviews: Avoid pushing only for positive reviews. Instead, ask all your customers to share their honest experiences—this creates a genuine and well-rounded picture of your brand.
Highlight Key Reviews: Share particularly strong reviews on your website, social media, or email newsletters. Pinning standout reviews where customers can easily see them can be a persuasive factor.
Reviews, both positive and negative, can be used to your advantage. You may think only positive reviews can get you results, but negative reviews are just as important.
Before you can use reviews, you have to get them first. Customers are the ones who decide to leave reviews, but you can always encourage them to. After a purchase has been made on your website, for example, you can set up a pop-up to ask customers how their experience was and if they’d like to give your business a review. You can also do this by sending emails to customers who complete purchases.
Once reviews have been made, you can then use them to promote your business. Positive reviews often speak for themselves. It’s important to have positive reviews, but it’s also important to have negative ones. A business with only positive reviews will look suspicious to potential customers and they might think those reviews are illegitimate. Negative reviews reflect the accuracy of buying products and services online in that you can’t please everyone.
Having negative reviews alone won’t help your business, though. But, if you respond to them quickly and respectfully, you are showing your customers that you care about any problems they may have. If you learn how to respond to negative reviews, you can boost business.
Making Testimonials Work for You
Request Testimonials from a Variety of Customers: Gathering testimonials from different customer groups can show the full range of who you serve. For instance, if you run a fitness brand, ask for testimonials from beginners, advanced athletes, and seniors to demonstrate broad appeal.
Encourage Specific Details: Ask customers to include specific benefits they’ve experienced—such as improved efficiency, better service, or convenience—to make testimonials impactful.
Add Visuals: Photos, job titles, or even video testimonials add a human element and credibility to your testimonials. Video testimonials, in particular, can be very engaging, as they let viewers see and hear the customer’s enthusiasm.
Since testimonials are collected by the company or business itself, testimonials you collect can be used in many ways.
The most obvious way to use a testimonial is to use it as advertising. You might have seen quotes on business websites from people who are supportive of the product or service. This is one way they can be used.
Creating a customer testimonial page on your website and sharing testimonials on social media are other ways that they can be used. Customers will want to know more about your product or service, and they will trust fellow customers’ opinions over anything your business says about itself.
Posting testimonials on social media can be highly beneficial, considering the digital age we’re in. If people see that others are satisfied with your business, they will be more likely to buy from you. If you find that customers are leaving their own testimonials, you can share those to your page as well.
5. Real-World Examples: Reviews and Testimonials in Action
Example 1: Airbnb (Reviews)
Airbnb relies on reviews, which give travelers insights based on past guests’ experiences. Travelers share ratings and comments on key areas such as cleanliness and location. Potential guests can browse these reviews to make informed choices, while positive reviews help hosts build credibility.
Example 2: Adobe (Testimonials)
Adobe uses testimonials from industry professionals and prominent clients to highlight the value of its Creative Cloud suite. Featuring endorsements from well-known brands and experts adds trust and shows prospective customers the difference Adobe’s software can make.
Example 3: Amazon (Reviews)
Amazon’s star-rating and comment system help shoppers make informed decisions quickly. By labeling reviews from verified purchases, Amazon assures customers that these reviews come from actual buyers, which fosters trust.
Example 4: Shopify (Testimonials)
Shopify’s testimonials highlight customer successes using its platform. These endorsements focus on specific benefits like ease of use or excellent customer support, helping potential users see Shopify as a reliable and scalable choice.
6. Authenticity and Trustworthiness in Feedback
Authenticity is key to making both reviews and testimonials effective. Today’s customers can spot inauthentic or edited feedback quickly, which can damage your brand’s reputation. Here’s how you can ensure authenticity:
Transparency: Share reviews as they come and avoid over-editing testimonials to keep them genuine.
Verification: Where possible, use labels (like “Verified Purchase”) or other indicators to show the reviewer’s experience is real.
Variety: Share a mix of testimonials and reviews to present a well-rounded picture of your brand.
Which is better for the business?
Testimonials are usually better for businesses because they can showcase a customer’s genuine response to their product or service. Whether they’re used on a business’s website or included in an advertisement, testimonials can draw in customers that think favorably of the business because of social proof. Think about it, if lots of people are talking positively about a business, aren't you more likely to want to do business with them?
Which is better for the customer?
Reviews are usually better for customers because they can be used to help customers make purchasing decisions. The best way for customers to get a gauge on if the product or service will be beneficial to them or not is to read reviews from others. After all, 91% of people read reviews before they make purchasing decisions.
Summary of Reviews and Testimonials
Building Your Reputation
Both reviews and testimonials are crucial to building your brand’s reputation. Reviews provide a transparent view of real customer experiences, while testimonials allow you to showcase your strengths. By understanding how each type of feedback works, you can strategically use them to create a strong, trustworthy brand image.
In today’s world, where consumers value transparency, fostering genuine relationships with customers is essential. By encouraging authentic feedback, responding with care, and displaying the most impactful reviews and testimonials, you can build a foundation of trust that keeps customers coming back.
To learn more, read our article on reviews and how to use them to convert prospects, contact us, or call us at (205) 451-1945.